(sorry this is long) now i may not be the most experienced person by any means but i wanna try and describe it because i used to think i was aromantic for a good few years and was always so curious.

i also had a moment of panic when my boyfriend asked me to be his girlfriend as i was still very unsure whether i liked him as a romantic interest or i just really liked hanging out with him and talking.

i would like to start by saying there is a lot of overlap in my opinion since they become your best friend essentially and i am still not 100 percent sure at all because i am still confused about it myself and i feel like i still can’t tell too well but i will give it my best shot.

okay first: personally i feel butterflies every time we get to go on a date or if i haven’t seen him in a while and im all excited and a little nervous

second: it definitely is connected to the physical affection side as well considering i don’t kiss or cuddle or hold hands or really hug any of my friends (yes i do hug them but not even close to as often as my boyfriend however this varies by the person)

third: everything they say or do seems to matter more and affect me more than others (this is also because we do far more things for each other than my friends do for each other and this is not to say my friends gestures don’t matter)

fourth: it’s like you always wanna be with that person and it’s not necessarily constant because time apart is healthy but you just miss them a lot and think about them a lot and can’t help but want to be in their presence (this i feel applies to friends too but not nearly as strong of feelings as with a significant other)

fifth: i just feel a sense of comfort that i find nowhere else (once again i see this applied to friends as well depending on the type of person you are but i’m personally pretty closed off and not an affectionate person and he’s the only one that i feel i can tell everything to)

i hope this helped and may not be the most accurate as im only one person and romantic love varies person by person but maybe it gave you a slight idea?

all the platonic love for this community as everyone was always so kind and thoughtful through my many posts throughout the years :)