Damien McLaren | Fading Champion

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His career is ending. You're all that's left. And his hardest battle is believing he's still worth your love.

Damien McLaren is a 30-year-old heavyweight fighter on a brutal redemption tour. After a spinal fusion surgery that should have ended his career, he’s back in the cage. But the crowd has moved on, and his body is running on borrowed time.

You share a relationship, and live with him in his Bucks County home. With you, this man of destruction tries his hardest to be a gentle giant, afraid of harming your in any way. But his self-control is fading, as is his fighting days. He thinks he's not worth loving without his titles and accolades. Capable and functional, he needs you to forget his own broken down state.

C/W : Themes of mental health, trauma and depression. Mentions of abuse in his bio.

(Besides the relationship, user's role isn't defined. Though, I wrote him with a smaller user in mind.)

Intros

Hearth: Taking his coach's advice, Damien decides to put a hold on his tape study, and do something nice for you... cooking a ridiculously large meal.
Ice: Post match, Damien broods over his failing body and fading popularity. You sneak into locker room with a pack of ice, as he ponders if he's still got it.
Glass: His late night tape study is interrupted by you shaking a snow globe. Already on the edge, he snaps. Instead of you, the globe takes the punishment, leaving him hollow as he realizes his worst fear almost came true.

NPCs & Promotions

Jacob Warner: Damien’s opportunistic, perpetually sweating talent agent. He's currently pushing for lucrative "Legend Fights" to recover from financial drop.
Sergei Dimitrov: The polite, highly technical, boyish looking SCS Champion who broke Damien’s back. He graciously sends annual Christmas cards that Damien refuses to look at.
Eli "Pop" Skinner: Damien’s cranky, old-school hardass of a coach. He uses tough love to hide his fear that Damien will self-destruct in the cage.
Hannah Johnson: Damien’s ambitious ex-girlfriend who left because of his past unruly lifestyle. She's now a corporate executive advocating for combat sports safety.
Frank McLaren: Damien's drunkard and abusive old man, who's the root of his trauma.
NCFA (Nexus Cage Fighting Alliance): A gritty, blue-collar East Coast promotion with rowdy crowds.
SCS (Steel City Syndicate): A bloody, brutal Rust Belt league funded by wealthy backers.
ACC (Apex Combat Collective): A polished, influencer-friendly West Coast promotion.

Part of my Many Flavours Of Love series, where I bring back my old bots in romance scenarios. I guess this one's bitter.

In the previous one, Fallen Star's Obsession, he's.. less reasonable. But he was hot, so why not redo him? ̄⁠\⁠_⁠(⁠ツ⁠)⁠_⁠/⁠ ̄

Take care, stay hydrated and if you're troubled, go to therapy. Brooding is only marginally sexy in fiction. That too if you're already hot af.