Everyone's attention was on the little boy with soft, brown hair who seemed to be running ahead of his father- a man wearing a simple blue blazer with a white tee underneathe. His curly brown hair fair to that of the little boy's hair bounced softly as he sprinted across the hall to prevent the toddler from running.
Everyone in the lobby stopped and took a moment to stare at the toddler who giggled in his father's arms, frantically moving his head to look around at the people out of curiosity- why they'd be staring at him so wide eye-d.
Neymar himself couldn't process why they'd be staring at the two in such a way: wide eye'd, immediately stopping what they're doing. Not that Neymar's beauty struck them (it did) but there was something that they knew that had sunk beneathe the surface, but now rose to the surface like a reincarnated soul from it's dead and rotting body.
But Neymar didn't know what's so interesting about them that it's making their eyes pop. Nonetheless, he ignores it and manages to make it to the elevator past all the stares and gossips that began to surface the moment the lift doors were begining to shut close.
The little boy smiled at his father, now being put down- suddenly changing into a boy who's much well-behaved. Neymar placed a soft kiss on his cheeks before holding his hand and walking out of the elevator, making it to the small table with a woman accompanying it- who seems to give off such outwardly negative energy that Neymar can nearly smell it. He knows it when women are bitchy.
The woman looks up at him as he taps the table. She throws on a fake smile that Neymar is accustomed to seeing, and also doing. He does the same, immediately starting to despise the woman inwardly, noticing how she's raking her eyes over his body and rolling them out of the sight of her sockets. The first thing that's a red flag to Neymar, from a woman.
The woman passes him a card, with letters in gold- the Card's base color off-white: like it couldn't get any bougier. Before Neymar left, he forced himself to turn back to the lady. He wouldn't if he knew the way to their boss's office, well. He wasn't at all interested in seeing her roll her eyes at him again.
- "What's the way to the Boss's room?"
- "Go straight and to the left, you'll see a big door with a golden plate. And yeah, knock before opening."
Neymar nods and leaves for the room. He takes a deep breathe and squats down, placing his hands on his son's shoulders, looking souls deep into the toddler's eyes that charmed a perfect glint, just like his father's.
- "Wait here okay? I'll be back in a few minutes..stand here like a good boy. Don't go too far. Okay?"
- "Okay pai" Neymar smiled and kissed his cheeks before fixing his blazer and checking his breathe- knocking on the door twice. Before his hands could land onto the polished surface of the door, a 'come in', emerged.
Oddly, the voice sounded familiar. But Neymar couldn't reckon who's it was, and not that it was something so important to bother himself to think about now. What he needed right now is, a job.
So he pushed the door open and pushed it back shut, before standing still and straight- welcomed by the slick back of a big leather chair that had a dull gleam under the daylight flooding into the cold and silent room from the glass wall behind the table. It showed a picture perfect veiw from 15 stories high of the busy streets of the city.
Neymar only waited to be offered to sit. But nothing else emerged from the man, as his arm resting on the armrest of the chair stuck out, his fingers fondling with a pen being twirled round and round by his fingers.
- "Take a seat," Neymar sat, his hands on his lap, waiting for the chair to turn.
Although it didn't come to much of his bussiness who the boss could be, something inside him began to scream of curiosity that made it feel so important to know who this man behind the chair is.
The feeling came to be of a bad one- the one when an unfortunate event takes places. The one when it makes your stomach churn. And the outcome wouldn't be much of a good one, either.
As the chair turned, Neymar's soul left his body. Just to get a glimpse of the man's face broke the barrier in his mind that held back all the horrors of the past, that now broke through the wall and began to flood him with anxiety and emotions that he hadn't anticipated to taking for granted any soon after Thiago was born.
But now it changed. His eyes dilated, and so did the man's. Although the same, there was a difference. Neymar's eyes were clouded with emptiness and hatred whereas his one could only beg of the guilt surfacing through his pupils.
Neymar's eyes began to overflow with tears,- something that the other regrets seeing and resulting to do. It's even worse when you know you're the one who's the reason behind the other's misery.
- "N-Never again..no.." Neymar grumbled and left the room, lifting Thiago and rushing for the elevator.
The man followed the two behind, his face expression showing how tensed and worked up he is. The woman stands up from her seat as the man kicks at the framing of the wall, frustrated and in sudden depression.
- "Mr.Lionel? Everything okay?"
- "NO! Nothing is okay...I messed up..FUCK." He screamed, in approach of returning to his room.
But he stopped, and something clicked. He rushed to the reception immediately, in hopes of being able to reach Neymar back again. He wanted to apologize for all that he'd done- for putting him through the misery no one human deserves to be put through, and on top of that- pregnant with his blood.
Messi only began to realize how much of a big mistake he'd done when he couldn't find the interest in work or being alone, anymore. He couldn't tolerate his own actions without the Brazillian being present. He was beginning to go psychaotic and loose hope, until now.
He can't let this chance slip. He's seen his blood in Neymar's arms- there's nothing more delightful to see their child healthy and fine and in the hands of an angel that he was a fool to mistreat and let go.
Maybe now's the chance to repent for his sin.
- "Gather me any type of information that you can of the man that just came. Now."
- "But sir-"
- "I said the fuck NOW."
- "Y-Yes sir."
And the chase begins. The chase to get his angel back. Hopefully he doesn't fail, like he did purposely 5 years back.
---
His phone began to ring again. This would be the 20th time they'd be ringing him this week.
Neymar groaned and asked Thiago to wait for a second, reaching over to the side table and grabbing his phone, staring at the caller ID with the unknown number that he's beginning to grow more and more familiar to as the month is coming to an end.
He sighs and receives the call, pressing his phone to his ear.
- "Hello?"
- "Good evening sir! This is from M&N Corp. and we were wondering if you'd like to work for our compan-"
- "Good evening. And sorry, but I have to deny your offer. Please don't waste your time into trying to get me to work for your boss. Thank you."
- "S-"
He hung up before she could say anything further. He turned back to Thiago who silently played with his few plushes,- making them play ball. Neymar smiles and ruffles his hair.
- "I wish for my son's future to be good enough to keep him happy, and no more..I'm far too tired to begin something with him again..." Neymar mumbled as he lay down, Thiago soon snuggling up on his chest.
And the month would pass like this- with call after call, asking him if he wanted employment in their company. But how pissed he'd grown now from them constantly trying to convince him. He felt the urge to scream into the speaker and asking them to shut the fuck up for once but he knew he couldn't.
He didn't want to get himself involved on a scandalous relationship with Messi. The atrocity that the incident had brought Neymar 5 years back left him a shattered man with no aid of anyone or anything. He was alone. No one to stand by him. He was left in the streets.
But God showed mercy. Or else, he wouldn't be here in this small apartment for the least.
All he remembers is, he loved Messi to the fullest of his heart and Messi has forced him to drain that all out. Messi didn't find it important to look into his eyes because he saw it no more than a 'fuck' he did and had decided to treat Neymar kindly- just because he's alluring, and of a good, kind and innocent heart- easy to betray, he thought.
And he was right when he said it'd be easy to betray him. But the impact that Neymar left on him would cause him to go insane, soon realizing that he had mistaken Neymar for a rock.
All he could say is regret. Now that he's trying to pursue the Brazillian back,- it makes him feel much worse in the guts now that he's seen the pain in Neymar's eyes that are not as glintful as they used to be. They're far too dull now to be polished and sharpened again.
But Messi isn't one to loose hope. He knows he's in the wronge and he's ready to pay for it.
Let it take months- or even years. He isn't giving up any soon, and neither is Neymar any near to escaping his tactics to pursue the beauty back again, for himself.
This is only, and last chance for him to repent for his sins.
Maybe he'll be forgiven. Maybe Neymar will let him warm his heart again with the apologies ahead.
Just maybe, if Messi manages to melt him past the chilly autumn winds.
---
- "Paiiii!! Paii!"
Thiago called from the living while the door bell rang. Neymar wiped his face hastily and fixed his jersey and shorts, sprinting to the door.
He opened the foor without looking through the peep hole and well, his eyes met with someone else's who he didn't anticipate to see. But it didn't feel as awful as it did nearly a couple months back, in the office.
Although he could recall Messi leaving him, it didn't bother him as much as it used to.
Messi couldn't believe he'd really done something so sinful as leaving this angel for no one. He felt a pang of guilt at his heart. Neymar could see it surfacing in Messi's eyes, and it slightly bothered him to see Messi to be concerned about him.
Because Neymar knew if Messi would continue trying to pursue him, he'd fall.
Neymar is a sucker for those eyes, and he forever will. He hates to admit it til this day but he has to. No matter how much he hates Messi- he's always had a soft spot for him, too. He tries to tell himself everday that its a mistake and Messi will get over it.
And maybe that day's near. He's just glad Messi hadn't done anything that would cross the line over and beyond.
Neither of them realized that they'd been staring at each other for what seemed like only a few seconds, when Thiago's giggles woke them into reality.
- "May I come in..? Please..?"
Neymar nodded and moved aside of Messi to step in.
Messi tried not to grab Thiago and kiss him all over the face. Seeing his son after so many years- his blood- how he's inherited most of his facial features. Thiago smiles widely at Messi as sits over beside him on the floor mat, where he's playing.
- "Do you not mind sitting on the floor? I thought rich people like you have some sort of beef with middle class people like me,"
Neymar's words felt like a slap to the face- but Messi knew he'd have to go through these and stay silent- and on top of that, he deserved it for breaking ties with Neymar.
- "Pai.."
- "Yes Thiago?"
- "Is this my other pai?"
Neymar's heart dropped at his words. There was no way Thiago had immediately caught up with them.
Because Neymar had never mentioned Messi before- or maybe he had, and thay he didn't realize he did. But Thiago knew, and that's a secret he's kept to himself.
He knew since that day ever, when Messi came running out his office room after the two. Thiago had memorized his face, and recalled it everyday because he felt like there was some sort of connection between them that remained undisturbed and unacknowledged.
But now he needs the question to be answered. He knows that there's something.
Messi just hopes for the boy to be able to accept his father. Neymar silently states at Thiago, changing his direction to Messi.
Messi's eyes pleade towards him, his eyes watering. Neymar begins to grow afraid- not because everything might happen all over again but because the truth is there in his eyes, and no lies.
The guilt is there. He wants to repents. He knows what he's done and he'd do anything to get the two back.
The truth of love and concern in his chocolate brown eyes is what scares him. He takes a deep breathe and sits beside the toddler, as Thiago continues to stare at him with eyes of curiosity.
He looks between the two: once at Messi- his father that's in Neymar's hands to be introduced and once at Neymar- who is not sure of what to say or do.
He's looking at Thiago and then at Messi.
Messi, not being able to fight the tense filled silence any longer- grabs Neymar's hands as tears stain his cheeks. And Neymar's heart shatters to see it.
- "Please..I-I'm sorry..I'll do anything to get you both back..please forgive me Ney.."
The nickname that he can recall Messi calling him with. One very cherished nickname. Neymar's eyes well up with tears.
All of the beautiful memories of them flash before his eyes as Messi's grip tightens. Neymar begins to silently sob, Messi slowly pulling him into a hug.
Thiago stands up and wipes Messi's tears.
- "Don't cry pai.."
The word that he's longed to hear. His son. His blood.
- "T-Thiago.."
- "Papi!" Thiago successfully recognizes and joins the hug.
Messi couldn't wish for anything better. His Christmas gift had been granted beforehand.
To have Neymar in his arms again felt like an achievement. To be forgiven by the angel he hurt washed him away with the bliss that he couldn't find in all these years without his significant other.
- "Can you ask your pai to forgive me?" Messi whispered to Thiago. Neymar lifted his face off his face and slapped him, well not as hard but- that slap was personal, specially because Thiago saw it and now he's giggling out of it. Ouch.
- "What was that for?!"
- "For leaving me 5 years back,"
- "Ney..I'm sorry.." Messi whined.
- "Leo, I'm serious." The nickname rolling off his tongue sent him to cloud nine.
- "So am I Ney..I want you back..I know what I did and I went crazy without you. I know I'm an asshole, but I do feel very guilty Ney..I love you.."
- "The last time you said it, you didn't keep your promise.."
- "Ney..please..I promise..in the name of Thiago. I'll forever cherish you..I'll do anything, but don't push me away Ney..forgive me.."
- "Fine..you're lucky that it's me.." Neymar mumbled silently. Messi's lips curved in a smile immediately.
- "Shay the word Pai!" Thiago insisted. Neymar blushed.
- "Shut up!" Thiago pouted.
- "But he's right Ney, you must say the words now that I've said it.." His hands snaked around his waist.
Neymar's heart had melted. Finally. In 5 years and 8 months.
- "First tell me if you've slept with anyone.."
- "Ney..I was going insane without you..how come?"
Neymar blushed and smiled as his heart warmed from the re assurance of his words. The token to his heart had been granted.
- "I.." Messi waited in anticipation.
- "I love you," Now Everything that Messi would do could be steered on, with his path clear ahead. Messi smiled stupidly.
- "I love you too baby, i love you too.." Messi whispered and burried his face into the side of his neck, inhaling his scent. Thiago had slipped away.
This is love.
It makes you do things you can never anticipate or see yourself do in your imaginations, but end up doing for the sake of the bliss and warmth it melts your heart with.
A poison so deadly, yet so addicting that it makes you wanna take more of it.
And that's the phase of love Neymar will always be stuck in with Messi as the poison.
___________