Now he's beaming, too, unaware of just how nervous he'd been before he hears Ned saying that he wants that, too, and feeling the sudden sense of relief and joy that comes with hearing that is enough to make him grin one of those very rare, dazzlingly bright smiles. For someone so enthusiastic, he rarely lets himself smile quite so widely, but this is a special circumstance.

"Okay," he says, and he's really saying okay to all of it, okay to going on their date and okay to being boyfriends and he really can't think of anything that's not okay, at the moment. "We can walk, it's not that far," he says, as they head out into the hall. "And I made sure, it's not raining or anything."

As they begin to walk, he can't help but keep chattering, wishing he could hold Ned's hand as he does so. "I was going to tell you later, but I'm really bad at saving things for later, so I'll just say it right now."

He pauses, as though for effect, but he can't keep up the dramatic pause long. "I'm moving! Moving away from my dad, I mean. I'll still be in Brooklyn, of course, because I'm not actually sure I'm capable of being anywhere else, but I'll have a place all to myself. And you can come and visit. If you want."