MMA System: I Will Be Pound For Pound Goat-Chapter 695: Stag Plans and Stray Thoughts

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Chapter 695: Chapter 695: Stag Plans and Stray Thoughts

"Get ready for the night of your life, bro."

Ash’s voice came from the hallway as he stepped in, grinning like he already had something wild in mind. Damon stood up from the couch and smiled, giving him a quick dap.

"Alright, alright," Damon said, shaking his head. "Don’t get me arrested."

Ash laughed. "Please. I haven’t even found the one yet, and you’re already locking it down."

He walked in fully, grabbing a bottle of water off the kitchen counter like he owned the place.

Damon sat back down and watched him, amused. Ava was at her coloring table in the corner, barely looking up.

Svetlana was out shopping with her mom for more wedding stuff, which left Ash free to barge in and Joey free to plan.

"You nervous yet?" Ash asked.

Damon shrugged. "A little. But it’s not the wedding. It’s the bachelor’s party you psychos are setting up."

Ash grinned wide. "You should be. But relax, no strip clubs. Joey’s still scared of Ashley, and I’m not getting beat up for you."

"That’s comforting," Damon said.

Ash leaned against the kitchen island, arms crossed. "You ever think about this, though? Like, how fast it all moved? Champ, double champ, now husband and father..."

Damon took a second before answering. "Yeah. A lot."

Ash nodded. "But you seem like you’re built for it."

Damon didn’t say anything at first. He glanced over at Ava, who was still focused on her coloring, then back at Ash.

"I’m trying to be," he said. "Every day."

Ash clapped his hands once. "That’s all you can do, bro. Alright, I’m off. Joey’s gathering the crew. Just make sure you wear something you don’t mind losing."

Damon gave him a look. "Why?"

Ash just smiled. "No reason."

And with that, he left.

Damon stayed seated, the quiet settling in again. He looked at the calendar on the wall, wedding date circled in red. It was coming fast.

He wasn’t scared of commitment. He was scared of not living up to it.

But when he looked at Ava, and thought about Svetlana, he knew one thing, he’d give everything he had trying.

Damon had already slipped out of the house. It wasn’t easy, Ava had been in the living room, completely locked into her cartoons.

He didn’t want her to see him leave. The last time she did, she cried so hard she gave herself hiccups.

So he left quietly and waited until he was down the block before calling Svetlana.

She picked up after two rings.

"Hey," she said warmly. "Already left?"

"Yeah, just now," Damon said, settling into the back seat of the car Ash had called for them. "Did she notice?"

"Nope," Svetlana replied. "I distracted her with snacks and let her think you were still in the shower. But she’ll figure it out when bedtime comes."

He smiled. "Thanks. I didn’t want to leave her crying again."

"I know," she said. "She’s getting smarter about it, though. Starts looking for your shoes now."

"She’s too smart," Damon said. "At this rate she’ll be negotiating bedtime extensions like a lawyer."

Svetlana laughed softly. "You doing okay?"

"Yeah. Just hoping Joey doesn’t have me zip-tied to a flaming go-kart by midnight."

"You’ll survive."

"You sound too calm."

"I trust your friends," she said, though her tone hinted at doubt.

There was a short pause.

"Hey, Damon?"

"Yeah?"

"Just... stay safe, okay?"

Damon grinned. "Yeah, I know. No strip clubs."

"No, I mean, yeah, that too," she said with a soft exhale. "But I meant stay safe. Be careful. That’s all."

His smile settled into something quieter.

"I will," he said. "I promise."

They stayed on the line for another second. Then Svetlana said, "Have fun. Love you."

"Love you too."

He ended the call, tucked the phone into his jacket pocket, and leaned back against the seat.

The night hadn’t started yet, but he was already thinking ahead, about Ava’s goodnight hug he’d missed, and about getting home in one piece.

Svetlana hadn’t gone out for a girls’ night. Damon wasn’t sure why, but he didn’t question it.

Instead of hitting the city with her friends or planning something flashy, she’d invited Ashley over, along with her mother and Damon’s mother.

It wasn’t anything loud or extravagantz just a quiet evening at home, surrounded by people who mattered.

The four of them had started spending more time together lately, especially as the wedding grew closer.

It made sense. These were the people who’d shaped their lives, and now they were all helping shape the day that would mark a new Chapter.

Damon figured it was Svetlana’s way of grounding herself.

While he was off getting dragged into whatever Joey and Ash had planned for his bachelor night, she was choosing a different kind of peace.

A small gathering, familiar faces, and conversation that probably hovered between parenting stories and wedding details.

It wasn’t the typical counterpart to a bachelor party, but nothing about their relationship had ever been typical. And somehow, it fit perfectly.

Because Svetlana didn’t have many close friends, it made sense.

The only real friend Damon ever knew was Ashley.

Most of Svetlana’s life had been focused on her than anything, and Ashley was her friends because she used to train in the dome gym.

So when it came time for a girls’ night or a celebration, she didn’t have a long list of people to call.

Instead, she leaned on the few who mattered. Ashley. Her mother. Damon’s mother. That was her circle.

He never expected her to be the kind of person with a dozen bridesmaids or a social calendar filled with coffee dates. Svetlana was different.

Focused. Loyal to the bone. And that loyalty reflected in how she handled moments like these, by keeping them personal.

With that, Damon headed to the bedroom and started changing.

The guys were probably ready by now, and knowing Joey and Ash, they weren’t going to wait around. He had no idea where they were taking him, and none of them had dropped a hint.

He slipped into a clean shirt, grabbed his jacket, and checked his phone. No messages about the plan, just a thumbs-up from Joey sent ten minutes ago. Typical.

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