Account for the relationship as it is now
Use a tone that fits the present relationship, not the closeness, authority, or access that existed in the past. For a message about how to ask a date about misleading profile photos, use this factual base: refer to what actually happened, what you want now, and any personal information relevant to informed consent.
Ask without assigning an obligation
Explain what you hope for while making decline, delay, or a different format genuinely acceptable. Make one clear invitation or boundary and leave room for a different pace or a no. Make the immediate next step clear enough that the recipient can answer without reconstructing the entire history.
Keep the ending honest
Do not flood someone with messages, demand exclusivity, or use vulnerability to create an obligation. Meet safely, protect personal information, and stop contact when a refusal, block, threat, or deceptive identity is involved. Avoid future promises, guilt, flattery, or nostalgia that imply the recipient owes you access.