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“I Feel Like An Ass”—Guy In Lockdown With His FWB Falls In Love And Thinks He Missed His Chance

We’re all looking for some good love stories to come out of this crisis. The casual couple who decided to quickly quarantine together on a whim and then got serious. Long-term partners who decided to make it official and get Zoom married. What about friends with benefits who figured out they’re better off together exclusively? That’s what one Redditor says is happening to him—but given the history he has with his partner, he’s not sure he should tell her that he now realizes he’s in love with her. 

After dating for about three years but not exclusively, the OP’s friend-with-benefits moved out of her dorm and in with the OP temporarily due to COVID-19. At this point, the two are able to date others but are sexually exclusive with each other—but they’ve been “really jealous” of each other dating other people. 

“She has asked a couple times like a year ago why I didn’t wanna be anything more with her, all it did was cause a huge fight because I genuinely didn’t know why,” writes the OP. 

Since living together, the two have been basically acting like a monogamous couple, the OP says. 

“For the last two years she’s been giving me signs and I saw them but ignored them. So she stopped trying, and things were going smoothly, and I feel like a horrible guy now for wanting more when she probably is over it. It too me SO long to see how beautiful she was and I feel like an ass.” 

The OP continues to explain just exactly how quarantining together has opened his eyes. 

“She is the goofiest girl you’d ever know…she eats jello like 5 f***ing times a day and her face LIGHTS up when she does. She does these ridiculous dances. She has made a habit of asking me to paint and bake with her at like 4 am and I’ve never felt so like…warm? She buys my dog a treat every time she does Walmart delivery and something about that is like pure to me.” 

Is the timing wrong or right? 

“I just don’t feel right asking her to be more with me. She wanted it before and I didn’t. She’s cried many times wondering why she wasn’t good enough to be my girlfriend. And then she got over me. Would it be wrong of me to ask her to be my girlfriend after so many times of rejecting her advances and hurting her?” 

You can read his entire (now removed) lovesick post here:

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Social media chimed in, taking a real interest in this saga and offering advice. Some were encouraging and had hope for the couple. 

Others said that this awesome, Jello-loving chick deserves better. 

I have a feeling this story isn’t over, so what do you think will happen? Love in the time of the ‘rona or a hot mess?

More life during lockdown:

Patricia Grisafi

Patricia Grisafi, PhD, is a freelance writer and educator. Her work has appeared in Salon, Vice, Bitch, Bustle, Broadly, The Establishment, and elsewhere. She is passionate about pit bull rescue, cursed objects, and designer sunglasses.