Relationships are hard and people have all sorts of fucked up expectations of what a partner is and hang ups about communicating. I'm not in my 20s anymore and I'm just starting to explore the craft of remediating friendships/relationships. When I was younger, I had to discover sympathy for not wanting to fuck up a friendship because I cut people out so much more easily than I explain how inappropriate someone is acting. I would tear through a friendship turned relationship when they criticize me for something I don't feel is worthy of criticism and it's RIP Bozo for what we had before. This shit still makes me consider whether I'm aromantic because I'm prepared to just be alone rather than try to make a relationship work. A good friend can be a shitty room mate. If you're the shitty room mate and your friend wants to move in together that shit would be heartbreaking to hear because you'd need to immediately start processing the loss.

You should always say in no uncertain terms that you're into someone and play that hand. You have the one life to live and I imagine some people are happier in relationships. As long as you don't start a platonic friendship as a wolf in sheep's clothing, it's all fair game as I see it. If you decide that your newly grown feelings aren't reciprocated and you stop making an effort, whatever. If you don't bother to know them better after you confess from the get go, whatever. If you can keep newfound feelings to yourself and never confess, fair enough. There aren't rules to relationships. A wolf in sheep's clothing is the only thing that is bad manner.