Timothy takes Fredrick's hands and pins them firmly out of the way where they won't touch him and kisses him.

"I'm sorry," he says, after a moment, letting go, "I'm sorry I - you can leave -"

"Yes, you seem't've figured out the disadvantages of Stunning your dates, I was not very worried I'd walked into something I couldn't walk out of. Are you okay?"

"Am I okay -"

"I am exceedingly tempted to just kiss you myself but -"

"No don't do that."

He leans his head against Timothy's shoulder.

"Want you. But -"

"But you don't have any better judgment than you did an hour ago and you had terrible judgment an hour ago?" he offers helpfully. "Can you just - stop overthinking - figure out tonight tonight, and tomorrow tomorrow -"

"Did I hurt you when I held you and kissed you?"

"No, you did not, that was fantastic, it was the only part of this entire evening that didn't have me completely baffled how you have a reputation for competence."

"Is this flirting -"

"Trying to strike a middle ground between flirting and shaping you up into someone sensible enough to go for it, honestly."

"Are you going to regret this in the morning?"

"Going to regret I didn't get to't like a year ago - you idiot, you stubborn fool -"

Timothy holds him still, and then he kisses him, and then he pulls him into a quiet classroom where there's nothing to risk and he whispers - "when you said I could have you -"

"Need mechanical details?"

He flinches slightly. " - no - need you to - keep doing that -"

"Making fun of you? Fuck's fucking sake, Timothy, you - you ridiculous adolescent with a martyrdom complex -"

"That's hardly fair," he whispers, and he could wave away their clothes but instead he undoes them with fumbling fingers.

"Can't play fair, 'm playing against you."

In the morning Jocosa is very embarrassed, as predicted, and terribly anxious that Timothy will think less of her.

He assures her that he doesn't, not in the slightest, he really did have a lovely evening.

"Oh good - I really really do like you you know it wasn't all the butterbeer -"

"This week I have a mess of essays but we can plan a walk again on Friday?"

Blush. "Yes, I'd like that."