I’ve been talking to someone for the past 2 weeks; at first, they seemed very interested, but now they are hot and cold. It feels like they’re not putting effort into messaging, and then they disappear for a long time. If I ask directly, will they run away, or should I just ignore these games? Do you think they’re waiting for a signal, or is there someone else?
I experienced this at one point too. The first week, they were constantly messaging, and I could feel the attention at all times. Then the intervals between messages got longer. They said, ‘I’m busy,’ but it always felt like an excuse. I directly asked, ‘Where do we stand?’ I think it’s an open question because people shouldn’t cling to false hopes.
I don’t think the girl is playing, but it’s not clear either. Someone waiting for a signal wouldn’t lose interest for a long time. If she is interested, she’ll come back. Just focus on your path and take it easy. Someone who has been absent for a long time won’t have a healthy conversation.
Don’t get me wrong, but two weeks is still pretty recent. Maybe he really has his work cut out for him. Don’t put so much pressure on him and give it some time. Things will become clearer. 
In flirting, there can be a game, but if you notice a constant ‘hot-cold’ cycle, it’s right to speak frankly. You can ask a somewhat open-ended question like, ‘Are you busy or am I misunderstanding?’ It doesn’t create a direct pressure, but if you’re tired, you can just cut it off completely 
Let me add that I’m not really waiting for it to go somewhere or to become clear. It’s just this indecision that’s wearing me out. It felt like it was very exciting at one point, then the wind stopped. Maybe, as you said, I’m overthinking it.
I’ve been through the same thing; in fact, it all started with the same kind of “excessive interest” period. You can guess what happened next: it turned out they were talking to someone else too. Long silences are always a red alert for me, so be careful 
But the thing is, waiting takes a lot of energy too. You wonder if you should ask or think about the signal, while the guy is just going with the flow. I think you should focus a bit more on yourself. If he writes, you can continue; if he doesn’t, then there’s nothing there anyway.