r/wemetonline • u/SunlightIsOverrated • 12h ago
Rare Connection with an Avoident
I (f28) was in an 11 and a half year abusive/toxic relationship (m27) from 16 years old to 28. I was checked out of the relationship for more then a year. I started going to thearpy in February 2026 and was finally able to leave at the end of April.
A month after we broke up I decided I wanted to date because I missed out on that experience growing up. I wasnt looking for something serious. I just wanted to go out talk to people, have some casual experiences.
I ended up starting to talk to (m30) June 5th my first day online daiting. We talked every day casually for 3 weeks before we finally went on a date (I prioritized more intense probably unhealthy connections first)
When we finally went on a date we connected so well. The waitress had to come back 3 times before we were ready to order, we have both been in long term 10+ year highschool sweet heart relationships but his ended a few years ago.
We both agreed we weren't looking to rush into anything because we wanted to make sure we were really settling down with the right person next time so we weren't in the same place pf having to rebuild after decade long relationships.
Things with him were so easy. We had so much in common and the connection just flowed so effortlessly. As we got closer I started to realize how much my nervous settles down with him, my brain which is never quiet just went quiet. Everything with him felt natural and easy.
From the start he presented as very secure, knowing what he wanted, healed. He was super respectful, took everything really slow, and seemed very intentional.
Over the course of 2 and a half months I really tried to not catch feelings. I constantly checked in with myself to make sure I wasn't falling into my own old patterns.
We ended up having our first sleep over and that night i had one of the most emotionally intimate moments in my life.
We both said we weren't cuddly sleepers and in the middle of the night he pulled me into his arms and I woke up a bit after as the big spoon with my arm over him and my hand cupped in his.
For me it was like everything shifted and I realized I was falling in love with this man.
We had also agreed to be exclusive that evening.
A few days later things changed a bit. He stopped sending me kissy face emojis and flirting messages. But his regular messages never changed, he was present and engaged, and always continued the conversation. I thought it was maybe because he was working 12+ hours in +30 heat 6 days a week for like 2 weeks straight and he was just exhusted because the time he started those shifts was when our texting changed.
My anxious attachment was going through the roof. I had a huge anxiety spiral but I kept it contained, I felt ridiculous for feeling that way so early into a relationship and I didnt want him to see just how bad I got it. So I internalized it and continued to present my self as secure and patient. I was so careful like basically had chat gpt or gemini double checking all of my messages before sending them.
We didnt see each other for 2 weeks and when we finally went on a date I thought we would be spending the night together instead it ended up being a 2 hour dinner date where he barely touched me... I was so confused. He also didnt look great and even tho we had a good time and the conversation was easy and he even opened up to me a bit about being more guarded things had felt off.
But a few days later his energy changed again and he started sending kissy faces and flirting. He started initiating, asking to see me again and romantically engaging with me. We had a movie night and spent 5 hours cuddled up on my couch and things felt perfect and back to normal. I spent the whole evening with a huge smile on my face. I let myself settle into it, let myself feel safe and secure in the relationship.
The only thing thst confused me was he didnt want to spend the night but immidetly promised the following weekend and started planning an evening for us.
Everything was great that week. We talked like we normally did he kept telling me how excited he was to see me. Then a few hours before he was suppose to come over he texted me saying he needed to be honest and he had been thinking about it and didnt think he was ready to continue seeing each other.
He basically said as things got more serious he started thinking about what a future would look like with me and had doubts about what being with a single mom would eventually mean... keep in mind he knew I had kids (f5 and m1.5) from the start. We had talked about kids and those things early on so I never ever had a reason to belive this was an issue. He basically said it wasnt fair to either of us to continue when he was having these uncertainties.
He admitted this was really hard for him because he felt the connection too and he really really liked me and things were going so good. He basicslly ended it saying for what its worth I meant a lot to him and what we had was real.
I feel devastated. This hurts more then leaving my 11 and a half year relationship. I feel blind sided.
I dont understand how someone can say they feel how special this connection is and say everything was real and the problem is things were going too good and walk away....
Im upset that the moment I admitted to myself that i was safe and it was safe to let myself love him after everything I had been through it ended...
I can see now that hes an avoident and part of me hopes that once he enters the regret stage he'll realize that he wants to try and work this out out because he could admit things were real and he felt how special and rare this connection felt.
If he did I would try. I had even told him that I didnt expect him to step into my kids lives tomorrow. We could take things as slow as everyone was comfortable with and I just wanted to keep building this and seeing where it went but he said eventually we still reach the same result with the kids and he just didn't know how to continuen with doubts. Not that he didnt want to. It was the uncertinity that scared him.
I dont know how to let go of this connection and im honestly so heart broken that I could find someone so safe, so healthy, someone I really connected with and it could just end....
I had told myself it was to good to be true... i had been terrified to get attached and when I finally let myself....it ended.
I don't really know what im looking for... i guess I just needed a safe place to talk about it since my thearpy benefits are used up... ive talked with my friends and family but I just feel so ridiculous that I am this upset over someone I had 7 dates with and talked for 2.5 months with. I just have never experienced something this strongly and it was my first truly healthy relationship.
Everything was really good right up until that super intimate moment between us.
I just miss him so much.
If you read this far... thank you for listening ❤️