Sometimes when you’re a quiet, reserved person, it’s tough to find that initial spark that leads to a great romance. But here are some introverts who managed to make that leap.
This piece is based on an AskReddit thread. Link on the last page.
1. Army of two.
During my time in the Army I was stationed at Ft. Eustis, VA. On my way home (Denver, CO, at the time) for Christmas I saw her sitting across from and slightly behind me. Honestly, I didn’t pay much attention to her at first, but my buddy, seated next to her did. After getting shot down repeatedly for a day and a half, he finally got off the bus. Shortly thereafter she came over to me and and sat next to me and we started talking.
After that we got split up (put on different buses) and I kicked myself for not getting her number. Then, when the bus stopped in St.Louis, there she was standing right there in the entrance, almost like she was waiting for me. If my bus had arrived 15 minutes later, Id have never seen her again.
Then I found out the bus to Denver was delayed due to snow, and wasn’t going anywhere for at least two days. She hurried over to the ticket counter and had my ticket changed to Des Moines, IA (where she was going) so I wouldn’t be trapped in St. Louis for two days.
We spent the next four days getting to know each other, then I continued home. We had a long distance relationship for about six months until I came home permanently, by which time she had moved to Denver and rented an apartment.
We got married three years later and have been together 10 years total.
kevon87
2. Foreign affairs.
She came over to me in a coffeeshop while she was on vacation in my country to ask how to tip. We had a two-hour conversation, and then an amazing five-hour lunch two days later.
She complained about her hostel and I offered her my spare bedroom. She accepted. Nothing happened, although it seems crystal-clear in retrospect that we were falling for each other. I didn’t want to make her feel uncomfortable under my roof, so putting the moves on her was not something I seriously considered.
Three nights later, after we’d been talking over a bottle of wine for hours, it seems she’d had enough of my apparent indecisiveness, took the wine glass out of my hand, put it down, and leaned in for a kiss.
That was 26 years ago. We’ve been married 23 years.
DaytonaDemon
3. Second-hand romance.
You would think nobody ever got laid from a garage sale. That being said… I met my significant other at a garage sale.
My father was a hoarder of consumer goods. Tools, CDs, home improvement stuff, camping gear, hunting and fishing stuff – the man had piles and piles of it stuffed in his house, most of it pretty high quality. After he passed away, we decided to get rid of it in garage sale.
It was a miserably hot summer’s day. There’d been a zillion people the day before, and although we’d sold a lot of stuff, there was much more yet to go. And today, I’d put an ad up on Craigslist so it was even busier. It was a long one, but by the end of the day, we’d sold 90% of the load. We were just getting ready to close up and celebrate our success with pizza.
Then this car pulls up, and out hops this gorgeous woman. She starts poking around in the CDs. Se waves me over and starts asking about some artists she’s unfamiliar with. We kept chatting, and I sort of showed her around. There was definitely an instant attraction, and some really great conversation. She had to get going, so I made her a sweetheart deal on the stuff and helped her to her car. She got in, drove away, and then I realized I hadn’t gotten her number.
BUT! She’d told me where she worked – at a restaurant down the road, and she’d told me the days she was usually scheduled. So on Friday afternoons, I’d drive over from my office and ask to sit in her section. The food was terrible, but she’d stop and chat as long as it wasn’t busy. On my third visit, I told her I’d love to see more of her and asked for her number.
Ten years, a marriage, and a child, and we’re still head over heels for each other. So I guess I owe my dad for the posthumous hookup.
Baseproduct
4. Sadie Hawkins.
After 4 years of no dating following a crushing breakup, a mutual friend called to my attention that she was into me (I was oblivious). I didn’t know her very well, but I was ready to “try again.” I wasn’t even sure I was especially attracted to her, but I figured it couldn’t hurt to go out on a date with a nice girl.
We hit it off, she’s pretty shy, which is why she said she’d never had had the courage to try to talk to me. Over the course of the first date I slowly realize that she’s amazing.
We have two kids and there’s a lot of love in our lives.
vozmozno
5. Return the ball.
The thing with introverts is, it’s difficult to keep a conversation going… until you find that one subject that they are most passionate about!
This guy kept coming into the bar where I worked, and I kept asking him questions trying to get a conversation going. But l kept hitting a wall! It didn’t stop me from trying though. Finally, the fourth time he came in, I made a breakthrough. (continued…)
Keep reading on the next page!
After asking him about so many things, I finally asked him about books… and the boy never shut his mouth thereafter! Were married now.
So to all introverts out there: asking questions is difficult, but you’re all passionate about something, whatever it is. Lead the conversation towards that one subject that you feel confident talking about. Then all the rest will come more easily.
I can’t believe my husband didn’t think to ask me, “so do you read any books? Who’s your favourite author?”
flyingmops
6. Gym and Pam.
Im a very introverted lady. I met my now husband at the gym. I would always work out with my brother, so my now-husband thought I was dating my brother because we were always at the gym together (ew).
When he asked my brother how long we had been dating, we both looked at each other and said “uhh.. we’re siblings, so never…” He asked my brother if we could all work out sometime. I said “sure.” But I went full-on awkward when we did. He was showing me a new workout and he almost smashed my face in with a dumbbell.
I walked off because I was so embarrassed and started working out alone.
Thankfully he followed me and asked me out to lunch. Things got less awkward after that and we hit it off.
beatbox28
7. Co-producers.
Both of us work at a grocery store. I saw her and thought that she was super cute, but I never really did anything about it. She works as a cashier and I work in produce. She would always do the produce stock and talk to me, and I soon realized that she was doing that for a reason.
I started flirting with her back. We have been together 11 months now.
smirking_sheep
8. Sounds pretty ept to me.
I told her, “If I weren’t so socially inept, I’d be trying to have a conversation with you.”
Married almost 9 years.
Moni3
9. Science fiction double feature.
We met in a science fiction class at college. And we absolutely hated each other. She thought I was an idiot and I thought she was a know-it-all witch.
We argued. We squabbled. We one-upped. We are both supernerds, so it was a seemingly endless battle of esoteric knowledge about science fiction literature.
At some point we got to arguing about Atlas Shrugged. I made several trenchant remarks about its lack of literary value, and she aggressively defended it.
One thing led to another, and before I knew it we were watching The Empire Strikes Back and dating.
We’re engaged now. She still thinks I’m an idiot. I still think she’s a know-it-all.
But we don’t hate each other anymore.
cowistani
10. Don’t turn the lights on.
We met at work. She’s very persistent, and finally convinced me to go see a movie with her. The movie theatre is a wonderful place for introverts, really. Its dark, and you can only see the person sitting next to you. Its easy to work in an accidental popcorn grab hand touch here and there.
JDogg_of_RS
11. Body language.
He was in the corner, drinking a bottle of water. I noticed him immediately and I noticed him noticing me for the better part of an hour. I finally just walked up to him after I figured he was too shy to approach me. We chatted for about 2 hours and then left. Later in school, we exchanged our AOL screen names and that after weeks of random chat sessions, he finally worked up the courage to ask if I wanted to see a movie (Harry Potter).
During the date, he didn’t say anything but I noticed he was very fidgety so I decided to hold his hand. After the movie, we were sitting his car in silence and he was fidgety again, so I grabbed his face and kissed his cheek. He turned completely red but was grinning ear-to-ear.
In person, he had trouble stringing sentences together, but online we would chat for hours. He had to express his love via email and cuddling without saying a word.
We first met over 14 years ago. As we get older, he’s gotten much more vocal but I still do most of the talking and socializing. We do a “squeeze-squeeze” when holding hands to mean “love you” if we don’t want to talk.
GMU2012
12. Maybe just ask?
My husband is an introvert. I liked him all through high school. We were friends for 13 years.
Finally, one day, I looked at him and said, “How come we’ve never dated? We should date.” He said, “Okay.” We got married in 2015, and just had our first kid last year.
mishady110
13. Ties that bind.
We met at a Japanese rope bondage workshop. She needed someone to tie, and I was looking for someone to tie me. Four years later and were still going strong.
takate_kote
14. Escape from happiness.
I’ve known this girl for a decade now, and I have had a crush on for the longest time. Just recently (in a drunken state) she confessed she’s been in love with me for years and yet every time the topic has come up about relationships I’ve matrix-dodged my way out of it.
But not anymore. As of tomorrow I’m going to (try) and ask her out! I’ve never been so scared in all my life. Pray for me.
Xicsukin
15. I like the way you move.
We’re both introverts, but I can definitely force myself to be bold. I was a waitress at a restaurant he came into. He asked to borrow my pen. I told him, “Only if you write down your number.”
Sometimes introvert guys need a girl who is not afraid to make the first move. We’ve been together almost 14 years now.
klvrdissident
16. When Harry met Sally.
We’re both introverts, and as a result, it took a little while for us to actually become romantically involved. And by “a little while” I mean seven years.
She and I met when we were both eleven, when we were put together to compete in a music competition as a duet (we’re both cellists).
I had a little eleven-year-old crush on her straight away, and she had the same thing for me. Neither of us ever told the other about our feelings for years, instead talking to our friends about it and then getting into other relationships and forgetting about each other for a while.
Eventually, after I broke up with my girlfriend of 3 years, I asked her if she wanted to catch up and play some music together.
We saw each other for a few weeks in a row, and then, after seven years of on-and-off feelings for each other, we became a thing, and I am happier than I’ve ever been.
KingOfBurrito
17. Magic hour.
Met her at a “forced” social interaction. I told a joke, she laughed. We swapped contact details, met up again a week later, and thanks to being really nervous, “misrepresented” myself with about an hour of spontaneous sex.
Were still together nearly 9 years later.
only7inches
18. On second thought.
I met a girl on the internet. Let’s call her M. She was outgoing, social, very extroverted and maybe a tad crazy. She came to visit me (I live about a 7 hour drive away) and I awkwardly tried not to make a jerk of myself.
While visiting, she said, “Hey, a friend of mine from high school is on a co-op/intern term in [city very nearby]. We should go meet up with her for an afternoon.” Let’s call that friend K.
K was nerdy, awkward, introverted, and I completely reevaluated what I wanted in a partner within the first five minutes of meeting her.
K and I both slowly lost contact with M, and to this day we aren’t sure if she knows that we became a couple a few years later. Or that we got married. Someday, we’re going to run into her and it’s going to be really funny.
trabbaro
19. Love is not an equation.
We met in math class in my senior year of high school. I asked her for help because I thought she knew what she was doing.
She didn’t but helped me anyway because she thought I was cute. I found out she was cool when she asked me if I wanted to see something gross and showed me a disgusting picture on her phone. Love at first sight.
MrMcMeMe