What you write about is quite typical experience, not just for aspies but also for NT people. We all want to impress the other and try to be accepted. NT people engage in some level of masking as well. What I learned is that the very need to do it signals me something isn't quite right. Perhaps I'm trying to hard, if so, why? Or perhaps this person isn't such a good fit for me. Over the years I noticed that I can maintain long-term relationship precisely with people who accept my quirks and with which I don't feel the need for much masking.