Handle jealous friends without losing your connection

His friends aren't mad at you. They're reacting to a change in how much access they have to him. When someone gets into a relationship, the group loses him for date nights, long hangouts, and the feeling that he's always available. That's a real loss for them, even if it's also a normal part of growing up.

The jealousy shows up as cold comments, exclusion attempts, or weird energy when you're around. Sometimes they'll make jokes that don't quite land. What matters is that he noticed it and told you. That means he's already uncomfortable and checking in with you rather than just distancing from you. He's not choosing them over you, but he also doesn't want to lose them entirely.

Your reply needs to do the hardest thing. Make it clear that his friendships matter to you too, even though they're making things awkward. This doesn't mean being fake nice or pretending the jealousy doesn't exist. It means staying steady and not forcing him to defend you or defend them.

The move is to name what's happening without blame, then signal that you're not going anywhere and you're not asking him to bail on his people. Give him permission to keep those friendships going. Ask what he needs from you. This takes the pressure off him to manage both relationships and gives him back some control.

Don't bring this up at the next group hangout or send something within an hour of him telling you. Let him sit with your reply for a bit. If he needs to vent more, he will. If the group situation shifts on its own, it will.

Wait at least a day before any follow-up. If he doesn't message back, that's fine. He might need space to figure out how he wants to handle his friends. Don't keep circling back to it unless he brings it up again. The goal is to show that this is manageable and not a crisis, so treat it that way in your timing and tone.