Condemning Ben's behaviour, particularly towards Charlie, and not seeing his personal issues as an excuse to literally ab//e and attempt s/a on his partner while ALSO wanting him to get better as a person and accept himself (including his sexuality) in a healthy way aren't mutually exclusive, and probably shouldn't be treated as mutually exclusive-
In the same vein-
You can fully hope that Ben was trying to be sincere and that he'll be a better person one day while ALSO acknowledging that Charlie does not owe him anything, is not obligated to forgive him and is not responsible for his absolution-
nick saying he’s bi actually is not cringe!!! affirming your identity is not cringe!! being proud and assertive and sure of who you are and what you want to be referred to as is not cringe!!!!! it’s courageous and brave and prideful and beautiful!!!
Anyone who’s been saying that Nick and Charlie are too sexually pure like “oh they’re teenage boys, they’d be having a lot of sex” has clearly never read the novella