The Nebulous Meaning of 'Hero'

Chapter 1: Turning Point

so i read the prompts for protests' powerpuff project and LOVED them; luckily i think two of them fit these first two chaps quiteee well so i'm gonna put them on and then write the rest of the story using her wonderful prompts! 

prompt one: write a chapter in which a female character is forced to do what society thinks women should do (im kinda twisting this one a bit though bc she's forced to do what society thinks sidekicks should do rather than women- the other chapters should be more on prompt-target)

    Wes Alcroft was just biting into a quite frankly brilliant chicken sandwich when his life changed forever. Okay, slight exaggeration. ...When his life reached- a significant turning point.

    "I am FUCKING done with superheroes," his best (only) friend Billie said, slamming down her lunch tray with a large crash. He looked up, chomping slowly, knowing she'd continue whether prompted or not. Sure enough-

    "I'd rather gouge my fucking eyes out with a fucking fork than keep on acting sidekick to that fucking prick," she ranted, and then paused for audience participation. Wes gulped down his sandwich bite.

    "What's he done now?" he asked obligingly (he's a great friend).

    "What hasn't he done, more like. I mean, I'm pretty sure he's misread 'sidekick' for 'slave'. Today we were supposed to be learning each other's strengths so we can co-ordinate; he spent the lesson informing me of all his fucking food preferences. Like I'm going to cook for him! I'm not his fucking minder!" A slight pause. The corners of her lips curved up reluctantly. "But Wes, being the mighty Super Alpha he is, his favourite foods were hilarious. I mean, what werewolf eats fucking peeled grapes. Red ones only, mind you. The green ones are too sour for his sensitive little tongue."

     It was January of senior year – their last year in the US School of Superbly Gifted Individuals – and all the superheroes were gradually being paired off with sidekicks to prepare for heading out into the crisis-ridden world. Technically, sidekicks were supposed to be able to choose who they wanted to work with, but the choosings in each class were done alphabetically and Billie's surname was Zeto. She'd been left with a paltry selection of villains' kids (who usually didn't take sidekicks; largely as no-one wanted to go with them) and the only remaining superhero- the Super Alpha Werewolf, Tyler Harris. Which was surprising, in a way, because his whole 'I'M THE ALPHA WEREWOLF' act seemed to do it for a great many of the girls (and some of the boys), so Billie'd expected him to be picked early on.

     It transpired later (when she cornered some other sidekicks demanding why the fuck she'd been left with him) that he'd threatened the others using the whole "I can rip you apart" shebang, if they didn't leave him for her.

     Wesley had claimed the Super Alpha Werewolf must have a crush on her. Billie'd threatened to punch him in the eye, which shut him up because to be honest he wouldn't put it past her. Billie didn't have super strength, but she might as well have given how hard her hits were.

    "Has he told you you're his mate yet?" he asked slyly now, waggling his eyebrows. She shot him a death glare.

    "Fuck off," she said. Wesley shrugged, suppressing a smirk.

    "It's only a matter of time Bills; he's told like half the girls they're his mate. It's his signature pickup line."

    "Fuck off, Wes! And don't be so smug; you have Teamwork and Coordination next, right? I'm pretty sure your class is choosing today."

     His smug smile fell off his face and he sank his head down into his arms, narrowly missing his dinner tray. A sinking feeling of dread filled his gut.