My Boyfriend Is a Nerd and I Love It (Don't Tell Him)

So Marcus spent forty-five minutes yesterday explaining why Helvetica is “the most perfect font ever created” while we were supposed to be studying on the front porch.

My Boyfriend Is a Nerd and I Love It (Don’t Tell Him)

He had his laptop out, three different cables somehow tangled around his feet (how does this always happen?), and he was gesturing at the screen like he was revealing the secrets of the universe.

“Look at the counter spaces,” he said, pointing at some letters that honestly looked exactly like every other letter I’ve ever seen.

The exact moment he said ‘See how the spacing between these letters affects the entire composition?’

“See how clean the curves are? How it doesn’t try too hard to be decorative?” Meanwhile I’m trying not to stare at his hands because apparently I’m seventeen and have no chill.

The cable collection in its natural habitat

The thing is, watching him get all passionate about kerning and leading and whatever other design words he throws around? It’s actually kind of amazing. He lights up when he talks about this stuff, like he’s sharing something that genuinely matters to him.

That look when he realizes I’m actually listening to his font monologue

And okay, maybe I asked a few follow-up questions. Maybe I even understood some of it. But if he gets cocky about converting me to his font religion, I’m denying everything.

We never did get any actual studying done, by the way. But I learned more about typography than I ever thought I’d need to know, and Marcus looked genuinely happy that I was listening. Worth it, I guess. Even if I’ll never admit that out loud.