A Lifetime With You
A/N: Happy New Year's! 2023 brought me many good and bad things, but the opportunity to welcome Alys @cursedvaultss and be her friend and create this beautiful ship has been the highlight of the second half. What started like a silly little idea of mine has become this fic, which is now my favourite. Happy 2024, Alys! Here's to more creating and fangirling around <3
Summary: The Somerset family celebrates Christmas, and Edward has a great gift for Akelda.
Word Count: 2.6k
Pairing: Akelda the Tragic x Edward the Valiant
Type: Modern AU, holiday fic
Characters Involved: Henriette of Wessex, Frederick of Kent ( @that-scouse-wizard ) Odalric the Red, Denegifu of Scotland, Juliana of York, Cuthfelda of Ireland, Hilda the Smith, Agatha of Kent, Elfreda (Alys)
Characters mentioned: Respective pairings of the siblings
Taglist: @hphmmatthewluther @gaygryffindorgal
Rating: PG
It was early in the morning when the Somerset house became a mess of cooking, moving furniture and barking orders. Akelda, still cuddling in Edward’s arms, hummed and shifted so she’d cling even more to his warm body.
Not letting go, Edward mumbled “My love?”
“Hmmm.”
“We have to get up and help them.”
“Five more minutes.”
Edward smiled, kissing her cheek to see if he could stir her awake. No reaction, still asleep. He kissed her again, making more noise. She chuckled but didn’t budge. He gently poked her and she groaned in complaint. Then, he moved to her collarbone and made a farting sound. She yelped, bolting awake “Hey!”
“Rise and shine, my little blossom.”
She giggled, grabbing a pillow and hitting him playfully with it. He laughed, retaliating easily. Soon, a pillow battle ensued, both chasing one another in Akelda’s rather spacious room, both yelping and laughing, feathers flying around. Seeing that her pillow had faded away, she shrieked and started running away, but he was quicker and picked her up, covering her in kisses as she yelled and giggled, her short platinum hair all over his face. Both falling to her puff, with Edward on top of her, they both relented, giggling and breathing heavily.
“Alright, alright, I’m awake!”
He kissed her nose, making her giggled “Good morning to you too.”
They suddenly became aware of their position and were about to kiss when Juliana opened the door and called out “Bone later, come help now!” And left.
After a minute of silence, they both looked at one another and burst out laughing “I suppose we should face your family.”
“If we must.”
They both got up and, sporting matching pyjamas, went downstairs, where Akelda’s parents were cooking at least three different dishes as Denegifu helped Odalric move furniture and Hilda, as usual, did it on her own. Agatha was decorating alongside Juliana, and Cuthfelda was setting the table. Henriette looked at her daughter and smiled “Ah, you two are awake! Why don’t you help out by picking the wines from the winery? Here’s the list.”
“Alright. At what hour do we get ready?”
“Guests will come at five, so be ready before then!” Frederick responded.
Hand-in-hand, they both went downstairs, to the slightly illuminated winery and Akelda started reading aloud the needed alcohol “Let’s see: mulled wine, Chardonnay, champagne, gin, scotch and a negroni.”
“Good Lord, how much alcohol do they need?” Edward mused.
“Given the length of the family, their partners and families…”
Edward shook his head “I swear, if I have to watch Juliana flirt with that poor married man again…”
“It seems that his wife doesn’t mind.”
“Gross.” He winced.
Akelda giggled and kissed his cheek, and he quickly softened at her touch. As they reached the wine section, without needing a word, Edward easily prompted Akelda up and she picked the oldest wine there, from 1903. She handed him the wine and put it on the bag. They did the same with the rest among laughs and jokes from Edward, and often taking breaks from having Akelda piggyback on him. Of course, Akelda kissed his supposed ‘boo boos’, though she knew it was an excuse for her to kiss him. An excuse she gladly took.
After they were done counting and checking, they both sat for a bit. Akelda sat on his lap, and he stroked her arm, both in comfortable silence, lazily kissing their cheeks.
“Who knew picking wine bottles would be a workout?”
“Don’t you go to the gym often?” She jested.
“Yes, though I don’t have my girlfriend on my back most of the time.”
Akelda sticked out her tongue and he pecked her on the lips. Gazing onto her, he knew that it was time. His mother was coming over after years of made-up excuses to not come, and after much talking, they agreed: he and Akelda had been together since their third year at Hogwarts, he was basically another one of the family and was crazy about Akelda. And Akelda was crazy about him. They’d be graduating soon.
Finally, what seemed like Dene and Juli arguing again broke them from their trance, they both sighed and went back upstairs, where her sisters were yet again arguing.
“It is my dress! You know that purple is my colour!” Juliana shouted.
“You’re not the only one who dresses in purple! Besides, what are you, the inventor of purple?”
“No, I am the owner of it!”
“Girls, please…” Frederick pleaded, but went unheard.
Akelda clapped hard “Time out! Dene, explain what’s going on.”
Dene sighed “Juli has lost sight of her dress and is, of course, blaming me for it, despite knowing that my dress is white, not purple.”
“I tried to check on her wardrobe, but she wouldn’t let me!”
“Why?” Akelda asked.
“Because it’s my room, and thus my property!” Juliana shouted.
“Why don’t Akelda search for it? It’d be neutral property. I can supervise.” Edward proposed.
“What do you think?” Akelda asked.
“Fine by me.” Denegifu conceded.
“But none of you will be there. Go back to your chores.”
Both sisters sighed and went on. Akelda and Edward both went to Dene’s room, and Akelda searched for it while Edward stood watch. No sign of Juliana’s dress. Mostly clothes of white, black and cream, and no purple in sight.
They tried Juli’s room, and it was a mess to say the least. Edward even had to help with it, and searched on the top shelves of her massive wardrobe. There were old phones, sheets, hidden food, small chests of her private stuff, old dirty magazines but no dress. Akelda looked down the bed and found many purple garments, but no dress.
“Godric, even her thongs are purple.” She mumbled.
Edward grimaced “Gee, thank you for the image.”
Akelda giggled and gave him a tender kiss “Is it gone?”
He pretended to think “I don’t know. Care to double check?”
She shook her head but kissed him anyways, this time longer, and he quickly placed his hands on her waist, deepening the kiss.
Of course, Juliana walked in again “Ugh, can you please not make out in my room?” They separated and asked “Did you find it?”
“Nope. You have everything purple here save a dress. If you don’t count last year’s dress.”
They finally tried one last room where the servants washed the dresses, and Akelda spotted a lilac fabric. There it was, all cleaned up and hanging ready “Mystery solved, Watson.”
Edward hugged her from behind and kissed her temple “That’s my girl.”
She gave it to a happy Juliana, making her promise to apologize to Dene, and she relented. Edward and Akelda went back to their room, which had a door that communicated with the other so they’d be spending time together whenever they wanted, courtesy of Odalric for her seventeenth birthday. Both started changing into their evening clothes. Akelda would wear a baby blue dress that sparkled, alongside long star earrings, her grandmother’s ring and a pearl choker that Edward bought her with some of his savings as a three-year anniversary gift.
Edward, on his part, dressed up in his red suit, which Akelda had helped design and which she always remarked how handsome he looked and how much she loved it. Dropping into his pocket the special gift, he put on Akelda’s favourite cologne and straightened his collar and brushed one more time his hair, wanting to look presentable for his love and in-laws. And, of course, his mother. Taking a long breath, he whispered “You got this.” And met Akelda outside.
His eyes widened at the sight before him: she was a winter goddess, with her sparkly blue dress hugging her figure, a V-neck decorated with fur, her hair slicked back and with two fur gloves that reached her elbow, and her equally frosty makeup. “Akelda, you look… perfect.”
She kissed his cheek, leaving a mark of her pink gloss on his cheek that he would not wipe out “And you look very handsome.”
He offered his arm and she accepted, encountering Odalric already dressed in white and gold, and Denegifu, who wore a illusionary dress that looked like she was naked and covered in diamonds, a certain replica of a dress from Marylin Monroe.
Coming downstairs, Hilda and Agatha were already there. Hilda was wearing a suit with a vest, showing off her muscles, and Agatha wore a simple yet cute pink dress. Her mother wore a white dress with a plunged V-neck that was covered by a long boa of fur, and her father wore a black suit with his hair perfectly brushed. Cuthfelda followed, with a royal blue dress and her hair in a complex hairdo. Juliana was yet to come, probably wanting to make an entrance. Akelda, noticing her boyfriend’s sudden queasiness, squeezed his hand and kissed his cheek, easing him. It worked, but his shoulders tense once his mother, Elfreda, made an entrance. She was wearing a cute blue dress and greeted the hosts. When it was time to greet her son, she hugged him warmly and exchanged knowing looks. She turned to Akelda and smiled “You look beautiful, dear. This shall be a night to remember.”
Akelda looked at her, then back to her boyfriend, who shrugged. When the next wave of guests arrived, Juliana made her entrance, wearing a very revealing sparkling purple dress. Akelda whispered that tomorrow she’d wake up with a terrible cold, and Edward chuckled “Her dress is certainly something, but doesn’t hold a candle to you.”
“Don’t let Juli hear that, or this will be a long night.”
He chuckled. He hoped it’d be a long night, but for other reasons.
The dinner party had winded down, and guests had started mingling, some of them already tipsy. With one look at Frederick, who nodded, he was quick to whisk away Akelda away from her mother, who winked him good luck. They went outside, and he of course offered his jacket. They started walking.
“Where are we going, my love?”
“To the greenhouse.”
“Why?”
He smiled “You’ll see.”
When they reached the doors, he covered Akelda’s eyes and started walking her to the place he had set up earlier that night, when Akelda had been once again helping Agatha with her homework. When they reached the destination, he took off his hands and she looked around, gasping. It had been decorated with a beautiful desk, and her comfort food instead of the dinner’s finger food. In front of them was the fountain, that read ‘I love you’ in sparkles. Akelda looked at her boyfriend “You replicated the dinner where you asked me to be your girlfriend?”
He nodded, and she quickly covered his face in kisses. He laughed “Hey, I’m not done! Sit down.”
He pulled the chair for her and served the cheesy gnocchi they tried on a family vacation to Parma, and she quickly dig in. She moaned, savouring the dish “Mmm! How did you replicate the recipe of the restaurant?”
“I may have reached out to the chef and beg him to give it to me for a special occasion…”
She kissed his hand and they talked for a bit about everything, commenting the flowers. Glancing at his clock, he knew that midnight would strike at any minute. He had two minutes to say the words.
He looked at her well. The moonlight on her face, the reflect of the water on her silver hair and the flowers surrounding him were enough to shoot his shot. He took her hands and cleared his throat “Akelda… These past seven years have been challenging: my mother back, the dispute of my father, the Battle of Hogwarts, your illness… it was all rough for me, and I was scared many times, but there is one thing that kept me brave: you. Seeing you smile through the pain, face it all with grace and kindness, and your love is what has made me braver, and everything that I am today is thanks to you.”
“Edward—,”
“Being your boyfriend has been the best thing in my life, and I am more than sure that you’re the woman of my dreams. I…” And then, midnight struck, and the rare flowers he had ordered bloomed, the room shining. He got on one knee and showed the blue sapphire ring Akelda always mused about having someday “Akelda Eunice Somerset, will you spend the rest of your lifetime with me?”
Akelda stood there, tearing up at such beautiful words, and broke into a smile “Edward, yes… YES!!”
Trembling of emotion, he placed the ring on her finger and got up. He kissed her as he grabbed her by her waist and spun her around, both crying of emotion and kissing each other. He whispered “I am the happiest man alive.”
“So am I.” She whispered back.
They kissed again, this time passionately, their emotions and lips doing the talking for them. His hands traced her neckline, then her back, drawing circles on her sides, just as hers tugged at his wild hair before they descended on his neck and chest “I love you so much… I can hardly breathe when I’m around you.”
“Please do. I need a live groom when I walk down the aisle.”
They both laughed and he kissed her again, dipping her as he deepened the kiss, his hand getting a grip on her leg, drawing gentle circles “I don’t want to get out of here.”
“Neither do I. I want to freeze time and stay here forever.”
“Then let’s not go yet. Stay here with me.”
“I plan to.” He whispered before kissing her again, laying her on the floor gently, not ready to be parted from her yet.
When they finally went back to the mansion, Edward was grinning widely and Akelda was shining as brightly as her sapphire engagement ring. All the guests looked back at them and he took her hand triumphantly, showing the ring “She said yes!”
Their parents cheered, and the sisters started squealing and going over to her sister, gazing at her ring as they gushed on how it had gone. Frederick and Edward shook hands, and Henriette and Elfreda hugged him warmly “Welcome to the family. Both of you.”
Akelda embraced her parents and her mother-in-law, smiling widely “I’m happy to have a girl like you on my family.” Elfreda said.
“And I’m happy to be part of your family as well.”
The party finally ended an hour later, and the newly engaged couple walked back to their shared room. He kissed her ring “I can’t wait to be your wife.”
“And I can’t wait to spend a lifetime with you.”
Akelda smiled “I’ve got you something, but I don’t think it’d be as grand as this,” she raised her palm, showing her ring. Edward smiled.
“Whatever it is, I’ll love it.”
Akelda grabbed the small gift and gave it to him. He opened it and admired it. It was a pair of golden cufflinks with red and blue gemstones. The red one had an ‘A’ on it, and the blue one had an ‘E’ which each looked like Akelda and Edward’s handwriting. He beamed “My love… it’s beautiful! I don’t know how to thank you!”
Akelda smiled “How about you cuddle with me tonight? As a starter.”
He smiled, picking her up and both setting into her princess bed together.
They fell asleep, with a hopeful promise of a forever together.
8 notes
·
View notes
--— 𝐒𝐂𝐀𝐑𝐋𝐄𝐓 𝐏𝐎𝐓𝐓𝐄𝐑 : introduction.
BASICS
character name : scarlet potter
age + birthday + zodiac : twenty - two, dec 4, sagittarius
gender + pronouns : cisfemale + she / her
sexual orientation : pansexual
traits: creative, impulsive, empathetic, individualistic
specialization : magical art
year : third
house : gryffindor
extracurricular activities : broom racing, drama club, aurelius choir, astronomy club
home region / school : southwest / oldaric
blood status : half blood
wand : tbd
patronus (if applicable) : non - corporeal
ABOUT
only daughter of the potter family - though she looks like their mother, she certainly takes after her father a great deal. she’s got his mischievous spirit, ever has since she was a little baby.
she’s always been chasing after her older brother, or taking large steps in front of her younger brother - even if sometimes she shows her love in different ways. they’re all very different, and even so, scarlet feels a bit more out of place than the other two.
art has been the only thing to really capture her attention, loving the way she could express herself - and even then, that interest has changed over the years. from charming paint brushes, acting along to muggle plays, learning instruments, or singing along to the radio (always a bit too early and a bit too loud.)
forever the middle child, she does things for attention - from her parents, from her brothers, from her peers - and can find herself getting up to no good. sometimes it’s harmless, sometimes it’s a bit mischievous. she certainly has a bit stronger of a party/adventurous spirit and isn’t afraid to explore.
she’s figuring it out - seems a bit more go with the flow than she lets on - deep down she wonders if she’ll ever truly figure out what she should pursue and feels like she’s letting the potter name down.
WANTED CONNECTIONS
friends : of all types ! could be friends from childhood, gryfinndor friends, a little mischievous squad, drinking or party buddies, confidants, former friends, etc !
enemies : give her someone to not like ! maybe it’s not that deep, maybe it’s frenemies, maybe they did something to her brothers ? maybe they’ve just never clicked !
romance : exes ! on good or bad terms ? a will they / won’t they, a never the right time, a silly crush, situationships with feelings or no feelings !
random : maybe your muse is also into art, maybe they meet at night and ride brooms around the campus and beyond, maybe they’re a good influence, or a worse influence, maybe someones trying to be a mentor of sorts
truly anything else !!
2 notes
·
View notes