Gloria's return

James

Em and I were back home. Even on the walk back home from the station, Em clung to me, gripping my hand tightly. She remained silent, probably not wanting to discuss her feelings at the moment. But the way she held me made it clear, that the funeral of her father was still on her mind. As others had read their eulogies, she often seemed to look at me. She didn't talk much during the funeral either, but she murmured something under her breath every now and then. I can't be sure, but it sounded like she said "as if this was normal..." or "as if he was a normal father...", whenever a speaker would mention her.

I didn't really know how I could help her process her complicated feelings. Her father was shitty, but also the only parent she had. It's not as easy for her to dismiss him entirely. Before we entered my home, I gave her a hug. "If you need to talk, you where to find me." She wiped a tear off her face. "And if I need a distraction...?", she asked. "Well,..." I answered, "you still know where to find me. Or the other girls, if I'm unhelpful.." She nodded and started smiling for the first time today.

Entering my home, several suitcases were in the entrance. Amber immediately explained: "Master, Gloria is here and she wants to talk to you." She pulled my head near her to whisper "It might be about the mental health lock. Get some points too, if you can, master." A sweet kiss on my cheek released me of Amber's attention. Em slouched towards the couch and mindlessly turned on the TV, presumably to distract herself.

Gloria's situation is a bit tricky. I have a trait on her that makes her believe my explanations, but it doesn't prevent her from asking follow-up questions or make her happy about my explanations. So how exactly do I explain to her that I locked her emotional state to be happy in an attempt to lessen her chronic depression?

Gloria was sitting in my room at my desk. A bright smile appeared across her face the moment she saw me. "James! There you are!" She gave me a tight hug.

"H-Hi, Gloria!" I said in shock to my slight breathing difficulties resulting from her tight hug.

"Sorry, it's just been so long. I've been excited to see you again!"

"How was your stay at your family?"

"Oh, it was great! I haven't seen them for a while, so we just talked for ages with each other. Were you lonely without me?" Gloria gave me a teasing smile.

"Of course I was!" I briefly paused. "You seem quite energetic and happy today. Am I the only reason?"

She smiled a little more sheepishly. "Y-Yeah, of course. And uhm... well... I... may... haveneverboughtmoremedsbutI'mfeelingfinesodon'tworryaboutmeokayplease?"

Her hurried talking took me a couple seconds to decipher. "So... you're not on meds? Isn't that dangerous?" I lied and acted confused as best as I could. I had, of course, ensured she'd be happier through the app. Although I didn't know how much it could change at the time.

"W-well... Y'see..." Gloria didn't want to spill it out, it seems. "I... uhh... I figured that since I was happy with my family and you while I'm on holiday, it might be a good opportunity to feel more normal again for a while. Once work starts, I'll get more, I promise."

"Listen, you don't have to justify your decisions to me regarding your own mental health. I'm not your doctor and not your parents. I just want you to be okay and as long as you feel okay, and the doctor doesn't complain, why not stay off the anti-depressants?"

A smile again darted over her face. "Thanks." Another tight hug from her. "C-can I confess something?"

"Sure, go ahead."

"I... want to stay off these for as long as possible. Could I ask you and some of our colleagues to tell me if I... slip back? You just need to talk to me occasionally and tell me if I'm doing badly."

Normally, the responsible thing to do would be to tell her to go with whatever her therapist recommended, but... Obviously, anyone without access to such an app should simply take their medicine as ordered. This is an exception due to my supernatural abilities. The app will help her, even if it can't cure her. It'll numb the depression and let her emotions be free. Sooner or later she'll be part of my harem anyway, right? The points can only go up, so... "I'll do my best to help you. But don't be afraid to go back!"

She nodded and we cuddled some more, before she grabbed her suitcases and left.

For the first time in a while, I sat alone in my room, reminiscing about everything that had happened so far. But my thoughts did not reach that far back. Just now, I had assumed that Gloria would join my harem. Was that bad? A few weeks ago, I might have said so. And perhaps morally, it still is. But isn't this just me accepting my new reality? No, this is not giving myself enough credit. With an app like this, even a normal person could get someone else well into the mid-range of positive points. But the later pushes, that was all me.

Am I a monster? Were the girls' feelings real or all from the app? Well, I know that Amber harbored these feelings before. Donna would have pursued me for a bit regardless, although she certainly would not have become as submissive. Then again... so what? I'm not chaining them up in my basement like a prisoner and whip them until they become ****. Okay, I guess I did the former to Amber. But still! At this point, the app is more so helpful in smoothing over some of the challenges of me having a "harem", rather than me turning into a monster.

So why am I keeping my inner desires hidden from them? Or all of them but Amber and Christine? Am I worried that I'll lose control over myself if I indulge too heavily in my desires, my passions, my kinks?

Just now with Gloria, I could have done so much more with her. Perhaps given her a normal orgasm, the first one she would've experienced with someone else. And the more I think about it, the more I regret it. Why do I keep my desires - no - myself locked up like this? Am I not hypocritical? When confronted with Strong Traits, I just accepted them. And indulged in them.

I... should just admit to myself that I'm glad that I have the app. That I can make these girls mine. That I have a harem. That I can do anything I want with them sexually. I should admit to myself that I didn't just want Jane just because she's hot, but because I loved the idea of getting her to quash any investigation against me if I ever do something in public and get exposed. I should admit to myself that I want Beth because she's my boss and Helen because she's a lesbian.

Yeah... this feels good to say to myself. After the funeral and the introspection, I felt tired and took a nap.