Why does he stare so much when he's drunk?

[Anonymous]

I have a huge crush on a guy I work with. Sometimes at work it seems like he almost purposely goes out of his way to not show me affection, but other times, especially when we're alone, he'll strike up conversations, sometimes on deeper topics. Then some days we have this weird flirty energy, I know he's always listening in when I'm having a conversation in his earshot, but he is a nosy person. He'll often go ahead and interject himself into the conversation. Now some days, not often, I swear Ill catch him looking over at me a lot, I feel like this happens mostly on days after we've been hanging out together (in our group). But other days it's like I'm the air and he could care less about my presence. When our group goes out, he always asks me if I'm going. Some days he is playful as can be "karate kicking" my butt, pulling my ponytail, just teasing me.
The strangest thing is when we're drinking together, we get to this point where we're both almost just staring at each other, even when not talking. Because of the fact that were usually both a bit drunk, I've never quite figured out if it's just me, if I'm precipitating it all. But recently at a friends party, I was staying sober because I had an early day ahead of me, while he was having quite the good time, and I noticed it, every time he said something especially, he'd look to me, as if to judge my reaction. The tipsy staring happens quite often, and is not in my head.
All of this has gone on the past 6 months, the hot and cold, the weird energy, and I feel like I'm going nuts. I've tried to get over it, but it's like he has a sixth sense for it, and somehow manages to pull my attention back in.

As a last interesting note, toward the beginning of knowing each other we made out one night we had way too many, we navigated it with minimal to no awkwardness.
Is the staring an indication of something going on beneath the surface? Or am I just a good friend?

[malewise]

I'm sure if we asked his side of the story, he'd talk about all the times when you almost hit it off but didn't. Now he's just frustrated as heck with you. (That might be the reason why he doesn't notice you at times.

Or there's this girl that I like, but I'm not that really into.

Or I'm really in love wit this girl, but I just can't get over my shyness.

I think the easy answer is the next time you're both drinking, go and sit down beside him. Tell him, instead of staring across the room at you, you can stare right next to you. If he just likes you but is not that into you, I think it will be pretty obvious.