He only talks online, and doesn’t want to meet me in real life? I’ve known him since high school, but recently?

Anonymous
Reconnected after 5yrs. we just spoke as friends although we have always been flirty/had feelings? anyway, majority of our communication was via messenger, we talk almost daily, never on the phone unless I’m drunk & phone him, though he would often send voice notes. we became close again, we spoke of feelings, sexual attraction, he tells me how much I mean to him, how he respects me, cares for me, values me, in the past the conversation has turned sexual, we have exchanged photos & videos. yet he won’t let anything happen between us in real life & just wants an online relationship. he says he respects me too much to sleep with me & will never meet me alone. i have met him a handful of times of the years,& he will only invite me out to see him if there is a large group of his friends also attending. more often than not, I will create scenarios where we are alone together, or give him the opportunity to to meet me alone, but he will ignore my messages & then message in the morning as normal the last time we met was 6 months ago on a night put in a bar. this was the only time he’s ever showed me any real affection, he hugged me, kissed my head, held my hand, but all whilst in the company of his friends. in the least big headed way, I’m not unattractive, so I’m not sure if he’s just keeping me around as an ego boost to make himself look & feel gd. i have since told him to leave me alone, which he has. from a males point of view what I am to him? i told him I loved him, he didn’t say it bk bt said he cares for me & likes me as more than a friend yet he never wants to see me,& will be happy to never see me again, but wants to continue this friendship online. He says all the right things, but his actions doesn’t match. Why would you talk to someone so much for 5 years if you didn’t like them like that?
He only talks online, and doesn’t want to meet me in real life? I’ve known him since high school, but recently?
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