He is hurting you, so stop letting him.
OP is hurting herself. She is the one pretending she is ok with the set up and texting things to try and force him to respond how she wants.
@rachyrachy your op said he has made it clear he doesnt want labels and pressure. He has made it clear.
When you try and broach the subject, he backs off.
He isnt playing games. You are. Theres no shame in a casual relationship not being for you. They arent for me. I dont judge women who casually date or have FWB. But it's really not for me and sometimes a bit jealous of people with several casual set ups. But it just doesnt work for me.
He isnt going to give you what you want and you said he has made that clear
You are playing yourself and hurting yourself. Texting him something and setting him up to fail, is hurting yourself.
Someone once pitched FWB to me. I liked him, just split from exh. I said no, its k9t for me. I was a bit gutted that's all he wanted. I really liked him. But he had just ended his marriage about 3 months before.
Just over a year down the line, we saw each other again and became a couple. I am not saying this will happen for you, or that if you call it off he will cave in. But if I had have gone along with FWB, we wouldnt have ever been a couple. I know that. I was distraught at my marriage ending (abusive marriage) I needed time to heal. He needed time to get over his marriage. He actually stayed with a friend and I know he didn't actually date anyone else in that time
Neither did I. If we had done casual, I know ibwoild have got attached and got really hurt because he was ready.
Instead we are a happy couple with no baggage of one feeling messed about by the other or any hurt between us.
Cut it off. Go live your life. Dont wait for him. Move on. He isnt ready for a relationship. That's all you need to know.