Hey Reddit,

I’ve been thinking about something for a while and could really use some outside perspective. I have a close friend—let’s call him X—and we’ve been tight for about three years. We’re both Black men, and our friendship has grown in a way that feels a bit different from typical male friendships, which I’ve appreciated.

Over time, though, there have been moments that make me wonder if he might be bi-curious or at least open to exploring something physical with another guy—maybe even with me. For example, during a few sleepovers, he’s complimented me on my outfits and, on a couple of occasions, my underwear when it was showing. He’s also talked to me about how, if he were into men, he could see himself with a feminine-presenting guy.

There’s also been some sexual talk, including a time when he mentioned seeing our other friends’ dicks and said it wouldn’t be weird if we exchanged pics. We’ve even had conversations about his frustrations with sex, body insecurities, and how he feels about relationships, which makes me feel like we have a deep level of trust.

On top of that, there have been times when he’s complimented my appearance—calling me beautiful, gorgeous, and even commenting on the arch of my back, which made me wonder if he was checking me out.

The thing is, I’ve started thinking about whether there’s a way to explore something physical between us. I care about him a lot and don’t want to mess up what we already have. I’m interested in something casual, but I don’t want to cross a line or make him uncomfortable. Ideally, I’d love for him to make the first move, but I’m not sure if that’s even on his mind, and I’m nervous about hinting at it too strongly.

Has anyone been in a similar situation where things felt a bit ambiguous with a friend? How did you handle it? How can I bring this up or gauge where he’s at without damaging our friendship?

Thanks for any advice!