Guns and Boobs

"I will protect you."

Empty words, there was no way she could do so, she may be his fledgling but she was inferior by far. Most were when it came to the beast under Hellsing’s command.

But he could tell that she meant well, the tremble in her voice, indication she knew her words wouldn’t hold. But she had said them, played her hand, and it was a hand that couldn’t be withdrawn. 

"…..Zhen i accept."

Perhaps it was that sincerity that prompted his response, ears flattening and flicking once the words left his mouth. He knew he couldn’t keep her deal, and the thought of facing Alucard was a hellish nightmare he’d rather not face, but it wasn’t like he could refuse with nowhere to go.

Relief, that was the only way to describe her feelings in that moment. This boy, who had killed her master, who'd broke into her home while she slept, watched her. He'd done so much, but for whatever reason, she felt obligated to him, he deserved a home, and if she could give it, she was going to.

Seras made her way to him, resting a hand on his shoulder, familial, but not like a mother's touch. More like that of a sibling, an older sister comforting their little brother after a nightmare.

"If you’re giving zhese out you might vant to tone down on ze helle farben, Fraulein, you might scare ze monster into hiding."

He took the sweater from her jumping form, feeling the soft knit between his ungloved digits. It was as soft as it looked, and despite its garish colour choice, it didn’t look too bad, aside from the obvious fact that it was at least three times too big for his small frame.

Something told him this was probably her first finished attempt.

"Why? What's wrong with the colours? Integra said they're yours and Alucard's favourite..." Seras explained, her voice taking on the high pitch of someone slightly hurt.

Startled awake from his current reside nestled into the plush leather couch in one of the most trafficked lounges in the manor, the were-cat glared at the intrusion of noise that had jarred him from his nap, frowning further at the blur of garish colour that was brandished in his face.

A sweater, red and blue with a cat’s face embroidered in the center, obviously hand made and at least two sizes too big by the look of it.

The Draculina was obviously excited with her creation, that was evident enough by the pleased squeak in her voice and the shaking of her hands as she held it in front of him. He really should be polite.

"It’s, uh….very nice?"

"Thank you! I'm so glad you like it! Now, try it on, go go go!"

Seras bounced up and down as she handed the sweater to her friend. She's been using her spare time since Alucard had returned to learn how to do a variety of different hobbies. She could now cook hundreds of dishes, (including vegetarian, vegan and gluten free) Sew, knit and her gamerscore on X-box Live was over 200,000. Sometimes being a perfectionist paid off.

Pity, he supposed, was what he should feel at her words, and although his ears drooped he did little to show it, nor was it really sincere. He didn’t outwardly care for Integra, he had no reason to. Nor did he really care for Seras. But she was offering him a home and a family, something he no longer had, eh would be a fool to let this opportunity pass.

But that still left the big guy, the no life king who was sure to collar and use him as a chew toy if he ever caught him on his turf, or in general for that matter.

"Und vhat of ze Beast himself?"

His words were slow, deliberate, dripping the name like liquid metal burning his tongue.

She had anticipated this question, and truth be told, she had no answer. Alucard was one to hold grudges until the other person was dead, or unless he killed them himself. Would he accept the boy, or would he rip him apart over and over, drawing a bloody set of whiskers on his face and keep him as a pet? Impossible to say, and impossible for her to promise Schrodinger safety from his wrath. But if that was the case, why was she already saying those words.

"I will protect you. I'm his... I'm his daughter after all."

  He was still unsure, it was evident in his features that he still questioned her words, didn’t trust her completely. But even so, there was definitely a part of him that wanted to go with this, wanted to believe her words for all they were and accept with vigor.

But what remained was the case of two people he knew would not allow such a thing to happen, one of which would tear him to shreds or use him as a chew toy, not accept him into his family with welcome arms like his fledgling. And of course, the Master that owned him.

"Integra has... changed in these last thirty years. Regret over never having a family I expect. She still looks at children with a sad gleam in her eyes. I know she's adamant that her line ends with her, but nevertheless." She explained, her voice full of melancholy and concern. 

Of course it was all well and good for her to offer this deal, but how could she speak for her master of his? There was little to no chance they’d be as accepting as she was. He knew for fact that the Hellsing dog would tear him apart, or at the least use him as a personal chew toy before ever letting him stay three feet of their territory.

Still….Her offer was tempting. A home, the possibility of a family again…But he would not be able to abandon his teachings just like that, this was a fact he knew. But still…

With a final flick of his ears, the boys features softened, but his eyes still held skepticism.

"If….If you are not lying zhough your teeth…zhen….perhaps, i could…consider…your offer….”

She heard the tremor in his voice, that subtle uncertainty. She felt it too. She wasn't worried about Alucard's reaction, he could be, persuaded, given the proper incentives. Integra had pointed out a few over the years. But it was Integra herself that might take umbridge with the were-cat. She'd never had an affinity for felines since that day, hard to blame her really, her knight, the one that had allowed her to survive childhood, had been taken out by one. Integra had calmed some with age, and Seras often found her glancing at children with a sad expression. For the sake of the country and the crown she'd given up all of that.

But still, Schrodinger needed a home, and Seras knew, that if she could just convince Integra, Schrodinger would be loved as though he were her own. Forgiveness, it's part of her religion in the end. Seras just hoped she would see it that way.

A cane that symbolised nobility led the way as he took a stroll towards the garden. It was a simpler day at the Phantomhive manor, one where there were no business dealings or explosions from Baldroy to have countered or fixed. To put it simply, the day was far too calm to not end in something predictably unpredictable for the Earl. The question that would repeat “Why?” in his mind was soon answered, blue orbs catching sight of strong colours such as black and red, accompanied with the contrast of blonde beside them.

Suspicious, for two unidentified adults to be hiding out in his backyard. It couldn’t be an accident, Ciel deduced, casually wondering if this was another mere test, given to him by Queen Victoria herself. Another test of loyalty. He couldn’t say he wasn’t used to it by now.

— { ♛ }

Her heart stopped... she'd been seen. The only thing Integra had told them not to do and she had failed it almost immediately. She turned to the sound of the voice, a child dressed in the strangest garb, including a top hat and a cane. These were the kinds of things she only saw during trips to London during Vampire outbreaks.

There was a moment of hesitation, did she attack, drop him before he called for guards? No, he was a child, and a feeble looking one at that. This was one of the increasingly rare times she would have to talk her way out of a situation, though the idea of dropping him still danced in the forefront of her mind. Vampire instincts, she reasoned.

"What would he do now?"

It repeated over and over, coming back to the same answer every time.

'I don't know.'

'I don't know.'

'I DON'T KNOW.'

Each time it was louder, yelling, screaming in his head. It was all he could think about till-

"Would you like to stay here? With me, with us?

Her world cut his thoughts like a hot knife, eyes flicking open and his body contorting till he rolled onto his back to stare up at her.

"Vhat did you just say?"

If he heard her correctly then-

Then she just offered him a home, correct? A place to stay that he no longer had? But that would be ridiculous, he was their enemy after all. Hell, he was the cause of Alucard’s ‘death’, there was no way he’d possibly be accepted in after all that. And could he really just abandon his past like that to begin with? He was brought up to kill the monster, he was taught to be the enemy. Even though his family was gone, could he really throw it all away?

He stared unblinking at the Darulina’s face, ears perked up expectant of her to repeat her answer, to confirm what he heard as fact again.

His reaction was not unexpected. I mean, even she was surprised when the words fell from her mouth, the accent clearly her own. But Seras knew he was a...a  child who needed a home, orphaned from the only family he has ever known. She knew that feeling better than most. And to her, it didn't matter that he used to be their enemy, water under a thirty year old bridge. She felt responsible in a way. And being a vampire did come with many disadvantages... no siblings, no... children for example.

He could feel her heart rate ease, the melodic purring that was forced eased with it into a nature sound, his features easing as she ran her fingers through his hair. It was familiar, it reminded him of the occasional pettings he’d get from his Major as rewards for a job well done.

It reminded him of family, of home.

Whether it was a subconscious reaction to her stokes or the overwhelming feeling of comfort he was unsure, but he quickly found himself relaxing, curling against the girls lap like an actual cat, ears twitching every once in a while when her fingers got too close.

"What will you do now?"

With that, however, the purring ground to a halt, his brow furrowing but his form staying relaxed.

What would he do now?

His family was dead, as they all knew would happen, and he had nowhere left to go. He was alone, the soul survivor of a suicide mission.

He shouldn’t be here.

He should be dead like the rest but-

But the monster, his mission, the man he destroyed for thirty years….

Spared him.

And now here he was in the lap of the enemy he was trained and taught to hate, to take down….

What was he supposed to do now?

"I…..Don’t….. know…."

She'd felt that before, that tension and terrible unease that came with an unknown future. She'd felt it that day she first met Alucard, when her human life and had ended and her new one had began. She still thought about that time, that nauseating feeling of the heart being caught in your throat. That was the only true fear, the only truth to life.

Seras continued stroking his hair, careful to be gentle, as well as resist the urge to play with his ears. And idea, one of enormous consequence found the front of her mind. She forced it back, the silence of the room with no purring like pressure on her chest. It came back. Could she do it, make her offer? Would Integra allow it? Would Alucard upon his return?

What if it was a secret? Would that work? Could she actually keep something like that hidden.

Only one way to find out.

He watches her as she sits next to him, purple hues studying her carefully as she rubbed at her features, obviously worn and confused. Thirty years was one hell of a long time, although it felt like nothing more than a few days to him,the endless screams that dragged as he regained his awareness were embedded in his thoughts but they did not feel like they had lasted for that length of time. But that was the price of only being alive while you were able to think, while you didn’t you had no idea how much time or what events had passed.

Slowly, he finished the last of his drink, keeping his eye on her form as he does.

He couldn’t think of what to say, comforting was something he had never done before, it was as foreign to him as the world now was. Instead, he decided he should keep quiet, his best interests laying in avoiding needless conflict, without alliance he was nothing more than a stay cat, and perhaps, in this case, he should do what one would do.

 Placing the glass down on the floor, the were-cat gave one last recalculation of what exactly he was about to do. This could either end with him pinned to the wall again or with the desired outcome of some estranged form of comfort, hopefully it was the latter.

Swallowing the thick lump that had worked it way into his through, the boy slid his eyes closed, screwing them up before his body dropped like a pin onto the Draculina’s lap, head resting on his side as he flicked his ears downwards and a throaty purr emitted deep from his chest.

Hopefully, this would help ease her distress, a distraction of sorts created by his feline nature.

When the boy's head began resting gently in her lap, there was a moment of panic, Seras didn't like being touched, not anymore. But then she heard, it, that deep, melodic purr of a content cat. Her heartbeat slowed, her eyes returning to their glistening blue hue. She took a deep breath, letting it out slowly. If Alucard was coming back, she wanted to make sure he was going to be proud of her. Absentmindedly, she began to stroke the were-cat's hair, his silky soft mane like water between her fleshy fingers.

Blade mere inches his eye, if he was scared he didn’t openly show it, laying lazily against the stone she had him pinned to as she wedged her familiar deep into the worn rock, rage and what he could guess was pain spewing from her lips in a primal scream. Ears forcing themselves flushed against his head in an attempt to ease the over sensitivity he had to sound, he flinched involuntarily at her bared teeth and hot breath heavily insulting his senses.

"Finish your drink, then tell me everything you know."

It was an order, through and through, and he dropped to the floor with a graceful thump much expected of a feline. He eyed her arm carefully, before thinking himself over to the desk, his physical body following milliseconds after.

Collecting the glass and repeating the process, he perched himself and the end of her bed, crossing his legs and making no move to bundle himself like he had before.

"Because, it's been thirty years..." Seras told him, as she made her way over to her bed and taking a seat next to the were-cat. She could feel his eyes on her, as the feeling of thirty years alone hit her heart. It was not a pleasant feeling, more like having thousands of bricks on your chest all at once.

Seras rubbed at her face, the tattered remains of her sleeve dangling from the shoulder.

Head slamming firmly into the hard brick, he was caught off guard by her sudden movement, eyes widening ever so slightly as the shock wore off as quickly as it came. 

Gaze flicking over the shadow form that danced around in unbound rage, he bit back a snide remark as the blade was formed, sliding under his chin and pressing against the flesh of his throat with just enough pressure to sting but not cut. Her intentions where clear on what she would do if he wasn’t careful, and although it would have little to no effect, a quick thought at the other end of the room and he would be there instantly before actual damage could be done, he was undoubtedly still getting readjusted to his reanimation, and he couldn’t exactly trust himself to think quick enough to escape.

Adjusting himself in his pinned position, he curled his gloved fingers against the solid form against his neck, running his forefinger up and down the surprisingly cold mass of familiar formed blade.

"I didn’t know you vere hard of hearing, i said 'I'm coming home.'”

That three word phrase hung in the air like a dead animal's rotting stench, nauseating and putrid. Seras starred at the boy's face, squeezing tighter and feeling the muscles of his neck tense. She could end him there, his message sent and his tongue full of what she could only say was lies. Alucard couldn't be returning could he? The No-life king, lost to the bowels of hell where even he had no power, was returning, coming home to Hellsing and to her. Her eyes teared at the thought. She wanted her father back, the man that made her who she was.

She snapped from her trance, still holding Schrodinger by the throat. His fingers playing nonchalantly on the surface of her familiar blade. She drew it back,the tip not inches from his eye. It would have been so easy.

She yelled, primal screams of rage and pain, before shunting the blade forward. It pierced the stone next to Schrodinger's ear, going deeper until it could not go further. With her face now inches from his and her teeth bared, she said;

"Finish your drink, then tell me everything you know."

"Ze messege is a simple one, Fraulein."

His voiced dropped low in octave as he spoke, any playfulness it previously held was absent, and the seriousness cut through the air like a hot knife.

With a cry, Seras grabbed the front of Schrodinger's shirt, tearing him out of the bed with all the force her vampire strength could muster. The dungeon stones beneath her feet shattered as she dashed to the far wall, slamming the were-cat up against the cold, ancient bricks. Her left arm, severed during the millennium uprising, and remade with her vampiric familiar, ethereal tendrils of black force and hatred, erupted from her the sleeve of her pajamas, eviscerating the cotton. It whipped about the room, the standard arm shape naught but a shadow of memory in the unrestrained chaos that was the rage of the new vampire queen.

Briefest moments passed before the limb solidified once more; a blade, almost as tall as Seras herself, in replacement. She slid it under Schrodinger's throat, ready to resolve her house-pest if he spoke out of turn.

He'd said those words, with that voice and that unerring sense of timelessness that only Alucard, had. This.. rat, which had caused her master's... her father's downfall now spoke his words with confidence and the arrogance to think he deserved them.

"I’d ask vhere you kept it, but i think i know vhere~ But it’s important, ja, ja~!"

At her comment he mearly shrugs, before rolling himself in the blankets once again, adopting the look at an actual cat all too well.

"Hey! Watch the sheets! I just had them cleaned," she snapped, jumping from her chair and dashing to the bed. With a sigh, Seras massaged the bridge of her nose, still too tired to fight Schrodinger in anything but a verbal bout.

"Ja you can tell~"

Grinning ear to ear again, he drops the glass roughly on the desk, vanishing milliseconds before it hits the wooden surface and reappearing on the girls bed once again.

"If the message is a good one, then I swear not to shoot you with my high-powered anti-tank rifle."