Why Do All The Sexy Villains Hold Their Wine Glasses Between Their Fingers Like This

Why do all the sexy villains hold their wine glasses between their fingers like this

“Books are the ultimate Dumpees: put them down and they’ll wait for you forever; pay attention to them and they always love you back.”

— John Green

(I have never written animals, so here I go with my first snippet! 😁 I always thought there was way too less phobia-whump, so please enjoy.😄 Also, can anyone guess the dog breed?🙈)

❗(TW: Panic Attack, Severe Cynophobia, Humiliation, Blood)❗

#10 - Beg

"Fuck, get this thing off me!!", [Hero] screeched, trying to push themself further into the cold stonewall behind them.

"Goddamnit, [Villain]!!", they sobbed, eyes searching frantically for something like mercy in [Villains] face.

[Villain] just looked at them with raised eyebrows and was seemingly not the slightest bit interested in whistling their companion back. [Hero] grew desperate. "Get it off!!"

The amorphous shadow growled, ready to attack whenever it got the deadly command. "Get it fucking off, [Villain]!!"

[Hero] hated dogs.

German ones in particular.

The one in front of them was only held by the thin leash in [Villains] hand and pulled heavily into their direction. It would shred [Hero] into pieces, if their enemy let go. They just knew that.

[Villain] looked unimpressed. They made one step towards [Hero], who whimpered from fear. "I will, when you talk."

Desperately, [Hero] turned their face, blinking away the tears that started to rise in their eyes. The dog pulled ever so strongly.

"I can't talk!! I don't have anything!! I-"

Barking. Saliva. Teeth.

[Hero] squealed. They were gonna faint.

"Out!"

And it was quiet. The only thing audible was [Heros] heavy breathing. They sank against the wall with shaking legs; cold sweat was covering their ashened face.

[Villain] looked at [Hero] with a strange kind of fascination. "Your record says that you have a problem with dogs, but I never knew it was this severe.", they said, eyeing their enemy with a calculating curiosity.

[Hero] said nothing. Apart from the fear, the hot feeling of mortification rose in their chest.

They knew it wasn't rational.

Even though the fleabag [Villain] brought was a realistic thread, they shouldn't be standing there with quivering legs and tearing eyes.

[Hero] could handle worse forms of torture. All of them painful and degrading, but they could stand it. They could always stand it.

But dogs...

"You were attacked by one as a child, right?", [Villain] drawled and grinned when [Heros] eyes lowered in shame. "Funny that something so silly can drive you nuts now..."

[Villain] snickered and lightly pulled on the leash. "Up!" A deep growl emitted from the dark mutt that obeyed instantly. [Hero] could not avoid the cold shudder that ran down their spine.

"To be honest, [Hero], I didn't think you were such a wimp!", [Villain] mocked. The criminal saw the impact of their words in [Heros] abashed face and continued with a nasty smile: "For real, how did you even get so far in your fucking job? Probably slept yourself up, huh?"

"Fuck off...", [Hero] hissed and balled their fists. They felt the heat creeping up their cheeks. A huge clumb formed in their throat, making them want to vomit.

It wasn't rational.

It wasn't fucking rational.

[Hero] was strong.

Had the abilities to finish this in less than a minute.

Shouldn't even bother about [Villain] and their grilling, should've just turned and left this fucking situation.

It didn't work.

Didn't work because of those teeth viciously gleaming in front of them.

Paralizing.

[Villain] grinned and looked at their watch leisurely, unfazed by the trembling human in front of them. "You know, even though I love chatting with you, I need to hurry. My boss wants that info really bad."

[Hero] shook their head wordlessly. They had nothing. They couldn't talk, even if they wanted to.

The criminal ignored them.

"And also...", [Villain] casted a look towards their dog and looked back to [Hero] with a wolfish grin, "...she's getting hungry."

It was visible how [Hero] tried to collect themself. To force themself to keep calm despite [Villains] teasing and the growling of their companion.

[Villain] saw [Heros] fight for control, even though they were loosing more of it with every passing second.

"Well...", the criminal drawled and gestured towards the dog, "I guess we have a solution to that..."

They let go of the leash.

[Heros] eyes widened.

"[Villain], don't-!!"

"Sick'em!"

Brown-black fur was flashing into the light and [Hero] jerked up their hands with a desperate scream.

"NO!!"

The monster sank its' sharp teeth into [Heros] forearm. Crimson blood.

They violently tried to shake it off, but it didn't let go.

Wouldn't give up its' prey.

"Call it back, [Villain]!!"

It bit down again.

"Call it back!!!"

Oh god, it would kill them, if [Villain] didn't do something!

It would tear them apart.

Oh god, their arm.

"[Villain], do-" [Hero] choked on the words.

Docked tail.

Sharp teeth.

They couldn't think straight.

Listed dog.

Dangerous.

Their brain filled with black mist.

Couldn't breathe.

They were going to suffocate.

[Villains], voice, ringing in their ears: "Tell me what I want to hear."

Had nothing.

Gone in the abyss.

"I-I c-an't, I-"

No air.

They were suffocating.

Didn't [Villain] see that they were fucking suffocating?

[Hero] only shook their head. They couldn't breathe. There was no air around to fill their lungs with. Underwater.

A cold hand harshly grabbed their collar, pulling them up. "Calm down, you useless piece of shit!"

[Hero] yelped, when [Villains] fist connected with their ribcage. The crack was clearly audible.

"It's not that hard to talk, you fuckin' wussy!"

They dumped them on the ground.

Cold concrete. The smell of trash and piss in the run-down part of the city no one would search [Hero] in. Dirt that mixed with [Heros] own tears.

...And [Villains] voice, sharp as a knife.

They couldn't take it.

Couldn't take [Villain] standing nearby, as they gasped for the air that didn't seem to enter their lungs. Couldn't take it when [Villain] knelt down and grabbed their face with a cruel grin.

Where was the dog?

[Villain] only gave a chilly laugh.

"I sent her away." Then, sneering: "I can get her back if you want."

[Hero] frantically shook their head.

"I don't have anything!", they wheezed against the hands that had grabbed their wet cheeks. "Please, I don't have anything!"

An awfully triumphant grin formed on the criminals face. They pulled [Hero] closer.

"Huh...? What was that word?", [Villain] crooned in an almost gentle tone of voice.

Only now, [Hero] noticed what they just had said. Blood shot up their face.

"Say it again for me, come on. Or do you want one more round..?", [Villain] purred.

[Hero] sobbed.

No.

No more.

They couldn't take more.

Eventually, the need for survival pushed away the last bit of dignity inside of them, when they whispered:

"I-... P-please don't get it back... Please, [Villain]..."

The criminal pondered for a moment before shrugging their shoulders with a wide grin. "Hm. I guess you really are as useless as you claim. Still... Hearing you beg was worth the shot."

They stood up and gave [Hero] a last painful kick in their stomach.

"Tell me, does your team know what a sissy you are?"

[Hero] remained quiet.

The words hurt.

Hurt more than the kick, the broken rib or the arm.

Hurt, because they were true.

"If you were one of my henchmen, I would've killed you for being such a disgrace. You're lucky that your team is pitiful enough to keep you..."

[Villain] turned to leave, stepping out of the alley and whistling to get the dog. A last aspersion to put the boot in:

"Your weakness is really disgusting... You're pathetic, [Hero]."

[Villain] was long gone when [Hero] finally got up. Cold wind blew on their wet cheeks and their shaking body. Only too slowly, they managed to stop the wheezing. Took too long to get aware of their surroundings.

They were safe.

They were safe now.

With a pang, [Villains] voice echoed through their head:

You're pathetic, [Hero].

They let out a dry sob.

[Villain] was right.

It was true.

It was true and [Hero] knew it.

...They knew it wasn't rational.

it be like that

I think Iroh is the perfect example of a person that radiates opportunism and moral flexibility:

Just as @lbibliophile-atla says, he adapts accordingly to any situation given to him and strives for the biggest personal benefit the particular context can provide him with. He's a Fire Nation Royal? Okay, big military-career, expanding social status, climbing the hirarchy. He's declared traitor by said nation only a few years later and is on the run with his nephew? Alright, fleeing to the city that's most secure at that time, it is. The war is tipping to the disadvantage of the Fire Nation? No problem, Iroh already took precautions for that by joining the White Lotus and playing on two sides a long time ago.

Iroh doesn't seem to be tied to any deeper loyalties or ethics, allowing him to adapt to every circumstance that his life is throwing him into. This makes it possible for him to take on any moral code and behaviour that's fitting the context: Joking about burning Ba Sing Se to the ground and being emotionally invested in liberating it years later isn't that inauthentic, if Iroh sees it as two seperate situations that each needed different behaviour from him.

He doesn't care about Fire Nation ideology. He doesn't care about Ba Sing Se. He cares about things that benefit him in the respective situation.

But does that mean that Iroh, former Fire Nation General, war criminal, teashop-owner and White Lotus member is free of any moral compass? Is everything he does solely for his own - and only his own - benefit?

I'd say, not exclusively.

His opportunistic behavior is immediately stalled when his family is involved: Iroh instantly stopped the invasion of Ba Sing Se when Lu Ten died. He sailed together with Zuko into exile when Zukos own father had mutilated and banished him. Both of these actions were really contraproductive from an opportunistic point of view, but Iroh chose them anyway.

Why?

Because the people he cares about outweigh his ambition to gain the highest personal profit.

Iroh didn't care about soldiers and civilians dying in Ba Sing Se, but he drew the line when his own son became one of the many people who lost their live in the battle. Only then he saw the invasion as a mistake. Not because thousands were killed under his command before, but because Lu Ten became a victim to the war he had greatly contributed to. He doesn't care about the cruel ideology of the Fire Nation, just until his beloved nephew falls victim to it.

Irohs morale is not tied to right and wrong. It's tied to himself and the people he cares about.

So yeah, @gaylord-zuko, I think he didn't really redeem himself or was a good person in general. He was smart, a good strategist and highly capable of adapting to his enviroment. What makes him morally grey is the fact that the love for his family outweighs his Machiavellism and leads him to some of the right decisions.

Hot take: Iroh didn’t actually get a redemption arc in ATLA.

Zuko’s redemption required him to admit that his previous actions were wrong and to do whatever it took to make up for them.

Iroh did a lot of good things to help the protagonists, but we never saw him take ownership of the damage he caused as an imperialist. The way he switches gears once he’s living in the Earth Kingdom and starts valuing the people he was trying to destroy without any acknowledgment of the change makes it seem like…maybe he knew what he was doing was wrong the whole time. Which kind of makes it worse? To me, anyway.

I don’t know, I’m just suspicious of his “redemption” because, unlike Zuko, he never took responsibility for the suffering he inflicted on others despite the fact that he’d been going at it for much longer than Zuko. He admits that the Fire Nation has done terrible things, but he never takes personal responsibility for his own actions. Just because Iroh is a kind and loving person doesn’t mean he’s absolved himself of his crimes.

I’d love other peoples’ input on this if you feel like it!

#4 - Drugged

When [Villain] opened the door of the cell, they saw nothing. The small room was pitch-dark, only letting the dull light of the corridor inside.

“[Hero]?”, they whispered lowly, not daring to speak any louder. “Where are you, we need to talk.”

It had been a real helltrip to sneak inside [Supervillains] mansion. [Villain] prayed to all gods they knew that nobody had seen them. If someone had, the aftermath would be fatal.

They did not want to think about it; just the mere idea made them shudder.

When there was no answer from [Hero], [Villain] stepped inside. It was safer anyways, because the sequence in which the guards controlled the cells was unknown to them. The risk of getting caught was much lower if they hid with their enemy.

After closing the door softly, [Villain] needed a moment until their eyes eased into the gloomimess of the cell. There were many dark splatters on the floor (probably blood, they thought) and a huddled figure, miserably crimped into the corner. [Hero]. [Villain] could not suppress the wave of pity that washed over them when they saw in what wretched condition their nemesis was. They knelt in front of them, putting a hand on [Heros] shoulder.

“Hey…” [Villain] whispered, “You need to get up, I will bring you out of here.” They gently nudged them. “Come on, we don’t have the time to dally.”

But [Hero] did not move. [Villain] frowned and inspected their body. There were no deeper injuries severe enough to cause this comatose state.

A distant noise halted their thoughts and made them look around nervously.

They shook [Hero] again, this time fiercer. “Get up. I don’t know when one of their minions comes past!”

[Hero] gave a faint murmur, twisting their head a little bit to the side.

They were adressable.

…Well, at least a little bit.

“Come on, we have to hurry. Can you walk?”

[Villain] grasped [Heros] arm to pull them up and frowned when they touched the bare skin. [Heros] body temperature was far too high. “What has happened to you?!”, they hissed, irritated by [Heros] dullness. “I don’t see any wounds that-”, [Villain] froze in the middle of the movement.

There were several punctures in the crook of [Heros] arm, fresh and old ones. When [Villain] twisted their arm to get a better look at the red dots, their foe gave a painful moan.

Oh…

Oh no.

They slapped [Hero] in the face. That could not be true.

[Villain] looked at the little wounds again, making sure they did not hallucinate. But the small entries to [Heros] veins were still there, some also inflamed and festering.

Hot anger was slowly rising in [Villains] chest, mixing with the cold fear that crept up their spine. [Supervillain], that bastard. They had drugged [Hero]. They had made them completely helpless, not able to do anything to defend themselfes. [Villain] felt nauseous.

There was a noise again -this time nearer- that cut harshly into their thoughts. The guards had to be checking every cell, also looking inside them.

Fuck.

The panic started rising in [Villains] body. “Come on, wake up! I need you here!”, they begged, shaking [Hero] violently by the shoulders. “Fuck, I can’t carry you all the way back!”

Oh god… What if [Hero] did not wake up at all?

“…’s that… you… [Villain]…?”

They jumped at the sound of [Heros] slurred voice.

“what…’re you… doin’ here…?”, they breathed. Every word [Hero] said was articulated with a huge difficulty. But they were awake and adressable and that was all [Villain] needed.

Never had they ever felt such a strong sense of relief like the one that washed over them right now.

“Yes! Yes, it’s me! I will get you out of here!”, they exclaimed euphorically, “You need to stand up.”

“Why would you… help me…?”, [Hero] asked, eyelids fluttering. They nearly slipped back to unconsciousness again, but [Villain] grabbed both of their cheeks, forcing them to keep eye contact. “Hey, you stay with me! I will explain you everything.”

They grasped [Heros] wrists and pulled them up, laying an arm around their shoulder.

“But first… I will bring you out of here.”