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Leo watched as the young player took pictures holding the Barcelona jersey. With wide eyes and a broad grin, the ex-Santos forward looked excited to be there. That made one of them. Leo groaned as he sat there watching the proceedings wishing that he didn't have to be here today. They didn't get many days off and he wanted to be home with his son, Thiago. Iniesta looked over at him with a disapproving look nudging him slightly. Leo instantly forced a smile onto his face. He didn't need to get in trouble with his future captain. Turning back to face the podium, he realized that the Brazilian was no longer taking photos. Instead, he was a few steps away from him talking with Dani Alves. They were both talking and laughing and Leo realized he wanted to know what was so funny. Shaking the thought from his head, he stood up and walked over to the two Barcelona players. Neymar stopped mid-sentence when he saw Leo approaching, jaw slack and eyes comically wide. Leo felt his cheeks heat up a bit from the eye contact even though they had met before.
"Hola. I am Leo. Welcome to Barca"
Leo wasn't sure how it was possible, but Neymar's eyes got even wider.
"Oh..Uhm...H..Hi Messi. I mean Leo. I mean Lionel. I mean..." the boy stuttered leaving his cheeks bright red.
Leo couldn't help but smile at the thought that he made the forward nervous.
Grinning, he stepped forward to shake his hand. "Call me Leo."
The Brazilian visibly shuddered as the great Lionel Messi held his hand. He looked up at the best player in the world with adoration evident in his eyes. Leo swallowed hard as they maintained eye contact until Dani cleared his throat effectively ruining the moment.
“Hey Dani.” Leo said finally acknowledging the Barcelona defender.
Dani stood there amused staring back and forth between the two as if he knew some big secret.
“Leo.” Dani said smiling brightly. “Hey man, we’re having a party tonight to celebrate this kid becoming a Barca player. It’s gonna be at my place. You should stop by.”
Leo pondered for a moment. He didn’t exactly like the kid, no-one liked competition but the season had been long and tiring and he wouldn’t mind a break from it all. Slowly Leo nodded causing Dani to smirk and Neymar to smile brightly.
“Oh can you pick Ney up? He actually lives close to you so you could grab him on the way here.”
Leo looked from Dani to Ney, the latter pretending to be disinterested in the conversation while still straining his neck to hear what was being said.
Keeping his eyes on the Brazilian forward so that he felt his gaze, Leo watched as Neymar cautiously looked up and promptly turned red again as he caught Leo staring at him.
With a hurried bye to Leo, Dani grabbed the red faced youngster and dragged him with him around the corner. Leo felt the corners of his lips tug up in a smile.
Wait! What am I doing?! They’re already saying this kid is going to replace me and be the best in the world. Leo thought, angry at himself for the slip.
Hours later, Leo stood in front of the mirror contemplating what to wear. His phone rang and he hurried to pick it up.
“Leo.” He answered.
“Leeeeoooooooo! Hey pulgaaa! When are you getting here?”
Leo sighed. A drunk Pique was one of the worst things.
“Geri, how much have you had to drink?”
“Shh Shh! Not so loud Leo. The butterflies don’t like the noise.” Gerard whispered
“Butterflies?”
Gerard groaned. “Obviously Leo. The huge purple and pink butterflies in front of me.”
Leo could imagine Geri shaking his head at the fact that Leo didn’t see the butterflies. He chuckled besides himself and continued trying to find an outfit.
“That new Neymar kid. He’s a butterfly too Leo. I’m gonna turn him into a caterpillar!”
Leo perked up at the mention of Neymar.
“Geri, you can’t turn a butterfly into a caterpillar.”
“I’d let him fly on my caterpillar.” Gerard said partly slurring.
Leo turned red as the innuendo hit him.
“Geri, go drink water. I’ll be there soon.”
“Si pulgaaa. Bring the butterfly with you. I have work to dooooo.” He sang hanging up.
In the end Leo went with a black hoody, grey jeans and black sneakers leaving his hair unkempt. Driving the ten minutes it took to reach to Neymar’s house, he shut the car off and rang the doorbell. The Brazilian opened the door instantly as if he had been sitting by the door waiting for Leo to arrive.
“Uh..Uhm..Hey..Hello..Hi..Leo..Messi.Hi.” Neymar stuttered breaking the silence.
Leo smiled. “Hey Ney.”
He heard Neymar’s breath quicken as he called him by the nickname. Lionel opened the door for Messi before opening his own.
“You don’t have to be nervous around me you know.”
“I know sir uhm ugh I know but it’s just that you’re…and I’m….and I always wanted to work with you and you’re so much cuter in person and I have posters of you above my bed! And why did I say that? I should not have said that. Now you think I’m a creep. Yep great going Neymar, you ruined it again. Ugh what’s wrong with me?!” Neymar finished putting his head in his hands.
If he had looked up he would have seen the huge grin that Leo had on his face.
“Did you just call me cute Neymar?”
“What? No! Of course not! I mean not that you aren’t, I mean you’re gorgeous and all I want is to marry you and…” Neymar clamped his hand over his mouth, eyes bulging out, staring everywhere but at the driver in the next seat.
“So I’m gorgeous now?”
Neymar refused to take the bait and kept his hand firmly over his mouth allowing no sounds to come out.
“You’re going to have to talk to me sometime. If not now, then in training. We do play for the same team after all.”
Neymar looked up gawking at Leo as if he just remembered that they were both playing for Barcelona.
“Please…please don’t judge me. It’s just that you are Leo Messi, the best player in the world and I want to be like you but like still be me and I think you’re perfect and humble and just I don’t know.” Neymar cried out frustrated.
Conversation lulled until the engine shut off. Neymar looked outside and saw that they were in front of Dani’s house. He grabbed the door handle but before he could get out of the car, he felt a warm hand grab his wrist. The Barcelona player turned around just in time to feel the lips of the little Argentine on his own. Leo grabbed Neymar pulling him closer. Neymar kissed back just as strongly tangling his fingers into Leo’s dark brown locks. Their make out session seemed to go on forever until they were interrupted by knocking on the window. They broke the kiss to see an obviously drunk Pique looking inside interestedly. The forwards heard Pique yell “Give him the caterpillar” before running off and falling spectacularly onto the grass. The South Americans both laughed as they watched Masche try to pick Geri up while he was still falling forward with each step. The air stilled and they stared at each other before Leo moved his hand to stroke Neymar’s face.
“I think you’re gorgeous too.” He said making Neymar’s face light up in a huge smile.
“Hey uhm Leo, do you by any chance want to ditch this party?” Neymar said timidly.
“I thought you’d never ask.” He grinned reversing and driving back the way they came, holding hands with his little protégé wondering why he’d been upset at having to work on his day off anyway.