"I love you." Flavio said.
"Now who's lying." Santiago replied.
"Who? It's not me. I heard lying's bad for your skin, and I cannot afford a break out right now."
Santiago rolled his eyes. Flavio watched him intently.
"Yeah. I love you." Flavio said again, softly.
"Really? Cuz I hear you still fool around with anybody you deem worthy of your presence. Which is everyone, might I remind you."
"Yeah but I don't love them." Flavio stated, as if it were obvious. "I just go to them because they are able to give me something you can't"
Santiago scoffed. "Oh really? And what's that?"
"Themselves." Flavio replied, looking directly at Santiago's face. When the Spaniard stared back, the Italian quickly glanced away. "You know, when I was growing up, I considered myself Narcissus, from the Greek myth, y'know? Beautiful, self-centered, selfish. And I loved it. But now I feel more like Echo than anyone else."
"And why's that?" Santiago whispered.
"I only repeat things you want to hear, so that hopefully you might care about me as much as you care about yourself."
"Well, then, that's your problem."
"What do you mean?"
"I hate myself. But I can't hate you."
Flavio raised an eyebrow, "Why not?"
"Because I love you, too."