Single male friend

[StressedTired]

I feel really stupid posting about this...
I am a single female. I have a friend who is a single male. We used to be in a group of four friends who met fairly often, but the other two have drifted away for different reasons so now it's the two of us who meet (well, meet on zoom these days). Last time male friend and I met there was a conversation about whether either of us were seeing anyone, and now I've started to feel awkward because I feel like he's working up to ask me to be more than a friend, just little hints that haven't been there before. I don't want to be more but I don't want an awkward friendship either. And I don't want to lie and pretend I'm seeing anyone else. How can I nip this in the bud before it's even raised so that we can just carry on being friends?

Why best around the bush, just tell him you were thinking about the whole seeing someone thing and you've known for a while that you don't want to be in a relationship with anyone you already know/or whatever your feeling is. Otherwise it's guessing and double guessing and triple guessing and it's tiring

Men are generally friends with women because they fancy them. It doesn't have to be awkward however - simply decline any advances and he will get the hint.

If he fancies you then he isnt your friend.

I'd just start to distance myself tbh.