MMA System: I Will Be Pound For Pound Goat

He looked around and took in the beach's sights and sounds.

As the waves hit the beach, their rhythm was soothing in the stillness of the night.

"This is amazing," he murmured, his voice barely audible over the sound of the waves.

They had been walking for a while now, their pace unhurried, their conversation casual.

Their shoes were slung in their hands, left to dangle as they strolled barefoot along the cool sand.

It had been Svetlana's idea to take them off.

"Trust me," She told him this while grinning as she took off her shoes and told him to do the same. "You haven't really been to the beach unless you feel the sand under your feet."

Now, as the grains pressed against his soles, Damon had to admit she was right.

The beach stretched wide and empty, the perfect setting for their quiet exploration.

They didn't need to fill the silence with constant conversation, the serenity of the moment spoke for itself.

Damon looked at her, curiosity flashing in his eyes. "How many times have you been to the beach?"

Svetlana smiled faintly, brushing a strand of hair behind her ear. "A lot. It used to be our thing. Come on, let's sit here," she said, pointing to a spot on the sand near the edge of the tide.

They sat down, the cool sand giving way under their weight as the sound of the waves filled the quiet space between them.

"My parents used to bring me here when they first adopted me… to cheer me up," she said softly, her voice tinged with a hint of sadness.

Damon's gaze shifted to her, catching the way her eyes seemed to reflect the moonlight. "Did it work?" he asked, his tone gentle.

Svetlana shrugged, staring out at the waves. "Not at first. I didn't like it. A day in a beach couldn't fill in what i lost."

She paused, her fingers idly tracing patterns in the sand. "But eventually, I started to like it. The sound of the ocean, the way it felt to be here, it grew on me. It became my safe place."

She let out a small laugh, though it didn't quite reach her eyes. "Funny thing is, I haven't been here in a long time. Life just got busy, I guess."

Damon nodded, his eyes never leaving her. "Sometimes we forget the things that used to make us feel alive. But it's never too late to come back to them."

Svetlana turned to him, her smile soft but real this time. "Yeah. I guess you're right."

There was silence between them for a while. The waves made them feel like they didn't need to say anything.

Svetlana kept her gaze on the sea, her voice soft as she spoke. "Isn't it beautiful? The way the water blends with the sky from here, with the waves rolling in…"

Damon turned his attention from the water to her, his eyes lingering.

He studied the way the moonlight softened her features, the way her hair moved gently in the breeze.

He couldn't help himself; his lips curved into a small smile as he spoke.

"Yeah. Yeah, it is."

His tone was quieter, deeper, filled with something unspoken.

Svetlana turned her head, catching his gaze.

Her breath hitched slightly when she realized he wasn't looking at the sea, he was looking at her.

Upon realizing what had happened, her cheeks got warm, and she quickly turned away, nervously brushing her hair back.

Damon noticed her blush and chuckled softly under his breath. "What?" he asked teasingly.

"Nothing," she replied quickly, though her voice betrayed her flustered state.

She stole another glance at him, her lips twitching into a shy smile before she looked back at the waves.

Damon's hand instinctively followed hers, gently clasping it.

She didn't pull away. Instead, she squeezed his hand softly, her fingers intertwining with his.

Damon couldn't help but smile. "I missed you," he said, his voice low but sincere.n/ô/vel/b//jn dot c//om

She turned her head, meeting his gaze with a soft smile of her own. "I missed you too."

The words hung in the air, simple but filled with meaning.

Silence followed. not the awkward kind that begged to be filled but the comforting kind, where words weren't necessary.

The sound of the waves crashing against the shore created the perfect background for their unspoken link.

It was like their hearts were speaking a language that only they could understand.

Damon squinted his eyes, showing that he was having a hard time inside.

His fingers tightened a little around hers, then let go as he took a slow, steady breath.

His face softened, the conflict in his expression giving way to determination.

"Lana," he said, his voice carrying both hesitance and resolve.

Svetlana looked at him with interest in her eyes as she turned her head toward him. When she looked at him, her face was calm and open.

"Yeah?" she prompted, sensing the weight of what he was about to say.

Damon paused, his jaw clenching as he tried to decide what to say.

He raked his hair with his free hand and then settled back down on the sand.

"I've been meaning to talk to you… to tell you something," he finally admitted, his voice steady but low, as though saying it too loudly would break the delicate moment between them.

Svetlana's eyes softened as she looked at him, sensing the seriousness in his tone.

"Go ahead," she said gently, her voice encouraging but calm.

Damon sighed again, his fingers tightening slightly around hers as he seemed to gather his thoughts.

He looked down for a moment, as if searching for the right words in the sand beneath them, before lifting his gaze to meet hers.

"Lana," he began, his voice steady but tinged with vulnerability. "I've been meaning to talk to you about this for a while, but… I wasn't sure how to say it."

Svetlana tilted her head slightly, her expression curious but patient, giving him the space to continue.

Damon drew in a deep breath, his eyes never leaving hers. "You're important to me. More than just a friend or someone I've grown close to. You mean… a lot more to me than that."

Her lips parted slightly, as if she wanted to respond, but she waited, letting him finish.

"I've been trying to figure out the right time to say this, and honestly, I don't think there's ever a perfect moment," Damon admitted, a faint smile tugging at his lips. "But I need you to know, I like you, Lana. I care about you, and not just as a friend."