Need advice-plz no rude comments.

So i have this guy friend that I've know for about 11 yrs during the yrs of knowing eachother we have had sexual relations kinda like a "friend with benefits" friendship...we've lost contact and found eachother a few times thru the 11 yrs...during Thoes times we've only been friends...now we've gotten into contact again for about a yr to now after being outta contact for awhile anyway...(heres where i need advice) i want something serious with him now and i have recently shared that with him but he says that he doesn't want to be in a committed relationship right now and that we are fine as friends 😒...he has been there for me to vent and hang out with but i know because theres feelings i know the day 1 of us gets in a relationship someone gonna get hurt probably me so i wanna avoid that but i also dont wanna lose a friendship really either but feel if i keep him around he will mess up a relationship that i will be in trying to continue are more like friends with benefits relationship which i wouldnt want to happen...what do i do 😫