Hi Tesseract:
To build a relationship on a firm foundation, I would focus on building a trusting friendship first. Where no matter what else goes on, with romance, losing interest, doing this or that, you respect and care for each other as friends and keep that as the ongoing theme. The rest should be icing on the cake. Learn to handle each other's strengths/weaknesses, quirks, changes, etc. as friends first. Like you would with someone you didn't have romantic feelings for.
So honey the bad news is if you can't do this, if all your interest in him is "dependent" or "conditioned" on things like (a) only if he loves you back (b) only if he acts this way or that way to meet your needs, then you may not be right for each other. You must focus on "unconditional" love, caring and things you would share REGARDLESS what you get or don't get in return. Otherwise you will both hurt each other and your relationship. Learn to love unconditionally first, and the rest will follow, whatever it is meant to be. That is harder said than done. It takes complete forgiveness and letting go of whatever makes you attached to conditions. It is like asking you to love people detached as the Dalai Lama or Mother Teresa would. Sorry but that is the only kind of love that won't get you hurt is the unconditional compassion for people regardless what they do.