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ten.

"So, what happened while I was in the shower?"

"Your lovely teammates choose a ship name for us. We are Colinho now," she crossed her arms, and he laughed.

"That's a pretty cute ship name."

"We can't have a ship name with the annoying 'H' of your last name."

"Coline Lavana, you seriously need to stop being rude with my last name."

"What happened to you Coutinho?" she touched his forehead. "You sick? I expected a 'your future last name.'"

He rolled his eyes.

"I just don't want to be too insistent."

"What?" she frowned.

Where does this come from?

"I'm sorry I kissed you like that at the stadium. I know that you want to take things slow and I—"

"Does that mean that you don't? Want to take things slow, I mean?"

He sighed, staying to stay focused on his driving.

"No necessarily. I mean we don't see each other that often so if when we do, I can't even kiss you, I..."

He shrugged, and she shook her head.

"We barely know each other! I can't date someone that I don't know!"

"And how are we supposed to get to know each other since we don't even live in the same country?" he asked, and she laughed ironically.

"It does not seem to bother you since apparently, all you care about is kissing me. You know, you can do that with someone from here, it would be way easier."

"I did not say that like that," he shook his head, pulling up in the parking lot of a park. He stopped the car and did not have time to say anything that Coline was out already.

"Hey, where are you going?" he asked when he saw that she was walking super fast, and he started to follow her. "Do you—"

"Leave me alone, Coutinho," she answered, and his heart missed a beat.

"Are you crying?"

He sighed and started to jog, only stopping in front of her. She was about to turn around, but he caught his wrist.

"Wait wait wait, listen to me. I'm really sorry. I did not mean it like that. Of course I want to get to know you. But you're right there always looking awesome and I just want to kiss you all the damn time."

He shook his head.

"I'm sorry, you came here to see me and I just fuck everything up."

"I don't want to talk to you right now," she said, and he nodded.

"You don't have to. But please stop crying. And don't try to run away like that. Let's just get home where you can ignore me as much as you want and be safe at the same time."

"Okay," she said, and he smiled.

They walked back to his car, and Philippe drove them to his house in silence.

He felt really guilty for making her cry. He was so happy to know that she was here, and that she was staying with him tonight—Piqué had taken her backpack in his car because he knew that she was going to stay at Philippe's. But he did not want her to regret it.

"Do you have pajamas?" he asked once they were in the middle of his living-room, and she nodded.

"I'll sleep with that," he said, talking about the jersey she had on, "and I have some shorts."

"Okay. Great. Well, uh, I'll take you to the spare room," he said awkwardly, and she nodded before biting her lips.

"I'm sorry," she said, and he sighed, trying his best to resist and not to hug her or to kiss her because now was not the time. "I overreacted and I just ruin our night and—"

She couldn't finish because she started crying again, and Philippe shook his head before hugging her. She did not stop crying, on the contrary, she cried even more on his sweat.

"You are really breaking my heart, please stop crying," he whined, and she took a step back, cleaning her face with her hands.

"I'm sorry."

"Stop apologizing. I'm the one who's sorry. Of course I want to get to know you. But that's what we do over texts, right? You know what? We could Skype. I mean it's like we are together."

"How are you gonna kiss me over Skype?" she asked with a shy smile, and he laughed.

"Okay, I know that it sounded like my main concern earlier, but really, I think I can survive. I want to make this work, okay? Because I really like you and you're adorable and—"

He did not have time to finish, because she kissed him, and he smiled.

"I am not adorable, you are. That did not sound that corny in my mind."

"Aw Coline Lavana, look at you being sweet."

"Goodnight Coutinho."