My Hero Academia: Heavenly Restriction

Beep. Beep. Beep.

The steady rhythm of medical equipment pulled me from darkness. My eyes cracked open to a dimly lit room, the only illumination coming from a muted TV mounted on the wall. Recovery Girl's office. The familiar smell of antiseptic mixed with something else - lavender?

A weight pressed against my chest, warm and solid. My first thought was Camie, but something felt off. The weight felt different and the texture of the hair splayed across my torso was wrong.

The TV caught my attention. A news anchor's face filled the screen, her expression grave as text scrolled beneath:

"...first-year students of UA's Class 1-A faced off against multiple villains at the USJ facility. Pro Heroes Thirteen and Eraser Head sustained major injuries during the incident. Two students, whose name is being withheld, also suffered severe trauma..."

Movement drew my gaze downward. Moonlight filtering through the window illuminated pale skin and a red lace bra. Definitely not Camie. The woman shifted, pressing closer in her sleep.

What the hell?

I tried to piece together my scattered memories. The Nomu. All Might's arrival. Then... nothing.

The figure stirred at my tension. Blue eyes blinked open, and a familiar beauty mark came into focus below crimson-painted lips. Queen. Recovery girls assistant.

"Good morning, tiger." Her voice carried none of its usual sharp edge, softened by sleep.

I jerked upright. She moved with me, ending up straddling my lap. My brain short-circuited.

"I... you..." 

"Use your words." She stretched, seemingly unbothered by our position. "How do you feel?"

I started to answer, then paused. The pain was gone. Not just dulled, but completely absent. My ribs, which I distinctly remembered being shattered, felt whole. 

"What did you do to me?"

"Saved your life, for starters." She tapped my chest with one perfectly manicured nail. "Your mother's quite hard to persuade. Two days of negotiating before she'd let me try."

"Try what?"

Queen sighed, finally sliding off my lap to perch on the edge of the bed. "My quirk. Vital Exchange. I can take someone's injuries into my own body, process them at an accelerated rate, then return what's left for their natural healing to handle."

I frowned. "That sounds..."

"Dangerous? Painful? Yeah." She rubbed her side absently. "The more contact, the more efficient the transfer. And the less it hurts."

Understanding dawned. "That's why you were..."

"Cuddling you like a teddy bear? Exactly." A hint of her usual smirk returned. "Don't get any ideas. It was purely medical."

"But Recovery Girl-"

"Can only accelerate natural healing using your stamina. She was able to heal Bakugo, but your injuries were too severe. You had no stamina. Would have taken a while, even with her quirk." Queen's expression softened. "You really did a number on yourself, you know. Broken ribs, ruptured organs, internal bleeding..."

I looked away. "Had to buy time."

"Yeah. I saw the footage." She gestured to the TV. "They're calling you the 'unnamed student.' Probably trying to protect your privacy."

My hands clenched in the sheets. "I failed. If All Might hadn't shown up-"

"You bought time for your classmates to escape. Held off a monster specifically designed to kill the Symbol of Peace." Her finger jabbed my chest. "That's not failure, that's being a goddamn hero."

The words hit harder than they should have. I blinked rapidly, fighting back sudden moisture in my eyes.

"Thanks for the heals."

She waved it off. "Part of the job. Though next time, try not to need quite so much skin contact. These underwear aren't exactly regulation uniform."

I felt heat creep up my neck as I finally registered her attire - or lack thereof. "Right. Sorry."

"Don't be. You're actually pretty comfortable to sleep on." She stretched again, completely shameless. "Now, think you can manage some water? Recovery Girl will kill me if I don't follow proper post-healing protocols."

I nodded, watching as she padded across the room. Huh, same beauty mark on her right cheek. Her movements were slightly stiff, like someone recovering from a hard workout. Aftereffects of her quirk?

"How bad was it?" I asked quietly. "Taking my injuries?"

She paused, hand on the water pitcher. "Bad enough. But I've had worse."

"That's not an answer."

"No, it's not." She poured a glass. "Let's just say I understand why Recovery Girl was hesitant to heal you all at once. Some things aren't meant to be rushed."

The water was cool against my throat. I hadn't realized how thirsty I was until the first sip.

"Your mother stayed until about an hour ago," Queen said, taking the empty glass. "She'll be back in the morning. Woman's got a hell of a right hook when she's worried about her kid."

I winced. "She hit you?"

"Threatened to. Then hugged me and cried for thirty minutes when I explained how my quirk worked." A soft laugh. "I see where you get it from. That protective streak."

"Yeah." I smiled, remembering countless moments of mom's fierce love. "She's amazing."

Queen hummed agreement, checking various monitors with professional efficiency. The casual intimacy from moments ago had vanished, replaced by clinical detachment. But something still nagged at me.

"Why did you do it?" I asked. "You could have let Recovery Girl handle it slowly. Safer for you."

She stilled, back to me. "Because someone once told me that a true hero doesn't hesitate when others are suffering." Her voice carried an old weight. "Even if helping hurts."

The silence stretched between us, heavy with unspoken history. Finally, she turned, professional mask back in place.

"Try to get some more rest. I'll be right over there if you need anything." She gestured to a cot by the wall.

"You don't have to stay."

"Actually, I do. Quirk backlash takes about 24 hours to fully process. Need to monitor you for complications." She reached down, putting on some sweatpants slowly. "Don't worry, I'll keep my hands to myself this time."

"That's not-"

"Relax, tiger. I'm teasing." She pulled a blanket over herself. "Though you are surprisingly comfortable for someone so ripped. Like a muscular teddy bear."

"Please stop talking."

Her laugh followed me into sleep, warm and genuine in a way her usual sharp humor wasn't. The last thing I saw before drifting off was her watching me with an unreadable expression, moonlight painting silver highlights in her dark hair.

I woke to sunlight streaming through the infirmary windows. Queen sat at her desk, filling out paperwork with quick, precise movements. She'd changed into her usual nurse's uniform, though her hair remained slightly disheveled.

"Your fan club's here," she said without looking up, pressing a button. "I made them wait until you woke up."

The door burst open before I could respond. Mom rushed in first, followed closely by Camie. Their expressions couldn't have been more different - mom's face crumpled with relief while Camie's eyes blazed.

"Izuku!" Mom reached me first, hands hovering over my bandages like she was afraid to touch. "Are you-"

Camie rushed past her, grabbing my face and kissing me hard. The force of it knocked me back against the pillows. I tasted salt on her lips.

"Stupid." She punctuated each word with another kiss. "Reckless. Idiotic. Man."

"Miss Utsushimi." Queen's voice held an edge. "The patient is still recovering."

Camie pulled back just enough to look at her. "Yeah? Isn't that why you spent all night cuddling him?"

"That was medical-"

"Save it." Camie's fingers tightened on my shoulders. 

The room temperature dropped several degrees. Mom touched Camie's arm. "Sweetheart..."

"No." Camie's voice cracked. "He was dying. That thing was going to kill him, and I was stuck in the mountain zone fighting some D rate villains. Couldn't even make it down in time to..." She drew a shaky breath. "And then I find out some nurse got to hold him all night while I-"

I pulled her against my chest, feeling her shoulders shake. "I'm here. I'm okay."

"You're not okay." She punched my shoulder weakly. "Your ribs were powder. Your arm was... and the internal damage..." Another punch. "I watched that footage seventeen times. Counted every hit. Every time you got back up when you should have stayed down."

Mom's hand found mine, squeezing tight. "We both did."

I looked between them - the two strongest women I knew, both trying not to cry. "I'm sorry."

"Don't." Mom's voice hardened. "Don't apologize for being a hero. But..." She touched my cheek. "Next time, try to be a living one?"

"Speaking of living." Queen stood, straightening her uniform. "UA's shutting down for a week to upgrade security. Principal's orders. You're free to go, but no training. No exercise. Nothing more strenuous than walking to the bathroom."

Camie's head snapped up. "He's staying with me."

"Camie-" Mom started.

"You work days. I've got the week off." Camie's tone left no room for argument. "Plus, someone needs to make sure he actually rests."

Mom and Queen exchanged looks. Something unspoken passed between them.

"Fine." Mom sighed. "But I'm cooking enough meals for the week. That instant ramen diet of yours isn't going to help him heal."

"I can cook," I protested.

Three voices answered simultaneously: "No."

Queen handed me a stack of papers. "Care instructions. Follow them exactly or I'll know. And I mean exactly." Her eyes narrowed. "That means no sneaking in push-ups when you think no one's watching."

I felt heat creep up my neck. How did she-

"You talk in your sleep." The corner of her mouth twitched. "A lot."

Camie's arms tightened around me. Mom tried to hide her smile.

"Right." I cleared my throat. "So, uh, when can I leave?"

"Now, if you promise to behave." Queen's expression softened. "And Midoriya? That outfit of yours needs work." She shook her head. "Come see me when you're cleared. I've got some ideas."

"You're a nurse," Camie said flatly.

"I'm also the daughter of Japan's fourth leading support gear manufacturer." Queen's smile showed teeth. "But sure, focus on the nurse part."

The tension crackled between them until mom clapped her hands. "Alright! Let's get you home and settled. Camie, dear, help me with his things?"

They gathered my belongings while I changed behind a curtain. My movements were stiff but pain-free - whatever Queen had done, it worked better than I'd expected.

The walk to Camie's apartment took longer than usual. Both women hovered, ready to catch me if I stumbled. I didn't have the heart to tell them I felt fine. Their worry was earned.

"I've been thinking," I said as we reached Camie's door. "About the fight."

"Don't." Camie fumbled her keys. "Not yet."

"But-"

"Izuku." Mom's voice held that rare steel. "Give us time to process almost losing you before planning your next near-death experience."

I closed my mouth. They were right, of course. The improvements I needed - leg techniques, weapons training, gear upgrades - could wait. Right now, they needed to see me rest. Heal. Live.

Camie's apartment smelled like lavender and vanilla. She'd cleaned since my last visit, though her gaming setup still dominated one corner. 

"Bed or couch?" she asked.

"Couch. I've had enough beds."

Mom started unpacking food containers while Camie arranged pillows around me. The domesticity of it all hit suddenly - these two incredible women, taking care of me without hesitation.

"I love you both," I said quietly. "You know that, right?"

Mom's hands stilled. Camie's breath caught.

"We know." Mom's voice wavered. "We love you too. That's why-" She pressed her lips together.

"That's why it hurt so much," Camie finished. "Watching you fight that thing. Seeing you break yourself over and over."

"I had to buy time."

"We know that too." Camie curled against my side. "Doesn't make it easier to watch."

Mom brought over tea, her hands steady despite her red eyes. We sat in comfortable silence, letting the afternoon sun paint warmth across the floor. Tomorrow, I'd start planning improvements. Training adjustments. Gear modifications.

But today? Today I held the people I loved most, and let myself be held in return.