eros pines after the woman who gazes at her own reflection. he’s attracted to narcissus but not because he admires her confidence, but because he’s confused by her. she wears whatever she wants not caring what happens.

narcissus wears revealing clothing. she wears little to no undergarments. she walks alone at night. she speaks with a crude tongue. she never apologizes for her existence. narcissus was a threat to all men because she could not be controlled.

eros loves her and hates himself for it. alone and hidden, he repeats every swear word narcissus monopolizes, and finds that he doesn’t like the taste of them from a woman’s lips.

narcissus is walking home one night and feels a hot breath on her shoulder. she hears eros breathing, smells his sandalwood sweat, feels him moving closer closer closer.

eros pushes her into the lake, daring her to resurface. her body floats listlessly for a moment, then turns over and the reflection of her beautiful face is all he sees gazing lifelessly back at him.