How do I get my boyfriend to knock off the cock and bull stories so we can have a conversation with some meat to it?

My boyfriend Michael (25M) and I (25F) have been together a little over three years. By all accounts, he's a wonderful partner: he's thoughtful, affectionate, always willing to lend a helping hand.<br><br>The thing is, he's a bit of a bullshitter, and unfortunately, it's been a persistent issue. It started off as a joke - I told him about how my Navy veteran grandpa had been using "cock and bull stories" to describe lifestyles of the rich and famous since the '70s, and my boyfriend thought it was the coolest thing he'd ever heard. Apparently, this meant I gave him permission to tell these outlandish stories.<br><br>I'll give you some examples so you get an idea of what he's like: sometimes, he'll claim that he's fluent in Chinese, and he'll try to have a conversation with our Chinese colleagues. He's not. Other times, he'll claim to be an expert in something he's never even heard of. Or he'll talk about how he used to box and was actually pretty good at it.<br><br>The problem is he keeps pushing the envelope. The other day, we were hanging out with friends and he started talking about how he went on a hot air balloon ride and met a billionaire on the way down. The guy invited him to his mansion for dinner and he ended up having the time of his life. <br><br>Of course, none of this is true, but it's clear he wants us to believe him. And to make matters worse, he actually gets upset when we call him out on it.<br><br>Last week, we had a minor blowup over it. He kept pushing the envelope by talking about this wild trip to Greece where he met a Greek god and ended up on a yacht in the middle of the Mediterranean. I tried to let it go, but at one point, he started telling this totally made-up story about how he spent a night on the beach with a mermaid. That's when I'd had enough.<br><br>I took him aside and calmly told him that I loved him, but this constant storytelling had gone too far. He got defensive and said I was being unfair - that everyone has quirks and this was just his. But to me, it seemed like more than just a quirk. It felt like he was constantly trying to one-up everyone else with these far-fetched tales. And honestly, it made me doubt his sincerity.<br><br>So, how can I gently bring this up with him and encourage him to stop? Or if this is something I need to accept about him, what steps can I take to embrace it without feeling frustrated or insecure?