Quirkless

Chapter 24 - Sunspots

"Are you sure? We can carry your bag, it's really no problem-" Masaru tried, seeing his son was barely able to stand on his own two feet. The weekend had been draining and they all knew Katsuki barely got any sleep at all. The ash blonde teen completely shut himself off again, worrying his parents even more. And now, when they were standing in front of the gates of UA, he insisted on going in alone.

"I'm not helpless!" Katsuki hissed, taking his bag and swinging it over his shoulder, his feet stumbling as his body swayed. Not that he acknowledged any of it.
"We know Katsuki, but we're here now so we might as well-" Mitsuki said, only to get interrupted by her son.

"I don't want to walk into the dorm with the two of you and draw all that fucking attention, okay? You know what happened when you came to pick me up" Katsuki grunted, turning around so his back was facing his parents.
"Just fucking go home already, you damn hag"

With that he started walking, or rather strolling. His parents exchanged a glance and sighed, getting back in the car and driving off. There was no getting through to Katsuki when he was in this state so the best they could do was to just let him tire himself out completely. They already informed the school about his situation and Recovery Girl was to make sure that Katsuki took his medication.

His homeroom teacher also promised to be extra watchful of any developments and that the whole faculty would make sure their son takes care of himself. Katsuki knew his teachers were brought up to speed, to his own irritation. He didn't want people getting involved in this! He just wanted everyone to stay away! Is it so much to ask not to meddle in his business?!

He sighed, stopping at an intersection. The pathway went in all kinds of directions from here on out. One that leads to the main school building, another to the training grounds and gyms, a third one leading to the dormitories or height alliances as UA likes to call them. Katsuki didn't feel like walking into whatever mess his classmates made without his supervision.

Besides, if he took this road he'd have to pass by the 1-A heights alliance and there was no way those idiots would let him pass in peace. They'd probably see him some way or another and drag him along inside and be forced to socialize. But wandering the school grounds like this wasn't a good idea either, seeing as the sun was almost setting and teachers would be patrolling the roads that spread out all over campus.

Katsuki didn't plan on roaming around any longer than necessary, already having a destination in mind as he started walking again. He shouldn't get in too much trouble for this, right? That is to say, if his student pass even worked in this area... He was a support course student after all, not a hero course student. Nonetheless, the support course used the different grounds too sometimes, you know, to field test their inventions. So it should be fine, right?

All remaining doubt was stripped away when the small light turned green and the gate unlocked itself. Katsuki closed it behind him, putting his pass away again as he stared at the abandoned city. Ground Beta. This is where he had his first combat training with All Might... Where Deku won and he tasted defeat for the very first time... This is where he fought All Might alongside Deku for their practical hero exam...

So much had happened here. Things that made him fall down, things that helped him get up anew. He grew in this place, learned he wasn't invincible, learned that teamwork is important. Winning isn't prefered over saving, just like it is the other way around. Katsuki wondered what other memories he could've made here if it weren't for his loss. He sighed, stopping in front of a familiar building. The place where Deku beat him...

It was still in ruins, funny enough. UA hadn't bothered to clear it all out. Why would they? They had a dozen replicas of this exact building all over ground beta, after all. It'll be a waste of money and resources. Besides, don't they do a full sweep of repairs every year? Katsuki was sure it'll be fixed once moved on to his second year. Yeah... If he ever made it that far in life... He shook his head, trying not to think so pessimistic, yet it wasn't working that well.