Grayson took the proffered seat, his face showing nothing of his thankfulness for this small victory. He could see the boy didn't buy a word he said, but at least he was willing to continue the conversation. Wesley asked his question, and Grayson considered it for a short while. He raised his eyebrows at the mention of love--in truth, that hadn't even crossed his mind, but now that it was mentioned, it added a new layer of complication to his limited understanding of the situation. After some internal debate, he decided to be as honest as possible.
"You probably expect me to say something stupid like 'follow your heart,' but honestly? Don't. If you're worried about getting hurt, never follow your heart. If you find yourself wondering about whether or not to trust someone, analyze the situation at objectively as you can, and ask yourself what that person would have to gain by deceiving or betraying you. Trust negative gut feelings over positive ones. Look at the situation from every point of view except your own. Ask yourself if the other person has a significant advantage over you in your relationship--if they could get away with betraying you with little personal loss, then assume that they will try. If it would cost them to deceive you, then you can place more trust in them. Always be wary of relationships in which you need them more than they need you."
He shrugged, and sighed softly. "That's how you protect yourself. As for loneliness...I never figured that out. Cynicism keeps you safe, it doesn't make you happy. If you find someone who passes all those tests, keep them around. If not...I guess you have to choose whether you want to risk it."
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