I mean, it’s understandable why he feels like he would let his partner down if he isn’t really comfortable with being intimate. Like it or not, intimacy is an important aspect of a relationship for most people
I’m not saying it’s impossible to be in a relationship because of it, just that it’s a lot harder to find someone who is okay with it. Sure, at first, it might seem like an easy compromise, but eventually, it’ll affect some people, especially teens
It won’t hurt to try being in a relationship, but by the end, if it does become a problem, it’ll hurt like absolute hell because you’ll blame yourself for hurting someone really important to you, even if it’s something you don’t have much control over
Though, it's fair to say these conclusions come from insecurity, and it can seem pretty patronizing when you're just deciding the thoughts and feelings of the other person completely on your own
In the end, it really is all about communication in these types of scenarios, so if they do end up together, I hope the author is able to handle it properly