Hello reddit. I am in a quandary and I don't know what to do. I will abide by the judgment of the sub to guide my actions tonight.
 
For some background, I am 21, in college living about 2 hours away from home. I have an 8 year old cousin who was born with a pretty rare auto-immune disorder and he alternates regularly between the hospital and home. Since I've been away I've always arranged my schedule so I can have Fridays off and drive home Thursday night so I can spend some time with him either at his house or in the hospital. He apparently had a bad interaction with a new medication and has been hospitalized for the past week and I was planning on driving home to play Settlers of Catan with him tonight to keep him busy in the hospital. 

For some more background, I have been seriously crushing on this guy "Craig" since we took a summer class together last year. We have been good friends but I'm way to scared of rejection to ask him out and up until today he's never asked me out. About an hour ago he sent me the following iMessage: 

"I'm sorry its taken me so long, but you know I'm leaving tomorrow for -professors name- field study and I would be sick if I didn't at least try to take you out on a real "date" before I'm gone for a month. I don't want to make things weird between us but I really, really like you." 

My heart about melted but I want to do the right thing by my cousin. The truth is if I were to tell my cousin, I'm sure he'd tell me to go on the date, but the guilt of even thinking about it is eating me alive (yes, I'm pretty neurotic). 

Would I be the asshole if I flake on my cousin and go on this date?