Pause System: Harem In The Apocalypse

"Tell us, Gray. Have you two made up?" Violet continued.

Gray glanced at Ruby and she glanced back with a nod.

She moved right past him before seating herself down on the table right beside Charlotte. Whilst seated she then whispered to the two girls on the opposite side of the table a few quick words before Gray began.

"You two... I'm sorry for the way I acted, and... Thank you."

Ruby spoke with a bright smile on her face, both her apology and gratitude felt genuine.

"Why are saying sorry? If anything, we're the ones who are sorry for teasing you." Violet replied.

Aurora quickly nodded.

"That's true but... You did it to help me, didn't you? If it weren't for you two me and Gray wouldn't have gotten anywhere.."

Ruby was being extremely shy as she thanked them, she didn't know how to face them after how rudely she reacted earlier.

The one to get her to look at them was Aurora who suddenly moved her hand across her table and pinched her ceek.

"Hm~ Ruby, you really are cute, aren't you?"

"Wha- I'm not... If anything, you two are cuter..."

Charlotte, Kylo and Lara who were watching this all smiled at their interaction.

'Looks like watching was the best idea...' She looked over to Gray who had remained stood up in front of the table. 'Friends all sharing the same lover, huh... I wonder how this will turn out.'

Lita who had been beside Lara the whole time was being held back by her mother with her mouth covered. She wanted to speak but Lara read the mood and knew that she'd ruin the moment.

"MMph! MMPH!!"

"Ruby..." Aurora called out to her with sparkling eyes.

The three's interaction was interrupted by Gray who suddenly cleared his throat.

"Ahem."

All eyes turned to him.

"There's... Something I want to say."

They all listened quietly with smiles on their faces as they looked forward to what he had to say. All of them except for Kylo who was filled with fearful internal thoughts.

'Oh no... He's going to say something... Depending on what he might say the girls may turn against each other again... Think carefully, big bro Gray!'

"What is it, Gray?" Aurora asked.

"Yeah, tell us." Violet enquired.

"We're listening..." Ruby nodded, unable to handle the suspense.

Gray was even more nervous than anyone, cold sweat was visibly travelling down his face. His hand which was always unusually calm was trembling.

"The thing is..."

The three girls gulped at the same time.

"As you already know... I like the three of you. If it weren't for you three and others, I'd be a nervous wreck struggling to find any meaning in living in this shitty apocalypse."

"I know what I did was wrong... I should have told you all this sooner but I was worried about how you might have reacted..."

Gray who had been recently avoiding their eye contacts and looking away as he spoke, suddenly turned to them with a determine look.

"What I'm trying to say is, I can't pick between you three and I want you to know that. I like you all individually and equally. I know this makes me a helpless selfish bastard but..."

"I want you all to myself."

Everyone was surprised at first, they didn't expect him to be so bold and say It right in front of anyone. They thought they'd slowly take time and decide on what was best for the three of them.

This result showed just how unpredictable Gray was.

When they finally snapped back to it, the three girls and Lara were blushing heavily. Kylo had a dreadful expression on his face, Lita had sparkling eyes as she stared at him with admiration and lastly Charlotte.

Charlotte was dead on glaring at her with a smile.

"Oh~ Gray, you're quite Greedy, aren't you?"

"Well, I guess that's just another side I like about you, it can't be helped, can it?" Violet asked.

Aurora joined in, with hasty nods.

"If you want all of us for yourself... Then just take us..."

Gray's expression grew flustered from Violet and Aurora's returned boldness.

"A polymerous relationship centered around Gray... That could work out... If that's what Gray wants, I'm fine with it." Said Ruby after a short consideration.

"Polymerous?" Aurora asked.

"The act of having intimate relationships with more than one person at the same time "Charlotte responded.

"That sounds like exactly what we were looking for." Said Violet.

"I-Initimate..." Aurora repeated. "I-I'm also fine with that... If that's what Gray wants."

'Even Aurora's become more bolder... Or rather, she's always been this way."

Gray's heart skipped a beat as he heard the response of the two girls, all that was left was Violet.

*Thump* *Thump*

Violet suddenly looked at him with a cheeky smile, knowing that she was last to add a little suspense in return before she said.

"I'm also perfectly fine with it~"

Gray's heart leapt out of his chest from Joy. He felt like he could die peacefully right then and there.

"Way to grow Gray, you've built one of those, what's the word.... Harem, that everyone talks about~"

[Harem Created.]

[Harem Count: 3]

"But, I'll make this clear now that everyone's listening. I'll become your number one." Violet boldly declared as she pointed at him.

The other two suddenly moved into the offence, interrupting Violet as they also declared.

"What are you talking about? I'll be his number one." Claimed Ruby.

"No... The number one spot belongs to me! I've known him the longest!" Added Aurora.

"Oh yeah? Well I loved him the longest!" Violet responded

"I've kissed him the longest!" Ruby retorted.

"Well I've loved him the longest, kissed him the longest and had s-sex with him the longest!!" Aurora boldly yelled out as she shut her eyes

"..."

The silence which followed after from the other two's shock was incredible.

"What!? There's no way to prove that, you probably lost conscious midway too!"

"I agree with Violet! There's no way you could last that long without losing consciousness."

'What? What's happening? When did the conversation take such a sharp turn? And why are they so engaged in this final topic' Lara thought to herself as she watched, frozen in the same stiff smiling expression.

"Then how about-"

Violet was interrupted by Lara who suddenly slammed her hands on the table, drawing all of their attention in the process.

"I'm sorry to interrupt but... There are kids here..." She muttered with a cold smile.

"Gah-" They flinched.

The three apologised shortly after seeing the confused look on Lita's face and flustered expression on Kylo and Charlotte's.

The one who was most flustered by them however was Gray who had his head turned away and arm over his mouth and cheeks to hide how flustered he was from hearing their words.

'Cute...' They all simultaneously thought as they stared at him.

The three of them felt like teasing this fragile side of him which he was showing today a little bit more. It was rare for him to act this way.

"Ho~ Gray, why are you hiding your face? Why don't you show us what's under there?" Violet asked.

"Yeah, s-show us Gray~" Aurora added.

Gray slowly shook his head while keeping his arm In place.

'C-Cute!!' Their thoughts synced once more.

"Come on, just a peak~" Said Violet as she got ready to stand up and tease him from closer.

"Don't be shy-"

Aurora was interrupted by Gray's sudden falling figure heading right for the table. It happened so suddenly and out of nowhere that none of them had expected.

[Timer has hit: 0]

[Evolution Completion Commencing.]

[Race: Chronos Noble]

[Disabling All Bodily Functions.]

[Applying Final Changes.]

Gray's eyes widened one final moment before they rolled back, taking his consciousness with it.

The last thing he heard before falling was everyone suddenly calling out his name.

"Gray!!"

His eyes forcibly shut.

-

Gray's eyes opened wide once more. After just a blink, he found himself standing in the middle of the pitch-black darkness one more time.

"Shit... I forgot about that feature." He cursed.

"Ah!! Why did the timing have to be then and there!!!" He cried out.

It was truly one of the most troublesome features. But he understood that it was necessary.

Every time he'd evolve, he'd always lose consciousness after a certain time period after to finalise the evolution.

"System, is the finalizing part really necessary?"

[Is living really necessary?]

[If so, then the answer to the User's question is Yes.]

"..."

Gray was surprised by the System's sudden reply. It replied in a witty way which almost made him think it was mad at him.

"More importantly... How long will I be out for this?" Gray asked.

[An time estimate is not yet available due to the severe amount of power being held back in this evolution.]

[However, I guarantee it will not be much longer than the previous time.]

[Thanks to the System's evolution.]

"..."

The system manifested before him in the same glowing female form as always.

Gray wasn't sure whether or not it was due to it's form or because of how more living and less mechanical her responses were becoming.

But he already started to see her in a different light.

"Guess I'll just train while I wait."

[Affirmative.]

[There is a new training option, would you like to try it?]

"New feature?"