Football One Shots

Neymessi (New AU)

In which Lionel Messi is no longer a world famous footballer, but instead a man requiring daily care from an aid.
—————
"I'm just saying Neymar, you need this job more than anything. We can't keep living off of cheap take-out and rushing around at the end of the month trying to make ends meet for rent." Dani has been trying to force the idea into Neymar's head for a few days now, but Neymar doesn't want to hear it, because he knows Dani is right. They are struggling just to eat on a daily basis, so how can he be selfish and pass up this well-paying job opportunity.
"Who even is it for?" Neymar tries to act uninterested, but he already knows he is going to say 'yes'.
"Lionel Messi." Dani says with a straight face. Neymar freezes with his expired corn flakes on his spoon midair.
"The Lionel Messi?" Neymar is in disbelief.
"The one and only." Dani nods.
"Well why didn't you just say so!? Of course I'll take care of him!" Neymar's smile grows in size as Dani nods his head.
"I was hesitant because Lionel doesn't need a die hard fan as his care taker. He doesn't want to be reminded of what he lost, okay? He's sensitive." Dani would know, he's been the one taking care of Lionel on and off when his mother had to take a trip back to Argentina and she needed someone to care for her son. Now, she is moving back to Argentina to care for her daughter, who is seven months pregnant and newly single.
"I'll keep my 'fanboy' under wraps. I promise. I'll just take care and spend time with him." Neymar holds out his pinky, thrusting it towards Dani.
"I hope so kid." Dani locks their pinkies and presses their thumbs together, sealing the deal.
"So when do I start?" Neymar rocks forward on his toes as he stands up to put his paper bowl in the trash and toss out his spoon.
"Tomorrow." Dani puts on a matching smile and gives Neymar a thumbs up before standing and leaving the room.
"Tomorrow!? That's not enough time for me to mentally prepare myself to not scare him away! I need at least a week! Dani! Are you even listening to me!?" Neymar huffs and leans against the counter, shaking his head before deciding to get to bed so he can be up early to head to Lionel's house.

"Neymar! You're gonna be late!" Dani rushes into his room in a panic.
"Huh?" Neymar rolls away from the light coming through the open door.
"Get up." Dani rips away the covers and pulls at Neymar's arm.
"What time is it Dani? It's still dark outside. It can't even be 5 yet!" Neymar growls.
"It's 4:15 and you need to be to Leo's by 4:30. So get up!" Neymar is yanked from his mattress and pushed towards the bathroom.
Neymar arrives outside Leo's house, it's 4:50, he is late.

"Here's his key. Let yourself in, don't knock because he won't answer. You need to prepare him some breakfast and give him his AM pills. He likes to watch tv in the mornings, usually the news. He'll tell you when he's ready to do something else. Everything else you need to know is posted on the counter. If you need help, don't call me! Love you!" That's what Dani told Neymar earlier as he pushed him through the doorway.

"Okay, this is easy. Don't freak out. Just do your job. This isn't your idol." Neymar nods to himself as he unlocks the door and steps through the threshold.
With a quick glance around, he makes his way into the house, easily finding the kitchen and setting to work.
After 30 minutes, Lionel still isn't down stairs, so Neymar decides to look for his room. The stairs are accessible from the kitchen and when Neymar hits the landing he turns left.
"Which one is his?" Neymar speaks out loud, looking at three different doors.
"You must be Neymar." Neymar jumps a foot in the air, landing on his backside and squealing in fear of the man's sudden appearance.
"Sorry if I have frightened you. I'm Lionel, Leo if you would. Dani told me you'd be coming. Welcome." Leo puts on a smile for Neymar, but Neymar only stares at him with a knowing look.
"You don't have to pretend around me Leo." Neymar leaves it at that as he stands up and makes his way back to the stairs, gesturing a confused looking Leo to follow.
"I'm sorry?" Leo speaks after a moment of silence, still trying to digest what Neymar just said.
"You're smile. You don't have to pretend to be happy or grateful or excited around me. I know a forced smile when I see one. I've had years of experience with my very own." Neymar nods to Leo as the two approach the kitchen.
"Oh. Well alright." Leo doesn't know what to say, because no one ever sees through his façade, but two minutes into meeting this mysterious man and it's like the guy has him all figured out. That excites Leo a bit.
"Dani said you like eggs and toast, I rather prefer expired cereal and minimal milk, but I take it you wouldn't be a fan. I'm no chef, but I did my best, so if it kills you, I'm sorry." Neymar gives Leo a half-smile before moving to the sink to scrub the dish mess he made.
"Thank you Neymar." The small smile that Leo flashes this time was real.
Neymar only hums as he busies himself washing and dry. When he's done, he clears Leo's dirty plate and offers him his AM pills and a cup of water, the only drink he apparently likes.
"So, we doing the usual? Watching the news?" Neymar places his hands on his hips waiting for a reply after Leo forces down his last pill.
"Hmm, I should stop being so predictable. What's life without a little change? How about we watch some fútbol?" It is Neymar's turn to be surprised.
"Are you sure? Dani says not to do things pertaining to fútbol around you." Neymar tries to reason with Leo, even offering to take him out on a walk instead, but Leo has his mind made up.
"So, who's your team?" Leo turns to Neymar with question.
Neymar freezes, debating. Does he tell Leo he's a diehard Barcelona fan and potentially ruin how Leo looks at him, seeming as though he only came here to meet the Great Lionel Messi, or lie and say some other shit team?
"Oh you know, Real Madrid." Neymar smiles as he lies through his teeth.
"Of course. Madrista." The way Leo says it makes Neymar laugh lightly.
"What do you mean 'Madrista'? They're the best team in the world! Hands down!" Neymar feels a gag coming up his throat as the words leave his mouth, knowing they're all untrue.
"Okay. How about we watch Real vs Barça and then we'll see who's better." Leo's face holds a look of determination, wanting to prove Neymar wrong.
"Fine." Neymar does his best to hold back the smile trying to make its way to the surface.
By the end of the match Barça is up 5-0 against Real, Neymar has been trying to focus on the match, but his eyes stay on one person in the match, Lionel Messi. He watches as Leo shoots, scores, and dribbles, all with so much passion. Each shot from Barça puts Neymar on edge, trying to hold back his excitement as Barcelona bury Real Madrid. When the game finally ends, Lionel clicks off the tv and turns to Neymar.
"Eh, the refs sucked." Neymar shrugs as he holds back a smile.
"You Love Barça." Lionel does smile as he lets Neymar know that he's figured him out.
"What? No I do not." Neymar denies.
"Mmhmm. Just admit it. You hate Madrid." Lionel pushes on.
"Fine, you're right, I can't fucking stand Madrid." Neymar laughs lightly as Leo pumps his arm in victory.
"How'd you know?" Neymar questions.
"You should see your face every time Real wins the ball, dribbles, takes a shot, and every time they dive. You aren't very good at hiding your dislike." Leo chuckles as he stands from the couch.
"You've figured me out Leo, I'm impressed. So, what are we doing now?" Neymar changes the subject as Leo begins to walk towards the stairs.
"It's almost 11, I'm going to take a nap until about 1:30, we can eat then if you'd like." Lionel leaves the option up in the air for Neymar as he takes the stairs one step at a time.
"Didn't he just wake up?" Neymar asks himself as he settles on the couch and looks up at the ceiling.
——
"What's wrong with him?" Neymar questioned Dani as he rushed around to leave.
"It's called Addison's Disease. It came on suddenly when he hit 30. He fought it as long as he could, but it finally got the better of him. He's perfectly fine functioning without an aide but his mother worries about him." Dani had told him only that, nothing more.
——
"Ney?" Neymar feels a hand press against his chest and rub back and forth, trying to pull him from his sleep.
"Huh?" Neymar rubs his right eye and peeks out from behind his lid to find Leo hovering above him.
"What time is it?" Neymar sits up quickly as he looks around for his phone, confused as to when he fell asleep.
"It's almost 3 o'clock Ney. You've been out for a while, but I didn't want you to miss lunch." Neymar looks around to find a blanket on his lap, another by his feet, obviously recently used, and a plate of food on the coffee table.
"Did you make lunch? That's my job. You could've waken me." Guilt sets into Neymar's chest as he looks at the empty plate beside his full one.
"No that's okay! I never get to make my own lunch, but the nap I took gave me the energy. I enjoyed it." Leo smiled as he picks the plate up from the table and hands it to Neymar.
"Thank you Leo." Neymar is grateful for the food and it smells delicious.
"Independence is a rarity around here, so it was my pleasure, truly." Leo smiles brightly at Neymar, a real smile, and it warms Neymar's heart.
"Say Leo, when's the last time you went to a park?" Neymar looks out the window to see the sun high in the sky, the blue clouds setting the world alight and the soft breeze running through the tree leaves.
"Uh... sometime during the beginning of my professional career. It's been a while." Leo looks out the window after seeing Neymar doing so.
"How about we go to the one around the corner. It isn't too crowded and it's absolutely beautiful out." Neymar feels excitement course through him as he thinks about going with Leo to the park, giving him back an experience he's been missing out on.
"Yeah. Okay. We can do that." Leo smiles, wanting to feel the excitement that Neymar shows on his face, but his gut keeps nagging him, telling him to stay in his house and not to waiver from his daily routine, as he already had.
Neymar doesn't put it off any longer, standing and grabbing Leo's sneakers from beside the coffee table, helping him to put them on before grabbing his own.
"Is there anything you're supposed to take with you? In case anything happens?" Neymar wants to be sure he covers all his bases and makes this trip a good one.
"No. It will be fine." Leo's gut jabs him again, as if scolding him for lying, but Leo wants to be normal for the next 20 minutes or so. He doesn't want to be taken care of or watched carefully, he wants to hang out with Neymar, like two friends would. He wants to go back to how it was, at least for a brief, fleeting moment, he can pretend.
"Well let's get going then!" Neymar smiles brightly as he and Leo make their way out of the house and down the sidewalk.
When they enter the park, it's relatively empty, not too many eyes to stare at Leo and whisper while taking pictures.
"Want to sit for a little?" Neymar asks as he studies Leo, noticing the flushed look in his face and the slight drag of his legs.
"That sounds good." Leo chuckles as he huffs slightly to catch his breath.
"You know Leo, maybe this wasn't such a good idea..." Neymar began to second guess himself and the suggestion he had made.
"N-no... it's... it's alright. I just need to... catch my... breath." Leo plopped onto the park bench they had approached, leaning back against the polished wood.
"Are you sure? You don't look too good." Neymar placed his slightly shaking hand on Leo's chest, trying his best to comfort the man.
"Yeah. I'll just rest for a few." Leo shifts so that he was leaning on Neymar's shoulder, prompting Neymar to wrap his arms around Leo's middle.
A slight breeze brushes through Neymar's already messy curls, causing a chill to run down his back. As the sun flitters through the trees, warming the two men, Leo shifts slightly, trying to find a comfortable position.
Only after a few minutes does Neymar feel the slump of all Leo's weight pressing into his chest, Leo's head resting against his shoulder.
"Didn't you just have a nap?" Neymar shakes his head in disbelief.
A half hour passes and Neymar can no longer feel his bum or his left arm. Leo stirs as another soft breeze blows by, finally pulling him from his nap.
"Did you sleep well?" Neymar chuckles as Leo shifts deeper into Neymar's side and looks around.
"That is the best sleep I've had in a while." Leo answers honestly, rubbing his heavy eyes.
"Are you ready to head back? It'll be time for dinner soon." Ney tightens his hold on Leo's waist slightly.
"Yeah, alright..." Leo sighs lightly as he soaks in the last moments of his freedom.
"Here. I'll carry you on my back. Don't need you taking another nap as soon as we get home." Neymar chuckles as he pokes Leo's side.
"I haven't gotten a piggy back ride since I was a young boy back in Rosario... so many old experiences in one day..." Leo mumbles to himself as Neymar releases him and stands up, gesturing for Leo to hop on his back.
By the time the two make it back to Leo's home, Neymar was covered in perspiration, breathing heavily as well.
"What do you wasn't me to make you for dinner Leo?" Neymar questions from the kitchen as he begins looking through the freezer.
When he receives no reply, he calls out again.
"Leo?" Still silence fills the room.
"Lionel?" Neymar questions as he enters the living room, only to find Leo asleep on the couch, wrapped in the blanket Neymar had used earlier.
"How do you sleep so much?" Neymar approaches Leo, grazing his knuckles along his cheek.
Neymar turns the television volume down and pulls the blanket to Leo's chin, ruffling the older mans hair before pulling away.
As he moves towards the kitchen to find something for Leo to eat for dinner, he feels a tug on his wrist.
"What's wring Leo?" Neymar turns back to the groggy man.
"Can you take me up to bed? I'm not very hungry, I'm just extremely tired." Neymar smiles lightly and nods.
"That trip to the park tire you out?" Leo simply nods as Neymar pushes aside the blanket and leans down to Leo, effectively hooking him behind the knees and under the arms.
Leo's head shifts to lean against Neymar's chest, seeming to nuzzle as close as possible before releasing a sigh.
The trek up the stairs is not too demanding for Neymar and by the time he reaches Leo's room, Neymar is almost positive the man is asleep.
As soon as Leo hit the mattress, he pulls Neymar down with him, though Neymar isn't complaining. The blanket is pulled up and Neymar's arms wrap around Leo's small frame, keeping him close as he too closes his eyes, finding sleep quite easily.
Neymar decides that taking care of his idol might not be so hard after all, as long as these budding feelings don't get in the way... though Neymar has no doubt they will.