I've (24f) recently started a relationship that's long distance with a man (he's 23) who is super funny, talented, goofy, and cares about me so much. I haven't been in a relationship in 2 and a half years. I act extremely masculine to the point where he makes jokes that he's dating a boy or he calls me his boyfriend as a joke. I'm not good at opening up or being emotional, I don't like it, it makes me feel weak.
He's extremely affectionate, shows care for me, tells me he loves me 100x a day, I hate to say this be he is also kind of needy (which i think is my fault because of my masculine behaviour). I am the complete opposite of this, I am independant, dont like affection as it makes me feel suffocated/smothered, and am constantly busy with school or work or fitness leaving me with little time or energy for his 'neediness'. He has graduated university already and doesn't need to work as he made a fortune from investments early on in his life and I feel like because he doesn't have anything significant he can focus his energy on besides bodybuilding during his day, that he focuses his energy on me & its smothering and i hate it.
He tries to treats me like a woman, opens his car door for me, makes sure that I am safe and protected, provides for me when I need it when I am at home in my country AND when we're together. When I am with him I homemake for him, do his laundry, take care of his house, cook, make sure he's on time for things, etc.
I often act like a man, I speak like one, I feel like I am more rational than he is, am not needy or affectionate like he is, I'm busy building myself, getting my medical education, trying to start a career and so on, like a man should be usually. Because of these independant masculine behaviours, he teases me calling me his boyfriend or a boy in general.
I feel guilty because I want his smothering to stop, he needs feel like a man so he can be in his masculinity and act like one. I want to learn how to make him feel like a man and to give up my masculine traits to help put him in his masculinity so we can progress as a couple. Any advice?
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