8 The selfish desire to have a harem

*MJ's POV*

I don't know when it started, but one day, my father came home drunk. It's not that drinking is unusual because all adults do it. It's just that he didn't handle alcohol well. I don't even remember what I did to make him angry, but he ended up yelling at me, and I remember crying all night because muy parents had ever raised their voice at me before.

The next day, I saw him in the dining room, acting tired as if nothing had happened. I hoped he would apologize, but he didn't say anything. I looked at my mother, and she didn't mention what had happened.

I felt strange... I felt like I didn't know my parents for the first time.

A week later, it happened again. He arrived drunk, and I was scared, so I hid in my room.

My parents fought, and I just wanted it to stop. I turned up the music and spent the night crying.

The next day, they were calm, but neither of them greeted me. I felt a void in my heart and ran out of the house.

I didn't return until late because I had a kind of panic. When I got home, it was already dark, and my mother was there, looking at me with cold eyes.

I felt awful and went to my room to cry.

Days and weeks passed, but it didn't get better. Every now and then, they would argue and shout, and one day I woke up early and saw my mother drinking vodka on the kitchen floor. I knew my family had fallen apart.

In the following months, I lost something essential, something called family. I was afraid of them, and I felt that they might hurt me when they were drunk. So I started avoiding them.

Isn't it strange? Why do I have to avoid my parents? Why should I be afraid to be near them?

I began to lock myself in my room and only browse on social media, venting hatred towards random posts for no reason.

At the same time, I saw the idiots at school who only wanted to have fun and forget everything. I won't lie; more than once, I felt an impulse to go with them and just drink until dawn. They invited me several times, but I knew it was just another way of escaping.

While my life was teetering on the edge of destruction or isolation, I stumbled upon a video clip shared on Facebook of a guy who was bragging about moving out on his own. At first, I felt a lot of envy, unpleasant jealousy, and a bit of irrational hatred. I went to his channel just to insult him, but I ended up watching a couple of his videos and realized that his content was what nerds and geeks used to love. None of it was for me.

I mocked him in the comments, but instead of getting angry, he simply replied to me without anger. That annoyed me, so I continued with sarcastic comments on several of his videos. I didn't insult him because those comments are automatically removed. Instead, I said things like "Second-generation problems" or "Your life may be hard, but you spend thousands of dollars on children's figures."

Allen just replied, agreeing with me and laughing. At that moment, I felt like he despised me, and I started looking at him with displeasure, but with time, instead of hating him, I started to like hearing his voice.

I felt like I was a complete mess because of everything I said to him. He hadn't done anything to me, and I simply unloaded my anger and frustrations on him. It wasn't fair; he didn't deserve it.

I decided to apologize and continued watching his videos for pleasure, even though his content didn't particularly interest me. I enjoyed listening to him talk about various topics. Over time, he even started answering questions and comments in his videos.

I was afraid to ask with my main account, so I created another one to comment on some of my problems. He listened attentively and comforted me.

It didn't change anything in reality, but it gave me comfort in my heart. It might sound silly to feel that way about someone I didn't know, but I didn't care. At least there was someone who was listening to me, and that was enough to prevent me from breaking apart.

Over the months, without realizing it, every time I heard shouting in my house, I played one of his videos. His voice became a shield against my problems. Before I knew it, I would smile every time I heard him. He became a pillar in my heart for almost a year.

I gathered the courage to contact him directly on Twitter. At first, I panicked when I sent him a private message, but unexpectedly, he replied.

Allen was very happy to talk to me and thanked me for being with him for so long. Tears filled my eyes, but for the first time in a long time, they weren't tears of sadness or desperation; they were tears of happiness.

From that day on, I committed to being his number-one fan, living with the conviction of that.

Thanks to Allen, I could endure my problems, and I ended up rejecting the easy way out offered by the popular kids. That means he saved me twice.

Almost two more years passed, and I thought the worst was over since my parents hardly shouted or fought anymore. My relationship with them didn't improve, but it didn't get worse either. So, happily, I told Allen that something good had happened to me and that my life could get better.

After listening to his words of encouragement in a voice message, I fell asleep with new hope.

But it wasn't like that; nothing got better. Everything was an illusion.

One day, I overslept for school, and when I rushed downstairs, I found my mother with another man in the living room. She looked at me with hatred for interrupting, and she told me she wished she had never had me. I don't remember what happened after that, but I ended up in a park.

That day, a woman looked at me with icy eyes, but she wasn't my mother.

I just wanted to disappear, and then I heard a familiar voice. A young man with black hair and big, round glasses approached me and asked if I was okay.

I no longer knew what to do, I was just a pitiful girl. I would recognize that voice among hundreds or thousands of people. It was the voice of the person who prevented me from going down the wrong path many times.

I didn't lift my face I just told him I was fine. I told him I was just tired, and he sighed and left after a while. I think Allen is a good person. At the very least, I knew he wouldn't easily leave a girl who seemed to be in a bad state abandoned.

I watched him leave, and I felt an intense emotion. I just wanted to run and hug him, to cry like a little girl in his arms.

But reason stopped me; were we strangers? How could I do something like that? Not knowing what to do, I followed him.

I discovered that we went to the same school, and I felt like a stupid woman for not being more social and realizing it.

My parents faded into the background; even my parents stopped being important. Only one desire emerged, and that desire was Allen Walker.

I wanted to know more about him, I wanted to meet him in person and talk, maybe become friends.

Allen, Allen, Allen, Allen, Allen, Allen... Before I knew it, my mind was filled with thoughts of Allen.

My life became occupied with trying to learn more about him. Before I knew it, I started following him when I could. I became a sort of stalker. Strangely, I didn't feel bad about it. Maybe something was wrong with me.

It hurt to find out that he had a close friendship with a beautiful blonde named Gwen Stacy. I felt an enormous amount of envy towards her, but I knew I had no right to interfere in his life.

Not knowing what to do, I simply stayed close but away from him, looking at him like an admirer.

...

One day, Allen did something foolish and challenged the school bully. I ran to get help, but halfway there, his live-stream started, and I stood in the hallway, unable to react.

I didn't know what was happening; it was like a crazy dream to see him fight. More than once, I screamed in fear that he might get hurt.

Surprisingly, Allen won...

I was in shock, and without realizing it, I approached him as he was heading home. For the first time, I couldn't bear the urge to speak to him.

That was the best decision I could have made in my life...

...

After spending an afternoon talking and confessing who I was, I felt that our distance had disappeared. I never thought something like this would happen; it was like a dream.

I was talking to him! I bathed and had dinner at his house! Even if I thought this dream couldn't get any better, he accepted me into his bed!.

God, Mary Jane, don't think of anything inappropriate!, but if he wants... No! I mustn't ruin this with thoughts like a lovesick girl!

I lay down next to him in bed, feeling the warmth and security I had always longed for. I felt a little guilty towards Gwen, but I couldn't help it. Since we talked, he had treated me better in a few hours than my parents had in several years.

I couldn't help but fall in love... even if I was already in love before, it was a platonic love, but at this moment, I felt a sweet and warm feeling run through my entire body, and I knew my heart belonged entirely to Allen.

I didn't have the right, I didn't want to cause him problems, but here I was, a poor wounded bird seeking refuge with him.

With tearful eyes, I looked at Allen and bared my heart and my entire past. He listened to my whole story from beginning to end. Sometimes he got angry while listening, sometimes he got sad, and then he simply hugged me.

I'm a despicable woman, I know...

I don't care if this warmth is out of pity...

I don't care if this hug is just his kindness...

My heart aches, and it longs for his warmth; it's been yearning for a long time, and I'll cling to him, no matter if I'm a pathetic girl.

Before I knew it, I gathered all the courage I could and confessed, then I attempted to kiss him. There's a significant chance he'll reject me for Gwen, but if there's even the slightest chance...

Forgive me, Gwen... I won't steal him from you, I won't take him away from you, but please, give me a small space beside him. Please, let me be here, even if it ended up being beneath you.

This last thought made me consider a small possibility. Maybe... no, Allen will never accept that, but if there's a chance he might accept me alongside Gwen... Hahaha, I think there's something wrong with my head...

While I thought with my eyes closed, Allen's response didn't come.

"Allen?" I called his name without opening my eyes.

That moment of silence froze my heart because I thought Allen had rejected me.

But just as I was about to cry, I felt the most wonderful and unforgettable sensation of my life, the softness of his lips and his masculine scent surprised me, and his hands held me tightly.

I opened my eyes in shock as I felt him kissing me. His gaze was filled with affection and love.

"Jane, I'd like to do something very stupid, selfish, and unpleasant."

I swallowed hard when I heard his words, firm but with a hint of doubt. I knew what he was going to say because I had thought the same thing.

I cried, and my heart was filled with joy. I was ready to give everything for him. Even if I died tomorrow, I wouldn't regret it.

"Allen... I love you," that was my response, and I started kissing him, and he responded. No matter how challenging it might be, I would convince Gwen to accept this unusual relationship.

*Allen's POV*

I looked at MJ with her eyes closed, she was waiting for a kiss, and I knew that it took all the courage she had.

She left the decision to me; she ended up confessing her feelings during the story she told me. A part of me had already accepted her; I'm not enough of a jerk to have a girl in my bed without feeling something for her.My mind was filled with affection for Mary Jane, even before I knew her past, I already liked the redhead. She had been a part of my lonely life for several years; it's impossible not to feel affection for her.

Then, Gwen came to my mind; she's not my girlfriend, but it's ridiculous to think I don't feel anything for her. Even so, she's not my girlfriend yet.

Yet?

I'm shameless to say that when I have a girl in my arms.

An arrogant desire to have both girls came to my mind. I know it's a stupid desire; you can blame me all you want, I'm more selfish than I thought.

[Host, your desires may be unusual in this world, but I wouldn't condemn you for it. If both girls accept this relationship with you, I don't see any problem, the only downside would be deceiving them in secret.]

Stupid Otaku culture contaminated my mind with the idea of a harem!

System, how likely am I to form a harem in this world?...

[100%]

"Eh?"

I made a strange noise and was left dumbfounded.

[Host, remember I asked because this world seems to be created by an H artist?]

Yes...

[Well, let's say that among the infinite alternate universes of Marvel, in this specific one, you won't find as many obstacles to having multiple girls with you.]

That can't be true... wait, my world is called Marvel? No, that doesn't matter right now.

I feel like trash because when I heard my system's words, I felt like a huge burden had been lifted from my shoulders.

It's a system, I know I say that a lot, but if a system tells me something is possible, I'm unlikely not to believe it.

So... my selfish desire can be a reality.

I know that morally, this can only be called unpleasant, but... I can't imagine a future where Gwen is in someone else's arms, or where I abandon Mary Jane.

[Host, two girls don't make a harem; did you think of anyone else?]

Huh? Of course not, I'm not a complete degenerate... I...

Memories of my Aunt Natasha appeared in my mind. She was lying around as usual on the couch in her underwear while ordering me to give her a massage.

Damn it! Was I this kind of bastard?

"Allen?" she called me weakly.

I looked at Mary Jane in my arms with her eyes closed, waiting for my answer. Her face slowly contorted with bitterness, and I felt her starting to tremble in fear.

I have to make a decision! Whom do I deceive? I had already decided as soon as I embraced MJ.

"Jane, I'd like to do something very stupid, selfish, and unpleasant."

I didn't say more and looked at her with affection as I confessed my will. She looked at me with endless love, almost palpable.

"Allen, I love you," Jane said with a look willing to give me everything. I feel like a coward for doubting when I had already made my decision.

I don't care if people call me a bastard. I don't care if they label me a degenerate. I don't care how hard it is; I won't leave either of them behind.

If you're going to hate me for that, go ahead, I don't need your respect if I have two beauties in my arms.

Without wasting any more time, I closed her lips with mine. MJ let out a little cry of surprise but quickly melted as her tongue began to respond to mine, and her body clung to mine.

She understood my answer and accepted it; she understood my decision and showed me her firm resolve with a kiss filled with all the affection she could muster.

So that's it; I'm in love with this girl...

I hugged her body, feeling her warmth and softness. I breathed in her delicate and intoxicating scent as she writhed in my arms, feeling my body temperature rise with just that.

I won't regret this... even if I'm a bad guy...

[Host... I don't think you're a bad guy... ]

Thank you, System.

Mary Jane opened her eyes and looked at me with joy and desire... both of us knew what would happen next, and we smiled.