It depends on the friendship. If I had just met the guy, it would definitely be more likely to kill any budding relationship, because I would feel like he never wanted a friendship, but only wanted to date me. If it was a friend who told me he liked me, it would be awkward for a minute or two, but I'd shrug it off. I'd be flattered, but I wouldn't let it ruin our friendship.
They way you worded this sounds like this:
If a random guy comes up to you asking for a number: You shut him down, because you aren't friends.
If a friend asked said he liked you: You shut him down, because you are friends.
Is it just me, or is there an ironic situation somewhere in this whole thing? ahahaha
so my question is, are guys easily intimidated by girls? and if yes, why? what makes them intimidated?
BESIDES the fact that she might be out of his league, that answer doesnt count. but what other things make a girl intimidating to a guy?
I'm not sure of any other reason for a guy to be intimidated by a girl whatsoever, to be honest. There isn't one. If a guy thinks a girl is out of his league... aka... too pretty for him... then he is intimidated. That is about it. The only reason a guy gets the fear of rejection is when he is faced with confronting a girl he likes that he views as out of his league. The two correlate with one another.
I know you said that isn't the answer that you want, but I don't know of any other reason to be intimidated whatsoever.
Beyond that, the only other reason a guy wouldn't tell a girl he likes her is to play hard to get. That doesn't factor intimidation in there whatsoever. A girl has all the power in rejection if he straight up gives himself up on a platter and says "I like you". If he gets you to chase him a little by not directly saying it, but implying it through flirting, then he isn't getting hurt and the point gets across through hints. This makes the eventual task of telling her he is into her a lot easier.
Other than being out of his league, there isn't any reason whatsoever that any normal guy is intimidated. I'm not sure why you let that part as not a reason, because that is the ONLY reason. Fear of rejection only stems through placing a girl on a pedestal. If a guy gets rejected from a girl that he views as just average, he isn't very heartbroken by it. He moves on and says "your loss, not mine" and that's that. A girl that he places on a pedestal has more power over his heart at that point, and so he gets intimidated and nervous. That's about it.
So, plainly put, intimidation only stems from placing a girl on a pedestal and thinking she is out of his league.