Title: Wild Ones
Rating: M
Pairing: PipxAlucard, eventual PipxSerasxAlucard
Warning: yaoi, graphic smut
Summary: "I came to ask you something Captain," Alucard inquired smoothly. "I'll do my best to answer it then," Pip said. "I wanted to offer you…oh how do people put it now…" the vampire mumbled to himself for a moment, "sex with no strings attached?" Pip/Alucard, eventual AlucardxPipxSeras
Author's Notes: Here I am, back with another chapter! My goal: make my chapters shorter. I really should make them more manageable for myself and for you my dear readers. Once again, thank you for all the reviews! I do love them so, and I'm going to be greedy and keep asking for more. However, I just want to let you know I am a woman. Please don't leave me reviews calling me 'dude' or 'bro'. I'm not angry since there's no way you could have known. So I'm telling you know. I'm neither 'dude' nor 'bro'. Sis, if you want I don't care… This chapter and the next one will contain plot mostly. You forgot I had a storyline didn't you? That's okay. I need a few chapters of plot so I can have some time playing with the characters' feelings. Never fear though, the smut is coming and I have some exciting ideas that I know you guys are going to like. As always, thank you for sticking with my story so far, and please let me know what you think. See you next chapter!
-Chapter Seven-
"Huh?" Pip jolted awake with a light snort as the alarm on his cell phone rang. Blindly, he fumbled for it on the nightstand and flipped it open.
It was a simple little flip-phone that he paid for as he went. He had never seen the point in buying himself a phone with a regular contract since he never knew what country he would be in from month to month. He blinked, clearing his vision and read the small time display on the screen. Eight in the morning. He threw his phone on the nightstand and rolled onto his back.
He didn't want to get up. The mattress had conformed to his body during his sleep, comforting his now aching spine. He had known he would be sore that morning, and he bitterly accepted the knowledge that he had been correct. The plain heavy covers were warm and kept him pinned in place. He didn't want to get up… and that was alarming to him. Although he and the rest of the Geese were not required to be ready for drills until nine, Pip was an early riser. He liked to practice what he preached; especially that strict discipline was a must. He lay there staring at the ceiling and pushed his long bangs away from his forehead.
They were all being lulled into a state of complacency. It would cost them their lives in the long run. They had been hired to protect the Hellsing mansion, and assist the resident vampires in their hunts. However, currently it felt more like they were being paid to laze around. Integra wasn't giving them enough jobs. It had been months since they had been hired, and they were still focusing their attention on drills. Only a select few men had been on even fewer missions either with the vampires or on their own to clean up remaining ghouls.
Pip gently rubbed his left eye temporarily devoid of its eye patch. He had tried sleeping with it on once before, but it gave him a headache.
His thoughts didn't waver long. There was worry for his men, men who were like family to him, settling in his chest. They couldn't afford to become lackadaisical. Ever. But especially not while working for Hellsing. It was obvious that even 'engineered' vampires were too much for them to handle, forget a vampire like Seras. He had seen Alucard in action before and knew none of them would stand a chance against him.
At the thought of the ancient vampire, Pip turned his head towards the white sunlight creeping into his room through the half open curtains. The thought of what it would be like to have Alucard sleeping next to him when he awoke crossed his mind. Pip instantly buried his face in both his hands and growled.
"Enough already," he told himself sternly.
It wasn't like he was in love with the vampire. He didn't even like men to begin with. Yes, he had fun sexually experimenting with Alucard but he didn't want musings of the vampire in his head all the time. He took his hands away from his face and sighed.
He would rather be thinking about what it would be like to have Seras sleeping next to him…or being with him in general. He could easily imagine how the indirect sunlight would give her skin a healthy glow, and he thought it would be adorable if she slept with one hand constantly next to her face. The warm sheets would shield her from a chill she wouldn't feel anyway, but he would have her safely wrapped in his arms. Her clear blue eyes would shine when she looked up at him, and if he ran a hand over her lithe form she would blush so prettily. Pip groaned as heat settled into his groin on its own accord.
"Damn it," he huffed. He'd just had sex the night before; he should not have been this horny. He contemplated ignoring his arousal until it died down, but the longer he laid there it became apparent that he wasn't going to have any such luck that morning.
With an annoyed click of his tongue, he quickly removed his plain white cotton t-shirt and pulled his boxers down. Years of living with other men had taught him how to be silent lest he be caught in a private act. His face burned with the memory of Integra walking in on him and Alucard. Thank God nothing like that had happened to them again. He would die from the shame alone. Though the door to his room was closed and locked, he pulled the sheets up over his head anyway. He couldn't have cared less if he looked like a child hiding. He happened to find that this self imposed darkness was comforting.
He roughly began to stroke himself, unwilling to let his body's control linger over his mind's for too long. He imagined her as he touched himself. He imagined her beneath him, naked and in her full glory. He imagined running his long fingers over her soft skin. Wherever he would press she would bend. In his mind, he ran the pads of his thumbs over her rosy nipples until they hardened under the touch. He would use only the softest touch on her. He was always gentle with a woman, and he would be even more so with Seras. She was a virgin, after all. His hands would skim down her trim waist, and he imagined she would become nervous in his grasp the closer he came to his ultimate destination. His long fingers would touch her nether lips reverently, worshipfully, lovingly. She would be soft and warm. She would blush as he touched her where no other man had. He would easily slip a finger inside her depths, delicately feeling for her spot. His thumb would continuously rub her clitoris, happy to give her unadulterated pleasure. His other hand would wander her beautiful form, caressing a breast before sliding back down her flat stomach to ever so gently push down on her lower stomach. Yet another trick he'd learned from his former conquests, the slightest pressure on where her bladder and uterus resided would intensify her pleasure. She would whimper unsurely beneath him, but he would silence her with a gentle kiss. Eventually, she would settle in his grasp and welcome the pleasure he gave. She would want more. She would push her hips towards him, silently begging him for something else.
Pip swept his thumb over the tip of his erection and groaned softly.
A neck that was begging to be kissed and marked, a mass of black tresses, and devilish red eyes that beckoned him to join their owner in the pits of hell…
"What?!" Pip flung the sheets off himself and bolted upright. His chest heaved and he raised his clean left hand to his face. He'd just imagined Alucard right in the middle of fantasizing about Seras. "No," he whined to himself, "No, no, no!"
This wasn't what he wanted to have happen. He liked Seras—he was tempted to say he might have been sincerely falling in love with her—not Alucard. He sighed as he realized that wasn't entirely true. Seras was a girl he could imagine spending the rest of his life with, but she refused to let him be near her. Alucard on the other hand, he was meant to be there for sex alone. But Pip realized he knew far too much about the ancient vampire than he did about his dear Mignonette.
With any and all lust dead, Pip went to take a shower and head down to where he and his men ate together. He quickly decided to turn the nozzle towards the red and languidly stood under the spray as he unbraided his caramel hair. He was drenched in warm water, and the noise of the falling liquid helped cease his rapid and cyclical thoughts. His thick long hair was heavy when wet and he titled his head back exposing the muscles in his throat to the warm spray. He then set about his usual routine of washing, making sure all suds were cleared from his hair and skin, before turning the water to cold. He always did this. Warm water to ease himself into his mornings and then cold water to awaken and refresh him. He put his head directly under the spray and continued to listen to the small splattering sounds the water made as it fell from him. The cold water seeped into his hair gradually replacing the warm and Pip pulled his head out from under the shower nozzle.
He turned the shower off, exited, and grabbed a towel. Heading over to his sink, he proceeded to shave landing himself with a few nicks and muttered curses. He combed his drying hair, ripping out knots uncaringly of any discomfort until his hair was untangled. He fumbled through one of his bathroom drawers and found an extra packet of cigarettes and a lighter he had stashed away. He lit up, enjoying his first dose of nicotine for the day. He pushed the smoke to one side of his mouth as he diligently began to braid his long hair. When finished, he stamped out the butt of his cigarette in the ashtray on the bathroom counter. He ruffled his long bangs, helping them fall back into their natural place. He brushed his teeth before going back out into his bedroom.
He slipped his eye patch on and immediately felt all the more comfortable for it. He grabbed his clothes and threw them on hurriedly. He would dress in his fatigues for drills later as he always did. For now, he would wear light blue jeans and a black dress shirt.
He exited his room, and paced down the short hallway to the small mess hall the Geese had in their section of the mansion. Most of the men were there already. It was the usual amount of chaos in the morning. Two of the men were fighting over whether to watch the news or the weather—both equally as boring in Pip's opinion. One of the men was failing to make a heartier breakfast of scrambled eggs. A few of the men were nursing headaches as was evident by the aspirins and large glasses of water sitting in front of them. And then there was everyone else. The rest of the men were quietly reading a paper, eating something, or simply drinking coffee while talking to one another.
Pip never expected all his men to fall quiet and look at him when he walked into the room. He stood there frozen silently looking back at them unsure of what was going on. Their attention on him was unwavering and unsettling.
"What?" he demanded.
The spell broke and one of the younger men approached him with a full mug. "Did you want sugar this morning Captain?"
"No thanks," he accepted the black coffee gratefully. He leaned against one of the counters and attempted to blend in by making himself as small as possible. What had that been about? He looked down at himself. Had he forgotten to pull up his zipper or something? He couldn't find anything out of place and was left to continue to wonder what was up. He took a sip of his coffee and instantly grimaced.
"Bleh," he coughed.
"No good Sir?" He looked over to see the young man who had given him the mug nervously speak.
"No, the coffee's good. But I already brushed by teeth," he explained. Coffee and mint toothpaste was worse than mint toothpaste and orange juice. A few murmurs of agreement were uttered around him, and even then Pip wasn't comfortable with any attention on himself. He took a deep breath and another sip of acrid coffee. He put the mug down in defeat upon the counter he was leaning on. He focused in on one of the numerous small conversations around him and instantly regretted it as it made him uneasy once more.
"I'm telling you, they'd be warm."
"No, they wouldn't."
"Yes they would!"
"How do you know?"
"I don't, but I'm sure they'd be warm on the inside."
"They'd be cold."
"The hell they would. Look, when a person is out in the snow for too long yes on the outside they're cold but on the side they're warm!"
"That's because they have blood to keep them warm."
"The vamps do too."
"No they don't. That's why they drink it."
"Oh please. You telling me a vampire bat doesn't have blood of its own even though it drinks it too?"
"That's different."
"How?"
"A vampire bat is a normal creature. Vampires aren't."
"You shouldn't be talking like that," a third soldier piped up, "Not about Seras."
"I'm not talking about Seras! Fuck, she's young enough to be my daughter."
"What are you talking about?" Pip demanded. The men flinched and looked at their Captain. They should have known that Pip would want to be involved in a conversation if the young female vampire's name was mentioned.
"We were talking about this last night Captain."
"We were wondering; if you had sex with a vampire, would they be warm or cold on the inside?"
Pip gulped, "Oh?"
"What do you think Captain?"
Pip felt like a trapped animal.
"How the hell would I know?" He snapped at them.
"Well we just thought…you know…maybe you'd managed to woo a certain vampire…"
'Please let them be talking about Seras…Please let them be talking about Seras…'
"I haven't managed to woo anyone," he half lied. After all, he hadn't actively pursued Alucard it had been the other way around. He had just given in. "Are you saying you want to sleep with my Mignonette?" he asked, hoping to deflect any suspicion. He had a sinking feeling in his stomach. The boys were starting to get at something, and he was worried now that they were getting closer to the mark.
"Of course not Captain," they answered, snorting as if that was the stupidest thing they'd heard. He believed them. Most of the men teased Seras like she was a daughter or a younger sister…some of them just teased her since she made it so fun. She was childlike in her innocence and reactions, and she always brightened their moods. Pip was the only one who saw her as a potential lover.
"What about Big Red?" one of the men blurted.
"Who?" Pip asked raising a brow.
"You know. Alucard?"
"What about him?" Pip asked hesitantly.
"Wonder if he's warm on the inside?"
"Could be. Aren't men supposed to be warmer than women?"
"I think it's the other way around."
There was a faint trembling in Pip's knees. Shitfuck. 'Please don't tell me they know too…'
The more the men talked, the more obvious the glint in their eyes became as they spoke about Alucard. A nervous sweat made Pip's skin clammy. They couldn't know…they just couldn't know!
'Some save me,' he begged silently though his worries had yet to be confirmed. The thought that Alucard might morph through the wall to answer his request floated through his mind and he panicked. 'No! Stay in your coffin!' He had no idea if Alucard was listening or not, but he hoped the vampire would help him by not coming near the Geese.
His silent request was answered by someone else however. Walter strode into their mess hall and calmly waited until he was noticed.
"Yes?" Pip asked walking over to him.
"Sir Integra as asked that everyone vacate the mansion," he said tersely, "She would like you and your men to spend the day in London."
The Geese looked at one another confused.
"Is something wrong?" Pip asked. He really hoped that him sleeping with Alucard hadn't resulted in them all being fired. As if sensing his anxiety, Walter smiled slightly.
"It's nothing serious," he said, "Since so many people have been coming in and out of the mansion recently, Sir Integra wants to do a routine sweep for bugs."
"Bugs?"
"Yes," Walter sighed, "Sadly enough we've had problems with espionage before so we have to be extra careful."
Pip nodded, "Then…I guess we have a day off?"
"Yes."
"Alright boys," Pip said turning to his soldiers, "Let's go."
.
When the Geese had reached London after a reasonable drive, Pip had quickly broken away from them. The boys wanted to go boozing, a ridiculous desire that early, and he wasn't in the mood. Honestly, he needed a little space. He was glad to be off the Hellsing property in general. It would give him some time to think about things, though thinking wasn't actually all that high on his list.
He walked around the busy streets, letting his feet take him where they pleased. He wasn't sure what he was looking for or who he wanted to be looking with. In the few months that had passed since Alucard first offered Pip sex, things had become astoundingly complicated. His shoulders slumped, and he looked up at the sky. No clouds today, but Pip could tell the weather was turning towards autumn and he was happy he had worn his long sleeve shirt. He passed people he did not know, just a face in a sea of people. As much as he complained about London, this was one of the few things he liked. It was as easy to immerse yourself in the city as it was to detach from it. Or at least that was how it came across to Pip.
He continued to wander around aimlessly, annoyed with the pang of loneliness he felt. He wasn't lonely. He had plenty of people he was close to. The Geese were like family to him, he had Seras….and he had Alucard. He stopped walking.
Was it really appropriate to say he had Alucard? It sounded so possessive and he knew he didn't have the right to feel that way about the vampire. Alucard had entrusted Pip with his body alone, nothing else. Pip rubbed the back of his neck as he began walking again. He had no illusions. He and Alucard weren't… Weren't what? In love?
'Of course not,' Pip thought a deep flush on his face. He must have looked ridiculous to those who passed him. A tall slim man with an eye patch, a long braid, and a red face… Pip laughed at himself as he dug his carton of cigarettes out of his back pocket.
He lit up and blew out a lungful of smoke, careful not to blow it in the face of some innocent passerby. He was approaching the heart of London now, the shops and people becoming more condensed. A wall facing the street caught his eye; a simple brick wall plastered with layer upon layer of flyers and advertisements. His remaining green eyes scanned the papers for anything of interest. Inevitably perhaps he found himself thinking of Alucard.
With the way the men had been acting earlier, he knew it was a bad idea to keep sleeping together inside the walls of the mansion…or on the Hellsing estate at all. His paranoia was becoming absurd but he couldn't help himself. Maybe they could rent a motel room. Sure he might not have the money for a really nice one all the time, but so long as it was clean and safe it wouldn't be that bad—
"You shouldn't bother with those you know." A voice he did not recognize pulled him from his thoughts.
He looked to his left and saw two young women looking directly at him. "I'm sorry?"
The girls smiled. "He's French," the redhead whispered happily, not realizing how loud she was.
He grinned. "So these aren't any good huh?"
"What do you need help finding?" the brunette answered him.
'My sanity.'
"I'm looking for a place to take someone," he sighed, "I don't know…a club or something…" Blurting out he was looking for a good hotel was a bit abrupt.
"Nightclub?"
"Of course."
The girls thought for a moment. "There's so many…uh what kind of club?"
Pip mulled that over for a moment. He didn't know if Alucard had ever been to nightclub before. That was an unexpectedly exciting prospect. But the vampire had been around for so long Pip thought a regular club might bore him. "Something wild," he said finally, "Somewhere most people wouldn't venture into."
"Oh," one of the girls cooed teasingly, "Feeling adventurous? Let's see…"
"I can only think of one but that place is really hardcore," the brunette ventured.
Pip's interest piqued at that. He had a feeling the more 'hardcore' it was the more Alucard would like it. "Where's that?" he asked.
"Sadisco."
Pip's eyebrows rose at the name. It sounded perfect.
"It's not as bad as you'd think," the redhead rolled her eyes, "It actually really safe there. The owners are really dedicated to making sure everyone who goes there has a good time. They're actually very nice too."
"You've been there?" Pip asked, highly doubting either of these girls was old enough to legally enter.
"Yeah, we've been. It's totally a fetish club, but it's really cool."
Fetish huh?
"I'm assuming BDSM?" he asked in a deliberately flat tone of voice.
"Yep," the girls laughed.
"Is everyone allowed there?" he asked.
"Of course. What you think they won't let you in because you're French?"
"Not different like that I meant…" he trailed off. What had been about to say? Different because he wanted to take another man there?
"Oh…Don't worry. Any sexual orientation is allowed there."
He almost grimaced. That made it sound like he was exclusively interested in men which he most certainly was not. "Okay," he said instead. "Where is this place?"
One of the girls rummaged through her purse and retrieved a small notepad and pen. She drew a crude map and handed it to him.
"Thank you," he said, cramming the paper into the pocket of his shirt. He couldn't explain it, but since the pocket was on the left side of his chest the paper within felt like a brand of shame on his heart. He didn't like how that sounded either. Yes he was often embarrassed at the thought that he was sleeping with another man, but to say he was ashamed of Alucard wasn't true.
"Merci," he smiled at them before setting off again.
"Wait! One more thing; the club is only open from twelve pm to six am."
"Alright," he said kindly. Considering who he wanted to take there, it was perfect timing. Still, he wanted to take a good look at this place before he dragged Alucard to it. Pulling out the piece of paper he felt a certain animosity towards, he set off towards the nightclub.
He promptly turned around and grumbled to himself when he realized he had walked a block in the wrong direction.
.
Sadisco was in the right spot for a nightclub baring such a name. A little side-alley on the outskirts of London. Pip had spent an exorbitant amount of time trying to find the place. But now he finally stood in front of it and he stamped out his latest cigarette. From the outside, it looked as if this building had not been wandered into for years. The door was heavily chained and locked, but the splintering wood would most likely have given way with a hard push. The old bricks were discolored, dull burgundy with sickly green splotches instead of the obnoxious pigment of freshly laid bricks. The windows were covered in grime, so much so that he didn't have a hope of looking inside the club without entering the building.
"Can I help you?"
He turned. A young man with silver hair and purple eyes was watching him carefully. Pip thought grey was a curious hair color for one so young.
"I'm looking for a nightclub that's meant to be on this street," he said. He felt no inclination to reveal the name of the establishment he sought to a complete stranger. The young man smiled, and pulled something out of his pocket. Pip instantly tensed, and almost scowled. He didn't have his Colt pistol with him.
"You're in the right place," the man said. The mystery item he had retrieved from his pocket was in fact a key. The silver haired youth unlocked the heavy chains and pulled open the door. "Would you like to come in?"
Pip nodded silently, and threw a few cautious looks to either side of him before he entered. The building was large and austere. It was practically empty. To the right of the large open space, there was what looked like a reception area. Towards the front of the building and across from the large reception counter was the closed bar and a healthy amount of table and chairs. Behind the seating arrangement, a large completely empty space lay. There was no paint on the walls, nothing to give the space any warmth. But considering this was an S&M club, Pip wasn't really surprised. The floor was all concrete, and the table and chairs were stainless steal. The building was not lifeless but it gave off waves of mercilessness. Pip shuddered involuntarily. He had never been to a place like this. He was used to smoky, musky, sweltering whorehouses, not this.
"It warms up in here when we're open," Pip's impromptu guide said, his articulate voice bouncing off the walls.
"Mmm," Pip nodded unsure of what to say.
"Something to drink?" the man pointed to the bar.
"No thanks," he said softly. Normally, Pip wouldn't have thought twice about indulging in a free drink when offered. But he wasn't comfortable around this man. Pip had learned how to read people, but he couldn't get an idea about this man. He didn't know if he was older than Pip or younger. His beautifully crafted English accent was on the verge of sounding fake. He had the strangest lilac eyes and when they met Pip's green one, the Frenchman became highly unnerved.
"Well, welcome to Sadisco," the man said, gesturing to his club in all its glorious emptiness.
"It's an interesting place," Pip said slowly. His eye wandered once more but he made sure to keep a good portion of his attention on the other man.
"You're first time here?"
"Yes," Pip answered.
"You don't have to be embarrassed," the man said. He blinked as if he'd forgotten something. "Ah right. I'm so sorry. My name's Rei. I'm one of the owners. Though I guess that's obvious since I've got a key." He extended a hand that Pip shook after a moment's hesitation.
"Good to meet you," Pip said unwilling to give his own name.
"Do you mind if I ask how you heard about our club?" Rei asked.
"Through the grapevine," Pip said honestly. He was once again glad that he had worn a warm shirt since the frigid air was seeping into his skin. This place was cold, dark, and ominous even in the middle of the day. Alucard was going to love it.
"I see," Rei said with a smile, "We certainly do have very loyal visitors. But they would never admit to coming here. Understandable." Pip nodded curtly. "So…what can I help you with?"
Pip licked his dry lips nervously, "I'm thinking about bringing someone here. I wanted to check it out first when I could…see everything."
Nightclubs were difficult to get a clear grasp on when they were open in the dark of night. With loud earsplitting music and overwhelming colored lights, it was hard enough to remember where he was let alone a friend or a partner.
"Then I've got something to show you," Rei said. Pip swallowed thickly as Rei wandered behind the counter and started flipping through a worn folder. "It may seem silly but we keep the floor plans on hand in case anyone, such as yourself, is curious." He placed an old folded paper on the counter. He waved Pip over as he began to unfold it.
Pip cautiously approached him, but the young man's attention was focused on the floor plans and not on Pip. Something the Frenchman was grateful for. He had to wonder when exactly he had become more accustomed to red irises instead of another unusual color like purple. For all he knew, maybe they were just contacts. The thought settled his uneasy stomach.
"Alright. So here," Rei pointed to where they were currently standing, "is where you come for admittance. We have a little stamp that we put on that shows up under a black light. You don't have to worry; you can't see it in normal lighting. We just do it to make sure if there's a problem, we can quickly check to see whether or not a person should really be in here or not. Then obviously there's the bar." He pointed across from them. "That right there is the dance floor. It gets packed real fast if you can believe it."
"Where are the speakers?" Pip asked. Not that Pip had been on many dance floors, but he would have thought there would at least be some technical equipment. Rei laughed softly and pointed upwards. Pip's eye landed on the ceiling. Speakers were mounted safely high above the dance floor. "You don't have very many," he said.
"Noise echoes like crazy in here," Rei said, "We did have more originally, but it was too loud for everyone."
"Hmm."
"Now if you look here," Rei pointed back to the floor plans, "We have two separate sections to the club. See that door over there?" Rei pointed to the right side of the club where a heavy iron door lay in the wall.
"Yeah."
"Back there we have private rooms for people to rent. They are completely soundproof and no one can get in there without permission. You can do whatever you want in there but it should be obvious what most folks do," Rei smiled suggestively.
Pip nodded once and avoided looking the other man in the eye. "Is it safe?"
"Completely."
"What about here?" Pip pointed to the left side of the club.
"Ah, that's for people who are a little more adventurous. Those are also rooms for rent, but they're not private like the others."
"What do you mean not private?"
"There are windows for people to look in. There's also a little intercom so people can listen in. But in both sets of rooms you can bring in toys, there are interesting little features unique to each space that you can play around with, and we always have a healthy stock of free condoms."
Pip's face and ears were burning. But he had to admit that this felt like the right place to try to bring Alucard to if they wanted to stop fucking in the Hellsing manor.
"Is it clean?" he asked. He knew Alucard could not catch or carry diseases but that wasn't to say Pip was exempt.
"Of course," Rei said furrowing his brows slightly, "That's why I'm here so early. It's important that I delegate things. We have a very diligent cleaning crew here everyday. I refuse to let people get sick in our club."
"You keep saying 'we'," Pip ventured.
"Oh, my boyfriend and I own the club," Rei smiled.
"Oh," Pip said softly. He swallowed nervously. "How much does one of the private rooms cost?"
"One hundred £ per hour."
Pip scratched the back of his head nervously. "Can I rent one for tomorrow night?"
"Sure thing." Rei pulled out a schedule and flipped through he pages. He hummed thoughtfully for a moment. "I'm sorry, but our private rooms are all booked tomorrow night. Should I put you down for a later day?"
"No," Pip said thoughtfully. Friday nights were their one consistent night off. None of them ever knew what would be going on the rest of the week. "What about the other set of rooms?" he asked. He licked his dry lips. Alucard wasn't going to like that it wasn't private…he didn't like that it wasn't going to be private. But at least in a nightclub there simply two in a plethora of unrecognizable faces. It wouldn't matter if anyone saw them.
"We have one open still."
"Can I rent that for tomorrow night?"
"You bet. That'll be seventy-five £ instead please. Oh, and what name should I put it under?" Rei said.
"Umm…" Pip blanked for a moment. He fished his wallet out of the back pocket of his jeans. Still scrambling for a name to rent the room under, he placed the required amount of money on the counter. "Uh…Vernedead."
He'd always hated the nickname that the Geese had given him. He couldn't even recall who had first said it and exactly how drunk they had been, but the nickname stuck with him year in and year out.
A pencil scratched onto paper for a moment. "Alright, thank you very much," Rei said, "Perhaps I'll see you tomorrow."
"Yeah," Pip said as amicably as he could, "Thank you."
"No problem." Rei returned to the books as Pip quietly slipped out of the front doors to the club.
The hum of London's hustle and bustle resided a few streets away from Pip's location. He didn't like London, but for once he was happy to get back to it. That club…that guy…they belonged to a whole different world. One Pip wasn't certain he wanted to enter.
"But you live and learn right?" Pip asked himself as he began walking. The vibration of his cell phone distracted him as he easily joined the legions of people ambling about the main streets of London. He flipped it open and was presented with a message ordering the Geese to return immediately. So much for a day off…
"Ah, well," he sighed. It had been a nice morning off, and at least the men would still get a fair amount of training done that day. He checked the time and saw it was close to midday. His stomach gurgled and he shoved his phone back is his pocket annoyed. He and the boys would probably need to stop for lunch before they went back. As nice as the Hellsing mansion could be, if it wasn't Walter cooking, the food was terrible.
.
He really shouldn't have been doing this. The Deputy Chief to the Wild Geese glanced around and found no one. Good. Because if anyone had been around, he would be dead. Integra would have shot him, the tall red-coated vampire would have flayed him, and he wasn't sure what Captain Bernadotte would have done but he knew it was nothing good.
The boys had come back early from their excursion into town. The middle of the day wasn't exactly the preferred time to venture out into the city. The Geese had found things a little dull, and so when the Hellsing manor had called they had willingly returned. But the boys had been talking the entire time about the same exact thing. And only one unanswered question had swirled through the conversation over and over. What was going on between the Captain and Alucard?
No one could figure it out. The Deputy Chief personally thought the boys were becoming a little paranoid and were imagining things, but every member of the Wild Geese was a stubborn ass and not about to let the subject rest. Which was why the Deputy Chief—normally referred to as John— found himself in his current location.
"You're the second in command. Find something out," they had said. He was going to strangle every last one of them if someone didn't end him first.
Integra Hellsing's office was neater than he expected and he was thankful for it. She wasn't in there at the time. She was downstairs with the hired guards going over the details of their security sweep. Lord only knew where Alucard was, but since it was daylight hopefully he wasn't going to be wandering around. And their Captain wasn't back from town yet. It was the perfect opportunity to slip into her office, see that there was in fact nothing to be seen, and slip back out. After that, he would tell the boys to cool it.
He scratched his head, running a hand over his short cropped hair. He really should have done the responsible thing and left without invading their employer's privacy, but he didn't. He quickly rummaged around, careful not to disturb anything too greatly lest it be noticed. Despite the logic he prided himself on, he was curious as to what was going on as well. If he had been told it was Seras that the Captain had been with, he would have walked up to the man and congratulated him before asking Pip what he did to win the young lady over. But no, they were talking about the old one—the powerful one.
He didn't dare snoop in the drawers of Integra's desk, yet he didn't have to. On the packed bookshelves, there were rows of books and tapes in unorganized piles. One in particular caught his eye. The white label adorning the side read 'A + B'. He plucked the tape from its resting place and looked at it. Upon the front of the tape was another label clearly reading 'Alucard and Bernadotte'.
So there was something to be seen…
Shit.
.
Pip wasn't nearly as idiotic as he made himself out to be around women. He had learned how to approach the opposite sex at a young age. There were various tricks he had learned and used throughout the years—not all of them completely fair. Seras, however, was a different breed of woman both literally and figuratively. The moment he thought he had managed to worm his way through her defenses, he was proved wrong. Sometimes he still received phantom headaches from the finger flicks she had given him the first time they met.
Things were even more complicated now. Pip questioned whether or not she had ever really liked him at all, but with her seeing the tape of him and her Sire, he had a distinct feeling she didn't. Pip sighed softly as he walked to where Seras was firing into an empty field with a single target. She wasn't handling the Harconnen, instead she was firing a small pistol. Pip wondered when exactly she had received that firearm since the English police weren't in the habit of carrying guns. Pip watched her with a more critical glance and observed that while she was an excellent shot with her cannon she was terrible with a pistol.
It was obvious she had heard him coming. Her body language had noticeably changed. She was no longer at ease and comfortably concentrated on her target practice. She was tense, and rigid, and bristling. It made Pip's stomach churn to know he was the sole cause of that. He knew that on some level he no longer even held the right to speak to her, but they had to work together so it was in both their best interests that they move past this latest fiasco.
Seras did nothing as Pip took a place standing next to her. She still didn't want to talk to him. Usually, she knew what to expect with the man. Perverted jokes, a few light insults, and the occasional groping attempt, those were what she expected from him. But she recognized a difference in his presence, one that didn't suit him. Anxiety clung to him in thick sickening waves. As a human, Seras had been astute as to whether someone was experiencing an off day. But as a vampire, she had the ability to smell a person's state of mind. Everything gave off a scent she had not been aware of during her human life. One thing she refused to admit to herself was that underneath smell of all the maladies that clung to her Captain, his natural aroma was wonderful. She was still conflicted about whatever feelings she may have had towards him. Then again, she was conflicted and confused about her very existence. Whatever problems lay between her and the Captain were just the tip of the iceberg.
She watched silently as he placed a plastic bag on the ground, and though she was curious she did not ask what was inside. She said nothing as he took another pistol from off the soft grass and inspected it. She waited for a lecture about leaving her weapon on the moist ground that never came. Instead, Pip clicked the safety off and took aim at the target. He steadily fired one shot off after another, each bullet fired an assault on her oversensitive ears. She noted with a hint of jealousy that he hit the target every time. He lowered his arms and smiled to himself. On one hand Seras was annoyed with the self-satisfied smirk he gave, but on the other hand he looked especially handsome when he smiled any way at all. Seras bitterly admitted to himself that she liked to see his arms raised as well. He had a nice figure—lean and toned—and she sometimes imagined that his strong arms would make her feel secure if Seras ever allowed them to wrap around her. She liked his fingers. They were long and thin, something she had always found attractive in men, and she wondered what it would be liked to feel them touch her intimately. She flushed angrily at her thoughts and set her blue gaze upon the distant target. She perked up slightly when she saw it.
"You made a whole in the shape of a heart!" she exclaimed.
"To show you how much I adore you," he cooed, grinning.
"Cute," she said dryly. However, that skill did impress her and she wanted to be a good enough shot to achieve such a feat one day. It was a useless skill but cool none the less. Pip handed her pistol back to her and she took it back but not without noticing how much she liked his hands once more.
'Enough of this,' she sternly told herself. She lightly cleared her throat.
"Is there something I can do for you Captain?" she asked politely. She would have rather have been alone, but she would not be rude to her superior.
"I'd like to talk to you," Pip said, swallowing nervously. Seras contemplated telling him a lie to get out of it, but they both knew she had nowhere else to be.
"Alright," she said finally. Pip rubbed his palms against the legs of his jeans.
"Will you sit with me?" he asked, pointing towards the outside wall of the Hellsing mansion.
She nodded silently. She picked up both her pistols, and he retrieved his plastic bag. They wandered over to side of the building and settled down in the shade and soft grass. Pip opened his bag to reveal a styrofoam container. He placed it in between them and licked his lips nervously.
"I know you can't eat human food," he began, "I'm not trying to be mean, but I thought…maybe you'd still like the taste of something familiar? You don't have to eat any if you don't want to." He avoided her gaze sure she would be staring at him with the intent to kill.
Instead, Seras stared at him incredulously. Since she was refusing to drink blood she was still trying to eat human food. She looked at the styrofoam catching a whiff of an alluring smell. She looked back up at her Captain. He had bought her lunch? She found herself ridiculously happy about that. She hadn't expected him to bother doing such a thing. But while Seras was happily flustered another thought entered her head.
'Why? Why is he doing this?' She considered refusing. Her eyebrows rose when she heard his stomach growl softly. She bit her lip for a moment.
"I'll share it with you," she offered. She didn't know how much her stomach could handle and if he was hungry it was a shame to let good food go to waste.
"Great," Pip smiled, hoping this would give them an ample chance to talk. He popped the lid open and didn't miss how Seras stared longingly. So she was a curry fan was she? He rustled around the plastic bag before he dug out a few plastic utensils. He handed her one. "Ladies first."
She dug her fork into a juicy piece of curry covered chicken and lifted it to her lips. "Mmm," she nodded, "This is really good." She swallowed and positioned her fork to spear another piece when she began to cough suddenly.
"Seras? Are you okay?!" Pip demanded in a panic.
"Fine," she coughed, "Didn't expect it to be that spicy." She gave an embarrassed smile and Pip relaxed against the wall once more.
"Here," he said, "Eat some of this naan bread. That will help." Seras took a bite of the aromatic smelling bread and noted that there was a very thin layer of garlic butter atop it. It was delicious and Seras found herself hopeful since she didn't feel immediately sick upon eating human food. She swallowed and then spoke, "Sorry. I've never been good with spicy."
"That's okay," Pip said, finally beginning to eat himself.
They fell into silence for a few moments, and Seras took the time to slyly observe him. For a man, he had very nice table manners. He chewed with his mouth closed and ate slowly savoring his food. Seras smiled slightly. He reminded her a bit of her father in that respect.
Though Pip was hungry, his stomach was in knots. He didn't know of a way to ease their way into the conversation they needed to have. He put his fork down and turned to face Seras fully loosely folding his legs. "Okay," he said more to himself at first, "I know you saw the tape of me and your Master. And I know you're upset. I won't waste your time by trying to explain anything. I want you to say whatever you feel about what you saw, and I promise I won't say a word. Come on Mignonette, let me have it."
He braced himself for an angry tired and a flurry of insults. He deserved that after all. Here he was actively pursuing this beautiful young woman while he was sleeping with her Sire. The more the thought registered in his mind, the more he was repulsed with himself.
Seras blinked dazed at his sudden offer. After a moment, she turned to face him fully. She was wearing a faded pair of jeans that day so when she faced him, Pip was unfortunately not granted a glimpse of her panties. She took a deep breath. "I'm confused," she admitted, "I didn't think you liked men at all. Are…are you gay?"
She almost regretted asking when she saw how his face reddened instantly at the question. Yet at the same time she savored the moment she could actually manage to make her Captain blush.
"No," he said sternly, "That's the thing…"
"Okay, so…why are you sleeping with him?" she asked.
"I…" Pip paused. The explanation of uncomplicated sex with a man when he didn't even like men sounded mind bogglingly ridiculous though it was the truth. Of course, the phrase 'it's complicated' sounded worse. He wanted to tell her the truth, but he didn't think he could tell her the whole truth. "Sir Hellsing…was having a difficult time making the Knights believe Alucard was under control…She asked me to make that tape with Alucard to show them otherwise."
"But why?" Seras sighed even more confused, "Why would Sir Integra ask for something like that? Why would you do it?"
"…Neither of us were in a position to refuse I'm afraid," Pip laughed nervously.
"How come?" Seras demanded.
The answer was simple enough, yet Pip had a hard time admitting it. He could have easily thrown Alucard to the mercy of his master and made out like he had not been all too willingly fucking the nosferatu on the conference table. But Pip wasn't that dishonest or manipulative a person. As he set his remaining eye on the lovely young woman before him, he was forced to reconsider that. Maybe he was that manipulative and dishonest…
But there had been something else too. There had been a protectiveness, a feeling he experienced even now as he was sitting with Seras, towards the male vampire. It was not his right nor his place, but since he was the one that was meant to hurt Alucard he wanted to be the one to comfort him afterwards. It seemed the natural thing to do, and yet Pip thought it went even deeper than that. He wanted to safeguard the vampire from his own horrible memories and heartache…the responsibilities of a true lover. But that was something neither man had agreed on. It was something Pip couldn't stop himself from wanting and something he was afraid to give in to.
As far as that caring instinct went towards Alucard, it was double for Seras. Pip had never met such a sweet girl. Innocent, naïve, a little stupid at times, but a really really good kind-hearted girl. He could easily imagine spending the rest of his life trying to make her happy and wanting nothing more. He wanted to be there for her during her little blood strike and when she did finally embrace her true nature. He wanted to hold her close so the look of a lost child would leave her be. He wanted to hear her dreams and support her when she strove to make them come true. He wanted to catch her when she fell but smile when she could walk forward on her own two feet. He wanted to love her in every possible way. He knew there was nothing he wouldn't give this girl. If she asked for his blood or his life, he would give it. Pip wasn't sure if this was the strongest schoolboy-esque crush he had ever experienced or she was the one he was fated for. Silly as it was, he believed in destiny. He believed that there was someone out there for everyone and he was sure that Seras and he were meant for each other. He was ready to commit himself to her and be faithful. Then again, he knew what a hypocrite he was. He was ready to act like the girl was his wife and he couldn't even keep it in his pants.
"I did something I shouldn't have," Pip said finally.
"What?"
He grimaced. He should have known this would turn into twenty-questions. What had he done? He'd got them caught and opened up a can of worms bigger than he could handle.
"You don't have to tell me," Seras offered.
"Ah, but then you'll think I'm keeping secrets," Pip smiled.
"You are."
"Hmm?" his gaze shot to her crystal blue eyes.
"We're all keeping secrets. Me, you, Master, Sir Integra…Everyone."
"And what secrets could you possibly have?" Pip smirked, leaning forward slightly.
Seras flushed at his rapt attention. She distracted herself by gathering more food on her nearly forgotten plastic fork. "A few."
Pip chuckled, a warm rich sound, inviting and arousing unlike her ancient Sire's. Seras repressed a shudder, and kept silently chewing her food. Pip took advantage of her silence, "So you're confused…how else do you feel?"
Seras swallowed nervously. She wasn't ready to admit that she was hurt at the implications of the Captain sleeping with her Master. Seras had never pursued boys. She didn't trust men after having seen what had happened to her mother. More often than not, their attentions towards her were unsettling and unwelcome. At first, the Captain had been no different. He was a man who frequented brothels and could be rude towards women. He insulted her more often than not and was constantly trying to grope her. But after watching his reactions, her attitude towards him changed. When she spat a spiteful comment back at him, there was surprise before a glimmer of pride in his eye. When he grabbed at her, he would laugh at her punches and kicks. It seemed as if he was proud she was fighting back and not letting him have his way. That he was happy he had found a girl who valued herself enough to not let men get away with whatever they wanted.
Naturally, he didn't know why she rejected men so often but her Captain wasn't a mean or malicious man. He could be a jerk certainly, but he was better than any other man she'd met. Still, it frightened her that she was becoming so attached to him. She knew next to nothing about him but she was drawn to him like a moth to a flame. She had never been in a relationship with a man and that intimidated her. He was older and knew so much more about life than she did. She had barely been making it as a human, but she had no clue what to do as a vampire. Vampires, her master had told her, desired the blood of their beloved more than anything. She was afraid of what would happen if she did let herself fall in love with him. Eventually the spell of his blood would be too much for her to resist. Pip wasn't a virgin. If she bit him, he would become her ghoul not her eternal lover. She couldn't do that to him.
"I was…a little upset," she said.
"How come?" Pip prodded. He hoped, begged, prayed that if she was upset then maybe she liked him just a little. Maybe he would have a chance.
"I thought if you were gay, then you were just using me as a cover around your men," she said.
Pip's eye widened at that. She had been worried his advances towards her hadn't been genuine? Did she want them to be? They most certainly were.
"You were jealous?" Pip said, managing not for the first time to put his foot in his mouth.
Seras scowled, flushed, and fidgeted. "No," she said, "I don't have any right to be jealous."
"But you could if you wanted to," Pip blurted.
Seras kept silent as the words sank into her mind. It wasn't as if she wasn't tempted. She liked the Captain, and yes she wanted someone to share her life with, but there so many other things that needed to be worried about. How to deal with her new nature, what would happen as the years went by, what if she didn't make him happy, want if he wanted to take things faster than she was ready to give, and what to do about her Master. Her blue eyes widened.
Her Master.
He would never allow something of his to be taken away, especially by his fledgling. She still didn't understand the full extent of what was going on between the Captain and her Sire, but she knew it was dangerous to step in between them no matter how casual it was.
"What about Master?" she asked.
"I'm not in love with him," Pip said. Something made the back of his throat burn as he said those words, but he ignored it.
Seras sighed nervously, "Mr. Bernadotte—"
"Pip. Please," he cut her off.
She couldn't call him by his first name yet, so she continued on as if she hadn't heard him, "I…I do like you." Her face burned intensely along with her ears and neck. "But, I don't think I can—I mean…I'm not ready yet. I'm so sorry but I can't—"
"I can wait," Pip said, looking her in the eye, "I'm more than willing to wait for you. You're not in competition with him. Okay?"
Seras looked at him unsurely. How could he offer to wait for her? He didn't have that much time, not compared to her. Even so, her dead heart fluttered with hope. Hope that she hadn't experienced fully for the longest time.
"I'll try not to take too long," she said at last, "And I won't get in the way of you and Master."
Pip threw her a quizzical look. She was saying that she might like to date him in the future but was practically giving him permission to keep fucking her Master. What a strange girl…
He didn't know that Seras instinctually feared double-crossing her Master. He was an exceptionally cruel man, and she didn't want to discover what he would do if he felt slighted by her. She noted Pip's bemused look. "I'm sorry," she gushed, "But I can't force myself to—"
She gasped when his long fingers gently cupped her chin. He leaned forward and her line of sight was flooded with him. She wanted to pull back, but she couldn't move. She was not helpless in his grasp but insecure. She heard his breathing turn shallow and his glimmering emerald eye fell to half mast. Her own eyes widened as he moved even closer and she knew what he was going to do. Fear gripped her and she clamped her eyes shut, stock still waiting.
Pip's daze wore off as he felt the young woman before him tense in terror. Yes, he had been going to try to kiss her again. And yes, it appeared as if he was finally going to be able to this time. However, when he saw how afraid she was he changed course.
Seras blinked her eyes open when she felt his lips press firmly to her forehead. She let out a sigh of relief. She wasn't ready to be kissed just yet. Kisses lead to other things, and she was scared of those things. But she appreciated her Captain even more for the fact that he hadn't forced himself upon her even when given the chance.
'He really can be a good guy…' She almost voiced a protest when he pulled away and stood up.
He extended a hand to her with a signature cocky grin. "Come now, my Mignonette. Little draculinas shouldn't be out alone this time of day. I'll walk you back to your coffin safe and sound."
She laughed softly and eagerly took his hand.
.
Alucard dragged his red gaze away from the window with a heavy heart. He knew Pip deserved his chance to go after the police girl, but that didn't change the ache in his chest. Alucard banged the back of his skull against the wall behind him.
He hadn't meant to do this. He'd offered no strings attached because he knew Pip would most likely have said no otherwise, but it had also been to protect himself. His heart still longed for his Mina everyday. She had been the reincarnation of his true love, and though she had chosen not to stay with him, he still loved her with every ounce of love his cold heart possessed. He wasn't sure when his sense of betraying Mina had morphed into an infatuation with a French mercenary. An infatuation was all he could bring himself to call it. He wasn't sure he was falling in love with Pip—surely that was ridiculous. However, the possessiveness and jealousy eating away at him indicated something more.
"It's not love," he whispered to himself though no one was around to hear him. "It's not love…"
But it felt suspiciously close to it. Pip unintentionally gave him things that he had never been allowed. A sense of security, relief from his horrid memories, a firm yet caring hand to guide him. He sighed deeply.
You're not in competition with him…
His upper lip curled at those words. What exactly did the police girl have that he didn't? Breasts? Her bosom made up for her lack of intelligence in Alucard's opinion.
Alucard straightened himself and grit his teeth. It may not have been a competition, but he could easily make it one. And he would win. He would not force Pip to choose him. In the end he wanted the Frenchman to make a decision of his own free will, but Alucard wasn't going to back down from a challenge.
He was possessive of Pip and wasn't going to let a mere fledgling put her hands on someone he felt was his. He grinned. This would be more fun than he thought. He was a master of seduction after all.
He perked up when he heard loud voices emanating from a ways away. Usually, he didn't stay up during the daylight hours but duty had called. He followed the voices and realized he was approaching the wing of the mansion that belonged to the Wild Geese.
He glanced behind him, hoping Pip wasn't on his way back so soon. His curiosity peeked, Alucard approached the makeshift mess hall the Geese were gathered in. They were all blabbering incoherently about something.
Alucard neared the door and titled his head towards the conversation. His sensitive ears picked up every word and his eyes widened. He gulped audibly as he listened.
They knew.
"Pip's going to fucking kill me," Alucard moaned softly.
Well…not if he could scare these men into not saying anything… He dissolved into the shadows of the hallway and slipped under the crack in the door. He blended into the natural dark spots in the room and waited for his chance to strike.
-Chapter End-
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