Girls night In.

Disclaimer: Hellsing belongs people who are not me. I am making £0.00 out of this fic, it is written purely because I have a burning need to create. Although I would like to own Alucard . . . then he'd be mine.

Rating: PG-13

Authoress note: The best times we have been when plans go astray.

* \/ * /\ * \/ * /\ *

{Seras}

It had been far too long since she had had any time to herself. So tonight she had made time. She'd made enquiries of Sir Hellsing and found that she wouldn't be needed tonight. All her little odd jobs were done and Master was somewhere out of the way. She'd had a long bath, using some of the soap Walter had given her as a belated birthday gift. It smelt like cherries. The hot water had been a gift from god. She could feel all of the past months worry simply falling away from her. Carried away by hot water and the smell of cherries. She'd even managed to finish her book in the bath and had cried at the ending. The tears had felt good and had kept coming a long time after was sensible. But she didn't feel bad. Instead, it was like an inner cleansing, she felt lighter now, less worried. Yes, the bath had been wonderful. Now warm from the lingering effects of the hot water and smelling slightly of cherries she had come back into her room. Walter had changed her bedding for her and she smiled. It may be foolish, but there was something nice about having a long bath and coming into a clean bed. She had dried off completely and pulled on flannel pyjamas. The soft material had made her smile. She had been into town a few days ago and had bought a few little bits and pieces, a laptop had been one of the most expensive pieces along with a few DVD's, some makeup and a little pampering kit. She grinned widely at all of them now and pulled her little table closer to her bed. Setting up the laptop had been easy, choosing a film had not been, but she managed. Settled now wrapped in her blanket and soft pyjamas, with tissue between her toes and a nail brush in her hand Seras, felt more human than she had in a long time. The clay on her face was getting dry and she had to remember not to smile at the warm contented feeling running through her. She should have done this ages ago. Then just when everything was perfect, he came and spoiled it all.

"What is that on your face!" the older vampire looked horrified as he phased through the wall. Seras didn't reply she wasn't going to ruin the face mask because of him. He would simply have to wait. "You look like a troll," he said after a moment and Seras gave up and smiled. With the face mask ruined she walked to her sink and began to rinse the clay from her skin. It had been on there for a little while, maybe that was long enough. She doubted a clay mask bought from Superdrug would actually have that much effect on undead skin anyway. But it was the ritual of it that had been important. Clean from clay she turned to look at Alucard who had stolen her warm spot on the bed and was currently going through her little pampering kit with a curiosity not unknown to cats.

"I am having a nice evening," Seras said slowly "don't spoil it." The words 'go away' remained unsaid, but he seemed to hear them despite this. The look he turned on her surprised her and she paused for a moment and then rolling her eyes answered his expression. "You can stay if you don't spoil it." Ten minutes later Seras was regretting letting him stay.

"What on earth is going on?" Alucard mumbled after a few moments of film watching. "And why is that girl carrying a rat?"

"It's a dog," Seras answered. Alucard made a face that told her exactly what he thought of that. Obviously to him dogs should not be able to fit into handbags but rather should be able to take down bears. "She's going to law school," Seras explained.

"Why?" the older vampire was clearly perplexed.

"Because no one thought that she could! And her boyfriend ... Ex-boyfriend went," Seras snapped. "Look if you're going to be a pain you can go away," Alucard mumbled something but shut up under the glare of his fledgling. Maybe the threat of wanting to paint his nails was worth something after all.

"That smells," he mumbled, Seras sighed loudly. Maybe the threat was worthless after all. "And it's a weird colour."

"It's red!" Seras snapped sitting up from where she was painting her toes. "I thought you liked red."

"But why are you painting your toes, you wear boots all the time, or those fluffy socks," Alucard pointed out and cussed when Seras put a dollop of red nail varnish on his hand.

"Never you mind why," Seras huffed, knowing he had a point but choosing to ignore it. Alucard coughed but didn't comment again on the fumes from the polish, creams and other assorted chemicals his fledgling was still covering herself with. With a mild huff, he lay down, wondering briefly why Seras' bed was so damn small. He ended up crunched up into a strange ball position, so as not to come into contact with any of the vials and bottles Seras had scatted about. Absently he picked up a nail file and sniffed at it. Seras sniggered at him and he glared. Absently she started running a brush through his hair, ignoring his mumbling. It was a soothing motion, like stroking her cat back home. The noises each of them made weren't dissimilar either. Although the contented purring Tom had made was softer and less gravely, while the contented sound coming from her master could have terrified men in tanks. Seras smiled at the thought and continued running the brush through his hair, wondering vaguely when he had last brushed his hair. It wasn't as tuggy as she had expected, but she couldn't imagine Alucard ever doing something as mundane as brushing his hair.

"So this is a nice evening," Alucard muttered after a while. Seras sighed

"Yes, it is."

"Why?" he asked, Seras rolled her eyes and tapped him with the hard part of the brush earning a started grunt in response.

"It is nice because it's quiet. It's relaxing. No one is getting shot and I'm paying attention to myself," she answered. They were silent for a few minutes, watching the film. Elle was graduating law school and making a big speech. Seras was really only half aware of what the TV blonde was yammering about. Her master's hair had wrapped itself around her wrist and was moving slowly, rhythmically. It was actually quite pleasant. The warmth from the bath was fading but there was heat coming from him oddly enough and it was nice. She could hear him breathing quietly and feel the slow near silent beat of his heart. She smiled to herself. He wasn't so bad for the company when he shut up for ten minutes. The film ended and Alucard moved breaking the spell of silence that had fallen over them in the last few minutes.

"Well that was stupid," he grunted taking the DVD from the laptop and sneering at it. "I'm picking the next one."

"You want to watch another one?" Seras was a little surprised. Alucard nodded. Seras smiled a little and reached down into her bag beside her bed and pulled out Pringles, ginger dipped in chocolate and a bottle of wine. "Fine you can pick the next one then." Alucard rummaged for a few moments in her DVD collection, occasionally making confused little noises but eventually returning with a box in hand. Seras burst out laughing after a moment.

"Clueless!" she squeaked, "you hated Legally Blonde and now you want to watch Clueless." Alucard hissed at her but stopped when he noticed all the junk food Seras was now producing shaking his head he dumped the DVD in the machine and plonked himself back down on the bed, stealing the bottle of wine.

"It was either this or Mean Girls, this has more leggy girls on the cover," he answered, "if I am going to subject myself to this then I might as well enjoy what I'm looking at."

"I didn't ask you to stay," Seras grumbled. Alucard shrugged and tipped half the bottle of wine down his throat.

"This wine is pink," he said shaking his head after a moment

"It's is Rose wine," Seras sighed, "I happen to like it." She snatched the bottle back and took a sip.

"Tastes like candy floss," Alucard grumbled then looked to the laptop "oh for crying out loud why would anyone want a wardrobe that big!" he threw a marshmallow at the laptop.

"Hey!" Seras giggled "I was going to eat that."

"No, you weren't" Alucard grumbled, "it is ammunition to show my distaste." After half an hour, the laptop was covered in marshmallows. Alucard had fallen asleep and Seras was actually enjoying herself for the first time in a long, long time.

End

Thank you for reading, please review, I'd love to hear what you think of the fic.

For information on published works and upcoming projects, release dates as well as weekly blogs check out www . katiemariewriter . co . uk

My first Novel, Grey Wings has now been released!

GREY WINGS

Jason is stranded in a dark city, and is in desperate need of help when he has no idea how he will get home.

So, when he collides with Aurelius, an Angel only in the mildest sense of the word – who has committed a crime worthy of great punishment, but has been handed a rare chance at redemption – Jason can see a way home.

However, their journey will be hampered by Fallen Angels, Earth Spirits, and Griffons – and none can say if everyone will make it home.