Parasocial? Interesting you should put it that way. What else is it, do you think, when we see our own face and project onto it?—other than a peculiar form of narcissism?...

[But it does mean something. It means something even while it's fucking stupid. He gets the door, holding it for other-him, this time.]

Someone believing in me won't change a thing I do. You know that. I can see what needs to be done, even if I dislike it. So—[with a deep sigh, as they step through, back out into the night]—I'll agree to your terms.

Now the question becomes, why do you believe me? Besides the saccharine bullshit, of course.