Contrary to what movies want us to believe, falling in love is not an immediate thing. In fact, love at first sight in real life usually leads to a messy breakup, and stable relationships are built over time. Considering all of this, the true and healthy norm is falling for someone slowly. Just like the turtle, slow and steady wins the race. When things happen slowly, though, it’s harder to notice them. You don’t realize that you’re getting old until you compare your wrinkly face with a younger photograph. You don’t notice that you’ve gained weight until your pants don’t fit. And, you don’t realize you’re falling for someone until you guessed it, you’ve actually fallen. So now you’re here wondering if this guy actually has feelings for you. Even though the process is discreet, we can follow it if we are observant. So, here are the 10 signs he is slowly falling for you.
1. He gets protective of you.
Animals naturally want to protect what’s theirs, and humans are no different. If a guy is slowly falling for you, he will also slowly become more protective of you. This could be in appropriate situations, like if you were to be insulted or threatened by someone else, so this guy jumps to your defense. Or, it could be in romantic situations, when he sees another guy trying to make a move on you and he blocks it off. These are some examples of their protective actions.
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2. He starts making compromises.
If this guy suddenly seems to be Mr. Softie when he was a stubborn bull back in the day, something is shifting on the inside. The inside of his heart, that is. Some of these examples could be things such as admitting when he’s wrong, asking you to elaborate on an opposing opinion, or paying less attention to things in his life you weren’t very fond of. Compromises can be found in every situation, but not in every person. If he’s compromising with you, he has developed feelings for you and that’s one of the good signs that he is slowly falling for you.
3. He’s spending more time with you.
If your hangouts have switched from the occasional group get-togethers to more intimate one-on-one moments, there’s a reason behind that. He obviously likes you because why turn group hangout to one-on-one hangouts? Or it’s because he’s exploring his feelings for you, as he slowly falls for you. If it’s you, well, maybe you’re the one falling for him.
4. He actually gets you things you want.
A heart-shaped piece of jewelry is nice and all, but do you actually want that? Well, that depends on you. There’s a big difference between getting a gift from someone random and getting a gift from him. If this guy pays enough attention to buy you things that you love, need, and want, there are some deep thoughts behind those gifts. Only someone who really likes you would put that much effort into such a present.
Check out: How to make someone feel special
5. He values your opinion. Respect is the key here.
When a guy falls for you, he reaches a new level of respect for you and your opinion. Even if you seem to have opposite stances, he will be open to hearing your side of things, and will even take your opinion into consideration when he’s got a big decision to make.
6. He lets you meet his family.
This only happens if he is actually falling for you. You don’t normally see those one-time flings meeting their family, right? Family is as “in” as you’re going to get with someone, so if a guy lets you meet his family, it’s not because you’re some flaky person passing through. Quite the opposite. He’s thought about you long and hard, and you made the cut! This is also one of the good signs that he is slowly falling for you.
Check out: 10 Signs he told his friends about you
7. He picks you over his friends.
But just saying you shouldn’t make a guy choose between you or his friends. Those conversations usually don’t go well. What should happen naturally, though, is a bit of give and take. If you propose some fun plans on the same day his friends want to hang, you’ll know he’s falling for you if he chooses to stay with you instead of the homies.
8. He shares his secrets with you.
Secrets are locked away in the depths of our souls… or, at least behind a weak wall in our brains. No matter where you think secrets are stored, guys have an extra lock over them. If you find a dude who starts opening up to you enough to share secrets with you, you’ve unlocked a trust that few others have. Guys open up more the more they like you, so this is a great sign to look out for.
Related: How to tell if a guy likes you but is hiding it
9. He goes out of his way to do favors for you.
A helpful friend is great, but a helpful partner is a must. If he puts your needs ahead of his and is there to help whenever you need it, he is putting his best foot forward for two reasons. First, he wants you to like him… obviously. Second, it could be easy for him to behave this way because you are #1 on his mind and #1 on his priority list.
10. He makes future plans with you.
No one makes plans with someone we hope to never see again. But a guy with a plan is a guy with a future. A guy with you in his future plans is a guy who is falling for you. Because why else would he randomly suggest one day he’ll get that countryside house to move in together. Haha.
Related: 15 Signs he likes you more than a friend
Conclusion:
After going over these 10 signs, does this guy check off more than half of these signs? If so, then you got someone slowly falling for you. If not yet, remember that we fall for someone slower than we think. It might not be so apparent now. But who knows, only time will tell. So there you have it, 10 signs he is slowly falling for you.