The future.

It was pretty much a power nap. Whatever tiredness I’d felt before, it was completely gone. I did feel a bit thirsty, though. Ugh, I felt a dumb, rebellious urge to not drink water simply because Frey told me to do it, but I stood up and poured myself a glass of water because I’m not a child anymore.

I grabbed my phone from the low table between the couches to check if I had any messages. None, meaning everything was alright downstairs. I emptied my glass, let out a satisfied sigh and looked towards the beds.

I know I’m a broken record, but I still find it hard to believe that I’m sharing this moment with seven girls. That I’m in a relationship with seven girls. Something I always fantasized about but, naturally, fully believed would never happen. Hell, even just having a single girlfriend seemed like a faraway dream. No, scratch that. I was sure I’d die a virgin.

Shows how much life can change in a moment, magic or not. I’ve changed, too, I guess. Although… I’m not sure if ‘changed’ is the right word. Despite mostly getting over my social anxiety, I’m still an introvert who doesn’t enjoy interaction with many people. Then again, seven girlfriends.

Well, whatever. I’m happy and I want this to last forever.

…

…

…

…

I… do want this to last forever, don’t I?

We’re living together, all of us save Fern, and I think I’m already preparing myself for the moment she’ll move in with us in the future. This is my… our home. It’s not a place we’re renting or anything. It’s ours. It’s a place where… we can put down roots, like my mom and the girls’ parents keep very subtly implying we should. Hell, from the talk I just had with Frey, I’m practically putting down magical roots, too.

There’s space for kids, a large backyard, a quiet atmosphere… Everyone says I’d make a good dad, even if I’m not that sure myself, but… slowly, the idea scares me less and less.

Am I rushing? It hasn’t even been a full year. Thomas’ birthday is next week, and that only makes it a year since Mila, Grace and I had our first foursome. We didn’t even start dating then. What am I doing thinking about the future? I’m still just a dumb 19 year old.

But then… WHEN is the time to start thinking about this stuff? I mean… we’re all serious about this relationship. We’ve all made pretty big decisions already with it in mind. I quite literally had no reason to get a house, let alone one this big, other than being able to stay with the girls after high school. I… do want to be with them forever.

…

The answer to that is usually marriage, isn’t it? But polygamy is out of the question purely for legal reasons. Magic is powerful, but I doubt it can change something like written law, and I don’t even think it should.

I don’t want to marry only one of the girls, though. I couldn’t choose if I had a gun to my head. It’s either all of them or none of them, and all of them is impossible.

But… it doesn’t really need to be marriage, does it? That’s just a legal paper. Sure, yeah, it’s more than that in practical terms, but for us… We don’t really need a piece of paper to tell us to stay together forever. Not like that same piece of paper keeps couples together, anyway. That said, I do get the symbolism.

It’s not about the paper and the practicalities, but about the promises to each other. It’s a big, meaningful gesture to show commitment to one another. Looking at it like that… couldn’t we have our own kind of ceremony? Knowing the girls, they’d appreciate a big party.

…

Well, I don’t know about ‘big,’ but some sort of party or ceremony is non-negotiable. I know they all want that sort of ‘special day’ and I’d be lying if said I didn’t want it, either. Personally, I’d rather something quiet with only close friends and family, but I do want to give the girls that sort of day, one that shows how much they mean to me. How much ALL of them mean to me.

Fuck, if I think about it like that, I should be throwing the biggest party the world has ever seen, then. I want to believe none of us would be happy with that, though.

…

So… if the ceremony and/or party is non-negotiable, that still leaves some questions. First of all… Should I formally propose? Like, in the way one would for marriage? I have a strong feeling they would like that, but I’d have to clarify that it’s not for formal marriage, and that in itself could be a bummer. The other question is… When? When to propose and when to have this ceremony? All things willing, I would do it tomorrow, but again, we haven’t been dating for a year. I haven’t been dating Fernanda for a week! Should I wait to be dating Fern for a year, then? Meaning two years for the others.

I think I started to feel a headache coming… Is this the pressure guys feel when they think about proposing? Or was mine multiplied by seven? It would all be so much easier if I could just ask the girls.

…

…

…

Why DON’T I just ask them? Yes, sure, the surprise is gone, but they’ll definitely know I’m thinking about something when they wake up. Besides, my relationship with them has always been like this. Ask when unsure. I still remember asking them about how a guy should give a girl a compliment.

Heh. In a way, Mila, Grace and Sarah taught me how to be a boyfriend. Or how to be THEIR boyfriend. By the time I asked Noelle and Alice, I already had an idea, but it still took a lot of talking things out. It’s been like that with Diana and Fernanda, too. Lots of talking and figuring out how we can best compliment each other.

…

Yeah, I’m just gonna talk to them. Maybe the surprise will be gone, but this isn’t a decision I should be making alone. It’s not about my life with them, but our life together. There’s a difference. I’ll talk to them.

I saw Noelle stir and nearly had a heart attack.

Yeah, I’ll talk to them, but not tonight. Soon, soon. Just… not now.

Can you blame a guy for being scared of the mere possibility of getting a negative answer?

Patreon.