AN: This was an idea that I had kicked around and decided on using. Pyro is such a cutie, and there needs to be fanart of this story.

BLU Medic yawned and trudged his way past his locker, eager to grab a shower before dinner. Of course, Scout just had to leave one of his cleats out on the floor, causing Medic to trip.

Medic grunted and grabbed the nearest locker. A soft thud drew his attention as something hit the floor under him.

It was a small blue purse with a flower on the side.

Medic furrowed his eyebrows in confusion as he bent down to pick it up. It looked old and slightly worn with lines of stiches here and there. The zipper had been replaced as well and was half open. Medic looked at the locker he had jarred and saw that it was Pyro's locker.

Why did Pyro have a purse in his locker?

Beyond curious now, Medic reached inside and pulled out a piece of paper.

"MPPHMS FGGHH!"

Medic flinched and looked back as BLU Pyro carelessly dropped his flamethrower and ran to snatch the purse away.

"I meant no harm," Medic said, hiding the paper behind his back. "I accidently tripped and knocked it to zhe ground."

Pyro unleashed a string of incoherent mumbles as he clutched the purse to his chest. He almost seemed to be shaking. Beneath his mask, Pyro closed his eyes as a memory washed over him.

~O~

Pyro had just turned five years old, and he was holding his new friend. It was a stuffed animal that his mother had named the Balloonicorn. Pyro could tell how hard she had worked on it, and he clutched it to his chest.

His mother held his other hand as she led him down the street. The folds of her pretty pink dress skimmed the ground, and her green shawl fluttered in the wind.

Pyro loved his mother's dresses. They always looked so pretty.

Pyro's mother hummed and smiled at her son, swinging their arms in a wide arc.

"I just need to pick up some more fabric," she said. "Then we'll go home and make some stuffed animals, ok?" Pyro nodded happily.

Then he froze as something caught his eye.

It was a black mechanical horse that stood proudly in front of the general store. It was sleek and shiny and looked so real. With a cry of joy, Pyro let go of his mother's hand and ran off to the horse. The horse was a lot bigger up close. Too big for the small Pyro. Pyro shifted his Balloonicorn from hand to hand in his efforts to mount the majestic steed.

"Ah! Ah!" he cried, patting the horse on the side. He heard a chuckle behind him as his mother joined him.

"Did you want to ride the horsey?" she asked. Pyro excitedly nodded his head. His mother lifted him up and onto the saddle. Pyro clutched the plastic reigns and giggled.

"One second," his mother reached into her bag and pulled out a small blue coin purse that had a flower painted on the side. She opened it and fished out a few coins before feeding them into the machine.

With a sudden lurch, the horse began to move.

"Huddah!" Pyro said with a grin. "Huddah hoo!"

His mother chuckled again. Soon the horse slowed to a stop and Pyro's mother fished out money two more times to feed the machine. Finally, she set Pyro back onto the ground and brushed the dust from his clothes. Pyro paid no attention as he stroked the side of the mechanical horse.

"Horse," Pyro's mother said slowly, "that's a horse."

"Hoho," said Pyro. He smacked his hand against the horse. "Hoho."

Pyro's mother hid her sorrow behind a smile.

"Yes," she said. "Now let's get the fabric. What color do you want?" Pyro began to babble as his mother opened the store door for him.

~O~

Pyro breathed heavily as he was brought back to the present. Medic looked at him curiously, but Pyro just mumbled something and walked away. After making sure that Pyro wouldn't be coming back, Medic unfolded the paper.

To his surprise, it was a page that had been ripped from a medical text. Medic read it with interest and saw that it was about a disorder known as Expressive Aphasia. A scrawl at the bottom read 'always wear mask.'

Medic's eyes went wide as he put the pieces together. He looked up at where Pyro had disappeared and hmmm'd.

"So zhis is vhy," he said softly. "How unexpected, but…zhis still does not explain zhe purse."

Medic stuck the page in the very back of Pyro's locker. Then he headed out for a hot shower.