No. 5: SUNBURN

Healing Salve Heatstroke "If my pain will stretch that far." (Lottery Winners, Burning House)

Tags: minor child abuse, punishment, heatstroke, lost

"Katsuki! Get down here now!" Mitsuki yelled for her son, looking pissed. She'd just hung up the phone with her son's elementary school, and apparently her brat had wandered off the playground again. The only reason the school even knew was because Izuku had told one of the teachers, worried Katsuki would have been hurt. "Now!"

"What, Lady?!" Her seven year old son yelled back, stomping down their stairs. Mitsuki felt her eye twitch.

"The hell are you doing playing in the woods?!"

"Wha- Damn Deku! He probably snitched again!"

"Watch your mouth, brat!" Mitsuki said, smacking him on top of his head. "You don't speak to me that way!"

Her blonde son just stuck his tongue out, crossing his arms as he turned away. How had Katsuki gotten so bad? Mitsuki hadn't even been this bad herself as a kid.

"We were just exploring! Heroes do that!"

"Heroes need to stay safe, and you even brought Izuku too! That could have been really dangerous!"

"Nuh uh!"

"Brat!"

"I don't like being inside!" Katsuki said, stomping his feet. "It's boring! Outside is better!"

"You know what?" Mitsuki said, grabbing his arm roughly. She dragged her son to the front porch, pushing him out. "You wanna stay outside so bad? You can come back in for dinner!"

"Fine!" Katsuki yelled, stomping away from his front porch. Screw that lady! He stomped off, heading towards the direction he thought was the park. He followed the familiar cracks in the pavement, stepping on all of them.

Maybe they'll break her back and she'll finally be nice to me! The seven-year-old boy thought to himself. He stomped particularly hard on one of the big ones, digging the tip of his shoe in. He scoffed at it, and continued, taking in his surroundings. As he walked, he began to feel the hot, dry heat baking the concrete under his feet. Even with shoes on, the heat was already making his feet hurt.

"Tch, stupid!" Katsuki yelled at the sky. A few nearby people gave him funny looks, while others laughed at him as they passed. It made Katsuki angry. He didn't know why, but it did. His palms crackled with tiny explosions. He keeps walking, desperate to avoid their stares.

I'm gonna be the number one hero, I'll show mom! He kicked a rock. The buildings he passed all looked dull and lifeless, and even the trees lining the sidewalks look wilted and tired. Japan was oddly hot this year, Katsuki remembered his mom saying. And of course she puts me outside! She wants to kill me! The blonde kept walking.

The people he saw on the street felt far away and looked strangely indistinct, like extras in a movie. Wait, he liked that! Extra's! And He was the main character! It was perfect!

Everyone else would be the extra in his show! Even Deku!

As the blonde walked, his thoughts drifted to his old friend. Well, they weren't really friends anymore. Katsuki had a quirk now! He was gonna be a hero, all the teachers thought that. But Deku…he had no quirk. He didn't fit in anymore. His stupid mom had told him to be gentle when playing with Izuku, since quirkless kids have weaker bodies than people with quirks. That's why Katsuki didn't play with him anymore. What if he hurt Deku when they played? Then he would be a villain!

Katsuki let out a laugh. Nah, he wouldn't be a villain, cause he was trying to help! It made sense in his head. So, as long as Deku quit trying to play with him, he'd be fine!

The sun beats down mercilessly on the small boy's head as he walks down the sidewalk. He can feel the heat of the setting sun bearing down on him. His shirt and shorts, which he always wore, felt insubstantial and thin. His exposed arms and knees burned slightly in the heat, but he kept walking, pushing forward.

The heat felt overwhelming, and it was starting to make his head swim and ache. His mouth was dry, and he felt thirst gnaw at him as he stretched on. He'd just get to the park, sit under a tree, and rest for a little. He'd call it training! As he kept walking, his world seemed to shimmer and waver. He watched as heat waves floated above the road, not being disturbed, even when a bunch of cars went by.

As the boy wanders aimlessly down the streets, he sees a wide variety of things that capture his young imagination, including the very same cars and buses zooming by that were annoying the funny looking waves. They seemed enormous compared to him, and Katsuki prided himself on being tall for his age.

He clutched his head slightly, but kept going, desperate to reach the park. His head was starting to pound, though, and each step he was taking was beginning to feel agonising. The buildings loom above him, casting long shadows but not providing much in the way of shade. He can hear the sound of car horns and people talking, but it all seems to blend together into a meaningless background noise. The sun blazes down, making everything seem bleached out and unreal.

After a few more minutes of panting he walks, he notices a small park nearby. Perfect! He'd play here until night time, then his mom would be scared! Then it would be cold!

As the sun begins to slip below the horizon, the air starts to cool slightly, and the harsh glare of the sun diminishes. The boy, exhausted and overheated, took a seat at a small table, grateful for the chance to rest. The sky turned to a deep red above them, as the sun set lower. painting the buildings and streets in a warm glow. Shadows grew longer, and the sky changed to pinks and purples, finally deepening into a dark blue as the sun disappeared. The air feels crisp and refreshing, and the boy takes a deep breath, enjoying the sensation of the cool air filling his lungs.

He lays his head down on the table, his body soaked with his sweat. Just for a second, he'd close his eyes just for a second, then everything would be okay-

Katsuki suddenly woke up in his bed, throwing the covers off. He was hot, too hot, what the hell? The teen practically tore off his tank top, body shaking.

He hadn't had that dream in years.