Looking for advice on my boyfriend [22M], who feels like he’s not a good partner and struggles to see how a relationship fits into his life. I'm [21F].

My boyfriend and I have been together for 11 months, although we've known each other casually for two years before that. We're both college seniors and have experienced long-term relationships in the past. The main issue we face is my feeling of emotional distance from him, along with his need for a significant amount of space. Currently, he is under a lot of stress, which he isn't managing well. He’s dealing with the usual pressures of school work, job applications, uncertainty about the company he’s set to join, and general existential concerns about his career and future. As an introvert, he tends to need more space when he’s stressed, resulting in less time spent together and reduced affection. To me, this increasing emotional distance is noticeable, and our intimacy has significantly declined. Recently, I expressed my feelings of distance and sought reassurance, but he seemed upset and accused me of not trusting him. Over the next few days, communication became sparse. I sent him three texts over three days sharing my feelings, but he replied that he couldn't handle it at the moment. The outcome left me feeling miserable due to our unresolved argument, while he struggled with my emotions on top of his stress, which only added to his burden. Our conflict resolution tends to be a cycle—when I’m upset, I need more reassurance and tend to ask numerous questions, which frustrates him. In response, he often adopts a dismissive tone or remains neutral, which makes me feel unheard, leading me to ask more questions and heightening his frustration. Eventually, he mentioned that he cannot manage my emotions right now and suggested that I want a "real relationship," which he feels incapable of providing. He even proposed breaking up for my sake, which leaves me feeling lost. I don't want to end our relationship, but I'm starting to wonder if I need to suppress my feelings for the time being. Ironically, the more distant he becomes, the more I feel the urge to discuss our issues, which only adds to his stress. He acknowledges that this isn't fair to me, but he genuinely can’t offer more at the moment. These conflicts were less pronounced when he felt less overwhelmed. During our recent conversation, he mentioned that he can’t envision a relationship while focused on his career goals, stating that a relationship isn’t his priority. I'm struggling to understand this perspective since his current plan is a typical path of working a 9-5 post-graduation and then pursuing grad school. I discussed this with his mom, and we believe he might be experiencing tunnel vision, leading to his pessimistic outlook. According to my therapist, he likely exhibits avoidant attachment, whereas I am mostly secure but become more anxious in our relationship. He has confessed to romanticizing solitude in a stoic manner, expressing doubts about his own lovability and suitability for a relationship in the past. I would greatly appreciate any advice. I realize I might sound like I believe I can "fix" him, but I don’t fully accept that he genuinely doesn’t want a relationship in the future. He actively sought me out, respects me, and was an affectionate partner before this rough patch. I'm tempted to hang in there for now since I don’t feel the need to date others and still see him as a positive presence in my life. However, I won’t remain in this relationship indefinitely if things don’t improve.