MMA System: I Will Be Pound For Pound Goat

"Hey, like I said, I'll make it up to you," Damon said, glancing over from the driver's seat.

Svetlana smirked, arms folded, still fresh off a long and colorful rant that had lasted nearly the entire ride so far. "You always say that."

"And I always do," he countered, flashing a grin.

She rolled her eyes but didn't argue.

In the back seat, Ava sat strapped in her car seat, thumb in her mouth, kicking her legs lazily.

The stroller was tucked in the trunk, packed under a few shopping bags they had picked up earlier.

She was content, quietly humming nonsense while watching shapes pass the window.

The car hummed along the road, late afternoon sun painting the street in long golden strips.

Damon drummed his fingers on the steering wheel, letting the silence settle in for a bit, until Svetlana finally broke it.

"You know what would actually make it up to me?"

"Uh-oh," he said, glancing at her.

"Spa day. Just me. No Damon, no toddler."

He laughed. "Alright, fair. But you know she's going to cry when she doesn't see you for two hours."

Svetlana raised a brow. "That's your problem, champ."

Damon nodded with a grin. "Deal."

Damon glanced at the rearview mirror, catching a glimpse of Ava kicking her feet lightly against the seat.

She looked up at him with wide, curious eyes, her thumb still tucked in her mouth.

"Guess you're stuck with Daddy for the day," he said with a grin.

Ava responded with a soft babble, half a word, half nonsense. Damon chuckled.

"Yeah, that's what I thought."

He turned the steering wheel and pulled into a spot near the front of the mall entrance. The engine hummed down as he shifted into park.

"Alright," he said, grabbing the keys. "Let's do some damage."

Svetlana stepped out first, smoothing her coat and adjusting her purse.

Damon went around to the back, popping the trunk and pulling out the stroller with practiced ease.

He set it up with one hand, the other already reaching to unbuckle Ava.

She was calm, sleepy even, but clung to her stuffed toy as he lifted her out.

The family of three walked into the mall together, Ava settled in her stroller, Svetlana leading the way, and Damon close behind with one hand on the stroller bar.

It was going to be a long day.

They started at the clothing section first. Svetlana was already scanning racks with a determined look in her eyes.

Damon had suggested she go check out the spa section and let him and Ava explore on their own, but she wasn't having it.

"You're not dressing her," she said firmly, not even looking back. "You let that baby walk out of here with a backwards hoodie and mismatched socks last time."

Damon raised his hands in surrender. "That was once. And she liked it."

"She was drooling and couldn't talk. Your opinion is invalid."

He leaned over the stroller, whispering to Ava. "Guess we're not the fashion team today."

Ava blinked at him and slowly lifted her toy, bumping it into his face. Svetlana glanced over and smiled.

"I'll handle this," she added, already pulling two outfits off the rack and holding them up for comparison. "You just make sure she doesn't eat any tags."

Damon nodded, following as Svetlana moved down the aisle.

He didn't mind, watching them like this, the two of them immersed in a world of small choices and bright colors, was one of his favorite parts of fatherhood.

Even if he wasn't in charge of the wardrobe.

Damon shook his head, amused. "You're so bossy," he muttered under his breath with a smirk.

Svetlana shot him a glance over her shoulder, but before she could respond, he reached out and gently tugged her hand, pulling her closer to his side.

"Relax," he said, his tone teasing but soft.

She narrowed her eyes at him playfully, but let herself fall in step beside him. Damon gave her hand a light squeeze, his thumb brushing over her knuckles.

The mall buzzed around them, bright lights, the murmur of shoppers, and the faint echo of music over the speakers, but in that moment, it felt quiet between them.

Just the three of them, moving as a unit. Damon didn't need much more than that.

The mall had quieted a bit since the rush earlier, and Damon found himself walking slowly along the tiled floor, one hand on the stroller, the other tucked into his jacket pocket.

Ava sat inside, clutching a soft toy in her lap, eyes bouncing around at the bright lights and scattered sounds around them.

Svetlana had already gone off to her sparring session, leaving him and Ava to figure out how to pass the time.

The bags were packed neatly in the car, the day's errands done, but neither of them felt like going home just yet.

He glanced down at his daughter. "What do you think? Arcade? Toy store? Ice cream you'll forget you ate in five minutes?"

Ava didn't answer, just pointed vaguely at something in the distance while mumbling a trail of baby sounds.

Damon laughed softly and followed the direction anyway, turning a corner toward the children's play area.

He could already hear the faint buzz of games and excited voices echoing from that end.

He thought briefly about joining Svetlana. Another spar, another round, another session.

But truthfully, he had done so many of those lately that even the thought bored him. He didn't need more rounds right now.

He needed this, quiet moments with his daughter, unbothered by fight camps or pressure.

"Alright," he said, adjusting the stroller handle as they approached the little play center. "Let's go cause some chaos, tiny boss."

They stopped in front of the kids' arcade section. Neon lights blinked along the walls, and the buzzing of machines echoed around them.

Damon looked she was intrigued by the movements around, but he knew she couldn't play all these games.

So they just passed the section, and looked for the toddler section.