I do not own Hellsing or any part of it. It belongs to Kouta Hirano.
The room is brightly lit, the outside wall's tall windows are open to the cool night air and lined with festive multicolored lights. They flicker and blink with the music playing through the speaker system built into the ceiling. Though it is one of the smaller audience halls within the Hellsing Mansion, it seems much larger with the colorful and cheerful holiday decorations. Wreaths and garlands are strung along the golden walls, mistletoe adorning the tip of each chandelier that hangs from the ceiling. Smaller bundles of greenery adorn the long row of tables along the inner wall with food in disarray from their previously, perilously constructed displays by the hands or tongs of the guests.
Voices keep a low octave, barely discernible over the sound of music wavering through the air and the atmosphere has a touch of uneasiness to it despite the effort to create holiday cheer.
Seras leans from her perch atop a chair arm, arms crossed under her evergreen clothed chest. She scowls at the cause of most of the hate and discontent that lingers in the air, undecipherable by most of the people in the room. Her soft green short sleeved shirt is lined with red, matching her short skirt and thigh high stockings. Her feet, always so comfortable in her combat boots, are now adorned with curly toed slippers. Each curl is ended with a bell, said bell the reason she keeps her butt planted on the arm of the chair.
"He could at least pretend to be sociable. I know he can do it. Hell, I've even heard him say the word before so i know he knows what it means!" On the other arm of the chair Jess laughs aloud, reaching across to pat Seras's knee. She is dressed identical to Seras, adorned in green and red. Her elf hat is sitting crooked on her head.
"Don't worry honey, not all men are like him! Sometimes i wish i could get Reece to tone it down. Have you seen him within the last ten minutes? He was doing a face plant into the chicken enchilladas." Seras frowns and scans the tables till she sees Reece seated at the buffet table, a plate full of enchilladas and rice before him as he digs in.
"Who brought enchilladas to a Christmas buffet?" Seras asks. "That isn't usually a Christmas food." Jess laughs.
"I brought it just because i knew he wouldn't be able to resist it!" Seras chuckles and both women look down at their companion finally speaks.
"Seras, please remind me just how long i have to remain like this." Both women looks down to see Walter sitting rigidly in the chair, his eyes locked on Seras. She grins widely and reaches over, adjusting his snowy white beard.
"Oh come now Santa, you agreed so readily to play this role, i thought you would love to sit and listen to all the wonderful little wishes that the staff and cast's children have! Oh look, here comes another one now!" Seras and Jess hope down and approach the mother and child approaching, the child staring eagerly at Santa.
"Have fun Santa!" Seras calls over her shoulder, heading for the table.
...
Across the room Daniel watches Jess and Seras tackle the buffet bar and heaves a heavy sigh, rubbing the back of his neck wearily. Beside him Samuel and Alex both nod in agreement.
"Why did we agree to this?" Samuel murmurs. Daniel shrugs and Alex wraps an arm around each of their shoulders.
"Because we're a sucker for the ladies, and that's what got us in trouble." Alex states. Samuel laughs
"That and you're scared of Integra." he whispers, casting a glance toward the corner occupied by the blonde. Alex scowls at him.
"You're scared of her too, elf ears." he snaps, reaching up to flick the plastic ear adorning Samuel's ears. He laughs and returns the gesture to Alex's fake ears, the two starting to tussle before Daniel grabs their ears, stretching the elastic before releasing. Both yelp as their ears snap back into place against their heads.
"Enough you two. Go entertain the kids that just came in before they go to see Walter." The two younger vampires nod, Samuel snickering as he walks away.
"You mean Santa." Samuel says over his shoulder. "Come see Santa!" He calls, turning from Daniel to the children. Daniel only leans back against the wall, the cool night breeze floating in through the window the only solace in the room. If not for the breeze he would have vaulted the railing and been in the woods before anyone could blink.
With Amanda of course. His gaze travels to the source of his thoughts and he sees her across the room, near the corner where Integra leans. Amanda, Matt, and Maxwell are talking in the corner, deep in conversation. Amanda looks up as his gaze finds her and he sees her blush slightly before looking away.
...
"So tell me Amanda, how many bases do you guys have in America exactly?" Maxwell asks, swirling his red wine slowly in his glass. Amanda looks away from Daniel and shakes her head.
"I'm not telling you that! I can't Maxwell, you know that."
"Oh come, no harm will come of it, i swear." Maxwell says, resting his free hand over his heart. Amanda laughs and taps his shoulder with a finger.
"You have no concept of 'player knowledge is not character knowledge' do you?" Maxwell looks at her, brow furrowed in confusion and Amanda only laughs. "Thought so!" Matt glances between them and sighs.
"Amanda, it's official. You are such a geek!" She smacks his shoulder soundly, causing his drink to slosh dangerously close to the rim.
"I'm a dork, not a geek! All gamers are dorks." She laughs aloud before Maxwell gives a small smile.
"Now. Back in my day we were geeks. Guess that times do change." He remarks behind his glass. Matt and Amanda stare at Maxwell in shock before Amanda starts laughing so hard Matt has to take her glass, saving the contents from the swift drop to the floor.
...
In the corner Alucard watches everyone behind his red glasses, the soft light from the chandeliers and the merry laughter grating on his every nerve. Though he remains emotionless outwardly his companion is far from passive.
"I can't believe i allowed Seras to talk me into this nonsense." Integra grates through her clenched teeth. Alucard lets out a low chuckle.
"Come now Integra. You seemed to like the idea at first." Integra shoots him a glare.
"Yes, when it was only going to be the cast from the England based Hellsing Organization. Seras never made mention of the American base or even inviting the Iscariot cast here. She's lucky she intercepted them at the gate or else they wouldn't have made it on the grounds."
"That's only in the series." Alucard remarks. Integra lets out a rather unladylike snort.
"Wanna bet? How much longer is this going to last?" She growls. Alucard shrugs.
"Until people leave." Integra's hand tightens on her glass of egg nog.
"At least the food is halfway decent." She grumbles, taking another deep swig of her egg nog.
Alucard turns to see Anderson approaching, Integra noting his approach as well. They don't speak until Anderson is standing directly before them.
"I hate this kind of thing." Anderson states. "I only came because the kids from the orphanage are here to see Walter in that ridiculous outfit." Integra snorts again around her egg nog.
"At least we have one thing we can agree on." She snaps. Alucard laughs quietly at her remark before nodding.
"I agree."
"Well the heavens do smile upon us tonight. Something we agree on." Anderson remarks. Integra laughs.
"Let the pearly gates swing open!"
...
Seras looks up as she hears Integra's voice over the music and shakes her head when she sees who the blonde is with.
"Well isn't that a Christmas miracle." Seras remarks under her breath. Jess looks over and her eyes widen.
"Well I'll be darned! Alucard and Anderson within the same building and they aren't fighting!" Seras laughs.
"Even off set they still hate each other Never could figure it out. Like i said, a Christmas miracle!"