Cause and Effect

Twenty three

"We have a problem," Said Alexis, "Which you may or may not be able to fix."

"Probably beyond fixing now," Said Mesut, "We tried to find you earlier, but... what are you two hiding in the corner for anyway?"

"We needed to talk," I shrugged. "What's this big problem?"

In that moment, there was a commotion, and then raised voices could be heard above the hubbub of the crowds. I glanced around quickly, and eventually my eye caught a red and white kit squaring up to a light blue one.

"Uh...Anya?"

"How did I know this would happen," she groaned, grabbing my arm, and pulling me through the crowd towards them.

"The two biggest personalities in the prem, was bound to happen," I rolled my eyes.

"Tell me about it."

Alexis and Mesut followed us, as we tried to get to where Neymar and Ronaldo were about to rip each other's heads off.

"He can barely even walk," I muttered to Anya, "I don't know how he thinks he's gonna fight Cris. NEYMAR!"

I finally made it to him, and pulled him back from Ronaldo, just as Vinnie and Kun Aguero finally intervened. Anya started yelling at Cris, which to be honest, I think concerned him more than his captain and teammate pinning his arms behind his back. But I had barely a second to take in the scene, as I had Neymar to deal with.

"What the hell are you doing?" I hissed at him. "Did you not listen to a word I said to you the other day?"

I was angry with him, but I knew yelling never got anything through to Neymar, so I attempted to curb the emotion, and keep my head.

"Nia, you don't get it, he came on to me. And I can't let him say that kind of stuff, it's not true!"

"What's he saying? Because it would need to be pretty bad to warrant ripping his head off."

A vulnerable look came into Neymar's eyes, and suddenly he wasn't holding my gaze anymore. For some reason, he didn't want to tell me.

"Ney, you don't have to tell me. Just... no fighting, okay? Especially when you're already hurt."

"Can we leave now?" He sighed, looking at me with wide eyes, his tense limbs finally relaxing.

I nodded.

"If you need to. Let me just tell Hector and Granit."

"Tell us what?"

I turned to see Granit had now joined us.

"I'm gonna take this nutcase home, before he decides he wants to fight Mousa Dembele and Walks at the same ti—"

"I am not a nutcase!" Neymar protested.

"Whatever," I rolled my eyes. "Debatable. Can you and Hec find a ride home?"

"Should be fine," Granit nodded. "You okay Neymar?"

"Fine," he nodded, looking anything but fine. "Annoyed, but fine."

"Okay," Granit chuckled. "Don't do anything stupid, yeah? See you in training."

I glanced at Anya as we headed out, and she made motions to say she'd text me. I nodded, satisfied, and continued to walk with a rather subdued Neymar by my side. I couldn't help wondering what it was all about, but if he wouldn't tell me, he wouldn't tell me, end of story.

Neymar convinced me to stay with him, that night, although to be fair, I was worried about him, and it didn't take much convincing. Whatever this was, it was affecting him more than I'd originally thought. He was quiet as we entered the house, and I could see the vulnerability in his expression that had been there earlier. It was a side to him I'd never seen before.