Walking away from the mountain in a fresh pair of nikes

i have a friend. I'll call him 'mars'..Mars came from outer space. I wasnt expecting him hell he didnt even talk to me. We worked together for months before he started talking to me..lil conversations here and there. He seem like kind soul..ya know a real 'i care what you think and say' type of man..He was sweet and he made me laugh..He was also at the time two yrs younger than me. We kept it light and started to get to know each other..but then it happened..he started to like me. i found out in may or june but i was fresh out of the biggest heartbreak of my life. so when i look back on it, i was unsympathetic towards mars feelings..I couldnt really see past my ex. So a couple months went by and me and mars were becoming better friends..but he couldnt understand why i wasn't over my ex. I didnt have the heart to tell him that i was still in love with him..i didnt want to admit it to myself.So by sept/oct me and mars were hangin and shit.He really is a genuine guy. Gentle and caring...just not all that understanding .he's emotional (the wear your heart on his sleeve type) He is my polar opposite. i could see that my stalling was starting to wear on him emotionally. i truly treasured his friendship but i knew he wanted more. And his insistence was making me uncomfortable..Then i realized that there was no reason i couldnt move on with my life. especially since mars showed true possibilities. so i started to pay more attention to him. Weighing my options with him in my mind. but i still wasnt ready for a relationship..Then november hit and i was hit with a new revelation. Mars was in love with me (damn) I knew this would change everything..now i'd have to take precaution with every move i made with him..I don't want to break his heart(intentionally). But things seemed to go down hill after that. He starts "thinking" too much. Negative thoughts. Everything is gloom and doom with him..Everything was "whatever i dont care anymore"...Nothing i say can console him..He says he's putting in all this effort to make me happy, to do things for me, to be a better man for me, to make us work..but he thinks he's paying for the mistakes of the others before him. He thinks he can't measure up and that all this time has been wasted because i'm not in love with him. I'm so not used to all this emotion..I want to scream MAN UP..but i can't because i remember that feeling and all you want to do is make it work (plus i love the way he looks at me and i couldnt bear to bring pain to those eyes)..but we can't seem to get on the same page. I don't need him to do things for me..Do it with me. He doesn't need to live up to my ex. He has his own place in my heart..it takes time to build a good relationship..i'm willing to work at it..Mars needs more patience..but then again i need to examine my own restrictions and let him in fully.im willing to do that but he has to let me in too and trust that i would go out my way not to hurt him..but me and mars arent exactly communicating right now so if you crash land long enough then know this:
mars sweetie, i love you, no i'm not in love with you but i'm not dismissing the possibility. I don't need you to be my next "everest" nor do i want you to be. i like you just the way you are. you've shown me that there are still good men out there but i don't want them.i'd take my chances with you. even though your mushiness drives me crazy, your too damn affectionate, too pessimistic, and just plain weird..i love you just the way you are..There's nothing you can do to better yourself in my eyes so stop trying..Stop trying to impress me. Stop longing for something that will come to you..All i want from you is patience and your trust..Yes i've already experienced one great love...but that doesnt mean there isnt room for one more..Your stuck with me kid even if we'll only ever be just friends. You'll never be rid of me so get used to having my crazy ass around