Off the Deep End (Cristiano Ronaldo / Lionel Messi)

Chapter 2: Unexpected compliments

Monday 12th January 2015

Leo Messi hurried into the backstage area of FIFA Ballon d'Or gala 2014, his spouse Antonella following right on his heels. He was a little bit breathless about all the formalities they had to go through just to get there.

When he entered the room there was immediately some happy faces greeting him at the doorway and he racked his brain, trying to figure out whether he was supposed to know the faces or not.

"Lionel Messi is here, go greet him."

Leo startled a little. That was a voice he would recognize anywhere. He turned his head and his face lit up with a smile, when he saw an adorable, dark-haired little boy ogling him with big brown eyes. He greeted the boy, but the boy was too shy to answer.

"He watches a video on the internet of all of us, but he talks only about you", the familiar voice went on, chuckling.

Leo felt his cheeks heat up at the surprising compliment. Finally, he raised his eyes to meet Cristiano Ronaldo's. The other man was staring at him intently. Leo couldn't help but notice how annoyingly handsome and unapologetically self-confident Cristiano looked in his perfectly fitting custom tailored suit, sitting comfortably on a couch next to a woman that could be his mother.

It turned out to be his mother, when Leo was introduced to her.

"Nice to meet you, Mrs. Messi", Cristiano said, shaking hands with Antonella, deliberately ignoring the fact they weren't married yet. "My other half couldn't unfortunately make it tonight."

"How come?" Leo inquired. Cristiano frowned and waved his hand dismissively.

Leo was trying to come up with something clever to lighten up the mood, when he was suddenly attacked by a very energetic young Brazilian and his slightly-less-manic Uruguayan friend.

"Messi! Messi! Messi!" Neymar chanted mockingly, earning a stern look from Leo. "I have to apologize, Mr. Ronaldo, but I think I finally got my hands on the Golden Ball."

Neymar tightened his grip around Leo's head. Cristiano Ronaldo Jr. laughed wholeheartedly at the wrestling session. After a while Neymar and Suárez slipped back into their more formal mode and paid their respects to Cristiano and his family.

"I think we better go soon", Antonella said a tinge of worry apparent in her voice. "We're going to be late."

"Don't worry, dear, I'm pretty sure they won't start without me... I mean us", Cristiano cut her off. "Nice game yesterday, by the way. For all three of you."

Cristiano winked at the three Barcelona players, who were left dumbstruck by the fact that the Read Madrid striker had apparently been watching their victorious game from the night before - and was considerate enough to comment on it.

"He's nicer than I thought", Suárez stated as soon as he got his voice back. "Who would have thought."

Leo quietly agreed and watched as the tall Portuguese quickly walked on without looking back, proudly holding the hand of his son.