I influenced him without even meaning to

Lately, I’ve been thinking about this dude I met in a niche community. I liked him for weeks before I even talked to him totally didn’t know how to handle it. Full disclosure: I was limerent as hell. I let myself get carried away and thought maybe my obsession would make me seem more “special” than everyone else. Spoiler: it didn’t.

We talked for over two months. He always gave me hope, saying he wanted us to be friends or whatever, but nothing really happened. Tons of differences, and I wasn’t in the best mental state either.

Then things got… weird. When he started pulling away, he literally changed his Discord name to the nickname I had given him and kept it for months. I mean, okay, fine, he said he loved it, but… super weird.

And there’s more: he started using a word I used sometimes as a “smart” verbal tic. Never let go of it. Became his thing.

The kicker? I jokingly told him I sometimes go to therapy just for hugs from my therapist. THREE DAYS LATER, he posts on two subs in his country about hug therapy like he discovered it himself. Didn’t credit anyone. Not even a “someone told me about this.” And the idea was mine first.

Honestly, the whole dynamic was turbulent. No real chemistry, but somehow he copied all these little things from me and ran with them. We’re from completely different worlds culturally, socially, hierarchically and he’s 6’2” while I’m under 5’3”. Kind of wild