*Weird. It, for some reason, did NOT upload the rest of this the first time! Trying again!*
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A Ghastly Christmas
The ghastlings were having their first Christmas. Out of respect for the troops, Alex had kept them downstairs, but they'd still managed to catch the low-level but constant excitement from the troops and maids. The Head of Hellsing did her duty as a lord and the halls were decked and bedecked with lights and wreaths, at least those visible to the outside. Cinnamon and pine scented the air, and there were fine desserts and drinks for soldiers, maids, chefs, mechanics...all the people whose efforts kept the manor running smoothly.
The basement was far less bedecked. Still, long habits were hard to break, and Alex had strung a bit of tinsel and some lights along the main corridor. He'd even tried a tree.
That...was a mistake.
At a few months old, the ghasts were not yet half-grown but were agile and active and curious. In short, it was like setting a pack of thirty-pound kittens loose on the poor tree.
It had lasted nearly five minutes before toppling over with happy shrieks from the babies tangled in the branches, the last few ornaments hitting the ground to roll and rattle about. An hour to find the trimmings and decorations, an hour to decorate with the help of Seras (Alucard couldn't be bothered), two, perhaps three minutes to enjoy looking at it, and then...the trio of terror had descended upon it. Speckles had initially chosen to clamber up him, instead, but that hadn't lasted past the destruction of the first few ornaments before the ghast launched from his shoulders to the tree!
Still, he couldn't be angry. It looked so darn cute grinning up at him from the tangle of greenery, totally pleased with itself, and that silly Santa hat he'd bought for it somehow still attached, though dangling sideways off an ear!
