What?s worse?
Being madly and passionately in love with someone (or just infatuated) and:
Never actually telling them so as to not ruin the relationship you do have
Or
Going ahead and telling them and ruining the relationship you do have
That's a tough one, cause I was in this situation a month ago.
Eventually I ended up in a relationship with that person. But from what I understood she was not really looking for a relationship for the next year or so (as in "I just need a break from dating and have time for myself") so I didn't really consider it to be relationship material. But as time progressed we got along really fine, we met up a few times (which ended up on a weekly basis to hang out somewhere in the country) and at some point I was like "I like her, but I don't want to mess up our friendship". Yet I am also the one who, if I really like someone, will not engage in a lot of other social contacts. Perhaps that's a bit of a spectrum thing... having to finish things one at a time as well as obsessing over someone a lot. But I just kept contact with her, making some remarks and all within a relationship context, had a talk about how I felt about relationships. Then at some point she figured it was kinda clear that we'd be a (well, can't say perfect) good match and she kinda went along with it, despite her stance where she thought that her break was really needed.
So I think I really need some time and space to think it through. Even though I'm totally oblivious to most hints people drop, I do pick up some things.
Funny thing was, though, it might be for a part cause she's presumably on the spectrum as well, she was worried it would ruin our friendship if I'd say no.
If my interest for someone is really up to a certain level, then I will tell them, because it's really, really annoying to not move on either with or without that person. I can only stop for X amount of time, not months, and obsess over a potential friendship/relationship. But then again I should say... if I have a good connection with someone I might end up talking to that person for 4 to 5 hours each day. Which is why I might not move on that well within a bigger social frame.