#tfeveryday — Public Fediverse posts

someone has a crush on you! you can't say that the feeling's mutual, but you also don't dislike them, so you're left trying to find the best way to let them down while staying friends. you find it difficult to just straight up turn them down, like something's preventing you from refusing to hang out despite knowing deep down that they view these outings as dates.
you feel like a performative caricature of yourself while on these presumed-dates, it's hard to resist leaning into that silly and flirty side of yourself that they see you as. they love it, all the better for them that you slip into their imagined ideal rather than challenge their unrequited love. under the light of the full moon, you swear that you can see taut strings glinting above your fingers. no one else sees what you're talking about...
they ask you out, and you freeze up. this should be the easiest opportunity ever to take the explicit request and turn it down. no matter what, you couldn't bring yourself to say it. you couldn't move. your new partner giggles to themself and answers for you in a fluffy mimicry of your voice, "of course!! i love you soo much" and your mouth moves as if compelled from above to speak as they do. so cute, completing eachother's sentences already!
when you're not around them, you almost feel normal. almost. you look at yourself in the mirror and something feels off. like someone recreated you from a photo, and made the new one out of wood. those strings are there all the time, you try to ignore it but it's obvious what you are.
you have a feeling that if you go on that date tonight, there will be nothing left of you but a puppet for your mate. your gut turns just thinking about it, but your body giddily gets ready for date night~

i know i sometimes write entirely without capitalization, but this time the keyboard on my phone just straight up wouldn't let me. lol.
#tfq #tfeveryday