I feel the simple solution to this whole story is marriage. Like if he's afraid of marriage, wouldn't you want to progress the story in a way where their happiness in relationship overcomes his fear of marriage? And it's so obvious what she wants in a relationship is marriage. She even said she wants to experience the fun little things only marriage can provide. It feels this story was cut too short before we saw any progress. And the mention of a gay couple being happy in a relationship without marriage is so tone-deaf. The gay couple aren't married because it's not legal not because they don't want to be.