Work Text:
SHAWN FLIRTS. IT STARTS OUT AS JUST A SMART MOUTH, BUT WHEN HE REALIZES GIRLS ARE APPEALING, AND THERE’S MORE THAN KISSING YOU CAN DO WITH THEM, IT TURNS INTO FLIRTING. HE KNOWS HE DIDN’T GAIN THE SKILLS FROM HIS DAD, AND SINCE HE DOESN’T ACTUALLY KNOW WHO HIS MOTHER IS, HE FIGURES HE MUST HAVE GOTTEN IT FROM HER, THOUGH HE’LL NEVER REALLY KNOW. FLIRTING COMES SO EASY TO HIM; IT TAKES HIM LONGER THAN IT SHOULD TO REALIZE CORY STRUGGLES WITH IT. HE WATCHES AS CORY BUMBLES AND FUMBLES OVER HIS WORDS WHEN HE CAN JUST OPEN HIS MOUTH AND TOSS OUT A SLICK LINE AND MAKE A GIRL BLUSH AND GIGGLE. THE FIRST TIME HE WATCHES CORY WATCH TAPENGA, HE UNDERSTANDS WHY CORY FAILS AT FLIRTING. HE REALIZES, IN A SPLIT-SECOND OF BLINDING CLARITY, THAT CORY AND TAPENGA DON’T NEED TO FLIRT; THEY WERE JUST MADE TO FIT TOGETHER. SHAWN HONES HIS SKILL OVER THAT SUMMER HE SPENDS RUNNING AWAY, WITH QUESTIONABLE WOMEN IN EVEN MORE QUESTIONABLE ESTABLISHMENTS. HE LEARNS THE DIFFERENCE BETWEEN LOOKS THAT MEAN: “YES, YOU’RE PRETTY, BUT NO, I DON’T WANT TO SLEEP WITH YOU.” AND “OH, YOU’RE BEAUTIFUL, AND I’D LOVE TO SEE YOUR FACE OVER PANCAKES IN THE MORNING.” HE LEARNS, DURING THAT TIME WHEN HIS BLOOD SEEMS TO BE MADE UP OF MORE ALCOHOL THAN ANYTHING ELSE, THAT FLIRTING CAN GET YOU HURT. HE LEARNS THAT IF THE GIRL ISN’T SMILING AFTER HIS SECOND ATEMPT, HE SHOULD STOP. HE LEARNS HOW FFLIRTING CAN HELP OR HINDER A RELATIONSHIP. HE LEARNS, PAINFULLY, THAT IF SHE SAYS SHE’S GOT A BOYFRIEND, HE SHOULDN’T KEEP PUSHING, EVEN IF HE DOESN’T BELIEVE HER. HE LEARNS THAT SOMETIMES, EVEN WITHOUT MEANING TO, FLIRTING CAN MAKE THINGS WORSE. DURING COLLEGE, WHILE CORY AND TAPENGA ARE OFF BEING MARRIED, AND HE AND ANGELA AREN’T AS SOLID AS HE THOUGHT THEY WERE, HE REALIZES THAT FLIRTING WITH GUYS IS OK. IT STARTS OUT AS SOMETHING TO DO TO DULL THE AKE WHERE HIS HEART USED TO BE, BUT THEN ONCE HE’S BETTER, ITS JUST SOMETHING HE CONTINUES. HE DOESN’T TELL HIS BEST FRIENDS UNTIL THEY’RE OUT OF COLLEGE, THOUGH,FIGURING HE’D BETTER GET A HANDLE ON HOW FAR HE’S WILLING TO LET HIS FLIRTING WITH GUYS GO BEFORE HE TELLS THEM OF HIS DISCOVERY. WHEN HE FINALLY COMES CLEAN, TAPENGA SMILES LIKE SHE ALWAYS KNEW AND CORY JUST SHRUGGS, LIKE ITS NO BIG DEAL. AND TO HIM, IT PROBABLY ISN’T.
THE END.