Imposters (Tododeku & Kiribaku)

Imposters: Chapter Seven- Growing Worries

Natsuo couldn't ignore the unsettling feeling coursing through his body. Something was off about Shindo. He couldn't shake the feeling away. He didn't care that Dabi and Hawks would call him paranoid. He couldn't let this feeling subside and grow. He needed to know if something's going on. He wondered if it was right to second guess Shouto's business partners. Shouto wasn't a child anymore. He was old enough to make his own choices. Who was he to second guess Shouto. He sighed as he watched Dabi and Hawks talk from a distance. 

'Shouto doesn't need Touya nor I to hover around him. I want him to be safe. After Fuyumi's funeral, I thought we hated her. However, it made us realize that Shouto wasn't the only one suffering from Dad's abuse. It was all of us. Fuyumi's dream was to keep us together. She didn't want us to drift away. She was the one who drifted away. I should've been there for him. I guess we didn't really know each other.' 

Natsuo sighed to himself while his thoughts continued to run through his mind. He shouldn't be paranoid. Shouto was old enough to make his own decisions. Natsuo couldn't go around making Shouto's decisions. Maybe he should sit back and let his little brother handle it. 

There was no reason to be worried. 

However, the feeling in his gut said otherwise. He shouldn't listen to the small voice in the back of his head, telling him that Shouto needed to be careful. Nah, Shouto can make his own choices. Shouto didn't need someone to watch over him. He shouldn't be the one that makes Shouto's choices. Shouto's fully capable of making his own choices. He sighed to himself. 

"Hey, Nats, help me," Dabi called out to his brother. Hawks stopped joking around with Dabi when they noticed Natsuo staring out. Dabi could tell that his brother was thinking about Shindo's affection towards their little brother. Shouto had much to learn and watching where the line draws. After learning about Shouto's accident, they wanted nothing more than to protect Shouto from everything. Shouto was slowly moving on from his past. Dabi and Natsuo let go of their double lives and tried to be a family. Their choice to stay together was to honor Fuyumi's wish. She wanted them to be a family and not drift away. 

"Natsuo?" Dabi approached his brother as Natsuo snaps out of it. "Were you calling me?" Natsuo glanced at his eldest brother. "You seem out of it," Dabi commented. Natsuo sighs, "Maybe I'm paranoid, but I can't help but feel something off about that guy. Shouto's too trusting for his own good. I should respect his decisions, but-" Dabi cut his brother off. "It's okay, Nats. I'll talk with Sho later. He's my baby brother too." Dabi reassured his brother with a smile. 

"Thanks, Touya," Natsuo replied. It didn't ease his worries, but it did help. He wondered what his brother's thinking. 

*****

Shouto was in his office with Inasa. "Inasa, are you going to tell me what you were thinking?" Shouto didn't enjoy the thought of being kept in the dark. "Shouto, it's nothing." 
"How is it nothing if it seems to be bothering you?" Shouto was quick to question his friend. Inasa rubbed the back of his neck nervously. "Don't you think that you're a bit too trusting?" Shouto tilted his head. "What do you mean?" 

"You were too quick to accept Shindo's offer. You have no idea what he could be capable of," Inasa stated. "Inasa, you're acting like he's a villain," Shouto retorted. "Shouto, he was hitting on you!" Shouto was taken back by Inasa's words. "Inasa, you're worrying about nothing." Inasa shook his head. "Shouto, he kissed your hand. The way he was looking at you suggested nothing friendly," Inasa told him. 

"He knows I'm with Izuku," Shouto pointed out. "Is it really going to stop him from pursuing you? What if he tries to kiss you in front of Midoriya? How do you think your boyfriend will react? Shouto, what if he hurts you? You can't trust him. You have-"