Reply speed is the worst signal there is, and it's the one everybody reads first. Most people text at whatever pace their day allows, and that pace has almost nothing to do with how they feel about you. What matters is not how long the gap was — it's what arrived at the end of it.
It does not mean he's punishing you, testing you, or with someone else. Those are stories the gap invites you to write. The gap itself is empty.
Look at the content, not the clock. Six hours and a real question is interest. Six minutes and 'haha yeah' is not.
“hey! how's your week going”
“you've been rescued from the group chat i see”
“i've noticed we text at pretty different speeds — does a slower pace work better for you?”
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Was It Casual is for reflection, not therapy or professional advice.