Bakugo woke up with a sore neck. Todoroki stared at him shamelessly, squat down beside Izuku's bed with a hand touching his head.

Bakugo swat it away."Fuck off."

Todoroki pulled his hand back but didn't leave. Instead, he gave Bakugo a small smile."Good morning. Did you sleep well?"

Bakugo ignored him, wanting none of his shit after what he did yesterday. The ghost had never acted so hostile before and made Bakugo doubt that he was just a regular ghost. He might really be an evil spirit in disguise, but Bakugo didn't know shit about ghost's and all that so he needed to go to Izuku with this.

Maybe once he heard about Todoroki choking him he would just execute him on the spot. That wouldn't be so bad.

When he walked out of Izuku's bedroom, bright and early in the morning, the other was at his kitchen table working furiously. He was in a haggard state, eyes bloodshot and still in his suit from last night. A notepad and some papers were splayed around his laptop which he stared at, mumbling to himself as the screen lit up his disheveled face.

"Did you get any sleep last night?" Bakugo asked, staring at him with a raised eyebrow."You probably reek."

"Kacchan!" Izuku perked up."Perfect timing! You won't believe some of the stuff I've learned! Come, sit down, and let me tell you!"

Bakugo looked at him like he was infected with some type of disease. Still, whatever Izuku had learned would probably help him. He had no choice but to put up with this nerd for now.

"Looking into people's lives is no good," Todoroki commented, glaring at Izuku.

The other gave him a bright smile back."And putting bruises around Kacchan's neck is no good either." Bakugo's eyes widened and Todoroki's glare hardened."Tell me, Todoroki, why did you do such a thing?"

The other just kept staring, refusing to answer.

Bakugo put his fingers up to his neck."Is it that noticeable? I have work on Monday. This shit can't be seen."

Izuku got out of his chair, strolling over to Bakugo."Yeah, it's pretty bad." He stared."It's like somebody grabbed you right..." Slowly, he moved his hands up and lightly grasped Bakugo's neck, placing his fingers perfectly where Todoroki's once were."...here."

Todoroki snatched his hands away as soon as they made contact, grip insanely strong and practically throwing Izuku back. The two of them stared at the ghost who had an angered expression on his face.

"Stop it," he ground out, mainly looking at Izuku.

The other put his hands up in mock surrender."No touching, right? That's fine."

Bakugo sighed at the tense air, growing more frustrated."I'm gonna make some coffee before we start this shit show. You want some, right, Deku?"

Izuku smiled over at him."That would be great, thanks, Kacchan!"

The other grumbled back at him, going over to his kitchen to make them both some while Izuku went back to his mess of a kitchen table. Todoroki watched him, back pressed against Bakugo's the whole time. Bakugo could feel it just like he would a humans, only it was cold.

"Let's go home," Todoroki spoke, voice small as he didn't want Izuku to hear."We don't need to listen to him. He might be lying."

"You know nothing about him," Bakugo mumbled back, waiting for the coffee to brew."So shut the hell up."

"Is it because you're having sex?" Todoroki's eyes grew dark."You think just because of something like that you can trust him?"

"I've known him since we were brats. He can keep a secret but can't tell a lie for shit." Bakugo grabbed two mugs."Plus, we don't have sex that often. It's been weeks now."

"Don't talk about it," Todoroki practically growled.

"You brought it up, bastard."

Coffee now done brewing, Bakugo fixed them both up some just the way they liked it. He walked back over to the kitchen table, setting Izuku's down in a safe place and sitting across from him with his mug still in hand.

"Thank you." Izuku smiled, picking it up and taking a sip."Gah, hot!" He put it down quickly, sour look on his face as his mouth and tongue burned.

Bakugo smirked."Idiot."

"Ah, I can't even bother to be mad!" Izuku had a bright smile filled with excitement splayed on his face."But that was mean, Kacchan!"

"Just tell me what you found out." Bakugo blew on his drink, taking a tentative sip but finding it to still be too hot.

"Alright." Izuku pushed some papers away so he could get to his notepad."Todoroki Shoto, 23 years old when he died. Apparently, he had a heart-"

Izuku stopped as he noticed Todoroki had put his hands over Bakugo's ears. Bakugo, for his part, looked extremely pissed off.

"What the fuck are you doing? Get your filthy hands off me." He tried to move Todoroki's hands away but his just swept right through them."I can still hear everything just fine, you little shit."

"I don't want you to listen," Todoroki said.

"Who gives a shit," Bakugo growled, looking back at Izuku."Continue."

"Kacchan, I think that maybe..."

"I said continue," he glared harshly at Izuku."If this ghost bastard wants to be a pain in the ass then I won't talk to him again."

"What?" Todoroki jolted."But Bakugo, if we can't communicate then we can't solve our differences and act as equals. Like this, we'll have no relationship at all."

"Then get your hands off me and let the nerd talk."

Todoroki made a sort of whiney growl type noise, like a dog, and tentatively put his hand back at his sides. He still remained close to Bakugo, but the air around him was much more saddened now.

Izuku sighed."You're so forceful, Kacchan. I'm kinda glad now that you didn't enter the business with me."

"Just shut up and talk."

"You're contradicting your-"

"You know what I fucking mean!"

"Okay, I got it." Izuku went back to his notepad."As I was saying, Todoroki died due to heart disease one month ago, as he said. Ghosts only rise after funerals or memorial services so this makes sense. He was the youngest of four with two older brothers and one older sister. His mom also passed away due to heart disease when he was 19."

"And his father?" Bakugo asked.

"He's alive. Currently CEO of a major banking corporation. Todoroki was working here at one of its branches and was supposed to be his fathers successor but it seems he overworked himself. A bad diet, little sleep, and constantly working builds up a massive amount of stress. It was a recipe for disaster."

Bakugo looked over at Todoroki with questioning eyes."Why the hell did you keep up with this shit? You should've known your body was feeling shittier."

"I needed to work hard to take over as CEO. Even lying in a hospital bed, things can be done. I needed to work my way up so that people could look up to me and so that I could start thinking about other social norms afterwords."

"Hah?!"

"Why did you need to do these things, Todoroki?" Izuku asked.

Todoroki gave him one glare and refused to answer. He went as far as to turn his face away and huff like some school girl.

Bakugo noticed instantly."Answer his question."

Izuku saw the tension between the two and grew nervous."Ah, you really don't have to if you're uncomfortable. I understand."

"Bakugo," Todoroki spoke only to him."How many times has your mom and dad told you you've done a good job?"

"Huh?" Bakugo raised an eyebrow."Why the hell would I remember something like that?"

"My father has told me I've done a good job three times. Once when I started working my first day at his company. Again when I signed my first contract. And the last time was when I spoke to him on the phone the day I was hospitalized, telling him about the improvements I've made to the branch office. With my mother, I was only told that once."

The pairs eyes widened at his statement.

Being told you had done good was something that came naturally and kids craved. Mothers were the main ones to give such support and fathers would pitch in later in life. Even the smallest things like being able to read a word correctly would be praised.

So for Todoroki to be able to count on one hand how many times those words were said to him was abnormal and horrifying.

"Even on her death bed, she did not tell me of the things I had done and how proud of me she was. She told me to work hard and makes lots of money to support the people I love. She told me to live up to the 'ideals' that everyone strived for. Be a figure that everyone looks up to. Create a loving family. Follow in my fathers footsteps. Look good and act better."

"Ideals..." Izuku mumbled.

"I needed to do these things. People liked me more when I lived up to these ideals, especially my father. I found that people who lived up to my ideals and standards were much easier to work with and I enjoyed them more. Expectations can be easily met so standards are not that high."

"Are you saying working yourself to death is not a high price for living up to everyones expectations?" Izuku asked.

Todoroki gave him a hard stare."I wanted to keep working. Whether or not their expectations were met doesn't matter. These are my ideals and if I have to work to death to achieve them then so be it."

"You're fucking crazy," Bakugo mumbled.

Todoroki refused to respond.

"I think I'm beginning to understand you a bit more," Izuku smiled."A lot of your feats make much more sense. Though I still don't understand what this has to do with Kacchan and your hostility towards me. I understand my powers as a medium can be intimidating, but I've told you that you're my client so you have no need to fear me."

"You're not supposed to be with Bakugo," was all Todoroki said.

Izuku tilted his head to the side."What do you mean by that?"

"You're not an existence that Bakugo should be around," Todoroki said."That's all."

It seemed Todoroki refused to speak more on the subject.

"Like I said, fucking psycho," Bakugo grumbled.

Izuku took a sip of his coffee, now much colder, and stared at the pair. Bakugo was sure all the little wheels and cogs inside his head were working on overdrive, deciphering Todoroki's every word in a way Bakugo never wanted to try.

"Then, could you tell me why you chose to haunt Kacchan?" He sounded like some weird therapist.

"Because I saw Bakugo when I woke up," Todoroki explained."I was in my empty hotel room and when I looked out the window I saw him. He was taking a call, dressed in a nice set of clothes with the usual angry look on his face."

Todoroki looked over at Bakugo like his words would somehow woo him. They did nothing but cause him to grow more irritated.

"You're like some fucking duckling imprinting on the first thing it sees," Bakugo growled, not once looking back at Todoroki.

Izuku had a pondering look on his face."There are cases with ghosts where they do imprint like that. If you read any of the material I gave you, you would've learned about that."

Bakugo glared at him."It was all bullshit and this asshole wouldn't leave me alone." He pointed back at Todoroki.

"He doesn't need to learn about ghosts."

"Fuck you too."

"Well that's fine," Izuku brushed off."As I said, Kacchan's not really fit to be a medium even if he has the powers to be one."

"You wanna bet on that?" Bakugo stood up, giving Izuku a feral grin."Teach me how to execute a ghost and then we'll see who's a better medium."

"I know what you're trying to do and I won't fall for it, Kacchan!"

Bakugo clicked his tongue.

"For now, it's fine if you go home for the day," Izuku started, taking a sip of his coffee."I need to do more research. Let me know of anything notable." Izuku then looked at Todoroki."If you want to talk, I'm sure Kacchan is more then willing to bring you over here. No matter what ill will you bear towards me, remember that you are my client. I'll help you in any way you need."

Todoroki gave him one long stare and then swiftly looked away."Yeah."

"How long do I have to wait on your bullshit?" Bakugo asked.

"Tuesday at the latest, but I'll let you know."

Bakugo walked over and grabbed him by the face, squeezing his cheeks together with a glare."Take your time on this and I'll kill you."

"Mmph!"

Bakugo let go of his face and Todoroki draped his arms around him."Let's go home," he mumbled into his ear.

"That place is my home, not yours," Bakugo growled back at him. He moved away from Izuku and towards the door.

"I wouldn't go out too much, Kacchan," Izuku commented."Ah, would you like something for your neck?"

"Give me a scarf."

"Of course!"

Izuku ran into his room, coming back out with a scarf. He went to put it around Bakugo's shoulders but Todoroki snatched it out of his hands before he could.

"Just give the fucking thing to me," Bakugo growled but Todoroki didn't listen. He wrapped it around Bakugo's neck so that the bruises were covered.

"Then, I'll see you soon!" Izuku smiled.

"Fucking count on it."