My Hero Academia: Heavenly Restriction

I stared at my screen, blinking repeatedly as if that would somehow change the numbers. The powerstone count sat at 800. Eight hundred. They'd not only hit the goal once but twice in a single day. And I'd just finished uploading the first bonus chapter a few hours ago.

"This... this isn't possible." My Stitch onesie felt suddenly too warm as I scrolled through the notifications. "You're all supposed to be sleeping or working or... or doing literally anything else!"

The comments section exploded with demands for the promised chapters. I'd made the challenge thinking it would give me breathing room - who hits 400 powerstones that quickly, let alone 800? My fingers trembled as I reached for my coffee mug, finding it depressingly empty.

It's fine. This is fine. I just had to make it to Saturday without them gaining another 400. They couldn't possibly... right?

A notification pinged. Another powerstone.

"No no no..." I pulled my hood up, Stitch's ears flopping over my eyes. "Don't you dare. Don't you dare get excited about this. Go back to your lives!"

I glanced at my notebook, where plot points and character arcs sprawled across pages in organized chaos. Two more chapters. I could handle two more chapters. But if they hit another 400 before Saturday...

Another ping. Another powerstone.

I groaned and faceplanted into my desk, surrounded by empty energy drink cans and half-finished sketches. "I created monsters. Beautiful, supportive, terrifying monsters."

Just make it to Saturday, I told myself. They can't possibly do it again.

...right?

======

We finished our meals in comfortable silence, occasionally stealing bites from each other's bowls. The owner beamed at our empty dishes.

"Come back anytime!" He waved off my attempt to pay. "On the house today. Consider it a celebration of your UA acceptance!"

"Thank you, but-"

"No buts! Just promise to visit again."

"We will," Camie assured him. "This place is too good not to."

Outside, the afternoon sun had softened, casting long shadows across the street. I shouldered her bag again, and she immediately reclaimed her spot against my side.

"So," she said, "what's next on the grand tour?"

"Well, there's a nice park nearby. Good spot for people watching." I checked the time. "Then maybe that cafe you liked? They do afternoon tea sets."

"Perfect." She snuggled closer as a cool breeze swept past. "Lead on, tour guide."

We walked slowly, taking in the sights. Camie had opinions about everything - the cute boutique with vintage dresses, the bookstore cat sleeping in the window, the street musician playing something jazzy on a beaten-up saxophone.

"It's so lively here," she said, watching a group of kids chase each other with toy hero figures. "Different from home."

"Good different?"

"Yeah." She smiled up at me. "Feels right, you know? Like this is where I'm supposed to be."

The simple honesty in her voice made my heart skip. "I'm glad."

"Me too." She stopped suddenly, tugging my arm. "Oh! Ice cream!"

Sure enough, a small cart was parked near the park entrance, a cheerful vendor arranging colorful toppings.

"We just ate."

"There's always room for ice cream." She batted her eyes at me. "Please?"

"...Fine."

"Yes!" She bounced on her toes. "You're the best!"

"You're just saying that because I'm buying."

"Nope." She popped the 'p' sound. "I'm saying it because it's true."

Before I could process that, she was already at the cart, chatting animatedly with the vendor. I followed more slowly, trying to get my racing thoughts under control.

This is fine. Everything's fine. Just a normal afternoon with a friend who happens to be beautiful and funny and somehow thinks you're the best and-

"Izu! What flavor do you want?"

I blinked, realizing I'd zoned out again. "Uh, green tea?"

"Boring." She turned back to the vendor. "One green tea and one strawberry cheesecake, please! Extra sprinkles on both."

"I don't need-"

"Sprinkles make everything better. Plus, it looks good for insta." She accepted the cones, passing me the green one. "Trust me on this."

The ice cream was good, the matcha flavor rich and not too sweet. Camie's choice was considerably more elaborate, swirled with ribbons of strawberry sauce and graham cracker crumbs.

"Want to try?" She held out her cone after taking at least 20 photos with it.

I hesitated for a fraction of a second too long. She rolled her eyes and simply pressed the ice cream to my lips.

"There. Now we're even."

The sweetness burst across my tongue, along with the sudden realization that this was basically an indirect kiss. So childish. From her smirk, she knew exactly what she was doing.

"You're dangerous," I muttered.

"Periodt." She licked a stray drop from her cone, maintaining eye contact the whole time. "Besides, what's life without a little danger?"

We found a bench near the park's central fountain, watching people pass by as we finished our ice cream. Camie provided running commentary on particularly interesting outfits or hairstyles, occasionally creating small illusions to show how she'd improve them.

"That guy would look so much better with a proper undercut." She demonstrated with a shimmer of her quirk. "See?"

"You should go into fashion if the hero thing doesn't work out."

"Please, I'm going to rock both." She dispelled the illusion with a wave. "Speaking of fashion, want to help me decorate my new place once I move in?"

"You found somewhere?"

"Maybe..." She smiled mysteriously. "Have to check out a few options first. Including that unit your mom mentioned..."

"4B? It's nice. Good natural light."

"Hmm." Camie tapped her chin thoughtfully, ice cream cone tilting dangerously. "Well, might as well check it out. Plus your mom did promise to feed me some katsudon..."

"You remember that?"

"Fam, I've been dreaming about it since she mentioned it in that talk." She caught a drip of melting ice cream with her tongue. "And I really want to meet her properly. Video calls don't count."

The last rays of sunlight painted everything in warm amber tones, softening the edges of buildings. She finished her cone and dusted off her hands, then held one out expectantly.

"Well?"

I stared at her outstretched hand.

"Your mom's katsudon isn't going to eat itself, Izu."

Her fingers wiggled impatiently. I took her hand, and she immediately laced our fingers together like it was the most natural thing in the world.

"Your hands are cold," I noted.

"Ice cream'll do that." She pressed closer to my side. "Good thing you're basically a space heater."

We walked in comfortable silence, her thumb occasionally brushing across my knuckles. The streets grew familiar - the convenience store where Mom bought her morning coffee, the florist who always saved her favorite lilies, the elderly couple who walked their Shiba Inu at exactly 4 PM every day.

"Oh, that's my backup apartment option." Camie pointed to a modern building with floor-to-ceiling windows. "But honestly? Way too exposed. Heroes need better security."

"Speaking from experience?"

"Let's just say some fans get creative with drones." She shuddered. "Not dealing with that again."

The implications of that statement sparked something protective in my chest. I squeezed her hand gently.

"4B has reinforced windows and a pretty good security system."

"Trying to sell me on being neighbors, Izu?"

"Just stating facts."

"Mhm." She bumped my shoulder playfully. "Nothing to do with wanting me close by?"

Before I could formulate a response that wouldn't incriminate me further, we reached my building. The familiar brick facade looked different somehow, knowing Camie was seeing it for the first time.

"This is nice," she said, studying the well-maintained entrance. "Homey."

I fished out my keys one-handed, unwilling to let go of her just yet. The lobby was quiet, our footsteps echoing off polished floors.

"Fourth floor?" Camie eyed the elevator skeptically. "Please tell me that works."

"Usually. But the stairs are good exercise."

"Of course you'd say that." She tugged me toward the elevator anyway. "Some of us didn't spend ten months training with a martial arts master."

The elevator arrived with a cheerful ding. Inside, Camie examined her reflection in the mirrored walls, fixing invisible imperfections in her hair.

"Nervous?"

"Me? Never." But her free hand kept smoothing nonexistent wrinkles from her dress. "Just want to make a good impression."

"Mom already likes you."

"Video calls aren't real life, Izu." She bit her lip. "What if-"

The elevator stopped. I squeezed her hand again.

"Trust me?"

She met my eyes in the mirror. "Always."

The apartment door opened to darkness and silence. No shoes in the entryway except mine, no familiar humming from the kitchen.

"Mom?" I called out, though it was clear she wasn't home. 

Camie released my hand to slip off her boots, arranging them neatly beside my shoes. 

"Should I call her?"

"Probably." She wandered into the living room, taking everything in. "Oh my god, is this baby Izu?"

I pulled out my phone, deliberately not looking at whichever embarrassing photo had caught her attention. Mom answered on the second ring.

"Izuku! Perfect timing. I'm just finishing up at the grocery store. Did you have a nice afternoon?"

"Yeah, it was great. Um, about dinner..."

"Is Camie-chan coming over? I got extra ingredients just in case."

"She's actually here now."

"Oh!" Mom's voice brightened considerably. "Wonderful! I'll be home soon. Make sure she's comfortable, and don't you dare start helping in the kitchen when I get back. This is your night off."

"But-"

"No buts! You two relax. I've been looking forward to this."

She hung up before I could protest further. I turned to find Camie examining our family photos with intense concentration.

"You were an adorable kid," she said without looking up. "These All Might onesies are killing me."

"Mom's on her way."

"Perfect." She pointed to a particularly mortifying shot of three-year-old me covered in mud. "Story. Now."

"I was trying to rescue a frog."

"Of course you were." She moved to the next photo. "Your mom takes really good pictures."

"She says memories are important."

Camie nodded, trailing her fingers across a frame holding my elementary school graduation photo. Her expression shifted, something soft and sad crossing her features.

"Hey." I stepped closer. "What's wrong?"

"Nothing." She shook her head. "Just... This is what a home should feel like, you know? Warm. Full of memories. Loved."

The weight behind those words hung in the air. I reached for her hand again, and she threaded our fingers together immediately.

"Mom's going to fill at least three albums with UA photos."

"Yeah?"

"Probably more. She's already planning coordinated holiday cards."

That startled a laugh out of her. "Seriously?"

"She has a Pinterest board."

"That's adorable." Camie squeezed my hand. "Think she'll let me help?"

"Pretty sure you're already factored into the plans."

She turned to face me fully, eyes bright in the dim room. "Izu..."

Keys rattled in the door. We jumped apart like guilty teenagers, which was ridiculous considering we'd done nothing wrong. Mom bustled in, arms full of grocery bags.

"I'm home! Camie-chan, welcome!"

"Thank you for having me, Midoriya-san." Camie bowed perfectly. "Your home is lovely."

"None of that formal nonsense. Call me Inko." Mom set down her bags and pulled Camie into a warm hug. "I'm so happy to finally meet you in person!"

Camie stiffened for a fraction of a second before melting into the embrace. Something complicated passed across her face - longing, maybe, or recognition of what she'd been missing.

"Now then!" Mom released her, but kept one hand on her shoulder. "You must be hungry after your trip. Izuku, be a dear and put these away while I chat with Camie?"

"You said-"

"Putting away groceries isn't cooking." She shooed me toward the kitchen. "Camie-chan, make yourself comfortable. Would you like some tea?"

"Yes, please."

I sorted vegetables into their proper places, listening to Mom and Camie chat easily in the living room. Their laughter mingled together, punctuated by the soft clink of teacups.

"Oh, do you have any baby photos of Izu in his hero costume? He mentioned making them..."

"Of course! Let me find that album..."

Note to self: Hide those albums before next time.

"Izuku!" Mom called. "Come look at this one!"

I braced myself for maximum embarrassment and went to join them.