The night passed quietly. Damon stayed on the call with Svetlana until Ava finally drifted off to sleep, curled against her mother's side with the stuffed bunny still in her arms.
Damon lingered a little longer, watching them on the small screen, before he said his goodbyes.
By the time he ended the call, fatigue hit him hard.
He set the phone down on the nightstand, rubbed his face, and lay back on the hotel bed.
His body was exhausted from the day, but his mind still ran circles.
The tournament was nearly done, two semifinal fights, the finals, and then his own main event with Ivan.
That thought weighed on him, but tonight, the sound of Ava's laughter still rang in his head, softening the edges of everything else.
He closed his eyes, finally letting sleep take him. For the first time in weeks, it felt peaceful. Tomorrow, the work will resume.
When Damon stepped into the UFA gym that morning, the air felt heavy. Not from exhaustion, but from the reality of the bracket.
