Seven Mothers: All My Seven Mothers Are Beautiful Valkyries?!

"How can you talk about your future wife..." She said slowly, her voice quiet but carrying an edge I didn't expect. "...when I'm right here in front of you, Luca? Don't you find that absolutely rude and blasphemous?"

Her words caught me off guard. Her tone wasn't teasing or scolding. It was quiet, serious, almost...possessive.

I tilted my head, chuckling softly to try and lighten the mood as I asked her,

"Why shouldn't I talk about her, Mom? You should be looking forward to meeting your future daughter-in-law, shouldn't you?"

Her response was immediate, firm, and unexpectedly cute. She shook her head with a stubborn pout, her lips pressing together in defiance.

"No way!" She said, snuggling back into my arm with a huff. "I refuse to acknowledge any vixen who steals my son away from me!"

I couldn't help but laugh, her reaction catching me completely off guard.

"A vixen, huh? You're really going to call her that?"

"Yes!" She replied without hesitation, her voice muffled against my arm. "And you'd better remember that no one—absolutely no one—will ever care for you as much as I do."

Her words, though light-hearted, carried a weight that tugged at my heart. I looked down at her, her face partially hidden as she clung to my arm.

"Well..." I said softly, leaning my head back against the sofa. "I guess she'll have some pretty big shoes to fill."

"She won't fill them." She mumbled, her voice quieter now but still firm. "Not even close, as your mother here wears extra-large shoes...Shoes that giants wear."

I raised an eyebrow, a teasing grin spreading across my face as I tilted my head toward her and asked, "So, what? You want me to stay single for the rest of my life?"

To my dismay, she didn't even hesitate...She nodded enthusiastically, her eyes lighting up with the kind of mischief that sent a chill down my spine.

"Exactly!" She said, her tone as chipper as if I'd just told her I'd won the lottery. "That's exactly what I want, Luca!"

"Wait, seriously?" I blinked, taken aback.

"Of course!" She chirped, sitting up straighter and resting her chin on her hand like she was preparing to give me a well-rehearsed speech. "Do you have any idea how much easier life would be for both of us if you stayed single?"

"...No awkward introductions to some girl who doesn't understand the bond we have. No worrying about her trying to change you into someone you're not or—heaven forbid—driving a wedge between us."

I opened my mouth to protest, but she was already on a roll, her voice gaining momentum with every word.

"Think about it." She continued, gesturing animatedly. "If you stay single, I won't have to deal with those ridiculous phone calls where she complains about you leaving your socks on the floor, as if I don't already know. And I definitely won't have to listen to her passive-aggressively asking how I raised you because you don't do things 'her way.'" She added air quotes for emphasis, her expression full of exaggerated disdain.

"Mom—" I groaned, trying to think of a way to escape this conversation.

"And let's not forget the holidays!" She interrupted, her eyes sparkling with amusement. "Oh, I can already see the fights about whose family you'll visit first. It's a nightmare!...But if you're single, you'll always come home to us. No stress, no compromises. Just family."

Her grin widened as she leaned in closer, her eyes narrowing in mock seriousness, and she continued saying,

"And you won't have to deal with her stealing you away from us...You know how possessive your mothers are, Luca. Imagine if we suddenly had to share you with someone else? We'd never survive it, and so wouldn't she, as some of your mothers would surely tear her apart for stealing their beloved baby away."

"You're being dramatic." I sighed deeply, even though I knew that a few of my mothers would surely scare away any girl in the future with just their presence itself.

She ignored me, her voice softening into something almost conspiratorial.

"Besides, wouldn't it be nice if we were the only women in your life? You wouldn't have to worry about making anyone else happy. We already know you better than anyone else ever will."

"You're actually serious about this, aren't you?" I gave her a look of utter disbelief.

She nodded, her smile bright and innocent, though I could see the teasing glint in her eyes.

"Completely serious! It's a foolproof plan."

"A foolproof plan to make sure I never date again." I muttered, rubbing my temples as I tried to process her absurd reasoning. "What are you going to do, scare off every girl who shows interest in me?"

"Only the ones who aren't good enough for you..." She replied sweetly, though her tone left no doubt that she was absolutely serious. "...which basically means all of them since no girl out there is good enough for my son."

I stared at her, trying to find the words to respond, but my mind was too boggled by her logic—or lack thereof.

"Mom, you do realise that staying single forever isn't exactly a normal life plan, right?" I finally managed to ask in dismay.

"Normal is overrated." She said, relaxing back with a self-satisfied smile. "And besides, it's not like you'll be lonely. You have me—and the other six, of course. We're all the company you'll ever need." She said with a bright look in her beautiful violet eyes like she couldn't help but look forward to such a future.

I sighed, pushing my head back against the couch as I processed her relentless arguments. "I guess you're right." I said, a wry smile tugging at the corners of my lips. "I mean, it's hard to argue that I'd get more love from all seven of my mothers than I ever would from just one wife."

Her face lit up instantly, her eyes sparkling with joy as she nodded enthusiastically. "Exactly! That's the spirit, Luca!" She exclaimed, leaning over to press a quick, affectionate kiss to my cheek.

I froze for a moment, the soft warmth of her lips lingering on my skin before I chuckled quietly, unable to help the genuine smile that spread across my face.

"You really don't hold back, do you?"

She smirked, settling back into her spot beside me and wrapping her arms around mine like it was her personal pillow.

"Of course not. Someone's got to keep you in line."

I shook my head in amused disbelief, watching her cuddle closer as if she hadn't just passionately argued why I should abandon all hope of ever having a romantic relationship outside of her and my other mothers.

But as ridiculous as her arguments were, a quiet thought nestled itself in the back of my mind—a thought that made my smile linger just a little longer.

Maybe she wasn't wrong.

After all, what woman out there could possibly compare to the seven who had raised me, who knew me better than I knew myself? They'd showered me with unconditional love and support my whole life, and even now, as I planned to take my bond with them to another level, their affection for me never wavered. It was overwhelming in the best way possible.

I glanced at her, still snuggled against my arm with a serene smile on her face, and I felt a quiet determination settle in my chest.

If this was the kind of love I had to look forward to, then maybe I really didn't need anyone else. Maybe it was fine to let my mothers remain the only women in my life. No, scratch that—maybe it was more than fine.

My smile deepened as I shifted my gaze back to the movie, already forming my own plans for the future. After all, I had a trial to complete, and I wasn't about to let the seven women who meant everything to me stay just as mothers.

They would all be mine. Every single one of them.

And it all started with the woman holding my arm like it was the most natural thing in the world.