The Royal Couple is a Persona 5 fanfic by Theralion.
Its starts at the beginning of December 2016, when Haru makes a Love Confession to Makoto, before retracing their steps to how they first met, as well as where their relationship goes from there.
The fic can be found on Fanfiction.net
and AO3, and has been cancelled.
The fic also has a collection of side stories, which can be found on Fanfiction.net and AO3
The fic contains examples of:
- Accomplice by Inaction: Discussed when Haru recalls Kamoshida. She says that almost everyone at Shujin played at least some role in letting him get away with his misdeeds for as long as he did, so it's hypocritical to single out anyone, like Makoto, for being responsible.
- Adaptational Sexuality: While both Makoto and Haru were attracted to Ren in canon- especially the latter, who is the most upset if Ren turns her down- they're both lesbians here.
- Arc Words: "Princess." It's what Milady calls Haru, as well as Tsukasa's nickname for his marks. Some of the Shujin students consider Haru a "princess" to Kunikazu Okumura's king, being a spoiled princess who lives of her father's ill-gotten wealth.
- Ascended Extra:
- Eiko from Makoto's Confidant is promoted to a recurring character, rather than one who makes a handful of appearances in Makoto's Confidant.
- Tsukasa, who's also from Makoto's Confidant, becomes a Mementos target in the fic, much like the anime adaptation.
- Curse Cut Short: Makoto slaps Eiko in the face as the latter starts to call her a "greedy bitch" for supposedly trying to steal Tsukasa away.
- First-Name Basis: After welcoming Haru into the Phantom Thieves, Makoto starts calling Haru by her first name. It takes Haru a few days to reciprocate, but she comes around; her Affectionate Nickname of "Mako-chan" came as a result of a typo when trying to type out "Makoto-chan."
- Hope Spot: After the initial foray into the Casino Palace, Akechi starts calling Ren by his first name, and the latter seems pleased. Unfortunately, that very evening, Ren learns that Akechi wants to kill him.
- How We Got Here: The fic has Haru and Makoto reminisce about the events that took place between when they met in September and their and her confession at the start of December.
- Incompatible Orientation:
- In addition to all the other reasons Haru has to dislike Sugimura, she's a lesbian and has no interest in him as a man.
- Implied with Makoto and Ren, since while Makoto considers Ren a good guy, she's not attracted to him.
- Japanese Honorifics: It's pointed out that Haru uses honorifics on most people, even her friends, so when she forgoes honorifics, it's clear that she doesn't like that person.
- Love Confession: Haru confessing to Makoto begins the fic.
- Ship Sinking: Ren/Makoto is sunk in Chapter 5. Makoto admits that she doesn't feel anything about being on a date with Ren, despite the fact that he's probably the best possible boyfriend out of all the guys she knows. After he and Makoto expose Tsukasa's true colors, Ren asks for permission to drop the "boyfriend" act, and Makoto agrees.
- Shout-Out: After learning that her father bought the model he always wanted as a kid(the true form of his Palace's Treasure), but never put it together, Haru wonders if he also has a sled with "Rosebud" on it.
- Switching P.O.V.: The fic alternates between Makoto and Haru's first-person perspective.
- Unspoken Plan Guarantee: Averted when Makoto tells Ren her plan to trick Tsukasa, and the plan goes off flawlessly.
