There is little more nerve-wracking than a first date.
Be it with someone you've known for a while, but are only now acting on your romantic feelings, someone you'd been chatting with online or on the apps, or someone you've never met or seen that a friend set you up with, you just have no idea how things will go.
Unfortunately, it can be very apparent after almost no time at all that a second date simply isn't in the cards.
Conversely, though, all it can take is one moment to absolutely confirm there will be a second date.
Or that this could be the last "first date" you'll ever go on.
Redditor ionlywanttheneck was curious to hear moments during first dates when people knew a second date was happening, leading them to ask:
"What is something your date did or said that made you go 'I’m definitely going on another date with this person'?"
The Art of Conversation
"He kept talking about anything."
"He seemed so enthusiastic about learning and sharing what he learned."
"To me, it said that he's very smart but not arrogant about it."
"I don't consider myself a smart person, but he didn't seem to care."
"Actually, it was the enthusiasm that piqued my interest."
"I definitely want to keep talking to him."- lady_laughs_too_much
Getting Lost Isn't Always A Bad Thing.
"We lost ourselves in conversation for hours and the bar was closing."
"Just laughing and talking about all kinds of things."
"As I was leaving, one of the women on staff whispered to me 'I think that went really well!' with a big smile."- LK09
No Bigger Turn On Than Self-Awareness
"On our first date, some of her ice cream dripped onto her sleeve."
"Nonchalantly wiping it up, she told herself, 'can’t take me anywhere'.”
"I smiled. She’s been my wife for 7 years now."- GoramReaver
Ice Cream Eating GIFGiphy
Great Minds Think Alike
"He quoted my favorite poet, TS Elliot, at the dinner table on out first date."
"I finished the quote."
"He stared at me across the table for a stunned moment."
"I swear that was the very moment we fell in love with each other."- Any_Assumption_2023
Can't Escape That Feeling
"It just felt right being together after about 5 minutes into the date."
"It's been 13 years since that first date and the feeling still hasn't changed."- Scorponok_rules
Niche Crowd
"On my first date with my current bf I was so nervous I spent the first HOUR infodumping about the plot, extended universe, and lore of the Dune novels."
"For some reason he was into it lol."- ArtisticMoth
Worm Survival GIF by XboxGiphy
She Got The Memo
"My gf and I showed up to our first date wearing the same colored outfit."
"From shirt, jeans, and shoes, it looked like we were intentionally trying to match each other."
"It made for an easy ice breaker."- ionlywanttheneck
Before Sunrise
"We just didn’t want to end the night, we must’ve went to 3 different spots just talking each others ears off."- definitelynotsheo
The Game Of Love and Chance
"She insisted on paying for dinner, then busted out a mini travel backgammon set from her purse and asked if I knew how to play."-azninvasion2000
Always Be Proud Of Who You Are
"My boyfriend told me about his world record in a very very niche and random video game."
"He doesn’t brag and he’ll tell you how it’s since been broken, but to me it was just the cutest most impressive thing I’ve ever seen."- Bulldogs_R_Awesome
"You're Gonna Hear Me ROAR!"
"This girl I was dating a few years ago did an impression of a T Rex on our third date, and she went ALL OUT."
"Little arms at her chest, big dino steps, full effort roar."
"I knew I'd marry her from that moment."
"We got married last summer."
"We have a little dinosaur on the way this October."- HatefulTwon
"It's In His Kiss..."
"We talked for two hours straight without interruption and then she grabbed me and shoved her tongue down my throat right before climbing in an Über."
"We talked about it later and she was wondering, 'is he really not going to kiss me?'"
"I was focused on not being overly aggressive because I really liked her, didn't want to f*ck it up, and can't read hints to save my life."
"So, good move on her part."
"1-year anniversary was yesterday."
"Ring's being made."- Zeebothius
Let Me Go Love GIF by 3 Doors DownGiphy
It's The Little Things...
"I had my arm in a sling from breaking my clavicle back when I met my man in August."
"On our first date he asks me to hand him my plate so that he could cut my food for me."
"I already thought that he was a great guy so that just made me think even higher of him."- BrooklynNotNY
A Good Piece Of Advice
"I mentioned a tv show off hand."
"He went home and watched it and texted me later about how much he was enjoying it."- Infamous-Average-299
Compliments Are Always Appreciated
"We were riding down the road with the windows down, he looked over at me from the drivers seat and said 'good God you are f**king gorgeous!'"
"I'll never forget that, it lives rent free in my head like from a romance movie."- JustSarahtheMechanic
Happy The Amazing Race GIF by CBSGiphy
As the saying goes, "when you know, you know".
And sometimes all it takes is a kind word, a subtle gesture, or an obscure reference to Dune to know that someone who up until ten minutes ago was a complete stranger, will now forever be a part of your life.
@realDonaldTrump/Truth Social