[He huffs in embarrassment. But fine! He can find a way to phrase this that is cool and casual and normal!]

...He was just very... pessimistic. As if the worst outcome in everything was going to happen, and I should just accept it preemptively, to spare myself the heartbreak. I shouldn't have any aspirations for myself. And so on. But, I can understand he was only trying to prevent me from being hurt again. I am not the only one who has had that kind of reaction to myself...