Written for Day 2 of ShuMako Week 2020: Sleepover/Dreaming. Originally published on AO3 under Vie_Boheme. Doing some catch up for my Persona fics!

"Are you sure you're okay with this?"

Makoto nearly jumped at the sound of Ren's voice, not having realized that she had zoned out. She began to fiddle with the hem of the borrowed oversized shirt which hung loose around her shoulders. "O-of course! I was just thinking about...things." She cringed at her ineloquent response.

She was pointedly not looking at him, but she could see in his periphery that he was shifting slightly from where he was seated in his bed, his back up against the wall of his room in the Leblanc attic. "Like I said before, I'm happy to take the couch if you -"

"No, no!" She stammered out, her cheeks flushing. Why was she being such a nervous wreck about this situation? "I couldn't make you do that. Especially after you were generous enough to let me stay here."

Ren smirked at her. "As if I was going to make my girlfriend sleep outside during the worst storm of the year."

Well, he had a point there. Although they'd been calling for rain all week, she couldn't have been prepared for the sheer force of nature that was currently raging outside when she'd made her way to Leblanc that afternoon. Both Ren and Sojiro had insisted that she stay inside until it subsided. When it became clear that wouldn't be happening until long after the last train of the night, her boyfriend had sheepishly suggested that she stay until morning.

And that's how they found themselves at their current standstill. Makoto was standing awkwardly in the middle of the attic in an assortment of Ren's spare clothing while he waited patiently for her to make her way to his bed. Which they would be sharing for the first time since they'd started their relationship.

"Makoto," he began, "I don't mean to rush you, but I worry if you stay like that any longer you'll just end up falling asleep standing up."

With a heavy sigh, she acquiesced, advancing towards the bed before cautiously sitting at the edge. Ren didn't move, watching her face carefully. "You know, I'm just as nervous about this as you are."

She shook her head. "I don't believe that. You're always so...calm about this stuff...Even though I'm older, I always feel like the immature one when it comes to our relationship."

He didn't say anything. Instead, he reached out and grabbed one of her hands, placing it against his chest where she could feel the accelerated beating of his heart. "Feel that? And it slowed down quite a bit. When I saw you walk up the stairs wearing my clothes, I almost had a heart attack."

Makoto scoffed at him, feeling heat rush to her cheeks again. Like it always did whenever he complimented her. She didn't move her hand away, but twisted her fingers into his shirt. "I'm just...nervous. A-about what this all means."

He furrowed his brows. "I don't understand."

Her nerves were taking ahold of her again. She avoided his gaze as she fixated on a random spot on the bed. "N-nothing, nevermind. Let's just go to sleep."

Ren wasn't having it. He reached out a hand and moved her face back towards him, a frown on his face. "Makoto. Please tell me what's going on in that head of yours. I just want you to feel comfortable."

Makoto chewed on her lower lip. "Well…it's just that, we've been, um, more intimate lately." Her voice cracked slightly. "And sharing a bed together, that's usually something that couples do when they, y-you know…" Her voice trailed off. She couldn't bring herself to finish the thought.

Ren's face flushed slightly at her words, an uncommon sight. "O-oh. I see." He rubbed the back of his neck as it was his turn to look away from her. "Um, I wasn't expecting that from you tonight, if that's what's making you so nervous. At least not yet." His eyes widened. "N-not that I'm expecting that in the future either! Not if you don't want to."

Seeing Ren's usually composed demeanour falter, Makoto's nerves about the night nearly dissipated entirely. She smiled at him. "I know. You're not like that, Ren. You're too kind. I just let my worries get the best of me. B-but I think talking it out really helped." To reaffirm her point, she leaned over to kiss him, which he eagerly returned.

As the kiss deepened, she found herself reclined against the futon, Ren leaning over her as his fingers gently cradled her face. When they separated, he placed a tender peck to her forehead then nuzzled her nose with his. Makoto stifled a giggle at the sensation.

"I may have been lying earlier," he said with a sly grin. "There is one thing I expect from you tonight."

She raised an eyebrow at him, unable to hide the smile that teased her lips as she played along. "Oh, really? And what might that be?"

His grin widened. "Some old-fashioned cuddling, if that's alright with my Queen."

Makoto nodded sheepishly before maneuvering herself so that she was laying on her side, facing the attic stairs. She sighed as Ren snuggled closer to her, wrapping an arm around her middle and resting his head against the back of hers.

It didn't take long for her to fall asleep, the warmth and solidity of Ren pressed against her making her feel safe and secure. She slept better than she had in years - an experience made all the more enjoyable when she awoke the next morning and discovered that Ren drooled in his sleep. It was something she planned to tease him about mercilessly in the future.

"I can't help but feel a little silly about this."

Ren shrugged. "Try not to think about it too much. It's just the two of us."

Makoto fiddled nervously with her hair, pushing some errand strands behind her ear. "I know…"

"And it's not anything new, not really. We've spent the night with each other plenty of times." He paused, running a hand through his hair before settling back on his side, watching her with a sleepy smile. She wished she could reach out and touch him. "And I've missed our sleepovers."

Makoto shifted, resting her head more comfortably on top of her pillow. "Me too. I miss you."

Ren opened his mouth to say something, but was cut off by the sound of knocking. "One second."

Makoto sighed as his face disappeared from the screen of her laptop. The sound of talking could be heard from off camera, and she almost jumped when a bright, smiley face appeared on-screen.

"Hello, Mako-chan!" Ren appeared off to the side behind his mother, mouthing a silent apology.

"Oh, hello, Amamiya-san!" She squeaked out nervously. Even though Ren constantly reassured her that his parents loved her, she couldn't help but feel self-conscious whenever she spoke to them. Especially when she didn't have time to prepare herself in advance - like at this very moment.

Ren's mother asked her the usual questions about school and her sister, which she answered politely. "And when will you be coming to visit us again? I'm tired of seeing my son sulking all the time because he misses his girlfriend." Ren rolled his eyes from behind her.

"Soon!" she promised. "I'll have some time off for winter break."

The older woman nodded. "Good. Then I'll leave you two to your little date," she teased, flashing her son an amused look over her shoulder. "Goodnight, Mako-chan."

Ren looked sheepish as he crawled back into bed. "I'm so sorry, as soon as I told her I was talking to you she insisted on saying hello."

"It's alright," she reassured him. "It was sweet."

"She wasn't lying, you know," he said. "I do miss my incredibly beautiful, smart and sexy girlfriend. So she better come visit me during the winter break."

Makoto couldn't help but blush a little at his emphasis on that last compliment. "I've already cleared it with Sae. I'll be booking my train as soon as I know my final exam schedule."

"Good, I can't wait." He smiled at her before laying on his back, his hands on his stomach. "That way I can update my countdown."

"Your countdown?"

"You know, the one I have for the next time I see you." He reached into his pocket and pulled out his phone to show her that he did in fact have a countdown going for sometime at the end of December.

Makoto snorted. "You're so corny."

"And you love me for it."

"I do," she admitted with a soft smile.

Ren sighed. "I can't wait to show you around the town. It's not Tokyo, but it's got a charm to it, you know? I think you'll like it. And I've got plenty of dates already planned out for when you're here. I've got so much to show you."

"Well, I can definitely think of some things that I'm looking forward to doing when I see you again," she teased him, a flirty edge to her voice.

A slight grin appeared on his face as he looked away from her briefly, excitement clear on his features. He liked it when she got bold. "Oh, yeah? And what might that be?"

Makoto shifted in place, suddenly more awake. "Why don't I show you? But first...make sure you lock your door."

He was on his feet before she even finished her sentence.

When she awoke the next morning, it took her a moment to remember why she had fallen asleep with her laptop beside her. She smiled when she saw that Ren was still sleeping, the faint sound of his snoring coming in through the video feed. At some point during the night, Morgana had joined them and was curled up on Ren's pillow. She sighed wistfully as she watched him, annoyed that she couldn't reach out and run her fingers through his hair or curl up against his side.

She couldn't wait to see him again so they could have a proper sleepover. And all that entailed.

"Maybe I can get through one more box-"

"Mako, enough, you need a break."

Before she could protest, she felt an arm around her waist drag her backwards until she landed unceremoniously on the couch, halfway on Ren's lap. She tried to wiggle free, but his grip was firm. His breath rushed past her face as he chuckled in her ear.

"But there's still so much to do," she pouted, her eyes surveying the apartment. Despite both of their efforts throughout the afternoon and evening to unpack their things, there still remained plenty of boxes to open and items to put away. They were surrounded by a mixture of items they were bringing from their respective homes, as well as an assortment of homecoming gifts ranging from practical (courtesy of Haru, Sae and Sojiro) to downright absurd (thanks to Yusuke, Futaba and Ryuji).

"We've been at it all day," he argued, rearranging her in his arms so that they were both more comfortable. "And we still have all of tomorrow. But right now, I'm exhausted, and I just want to relax and enjoy the rest of the evening with my beautiful girlfriend in our new apartment."

As he nuzzled her neck, Makoto couldn't help but relax into him. He did have a point. "Fine," she relented. "But only if we use the evening to catch up on Like a Dragon. We still have a few episodes left of the first season."

"As my Queen commands."

Ren maneuvered around her to get up off the couch, returning with the remote in one hand and a large fluffy blanket in the other. Makoto snuggled into him, her head on his lap as he stretched out on the couch, his long legs resting on the coffee table. She hummed in appreciation when she felt his fingers run through her hair as the familiar tune of the opening credits began to play. "I bet you're going to pass out before this episode's over."

Makoto furrowed her brows in protest even as she felt her eyes growing heavy. "Definitely not. I'm wide awake."

She didn't even make it five minutes.

It took her longer than usual to orient herself the next morning. Not only was she not in a familiar bed, she was in a new space altogether. Her and Ren's apartment - a concept she needed to get used to. There was no longer his or hers, but "theirs".

Ren must have fallen asleep after her, for at some point during the night he had shifted so that he was lying on his side, his back up against the couch as he held her body close to his. Between his body weight and the blanket that was wrapped around them, she was feeling immensely warm but didn't want to entangle herself from him just yet.

Just a little longer, she thought, letting her eyes fall closed once again as she snuggled deeper into his embrace. The rest of their unpacking could wait until later.