I Suppose I Could Be Kind:

"Looking on the bright side doesn't make the possibility of a darker one lessen." Villain twirled a butterfly knife in his hand as he sat on a short brick wall. He delighted at the ch-shing, ch-shing sounds of the metal clashing.

"Looking on the bright side will make you kinder," the hero argued, "and that benefits everyone."

Villain huffed. "Being kind is what brought me to villainy to begin with. When you're kind, people take advantage." This made Hero fall silent. "So what makes you think I still aspire to be kind?"

Hero flustered. "I- well, you...it's better. Being kind is better. You're capable of it," she said, "just as I am."

Chuckling to himself, Villain snapped the knife shut and looked at Hero in a cold amusement. "What a mighty argument you make." He hopped off the wall and began stalking towards Hero who was only steps away. She remained silent and her face betrayed no fear, but Villain could see it- could see how her chest bounced more frequently than when he'd been perched on the wall- when he'd been distanced.

"I suppose I could be kind," he whispered. His hand inched towards Hero's face and she sucked in a breath. "I could tell you how beautiful you are, how you make my heart flutter-"

"-you're lying."

"Can I not find you attractive?" He cocked his head to the side with a smirk.

With Villain's hand landing against her cheek, Hero squeaked. "You can. But I know you don't."

"Do you? I must not know myself then." He stroked her cheekbone.

Hero cleared her throat. "Why...why are you doing this?"

Once again, Villain laughed. "You said you wanted me to be kind, yeah? Well, I wanted to show you why kind isn't better- like you've expressed." He hummed before continuing. "It's manipulative. It's a betrayal." His hand fell to the back of Hero's neck, beneath the curtain of her hair. "So yes, I'm evil. I chose evil. I chose honesty." Villain dropped his hand, pulling his knife back up. He began to play with it again, admiring it for its sharp and cunning speed. "We are not the same, Hero. Not at all."