The Nebulous Meaning of 'Hero'

Chapter 4: Dakota

prompt eleven: write a chapter in which a male character defends a female character in an argument

     The next day in Teamwork and Coordination the Supers and their sidekicks were supposed to be "exchanging strengths and weaknesses", but Vincent kinda wasn't talking to him and all Wes could think of was how the fuck Odisti got his hair like that, perfectly ruffled like he'd fallen out of bed and all the hair strands had just gone, hey, you know what, we're gonna align fucking sexily. It was infuriating and infinitely unfair.

    "ALCROFT," came the Mr Blake's voice. "Stop daydreaming and start working. This is your bloody career you're dealing with."

     Wes started up and tried to look attentive and not as if he'd just been thinking about Vincent's personified hair strands (yep, Wes's mind was a strange place to be sometimes).

    "Yes sir," he said, thinking, ha, yep, 'bloody' very literally. Vincent was glaring fucking daggers at him.  

    "Sooo," tried Wes, dragging out the word. He attempted a smile and then cut off that plan as Vincent's glare only intensified. "You, er, you wanna tell me about yourself?"

     Vincent smirked, then, this horrible pleased-with-himself smirk that made Wes's stomach flip.

    "Yeah," he said eventually, voice dripping with sarcasm. "then I might go open a sanctuary for injured donkeys and participate in a charity karaoke event."

     Wes just stared at him.

    "Right. Helpful."

     That fucking shit-eating smirk again.

    "Well what about- have you had any second thoughts about letting me go?"

      Vincent looked utterly unimpressed, then stood and slung his bag over his shoulder.

    "I have better things to do than this," he said offhandedly, and walked out of the classroom. Wes was left gaping after him for a few moments before he felt anger burning unexpectedly through his veins and got up to run after him.

    "Alcroft!" the teacher yelled, but for once in his life Wes was too wound up to care. The classroom door slammed shut after him and he half-ran down the corridor, easily catching up with Vincent's nonchalant walk.

    "Odisti- what the hell, asshole, you can't just leave-!"

     Vincent paused and turned slightly, a patronising smile unfolding across his lips.

    "Think I just did," he pointed out. Wes forced himself to calm down a little (deep breaths, Wes, deep breaths) before saying,

    "Look, if you don't wanna play teamwork with me that's fine. I don't give a shit. But release me from the contract. I mean- it's all fucking fun and games for you, I'm sure, cos you're not a sidekick and you can do what you want- but this is my life, dude! You can't just- play around with it cos it entertains you."

     He stopped, breath slightly short from the speech and the frustration and the running. Vincent was no longer smiling and when he came closer Wes moved backwards, stumbling till his back was pressed against the corridor lockers. He'd like to think his heart was racing because he was scared, and that was part of it- but Vincent was so close, as well, and Wes could feel his breath hot against his face. There was a part of Wes that was buzzing with the adrenaline rush of it all.

    "Why don't you stop playing the victim here, Alcroft," Vincent hissed. "I'm sorry your little plan didn't work out how you wanted, but it was you trying to use me; not the other way round."