[It's painfully obvious how new Izuku still is, when Katsuki walks into his apartment. No Deku-like decoration to be seen, yet. Just a nice, clean, simple apartment.

He can tell Izuku's been fighting back tears, as well. The boy's eyes looked a little agitated, and his body language told Katsuki that he was... really upset with him. For good reason, of course. But he's not quite ready to have this conversation with the other boy, yet. He probably never will be though. So may as well just tell Izuku everything, now.

He sighs as he takes a seat on his couch.]

I wanted to wait for the right time to explain more to you.

[But then he had to blab like a dumbass on the internet!!]

Or at least give you some more time to think about everything else first.

[Katsuki nods, silently, when Izuku asks if he really was so bad off that Izuku thought he died. That's what he was told, and what he remembers was pretty damn bad. He doesn't know what he actually looked like, while he was on the battlefield, but he knows what his scars look like, and remembers how soaked in blood his Hero costume was. So he can only imagine... he probably looked like a walking corpse.

In order to really explain, and be open, Katsuki moves (with just a little difficulty because of his one arm) to pull his shirt off over his head. To show Izuku the scars on his chest and back. How... huge they were, and gnarly.

How it looked as though he had been shot by a gun point blank. And if Izuku were to feel for his heartbeat, he'll feel that it's... slow. Barely there since becoming a vampire. But beating so strong and defiantly despite it.]

He tried to destroy my heart. Went right for it.

[He can't remember exactly what happened, just that he was in front of Shigaraki and then there was a blast of pain and his vision went white...]

Best Jeanist and Edgeshot were there to take care of me, though.

I... I dunno the full details, but from what I was told Edgeshot used his Quirk to spread his body thin and stitch my insides together. He kept my heart and lungs from falling apart.

[If he was just a little further on the timeline, he'd probably have everything explained to him in full detail by the doctors and witnesses around him. But he didn't have time for a whole biology lesson on how he survived while on the battle field.]

I survived thanks to him.

[It hurts to see Izuku looking at him like that. His eyes so wet and full of guilt and worry. This is why he didn't want to tell him about this in the first place... he knows-- just knows Izuku is finding a way to blame himself for this. Because he wasn't there to stop it. Because he arrived just a few minutes too late.

It wasn't his fault, though. It really wasn't. And Katsuki wished he could convince him of that but he knows it'd be impossible to. So he tries to comfort him some other way.

He grabs that hesitant hand and pulls it to his chest, making Izuku touch his palm to the scar and feel his heart beat. It really was slow, but each beat felt strong. Proud.]

Almost. I'm still here, goddamn it. And my heart is still beating.

[Ba-dump.]

Don't focus on what could've happened, Deku. Focus on what did.

[Katsuki's stern expression softens when Izuku apologizes, and he lets go of Izuku's hand if the other boy wants it back. If he needs to feel that Katsuki was alive a little longer, though, he won't stop him.]

You don't gotta apologize. It's just... I want to be a Hero. And being a Hero comes with these kinds of injuries.

[The arm, the heart, his cheek...]

It's scary-- it's really scary. But we have to accept that dying young is a real thing that can happen to either of us. Or b-both.

[Katsuki's voice wavers, just a little bit when he says that. A hint of fear, and he shakes his head to try and get rid of it. He has to accept this fact, too. He can't be giving this little speech to Izuku while shaking in his goddamn boots about it...]

...it happens to so many goddamn Pros.

[Katsuki knows. He knows how hard it is for Izuku to accept that there might just be a possibility of losing Katsuki, and how hard it is to accept that he already almost did. It's not like Katsuki doesn't have nightmares about dying ever since that fight. It's something that's been on his mind...]

Then we'll make sure the world never loses Kacchan. I'm super hard to kill now, remember?

[They argued so much about it!]

And on top of that, you and I can be extra careful from here on out. I want to be smart, and win my battles perfectly. And I know I'll need help in order to do that.

[Katsuki feels a little bit of relief when Izuku agrees that he can help, and tries to put on a smile. He knows all of this is so much to get used to, and poor Izuku's only been here for a few days... but hopefully, now that everything is out on the table and Katsuki's been honest about his injuries, Izuku can start to really process and understand everything. He knows the other boy is quite good at adapting, it just needs a little time.

He knows, too, that it'll help to let Izuku hyper-focus on his prosthetic. Giving him something to study, and learn to support Katsuki with. He always thrives in that kind of environment, being a nerd and all.]

Both of us can. And Todoroki, too.

[They'll all make sure to keep each other safe and alive! No matter what.]

And... I'm sorry that I kept the fact that I almost died from you, Deku. There's so much other stuff you gotta worry about now, and I didn't want to stress you out even more. But I should've just been honest from the start.

[But thinking about it... it's good they talked about it now. Because Izuku might've been even angrier if Katsuki kept it from him longer.]

[When Katsuki is asked if there's anything else he should know, the baby vampire sits in silence for a moment as he thinks about that. Was there anything else? He talked about his arm and near death, the vampirism, the fact that he's gay and kind of into Shoto, his weird "foster dad" situation with Mike and the fact that he's been making a lot of friends....]

I think that's all the big, scary stuff. I've told you everything I remember back home, and the vampire shit was the worst that's happened since I got here. It's been really boring, otherwise.

[There's one more thing, but it's not really that important. But he figured it'd be better to tell Izuku anyway.]

The only other thing I think you should know is that Todoroki and I are in a band together and we perform sometimes. And I'm the lead singer.

[Which he knows Izuku is probably going to be surprised to hear. Katsuki?? Singing??????]

[Seeing Izuku relax gets Katsuki to feel a bit calm himself, and his own body melts a little into the couch now that the tense air around them was dissipating. Thank goodness there really wasn't much else to tell him about. There... were these gangs going around doing bad things in Ellipsa, but Katsuki really didn't know enough to even think of bringing them up. He only learned of them a couple weeks ago, himself. Todoroki would be better to learn that stuff from, since he's been here longer... he's sure they'll have that conversation, at some point.

Right now Katsuki just wants Izuku to feel a little less stressed, and the topic of their band was the perfect subject to change to. Katsuki even smiles a little, as he talks about it.]

Yeah. A band. Todoroki's been here a lot longer than I have, and he's been learning how to play the guitar. There was a festival in April that needed acts, so we decided to help out and give them a show to remember.

[Of course, Katsuki's talking about this like it's Hero work. He can't just let himself have fun, can he?]

Todoroki can't sing for shit, so I took the lead there and I've been learning to use a DJ booth to play drum sounds out of with my one arm instead of using half a drum-set live.

And our music is way cooler than the stuff I was making with A-Band! Music that ain't watered down for a goody-two shoes Hero school!

[Metal. He's talking about playing metal.]

[It does feel like forever. Even ignoring the fact that Katsuki's been here for almost half a year-- the arts festival was so long ago compared to when the war was. It feels like forever since he last looked at a schoolbook.... so hyperfocused on fighting and fighting alone for so long.

When Izuku leans against Katsuki like that, the other boy tenses up for a moment. Still not used to having others so close in his bubble. But it does relax after a second, and he leans just a little bit back against the other boy.]

Yeah! Watered down! "Hero Too" is good and all, but the lyrics are too peppy for me! And the drum could've been more intense but Jiro wouldn't let me!

[He has so much to complain about... sorry for your hearing, Izuku, because he's also yelling even though you're right there??]

Todoroki on the other hand lets me do whatever the hell I want! And he likes the same kinda music I like, too!

[It's okay, Izuku. Katsuki will get used to close contact eventually... even he and Shoto aren't used to each other quite yet. Kasuki still flinches any time Shoto touches him even if it's just a light tap on the shoulder. But he wants to get better at letting others in his space, so he doesn't mind it when Izuku shifts to lean his head on his shoulder.

Katsuki ends up resting his head against Izuku's, and he lets out a soft sigh before he replies (energetically and still ignoring that Izuku was literally right there sorry for your ears Deku--).]

Yeah! It is!

[He's SO loud... but he's smiling, and looks really proud of himself.]

You should come see us practice, Deku! We've been cookin' up something really good for our next performance!

[At least Katsuki will make sure that Izuku won't ever turn to stone. It'll be harder for these two to not be up in each other's space than it will to get them to hold hands or spar once in a while--]

You're the only person who's allowed to watch us practice. It's too embarrassing to mess up in front of anyone else, but I don't care if it's in front of you.

Plus, it might be good to have you there to give us feedback.

[Katsuki likes the idea of Izuku hearing their set before anyone else gets to...]

We practice at our place, mostly. Had a room installed for it recently.

You don't gotta be an expert to tell me if my music sounds like shit or not. I'm not making music just so pros can listen to it.

[Izuku is pretty perfect to represent the average music listener. His normal, boring ears will be extremely helpful!]

But I am making music that excites me. Which means it's DEFINITELY loud.

[Katsuki grins thinking about how Izuku's poor eardrums are going to be blown out--]

Hope you like the sound of metal, Deku.