Disclaimer: I do not own anything in the Persona series.
Another Persona 5 fanfiction challenge!
This challenge features a very specific pairing: Makoto x Haru or Okujima if you want to know their ship name. If you read my last challenge fanfiction which included pairings for all of the (human) Phantom Thieves, you'll remember that I mentioned Okujima was my OTP for Persona 5. So, when this challenge appeared on Tumblr a few months later, I knew I had to participate!
For this challenge, the author or artist must post their work during the week of January 21 – January 27, with a different prompt each day. Go and search #okujima week if you are curious and want to see other works – I know I will be doing that!
The first day is soft/fluff, so that is what today's story is all about! In addition, all of my stories will be one-shots, and will be romantic in nature. The challenge doesn't specifically say it has to be, but that was the implication I received, so I'm going with that!
Please enjoy this first part of the Okujima Week 2019 Challenge!
Okujima Week 2019 Challenge:
Lives Shared:
Soft/Fluff
-Haru-
"Hey… Haru?"
Said girl turned at the sound of the timid voice behind her. Classes had just ended, and Haru had been packing up her things at her desk to leave. Her plan was to check up on her plants on the rooftop, and then she was going to go home. Even though the Phantom Thieves had disbanded several months prior, Haru found that her days were still just as busy as ever, having to contend with both schoolwork and helping to run her father's company. But today, she had no such plans, so she was going to use this free day to catch up on other things, chief among them getting a good night's rest.
It appeared as though that would have to be put on hold, though, as she turned to look at the person who had spoken to her. Her best friend and girlfriend of several months Makoto Niijima was standing there, her expression somewhat nervous. It was unusual to see the usually confident and collected student council president this way. Haru briefly wondered what was wrong.
"Mako-chan! What a pleasant surprise. Is something the matter?" Haru inquired, tilting her head to one side.
Haru's curiosity was piqued further as Makoto answered her with a stutter. "O-of course not! I… was wondering if you'd like to spend some time together. If you're free, that is," she added.
Haru smiled. Makoto was always so kind and considerate of others, even if she wasn't always sure how to express that concern. "Definitely! I was going to check on the plants, but I think they'll be fine for one day."
Makoto blinked. "Really? I don't want to prevent you from taking proper care of them."
The gardener giggled. "It's no trouble at all, Mako-chan. I always check on them at lunch anyway, so I don't necessarily need to look at them now." Makoto opened her mouth, seemingly wanting to insist that she had changed her mind, but Haru beat her to it. "You're not inconveniencing me, Mako-chan. It's always a pleasure to spend time with you." She smiled warmly.
Makoto closed her mouth, blushing slightly. "How did you know that's what I was going to say?"
"Well, we have been dating for months. I'd be more surprised if I didn't know by now!" She picked up her school bag.
Makoto chuckled. "That's a very good point. I'd like to say I have the same perspective in regards to you, but sometimes, I'm not so sure."
Haru glanced around. She saw that at this point, everyone else had left the classroom. While she enjoyed spending time with her girlfriend, she knew that being around the student council president made many other students uneasy, so they tended to disperse more often than not when she was in a room. Even though she had noticeably softened after becoming a Phantom Thief, she did still exude an air of strict adherence to the rules.
Since everyone was gone, Haru decided to display some affection towards Makoto. The other girl was nervous about doing that publicly, but Haru knew that she appreciated being cared for. Stepping closer, she gave a quick peck on the girl's lips, smiling as Makoto's eyes went wide. "How do you think I'm feeling now?"
Makoto cleared her throat, her eyes darting around the classroom to see if anyone else had seen. Her features noticeably relaxed as she came to the same realization that Haru had. She wrapped her arms around the shorter girl and squeezed. "I would hazard a guess to say affectionate and content." She gave Haru a quick kiss to the side of her head. "Am I close?"
Haru nodded, blushing at how bold Makoto was being at school. "Spot on."
The two stood there for a moment, Haru sighing happily. Makoto was soft yet sturdy, and she was always there for Haru to lean on, both literally and metaphorically.
"So!" Makoto pulled away from the embrace and took a step back. Haru moved away a bit as well, a little dejected that the quiet moment between them had passed. "Let's go. I was thinking we could go back to my place."
Haru grinned. She knew what the other meant, but she decided to tease her about it anyway. "Mako-chan! You're so forward. I know we've been dating for a while, but I didn't know we were at that stage already."
Haru watched as Makoto's face instantly went red. It was almost comical how quickly the blush on her face appeared. "N-not in that way! I-I mean, you've been over before, and nothing like that's happened. I mean, not that nothing happens, but –!"
"Mako-chan." Haru placed a hand on the other girl's face. "I'm only teasing."
The student council president sighed. "That was cruel, you know."
"I know." Haru giggled, patting her face before pulling back.
"Anyway. Let's go." She stepped back and gestured towards the door. "After you."
Haru nodded at her as she walked out, with Makoto following closely behind.
The two seniors made their way to the subway station, Haru telling Makoto about her day. The other girl nodded and talked about her day as well, and the before the two knew it, they had ridden the subway and were in front of the Niijima apartment building.
"Here we are." Haru scurried up to the door, pulling it and holding it open for the other girl.
"Shouldn't I be doing this for you? This is where I live, after all." Makoto shook her head as she passed, entering the building,
"Perhaps, but I wanted to make up for earlier. For teasing you," Haru clarified at Makoto's confused expression. The shorter girl walked inside as well, letting the door swing shut behind them.
"I see. Thank you, then." Makoto ghosted a hand across Haru's cheek and smiled at her. Haru returned the smile just as warmly.
The two made their way up the stairs, forgoing the elevator in favor of fitting in some exercise.
A few minutes later, the two arrived at the door to the Niijima apartment, with Haru waiting patiently for Makoto to unlock it.
The other girl reached into her bag, taking out her key. She lifted it to the lock before suddenly turning her head back towards her bag.
"Is something the matter?" Haru asked, watching as Makoto used her free hand to extract her cell phone.
Makoto looked up at her, her warm smile dispelling any worry that Haru had been feeling. "Not at all. Just Sis asking me about something." She handed Haru the key. "Would you mind unlocking the apartment for me?"
Haru nodded, her hand touching Makoto's slightly as she took hold of the key. "Of course." She turned to unlock the door, seeing Makoto texting her sister out of the corner of her eye.
The door unlocked with a "click", and Haru opened it, walking in and waiting for her girlfriend to follow.
Makoto looked up, nodding at her. She slipped her cell phone back into her bag and stepped into the apartment, closing the door behind her.
Haru handed the key back to the other girl. "Here you go, Mako-chan."
To her surprise, her hand was pushed back. "That's okay, Haru. You should hold onto it." Haru looked at the other girl to see her still smiling warmly at her.
"I see?" Haru was confused. "I guess I can hold onto it until I leave." She went to place it into her bag, when her hand was suddenly grasped by Makoto's. Now Haru was definitely confused. "Do you want it back after all?"
Makoto was blushing. "Um… Haru. I was thinking you could hold onto that key… for the foreseeable future." Apparently still sensing her girlfriend's confusion, Makoto used her free hand to dig back into her bag, pulling out a Buchimaru-kun lanyard. Attached to it was a key, and it looked similar to the one in Haru's own hand.
And that's when it hit her. Makoto had her own key, and now that Haru looked more closely at the one she was holding, it did look relatively new. Which meant…
Haru gasped, realizing what was happening. "Mako-chan…"
Makoto smiled. "Haru. We've been dating for a while now, and I really care about you. I… trust you completely, and I wanted to show you that." She squeezed Haru's hand. "You've been there for me ever since you became a Phantom Thief, and… I know that I'm not always the best at expressing my feelings, or picking up on your flirtations, but I do truly appreciate everything that you do for me."
Suddenly, the girl looked down, a flush on her face. "If… you're not comfortable with this, or think I'm moving too quickly, please let me know. I… I've never dated anyone before, so I'm not sure if this is the correct protocol."
Haru didn't respond. She couldn't. Her heart was fit to burst with happiness, and she was so overcome with emotion that she could not physically form words. She knew that Makoto was definitely the type to take her time with a relationship, and so far, Haru herself had been the one to advance it most of the time. But for Makoto to do something like this… and in such a Makoto-like way…
It seemed that Makoto took her girlfriend's silence as an uncomfortable one. "I-I mean… you are over here several days a week anyway, so I didn't think it was too big of a deal…" She looked back up. "I was thinking that… once I move out and find my own place, and you do something similar, we could… maybe get our own place. Together." She chuckled nervously. "But for now, I figured having you be able to visit whenever you would like would be the next-best thing."
Haru smiled, her eyes watery. "Mako-chan…"
The student council president returned her smile. "Good. I'm glad I didn't upset you –" She couldn't finish her sentence as Haru flung her arms around her, squeezing with all her might. "H-Haru?"
Finally, Haru found a voice to her feelings. "I'm so happy about this! Really, Mako-chan!" She moved her head back to be able to kiss the other girl, who made a surprised sound but returned the gesture nonetheless. Pulling back, she murmured, "I… I've always loved how earnest you are, and how you take everything so seriously. It lets me know… that you really care." She held up her key. "And this… is really the most thoughtful gift I've ever received. I knew that you cared… but I have to say, I was pleasantly surprised to see just how much you care."
Makoto smiled. "Thank you, Haru." She hugged the girl, moving her head to her shoulder. "I never thought I would feel this deeply about another person, but your kindness and gentle disposition won me over." She leaned back in Haru's embrace, looking deeply into her eyes. "It's truly my honor to give this to you."
The two smiled at each other for a little longer, enjoying the new step forward in their relationship. It pleased Haru to no end that Makoto trusted her deeply enough to share her living space with her. As Haru had just said, the other girl was serious, and that meant that she took every precaution before making a decision. So, the fact that the other girl had thought long and hard before ultimately coming to this decision made Haru's heart swell with affection and pride for being able to make the girl she cared for so… content.
Speaking of which, though this was Makoto's lodging, it wasn't exactly hers alone. "Mako-chan?" Haru asked, rubbing her hands up and down the other girl's back.
"Yes?"
"Did you… talk this over with your sister? Is she okay with me having access to your apartment?"
Makoto chuckled. "I did. She was completely on board with the idea. She said that you're the only reason any of our houseplants are still alive."
Haru giggled. "That sounds like something Sae-san would say. But I'm surprised. She seems like a private person. Even if I'm her sister's girlfriend, it seems odd that she would accept this so easily."
"You really know the both of us too well." Makoto shook her head. "I actually talked about this decision extensively with her, and she didn't accept it right away. It wasn't until she asked me a question, and I answered it, that she felt that I had to do this."
Haru's heart beat a little bit faster. "What was the question?"
Makoto smiled. "Would you trust her with your life?"
Haru raised her eyebrows. "That seems a little dramatic for this type of situation."
"Well, if you think about it, not really." Makoto chuckled. "Technically, you could enter the apartment and kill either one of us if you wanted to."
Haru blanched. "What a horrible thought! I'm surprised your sister would even think of that."
The other girl shook her head. "I don't think she really thought it. But she wanted to see how serious I was about you."
"I see. And… how did you respond?" Haru's heart continued to pound, curious as to how Makoto would answer that would make her sister completely comfortable with her decision.
"Of course I would. She's already saved it several times." Makoto tilted her head. "I thought it was obvious, really. Our times in the Metaverse made us all depend on each other."
Haru smiled. "Mako-chan…"
Makoto smiled back. "It's the truth. And… I trust that you feel the same?"
Haru nodded. "Of course, Mako-chan. After all, you did plenty of saving yourself." She raised the key that now held so much meaning, and gave it a quick kiss.
She laughed when Makoto did the same.
First one down. Hopefully that was soft and/or fluffy enough for you. I feel like Haru is just the literal embodiment of fluff, so it's not too hard to write a story about it. Add Makoto being a blushing mess, and you've got yourself a cute story. Plus, it's kinda like domestic fluff since Makoto is sharing access to her living space with her girlfriend.
See you tomorrow!