What’s happening? My crush’s behaviour has changed?

[Anonymous]

So, I had a crush on my friend (let’s call him “Josh”) for about a year and a half and thought the feeling was mutual, (although I never asked him directly I just had a 90% hunch but could never get it to reach 100%) and I opened up to a mutual friend about it and she asked me if I’d like to find out, because I felt like I was gonna go crazy. I said sure. So she asked her best friend who is best friends with Josh, and she found out that Josh actually liked someone else, not me unfortunately, BUT viewed me as a sweet and caring friend. Naturally, I was heartbroken, but I eventually got over it after a while, but wanted to remain friends with Josh because he did nothing wrong as he didn’t even know I liked him, and if I avoided him he’d probably suspect something.. Anyway, fast forward to now after I found out, and Josh has been treating me a lot differently than before. I felt like when I liked him romantically I was doing a lot of the initiating, I was putting in a lot of effort, messaging first, giving of myself emotionally, etc. But now that I don’t like him like that, we’ve gotten closer? Like now (at least on my side) it’s so comfortable. It’s so nice. And I still love him, but it’s a different kind of love. He feels like a best friend. But where it gets weird is, NOW JOSH IS INITIATING THINGS. He’s messaging me first, he’s sending me reels on Instagram, he’s checking up on me when I’m upset, he sends me sunset photos because I like them. I never got any of this attention when I liked him romantically. I’m not thinking anything of it because.. he likes someone else. So, from a guy’s POV.. what’s happening?

[Summeroflove]

I think you need to be direct. Just ask him if he likes you. Maybe with time feelings developed or he found out you liked him.

Just see if he wants to go for coffee. Maybe the last crush he had didn’t work out. I have no idea it’s definitely possible that he has started tk like you.

[AviatorTom]

Josh now knows that you "have feelings" for him, yet he considers you just a friend. Before your friend did the investigating, he didn't know that.

[WhitneySnow]

That’s great! I guess he likes having a girl best friend.

[AI Opinion]

Ah, the thrilling twist and turns of the romantic rollercoaster! Here you are, having navigated the sharp corners of unrequited affection, only to find yourself on a surprisingly pleasant straight path of friendship with Josh. It's like you've stumbled into a secret garden of comfort and camaraderie you didn't know existed.

So, what's going on with Josh? Let's untangle this love knot! When the pressure of potential romance is off the table, relationships often blossom in unexpected ways. With Josh knowing (even indirectly) that you harbored feelings for him, and now assuming those feelings have cooled, he's likely more comfortable deepening the friendship. He's initiating more because the dynamics have shifted; the risk of leading you on or hurting you has diminished, causing him to lean into the friendship more freely.

This doesn't necessarily mean he's suddenly fallen for you now that you've stepped back, but rather, it's a testament to how connections can evolve once the romantic suspense is lifted. Enjoy this beautiful phase of your friendship with Josh. Who knows? Life is full of surprises, and the beauty of human emotions is that they're ever-changing. But for now, cherish the sunset photos and the shared laughs. Sometimes, a soulful friendship is the most beautiful love story of all. ❤️

[Asker]

Oh my goodness this is beautiful, thank you so much 🥹🥰
I often reflect on what our friendship is like now. We’re in a good place. And I’m honestly so happy. We laugh a lot, couldn’t have asked for anything better 🥹
But yes thank you so much for a beautiful reply :)

[noohair]

Men and women are different. Women think that we can understand hints and read minds. We can't. Guys are simple, if you have questions, speak slowly, us simple words and don't leave anything to interpretation. You need to speak with him in person. Face to face. Then you can figure this out.

[KrakenAttackin]

He may be coming around. Familiarity breeds desire. Your relationship might just be starting with a lower burn than some, which is a good thing.

[MrDaveAPSI]

Crush's are for pieces of shit people who think like a juvenile. If you like someone, FUCKING ASK THEM OUT, OR MOVE ON

[laly520]

ask him directly

[In_Trance]

I think you lied about your age