Or DO you?

It seems to me EII men are sometimes quite shy -- too shy for their own good -- in approaching women they like. One I know harbors long-time crushes without ever acting at all. Perhaps he is waiting for the woman to do so, but it is against cultural norms and I feel the women are waiting for him. Se-PoLR at work, perhaps. Ruining potential relationships, one shy guy at a time

So, my question is how EII men here go about starting relationships with the women they find intriguing. Do you start with friendship, or what? And who initiates/asks the other to hang out first -- the EII guy or the prospective love interest?

And, hell, I may as well ask what piques your interest in the first place while we're here.

So, please, do tell