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"Maybe that's why you've been having trouble.". There was a touch of humor behind it, but Zeke had managed to get a grip on himself before he'd spoken. "If you're just waiting for someone to fall into your lap or just make it super obvious they want you, you are going to be waiting a while." He pushed, thinking about that a moment. "Or get really lucky."

He shook his head, have coming up to smooth back rub damp hair. "If you go into interactions not expecting it, not never really ruling it out, might make it easier on you. Well, unless you want to rule out out cause you're the one not interested in them." Another shrug. He'd never had to analyze this s**t as much as they were doing now.

Sure he knew someone wasn't just going to fall into his lap but he of course knew that he could play the flirting game just fine. I mean, he got Rin and then he had Lawr. So -

Zeke and Ever's questioning had him evaluating those two relationships, and he opened his mouth in a very smug matter-of-fact way before stopping, and slowly closing it. "Well........" He went a bit quiet as he slowly realized something.

That's how both of those had happened. He hadn't actually whooed either of them. Rin surprised him by asking him out, and he didn't even know she liked him at the time. He had even said no when she asked, before she convinced him otherwise. ********, he didn't court anyone there. She actually swayed him.

As for Lawr, he was impersonating that he had Rin in him, so they were screwing around soon after, and then he eventually just sorta - asked Jan if he could date him too. Even still, they were both on the same page, both already intimate, and it has been more natural. There has been no flirting to get into his bed because they were already together in one way or another.


It was very apparent now that he hadn't done much of anything. In short....

"I.........got lucky?" He managed weakly, not wanting to admit that he realized now that he hadn't been as good at flirting at all aside from being very, stupidly lucky.


He hummed, scratching the back of his neck as he really thought about it. Damn. He thought he had something under his belt but maybe not so much.

"There's always some luck involved." It was admonishing; by this point, Melvin was so pitiful that it wasn't even fun to poke at him anymore. Ever shook his head a little at Zeke, and then refocused on poor Melvin, swiping dirty hands against his pants again. He was starting to get antsy. He really needed a shower, now.

"The rest of it's putting yourself out there. At least in my experience. I used to be able to get laid all the time, even when I was basically homeless. Just had to be willing to put in the legwork."

Well now he just looked a bit dejected, and that was worse than the smug cockiness. Zeke let out a puff of a sigh as he watched Melvin rubbing at his own arms, then flicked pale eyes up to Ever. A bit of silent communication, or maybe just a small heads up.

He reached out, stepping around the other Life briefly, to circle Melvin's upper arm with tanned fingers, dragging him back to stand in the circle of their warmth. Not an embrace, but it wouldn't take much to turn it into one. Or to escape it.

"Why so down? Self realization is a good thing." It was a stepping stone to growth.

For a moment he was startled as Zeke pulled him over but was less on alert since Ever's petting zoo move. Relaxing slowly, he felt a bit done with confidence talk. Right now he felt more tired and worn than the start, a old sort of exhaustion that came from a old and lacking relationship that now seeped into no relationship.

He thought of what he wanted and knew reaching too far was a wrong move. Planning for a future was a wrong move. Planning long term was a wrong move. "Whatever is around and isn't attached. Nothing special." He said, quieter now than he was before.

No couples. No spouses. No one who had to ask permission. No one who wanted him to share. No one who would say he was the one who would always be who they came back to. No way to set himself for a deeply seeded disappointment.

He wanted nothing but selfish gratification because it didn't make him expect anything more. It didn't leave him painting pretty pictures in his mind with assurances they would come true. He wanted to not want more.

"Not a hard thing to manage. You just need to lower your standards a little, and make yourself available." He turned, finally, to face Zeke -- looping his fingers in with the other man's and raising both eyebrows. It changed his tone, from that dry and teasing edge to something almost apologetic.

"I need to go take a shower. So I don't drip on all my paperwork and computer stuff." It was final, sealed with a kiss. Brief, and followed by a little swat to Zeke's cheek to distract him enough that Ever could pull free and take a step away.

"I can't imagine the punishment for ruining some of those books. Melvin, see you around?"

Brief, and certainly pleasant, but he blinked at the light slap and snapping his teeth lightly in that direction. He'd smirk back at the slightly taller man as he stepped away and out into the rain again. "Probably not nearly as fun as it could be," he counted, a faint hint of a growl to his voice before Ever was gone and Zeke was left shaking his head.

Then back to Melvin, focus narrowing to rest solely on the other blonde. "So like a ******** buddy, or not even that much of a relationship?" He carried on as if there'd been no pause, not even skipping a beat.

"That's probably easier to find." Or it was in Zeke's experience, and Ever's. "The thing about that though, is you have to be ready to be turned down, or patient enough to wait for that sort of situation to fall into your lap." His shoulders came up in a small shrug.