They moved like a single machine that had been taught to think in parts. The room still smelled like sweat and dust from the earlier fights, but the adrenaline had shifted, settling into a steady heat.
Daniel and Aiden split off, shoulders squared, throwing themselves into the next wave like it was the only thing that mattered. Ryan and Maya took the flank, eyes sharp, muscles wound tight. No speeches. No long plans. Just the pull of the fight and the quiet promise to come back to each other.
Daniel was ridiculous in the best way. He fought like he was at a party and everyone else had forgotten to bring snacks. His grin never left his face.
He moved with that strange, half-joke posture of his hands tucked into his pants—something he always did, a quirky habit that somehow made his legs do the talking louder. With his feet he spoke loud and fast. Taekwondo wasn't just technique for him. It was the language of motion he loved most.
