He wants exclusivity but never agreed to it? Reply without guessing

When someone says they want exclusivity but says nothing about their own availability, the omission usually comes down to a few possibilities, though you can't tell which from one text. He may assume you're both already exclusive and never thought to say it. He may want exclusivity from you while keeping his options open, and be hoping you won't ask. Or he may be ambivalent, and the request was a way of testing where you stand.

You read this by looking at what he does, not only what he writes. Does he make plans that only fit one person? Does he mention other people casually? Does he get defensive or vague when you ask simple questions about his week? A single text doesn't settle it. A pattern over two or three weeks usually does.

Your own reaction is information too. If the thought of him seeing someone else makes you want to pull back, that tells you what you need from this, even before you know what he's doing.

The move that works here is to answer for yourself first, then ask about him in a way that leaves room for a real answer. Telling him where you are shows good faith. Asking about his side, framed as a question and not a demand, gives him space to say something true. If you open with a loaded question, he'll hear an accusation and respond to that instead of to what you mean.

Avoid turning this into a debate about fairness or history. Stick to the present and to what you each want going forward. If he gives a clear answer, respond to it directly. If he gives a fuzzy one, name the fuzziness calmly and ask him to be more specific, without the reply becoming a referendum on whether he's a good person.

Keep the message short enough that it reads as a normal conversation, not a negotiation. One clear statement and one clear question is usually enough. Anything longer starts to sound like you've been rehearsing.

If you send this in the evening, expect a reply within a day or so from most people in an early but active dating situation. A reply that comes within a few hours and engages with the question is a good sign, whatever it says. A reply that only deflects with a joke or a change of subject is also information, and not a neutral one.

If there's no reply after about two days, send one short follow-up that doesn't add pressure or new demands. Something simple, asking whether he saw your message and wants to talk about it. Don't send a third message in a row. If he still doesn't engage, the silence is itself the answer you were trying to find.

Decide now what you'll do if he gives you a vague or unwelcome answer. Knowing your own limit before you hit send makes it much easier to act on what he says, rather than spending the next week trying to decode it.