TW: Implied Stalking, Toxic Mindsets.
A.N. - This is my legacy. There are many like it, but this one is mine.
Platonic:
SpongeBob bombards his friend with invitations to catch jellyfish with him and attend sleepovers and house parties every time he meets them. However, he is not domineering and is willing to adapt the outing to their preferences. Any illegal or morally questionable activities evoke some pause from the sponge, but he is susceptible to peer pressure and does not retaliate against his friend even if they backstab him.
His eagerness to enjoy their company lends itself easily to manipulation if his friend were inclined to do so. As a preemptive strike, Mr. Krabs sits the fry cook down for a greed-fueled talk about not cooking them Krabby Patties on the house whenever they ask. SpongeBob is resistant to the idea of defying his boss, but he ultimately sneaks any number of favours for his friend if he believes it will remain a secret.
If it disrupts his routine or he is in one of his more vindictive moods, Squidward occasionally confronts SpongeBob about this behaviour. The cashier has no trouble listing each reason why he finds it to be reprehensible in hostile and explicit detail, but the sponge dismisses his complaints by assuring Squidward that the friendship is equal. Although Squidward has been the target of SpongeBob's intrusive nature, he is not apt to help the fry cook's friend in any noteworthy way besides a sarcastic comment about understanding their situation.
Assistance comes in the form of Sandy and Patrick. Sandy is not afraid to criticize SpongeBob's actions to his face, but unlike Squidward, she allows his friend to hide at her treedome when they need a rest from his constant presence. Patrick is more of an unwitting supporter in that he sees no meaningful flaws in the relationship but commonly distracts SpongeBob with escapades and shenanigans of his own.
Romantic:
Firm communication is a must for his partner to convince him to relent. Any uncertainty or ambiguity in their responses to his wishes to spend time together, such as a "maybe later" instead of a "go away," are taken at face value. SpongeBob thinks the relationship is innocent and views his intrusions into their private life as friendly checkups, for he is chiefly good-natured and does not entertain the notion of revenge.
Despite his immense capacity for optimism, SpongeBob is not infallibly oblivious to all rejections. A consistent string of hard no's or a singular one that is aggressive and mean-spirited enough that it cannot be mistaken will yield results, although not the desirable kind. SpongeBob falls into a brokenhearted state where he devotes several hours of every day to uninterrupted sobbing both inside his home and at work.
This open weeping draws much irritation from Squidward, Mr. Krabs and many of the customers at the Krusty Krab, who collectively view his tears as a noisy inconvenience. Fish leave the establishment in anger, and as soon as money is lost, it becomes everyone's problem. Squidward cracks after a few days and yells at him to stop being a crybaby, while Krabs instructs the fry cook to forget about them and get back to work.
His gift-giving continues after a short break, but the new gifts are far more desperate. The presentation devolves from reaching his partner when they leave their house or are cruising the town into knocking on their door at random times and tearfully begging for them to accept his gift. The presents themselves go from what little trinkets his paychecks allow to homemade clothes stitched together with tears.