1. They hug you.

It’s not the hugs that are a greeting, or a prelude to sex, but the hugs that happen seemingly randomly. The two of you will be in the kitchen making dinner, and they just come up and hug you from behind. It doesn’t seem like a lot, but giving an unsolicited gesture of affection means a lot to them.

2. They say they like you.

Admitting that they’re fond of anything is kind of a big deal to them, so when they mention that they kind of don’t hate your presence all of the time, just know that they really mean that they would miss you quite a bit if you weren’t there. If they actually drop the “love” word, you can bet the house that they’re in this for the long haul.

3. When they’re upset, they don’t shut you out.

Sometimes guarded people need to unplug from everything and work through something alone. If you’ve become that one person they still talk to when everyone else is left in the dark, you mean the moon and the stars to them.

4. They text you.

Not in an “I forget, are we getting together at 7 or 8?” type of way, but when there’s no real reason behind it. They’re just thinking of you and they were okay with letting you know that.

5. They say they trust you.

It doesn’t need to be in an overdramatic Aladdin kind of way, where they’re putting faith in a carpet not plummeting from the sky, but in simple day-to-day ways. They trust your taste in movies or that you’ll show up when you say you will. They’ve spent their entire lives hedging their bets, but now they’re betting on you.

6. They show their faults.

Most guarded people are so terrified of being rejected that they do everything in their power to hide any of their weaknesses. So when they fuck up in any way and don’t go to Scandal lengths to cover it up, kudos, because they’re okay being vulnerable around you.

7. They ask you personal questions.

Whenever people start talking about personal topics, it’s assumed that everyone will open up, which is why most guarded people avoid intimate conversations at all costs. So if they’re the ones beginning the conversation, they’re okay with the idea of being open with you.

8. You have a shelf at their place.

They’re physically giving you a place in their lives. They’re testing out an idea where you’re more than a visitor in their lives, but a permanent resident. You fit.

9. There’s a look they’ll give you.

It’s difficult to explain. It’s a look in their eyes when the shields are down. When you feel like you could walk straight through those windows and right into their soul. Usually there’s an expression of utter terror underlying it, because they’re realizing, “Shit. I’ve let this person in way more than I thought possible, and now I don’t know where to go or what to do.” When you see this, never give them a reason to blink.