Disclaimer: I don't own Hellsing or any characters, they belong to Kouta Hirano. I don't make any money writing this fic, it's simply for fun.
"You've changed."
The statement made Alucard turn around briefly. He was on the roof of the Hellsing mansion, gazing at the full moon. It was a cloudless autumn night, and there was a faint chill in the air. Of course, cold weather never bothered the vampire; he had no body warmth that could be stolen away by the wind.
Seras Victoria stood behind him, her eyes meeting his for a moment before he broke contact and turned back around. She had just come from patrolling the manor's perimeter, and was still wearing her blood red Hellsing uniform. Her left arm, usually a mass of black miasma, was shaped into a normal arm at the moment. She walked over to where her master was standing by the railing and gazed at the moon as well.
"I'm changed? How so?" Alucard asked, sounding curious. Seras was silent for a moment.
"You seem calmer, less crazed," she finally replied thoughtfully. Her answer made him smile briefly.
"You haven't changed much. You still give strange answers that don't make much sense." She rolled her eyes.
"I meant that ever since you've come back, you've been very quiet. You haven't been bothering Sir Integra for missions, and you haven't been pestering me about stupid things either."
"I don't see the point in doing pointless things," he said steadily, still staring at the luminous face of the moon. "There aren't as many FREAKs on the loose, so there are no missions to destroy them. And I used to 'pester' you before because you were a silly fledgling who wouldn't drink your blood properly. Now that you drink on a regular basis, there is no reason to check in on you any more."
"You used to do many pointless things," Seras pointed out. "You used to be bored a lot, so you would do stupid things to pass the time."
"Boredom is another pointless thing. I've come to appreciate moments of stillness and quiet more." The blonde wondered if this change was a result of his long inner battle with the souls in his psyche. They lapsed into silence for a while, continuing to watch the moon as it slowly rose in the night sky. Alucard broke the silence first.
"You have changed as well."
"Of course I have," Seras said, amused and puzzled that her master would point that out. "I've had thirty years to grow stronger."
"Yes, you are much stronger," he conceded, "But what I meant was that the old you would have never started a conversation like this. The old you was timid and awkward about talking to me or anyone. The present you is more confident and self-assured."
Seras gave a little smile at the vague compliment. "I suppose that's because I'm more comfortable about being a Midian. I understand now that drinking blood to survive doesn't necessarily make me a monster."
"Blood is the currency of the soul," Alucard murmured, echoing what Integra had said thirty years ago. " To drink blood is just to take a person's life into yourself. Have you absorbed many souls during my absence?"
"No, I haven't. Integra was, and still is, worried that if I take in too many souls, then I might also disappear if another Schrodinger ever appeared." Seras absently rubbed her left arm where flesh met shadow. "She took your disappearance the hardest, Master."
Alucard made a small noise of surprise. "I thought that of all people YOU would have been the one to miss me the most." The young vampire shrugged.
"It wasn't easy while you were gone, and there were times that it would've been nice to ask you something or teach me how to do something, but I always knew that you would come back." She rested a hand on the bite marks he had given her. "Somehow, I always knew that you would come back."
Seras was surprised when she felt his large hand rest over her smaller one, and saw that her master's gaze was completely attuned to her. "Thank you," he said sincerely, and Seras blinked in confusion. "What for?"
"For never changing your absolute faith in me." Gently he ruffled her hair, just like he had done thirty years ago. Then without a word, he vanished from the rooftop, leaving her alone. The fledgling let out a huff of annoyance and started to smooth her hair back down. Slowly a grin crept onto her face.
"He's definitely changed."
A/N: Not really a romantic AxS. In fact, Alucard's pretty tame in this… Anyway, I've been so busy at my new art college that I haven't had much time to satisfy my Hellsing obsession. There are so many projects, but it's fantastic that I can do as much art as I want. When I have the time (and inspiration) over the school year, I will post stories up. Until then, please review!