Title: Every Angel
Author: Paradigm Shifter
Rating: 15; for language, potential mature themes and adult humour.
Feedback: Would be greatly appreciated.
Fic Type: Fluff. I think. Maybe.
Written To: Final Fantasy VI OSV.
Gracias: Trevelyan, Bobby Cox, Teri.
Notes: This idea has been battering around my head for ages. I finally wrote it in a fit of boredom and short-term muse return.
Continuity: Not manga vol. 7.
Pairing: Xander/Integra
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It was almost evening, and Hellsing Manor was full of the sound of babyish laugher. It was also full of the sound of smashing furniture as Alucard in his hellhound form tore through the mansion with a madly giggling baby firmly secured to his back.
He had buckled, as he always did, to the eyes.
That damned man had taught his daughter the eyes before she could even walk – and Alucard was always the worse off when she used them.
Of course, since 'that damned mans' daughter was also Integra's, he couldn't hold it against the child. Nor could he hold it against the man himself, since Integra got decidedly testy when her husband was threatened.
It didn't help that the Angel of Death thought that his predicament was highly amusing.
Even Seras couldn't keep the merry glint out of her red eyes or the smirk off her lips when he 'played horsie' for baby Integra.
And the fact that his childe just laughed when he threatened her made it all the more galling. Seras was a No Life Queen in her own right, now – second only in power to Alucard, and Integra's most prominent 'Irregular', since a leggy, busty blonde was far less intimidating than Alucard and his mad grin. Seras was the public front of the Hellsing Irregulars, and Alucard was the dark secret.
He liked it that way – being polite to people was such a bore, but sometimes it felt as if it had been easier in the past. Scaring the hell out of whoever called Hellsing in was part of the fun.
That was... the past. Before Integra's husband had arrived. Before she even knew he existed.
Hellhound Alucard slammed into the far wall going round a corner about four times faster than was sensible, even with a Hellhounds grip, and took off again even faster down the clear corridor with a laughing baby on his back.
- Flashback –
"No, I will not transform into a Hellhound!" Alucard stood in front of Sir Integra Fairbrook Wingates Hellsing with a pout on his lips, "Master, please..."
Integra looked at him coolly, one perfect platinum blonde eyebrow quirking as her baby daughter sitting on her desk giggled and held her hands out to the nosferatu to be picked up. Alucard did so without even paying attention, waving a gloved finger at the infants' face – a diversionary tactic he quickly regretted when she bit down on the tip of his finger.
"I did not ask you to, Alucard. Remember, you have a bond with my daughter for the same reason you have a bond with me. When I die, she will be the Commander of Hellsing, the head of the Royal Protestant Knights and, furthermore, the head of this family. So you will obey her."
"I am aware of the relationship between us, Master," Alucard said stiffly. Until the day when Alexander had come into her life, Alucard had maintained a hope that one day he might be able to persuade her to become his bride – a No Life Queen that would rival his own power. "And I am aware of the importance of your daughter."
A chuckle came from one of the high backed chairs that were facing the fire off to the side, "Come now, Al, ol' buddy... don't go getting all bashful on us. You know what baby Integra wants; she is often rather insistent about it."
Alucard grinned at the man that spoke as he walked forward to perch on the edge of Integra's desk. He wasn't entirely sure why he did the mad grin, any more – it didn't scare the man after the first week, so it was pointless.
"Don't look at her now, Al."
Of course, as soon as Alexander had said that, Alucard was forced to look at the baby in his arms to see what it was the one-eyed man was going on about. He knew immediately that he had been played, as he got hit by the Harris Puppy-Dog Eyes from close range as soon as he looked at the child.
The No Life King sighed deeply. "Oh, for Hell's sake... very well," he looked back to Alexander, who grinned at him unrepentantly. "That was a very dirty trick."
"I know." The grin didn't waver, "I learned from the best, after all..."
Alucard rolled his eyes, but grinned back as he shifted into his Hellhound form. Baby Integra found herself firmly on his back, and she giggled happily as she gripped the Hellhound collar, and pulled it back, "Giddyup, horsie!"
Alucard choked as his collar crushed his throat, "Not... so... hard!"
At the sound of a chair moving, Alucard turned round and sat down on his haunches, making sure that his future mistress was in no danger of falling off.
That wasn't so much the problem; baby Integra wouldn't fall off his back, but having his larynx remain in its original – and uncrushed – shape was definitely ranking pretty highly in his list of immediate concerns.
Integra got down on one knee in front of him, to bring their eyes level. "Now, remember, 'Uncie Ally-Card': you throw my daughter, and you will be regretting it for the rest of your days."
Alucard gave her a pointed look; saying as well as he could in his Hellhound form that she could get stuffed. A low growl echoed in the room, at least until baby Integra twisted his collar tighter and rapped him on the head with one fist.
"Play nice, Uncie Ally-Card!" She giggled again, "Giddyup!" This happy shout was accompanied by a further collar jerk, prompting Alucard to choke once more, and shoot Integra and Alexander a withering glare. They returned it with smiles – frosty and cheerful respectfully.
Alexander Harris wound an arm around Integra's waist, and waved at Alucard cheekily, "Giddyup, horsie... little Integra is waiting!"
Alucard spared him one last death glare – although if the previous hundred-thousand or so hadn't worked, why he expected this one to was completely beyond all of them – and tore off down the corridor with his future mistress squealing in excitement on his back.
- End Flashback -
-
"What are you thinking about, hon?" Alexander Hellsing – nee Harris, as Integra had adamantly refused to give up her family name for his, and Xander had no wish to keep any memory of his parents – sat on the edge of his marital bed with his wife sitting with her back to him between his legs.
Contrary to what some might have thought, they were both dressed – rather, Xander was still fully dressed and Integra was in her sleeping attire.
And he was brushing her hair.
It was an evening ritual that neither of them could really remember when or how it had gotten started, but both enjoyed it. For both, it was a time of uninterrupted peace for the two of them to share. Integra did not have to be 'Sir Hellsing' as she did at every other waking moment, and Xander did not have to be her emotionless, silent and above all, brutally frank husband.
Was there anything unmasculine about brushing his wife's hair? Xander didn't think so. Integra never seemed to cut her hair, so it had gotten longer and longer as they had known each other. Her smooth platinum blonde hair was always a source of awe to Xander – as was the fact that their daughter had inherited that same astonishingly pale blonde hair.
The silence from his better half, however, was not filling him with confidence as he worked.
"Integra?"
Integra shook her head, nearly pulling the hairbrush out of Xander's hand as she did so.
"I am sorry, Alex... I am preoccupied tonight."
Xander chuckled, "I noticed." The silver brush clinked as it met the dresser-top, "You want to tell me what that preoccupation is?"
"Nothing terribly important," Integra dismissed before Xander's hand covered her mouth.
"Before you give me any more of that nonsense, Hon, tell me the truth. What is it?"
Integra swallowed. "You may find your loyalties torn if I tell you."
Xander gently pushed her up, and got up after her. Standing, he was a good six inches taller than her without shoes, and he ducked his head to look into her eyes, "No, I won't. You know why?"
Integra shook her head when he paused, even though it was a rhetorical question.
"It's because of you. Because of little Integra, and because you married me, even though I'm a one-eyed carpenter who couldn't hold down an honest job due to his handicap – and even though I'm not exactly what you might call ideal material as husband for the Commander of the Royal Protestant Knights."
Integra sat down on the side of the bed, and pulled her feet under her. Xander walked over to the door, where he turned and watched her carefully.
"If you're worried about my loyalties, this must be something to do with the Watchers Council – again. Don't be worried. I'm not going anywhere... when I said my part of our wedding vows, I meant them. When I – as the consort of the Commander of the Royal Protestant Knights – swore on one knee in front of the Queen to protect this country to the fullest of my abilities, I meant it." He shot Integra a sly look, "So... what's got their panties in a knot this time?"
Integra snorted in a most unladylike fashion at his phrase, "They seem to feel that since they do not merely protect England, but the whole world, that they should be free of such trivial things as 'laws' and 'due process'. Furthermore, they feel that as a privately funded organisation, they should be allowed a certain amount of... leeway in their financial dealings."
Integra looked up at the sound of a guffaw. Xander was leaning against the door, laughing himself sick. If he had not been leaning on the door, he would have surely been rolling round the floor.
"You... you mean..." Xander calmed the last of the chuckles with some difficulty, "Oh, Hon, I can practically see Buffy's hand all over this. She does love her 'might makes right' mentality..."
"Which, if you remember, would be how I met you, Alex."
The complete change of topic caught Xander off-guard. He nodded thoughtfully, and made his way back to their bed, when Integra was now sliding under the covers. "I think you're right. Hm. Who'd have thought that something good would have come out of Sunnydale at the end?"
Integra pulled him down by his collar and silenced him with a kiss, "Alex...?"
"Yeah, Hon?"
"Shut up," she let him go, "and get into bed."
Xander adopted an 'Igor' pose, bow legged, one shoulder higher than the other, head down and to one side, "Yeeeeth, Mithtreth..."
He ducked as Integra threw a pillow at him.
Keeping her out of the dark moods that so plagued her younger years – at least according to Walter – was one of the things that he was truly good at.
-
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