MMA System: I Will Be Pound For Pound Goat-Chapter 840: Sky house full of babies

"So how's everything going on your side?" Damon asked as he leaned back on the half-empty couch.

Joey stood near the wall, phone in hand, gesturing around the living room. "Well, as you can see," he said, motioning toward the bare space with no TV and half-packed boxes, "moving has been smooth."

Damon smirked, glancing around the apartment. The place looked stripped down, ready to be handed over. Joey and Ashley had finally bought a house, something Ashley had been on him about for months. A proper home, with a yard, where their son could grow up.

"You should come check it out sometime," Joey said, grinning. "It's a nice spot."

Damon nodded. "I will. You holding up okay? Between the move and handling all my media stuff, I'm surprised you haven't burned out yet. You could always get a secretary, you know."

Joey waved it off immediately. "Nah, man. I love this job. And the move's fine. We hired some people to help, and I just check in when they come by. Honestly, this is the best setup I've ever had. I get to be with my family, watch Theo grow, and still make my best friend more famous."

Damon laughed. "You make it sound like charity work."

Joey chuckled. "Feels like it sometimes."

Damon leaned forward. "Speaking of family, how's the plan to propose going?"

Joey smiled, shaking his head. "Smoothly. I've got the ring already. We're going to dinner tonight. It's weird, though, I was nervous at first, now I just feel… I don't know, strange. Like I'm just waiting for it to happen."

Damon grinned. "That's normal. Usually the guy's supposed to make it a surprise, but in your case, Ashley threatened you into it. Better hurry before she proposes first."

Joey pointed at him with a laugh, flipping him off on his way back from the kitchen. "Screw you, man."

Damon laughed again, shaking his head. "You know I'm right."

Joey grabbed his jacket, still smiling. "Yeah, well, I'll let you know how it goes. Try not to start another war online while I'm gone."

"No promises," Damon said, following him towards the door.

As they left, Damon headed home. Training and negotiations stayed at the back of his mind the moment he walked through the door. His world changed pace the second he stepped inside.

Svetlana was moving slower these days. Her stomach had grown, and even simple things took more effort.

Ava was in her clingy phase, always trailing behind her mother, wanting attention and arms around her. It was a sweet sight most of the time, but it was also easy to see how tiring it could get.

Damon knew kids could feel pushed aside when another one was on the way. He didn't want Ava growing up with that shadow.

So at home, he stayed close to her. He picked her up, took her around the house with him, played with her, fed her, and let her cling to his shirt until she decided she was done.

When Svetlana sat down, he sat beside her. When Ava tugged at him, he followed. They moved as a unit, one step at a time, no rush. He liked it this way. Fighting belonged in gyms and arenas. Here, he wanted the house to feel safe and warm.

It also made Damon see fatherhood differently. Before, he had treated it almost like a duty, something to do right, to show up for, to keep steady. But being home more often, watching Ava grow, shifted that view completely.

He found himself learning as much as she did. Every laugh, every question, every clumsy step reminded him of things he never had as a kid. Seeing her experience them now filled in pieces he didn't know were missing.

But it also came with awareness. Ava picked up everything, words, tone, and even small habits. Damon had to watch what he said, what he reacted to, even when he thought she wasn't listening. She absorbed everything, and that responsibility hit differently.

She mirrored him in ways that made him want to be better, not just for her, but through her.

Damon was in the kitchen, cutting meat on the counter while the pan sizzled beside him. Svetlana was resting on the couch, her head leaned against a pillow, and Ava had just woken up from her nap. She sat on her tall chair by the counter, secured in place, legs swinging as she watched him cook.

"Daddy," she said suddenly, tilting her head. "You said Mama has a baby in her tummy. How did it get there?"

The knife paused mid-cut. Damon slowly looked up, meeting her curious eyes. She blinked at him, serious, waiting for an answer.

He didn't have one. Not the kind you gave to a child her age, anyway. His mom had never done the "talk" when he was a kid, and he had no clue how to handle it now.

He set the knife down, forcing a smile. "Well," he said, thinking fast, "the baby came from the sky."

Ava's eyes widened. "The sky?" she repeated, voice full of wonder.

"That's right," Damon said, nodding. "The baby came from a big house in the sky. When it's ready, it comes down to live with us."

Her face lit up. "Did I come from the sky too?"

"Yes, baby," Damon said, cutting again while smiling at her. "You came from the sky too. When you came, Mama and I were so happy."

She leaned forward in her chair, completely serious. "Is there a big house in the sky? Like, full of babies?"

Damon laughed under his breath. "Yeah, there's a big house up there. Lots of babies. And they all wait for their turn to come down."

Her eyes went round. "With toys?"

He chuckled, nodding. "Oh, lots of toys. And clouds for pillows."

Ava gasped, covering her mouth. "Wow."

He kept chopping, pretending not to laugh.

"So," she said after a moment, "when the new baby comes, the sky house will be empty?"

Damon looked at her again. "No, sweetheart. There's always more babies. The sky house never runs out."

She thought for a second, tapping her small hand against the table. "Okay," she said finally. "Then I'll share my toys."

Damon smiled. "Deal."