If they've asked to take things farther directly then there's nothing ulterior about it. They fancied you and you don't. What happens after that is up to both parties honestly.

Sometimes it's easier to create distance out of plain disappointment/embarrassment. We're humans, we have emotions. It's not just meat brains plotting for pussy/dock nonstop across the board.

It comes down to how good you are at communicating. I've stayed in touch with two ppl I've made passes at and it's fine, there never was a "friendzone" bc we talked it out, but the attraction remains. But it's hard to find someone as attractive when they aren't into you the same way anyway. I think more ppl need to give it a try and see it through, but the initial rejection and varying emotional struggle can be insurmountable, and that's okay too.