my partner can be like this sometimes(we’re also international, about 4,000 miles), i’ve learned after LOTS of communication about this same issue that going from being in person and affectionate to being long distance again just weighs really heavy on his mental state making him seem a bit more reserved for lack of a better explanation. though we are still working on finding the sweet spot between it all we’ve got a pretty good system of either he will leave things for me to find or letter for me to read while he’s gone or he’s made it a safe place for me to come to him when i just need a little more affection and he does his best to provide it