beta
I don't think he's a red flag. From his POV,
1. Got drunk and kissed bottom in high school
2. Bottom avoids him a LOT, so now top assumes bottom hated/regretted it
3. Top pines for bottom for the next few years, including army
4. Top gets drunk, kisses and leaves hickeys on bottom everywhere
5. Bottom seems alright with it or at least isnt avoiding the top like he used to (because we all know bottom also likes top)
6. Top probably assumes bottom doesn't mind a physical relationship, so top will take what he can get//"hopefully this will grow into something more?"
We all know why bottom avoided top (realised he was in love and panicked), but from top's POV, bottom just straight up hated what they did in high school and wanted pretend it never happened. I'd 100% assume bottom doesn't like me if that happened to me. I wouldn't bother to tell bottom I liked him because I was rejected before I could confess.
I'm not saying all his choices were great, but his actions make complete sense to me. Unless if I'm a red flag. Haha.