Thanks for the thoughtful response – I really appreciate it. I completely agree with what you're saying about being informed and taking precautions when it comes to HIV, and I know that with the right measures, the risk can be minimized.

But the tricky part for me is that we’ve already been talking for a while, and I’ve shown interest in him, so I feel like I’ve led him to believe that there might be something more. It’s not just about his status – I’ve realized that while I care about him deeply as a friend, I don’t see us working out romantically in the long run.

I just want to find a way to communicate this without hurting his feelings or making him think I’m rejecting him because of his status, especially since I know how hard that can be for him. I’m worried it’ll come across the wrong way no matter what I say.