Seras woke first, and looked down at the sleeping girl. She hadn't moved from her shoulder since falling asleep. Seras gently ran her fingers through the girl's hair, enjoying the peaceful expression on her face. Seras was worried the affection she had shown might've had encouraged Yumiko to take their relationship too far, too fast, especially after the events of last night.
"Yumiko…"
"Seras…"
Yumiko stirred, her eyes blinking open and looking up at her.
"Umm…how do you feel?"
"I…"
Yumiko's face crinkled in confusion at the serious look on Seras' face. She opened her mouth to say something, but yawned instead. Yumiko stretched her body out, dropping her head back onto Seras' chest, the hand on Seras' belly waking up as well and giving the skin under it a quick rub. Yumiko looked back up with a warm smile on her face.
"I feel…safe."
Seras couldn't think of anything to say in response, so she settled on smiling back, lifting the hand on her stomach to her lips and planting a chaste kiss on the wrist. Yumiko sighed and burrowed back into Seras' side.
"Why would you ask something like that?"
"I was worried…"
"Worried?"
"We…you and me…how long have we known each other? I'm no expert, but I'm worried we're sorta jumping into this without thinking."
The body against her tensed, and Seras propped herself up, leaning down over Yumiko.
"That doesn't mean I don't want to be with you, Yumiko. It's just…the life you've had…and now that you have someone, I guess…what I'm really worried about…"
"W-what?"
"Is you. I'm worried I won't be able to give you what you're looking for. That because you fell in love with me, and I accepted it too quickly, without thinking, I'm just going to end up adding to your pain."
"Seras…"
"I…don't even know that much about you! How do I know what you need to be happy? How can I be sure it'll work out? Damn it! How does anyone?"
Yumiko racked her brain, desperately trying to think something that would dispel the fear of losing Seras, and blurting out the first thing that came to mind.
The assembled men looked up as Seras arrived. She hadn't walked in through the door, oh no no no. She had jumped the low wall of the outdoor training course, a good fifteen feet plus. She was wearing the largest, most disturbing smile on her face, and many a man whispered a prayer at the sight. The only time she arrived with a smile was when she had something special planned for them, usually revolving around her using her vampiric abilities to scare them witless. The smile remained throughout the entire briefing, and the men paid extra attention to what she said. As they fanned out through the course, with Seras watching from the walkways above, she giggled, loudly, making the men jump. Seras tried to concentrate on the task at hand, only allowing herself a quick whisper to the night sky.
"I have a date!"
Once they had managed to find a few hours of free time, and Seras had found some regular clothes for Yumiko to wear, the two had quickly slipped away from the mansion and made their way into the city. Repairs had been prioritized by area, and the worse sections of the city were blocked off, some some looked almost untouched and life progressed with some semblance of normality. It was one of those areas that the two drove towards, passing through several checkpoints along the way. Seras didn't have to present any identification. She had thrown on a jacket with the Hellsing coat of arms without thinking, and the sight of it drew many looks, some of them almost reverent. She didn't notice, however, with her attention on Yumiko.
"So…"
"Yes?"
"Where…should we go?"
"Umm…"
Seras groaned when she realized she had absolutely no idea what to do. Sure, she had been on a date or two, but it wasn't much more than lunch with someone. They could get some food, though Seras didn't eat. Movie theaters were either wrecked or abandoned, the employees drafted into the repair crews for more important city utilities. There weren't even any places to simply wander through. Every spare citizen was doing something, and few were in the mood for mall-hopping, regardless.
"I guess…we walk?"
"Alright."
So they walked. Arm in arm, they made conversation, tried to learn all the little things about each other they never had time or mind to discuss. Seras talked about her experiences in the academy, and even a little about the first few days about becoming a vampire. Yumiko responded with some of the more pleasant experiences she had working for the Vatican, the things she thought about and the few odd hobbies she tried to pick up to distract her mind from the less pleasant times.
"Excuse me?"
"Yes?"
Seras turned to see a reporter behind her. She also noticed that several other people had stopped what they were doing and were glancing at her.
"You're with Hellsing, right?"
"Yeah…why?"
"Could I have a few minutes of your time?"
"Didn't Sir Integra already go through this?"
She had. A few days after the news of the attack on London swept the world, Sir Integra and the surviving royal family went on International TV and laid it all out. Millennium. Vampires. Hellsing. It's duties and history.
"Yes…but no one's had the chance to interview a…"
"A what?"
The reporter, an American by the looks of him, suddenly stood up straight and looked her straight in the eye, smiling as if he knew some deep, important secret.
"A vampire."
Seras swore, loudly. Several times. Sir Integra had decided it wasn't in England's best interests to immediately disclose the fact that they had vampires of their own. She knew it would come out sooner or later, between what a few civilians had seen during the battle and the new soldiers at Hellsing, who were sworn on pain of…well…pain, not to discuss what they knew. Integra had a very firm talk with Seras about what to do, say and how to act in such an occasion. Especially if there was a camera pointed at her. Or several cameras, in this case.
"Sorry. It's my day off."
"I just need a few minutes, please."
It wasn't a request. The man was speaking in the most disgusting way, as if he expected her to just jump when he called. Seras resisted the urge to show her fangs, but some things she couldn't control. Her lips twitched back, and the barest hint of white showed between them. It didn't seem to faze him. In fact, it seemed to encourage him.
"Just a minute with the legendary Seras Victoria, who took down a Nazi zeppelin and eliminated one of the enemy commanders and nearly a hundred vampires under her command, all single-handedly."
"It didn't happen like that!"
Seras eye's downcast for a moment as the memories drifted through her.
"A lot of brave men…humans…fought with me. They knew what they were up against, but they fought anyways. Most of them died…"
Seras turned away and Yumiko followed. Unfortunately, the man caught the sudden change in her tone with her last words and ran up to her side, rudely poking a microphone her way. She glared at him, taking the tip of the thing between her thumb and forefinger. The second he took in a breath, she interrupted him.
"Minute's up."
She squeezed her fingers together, and the ball at the end of the microphone popped like an overripe zit. That shut him up. Seras harrumphed and continued home, the mood spoiled.
Arriving home at the mansion, Seras sighed at the ruin of a perfectly good date and the talk she knew she'd be having with Sir Integra.
"Sorry about…"
"It's not your fault. I had a nice night, up until he showed up."
"You did?"
"Yes. Didn't you?"
"Yeah, but I expected it to be a little more…I don't know."
"Exciting?"
Yumiko leaned over and gave a kiss on Seras' cheek. Seras warmed at the contact and leaned over herself, giving Yumiko a kiss to her lips. They found themselves tangled around each other, stumbling towards the bed, tugging at each other's clothes. They fell onto it, Seras on top.
"Seras…"
"Yes?"
"Please…"
Seras tugged Yumiko's shirt open, and tossed it away. She placed a hand on a leg, sliding upwards until she hit panty. She spread her fingers out along the hip, and Yumiko gave a tiny gasp. She slid her hand inwards, and the gasp became a shriek. Seras jerked her hands away as Yumiko scrambled to the other side of the bed, curling up.
"Yumiko!"
"No…no no no no no…"
"Yumiko!"
Seras grabbed the girl, and at the touch she screamed and began to fight her. Sears forced her to turn around and face her, using a bit of her power to help get through to the girl.
"Yumiko."
The name and the power behind it cut through the confusion, and Yumiko stopped, looking up at Seras.
"Why? Why can't I…you're not him! You're not! I love you! So why can't I…"
Yumiko threw herself against Seras in tears. Seras could only pull her tight and whisper to her, trying to comfort her.
"Yumiko…the only memories you have of this…they're bad. I told you I was worried you were trying to do things too quickly. We can't just-"
"No! I want to! I want you! But for a moment…for a moment…I was there…and you weren't you…you were…"
"Shhhh…we will. We will. We just have to…take it slow."
Seras leaned back and pulled Yumiko with her, moving the covers aside and setting her down. The two slowly undressed, and Seras carefully lay down next to Yumiko. Seras stretched an arm out, and like last night, Yumiko settled herself against Seras and rested her head on her chest. Seras turned the lights off with a flick of her fingers and put her arms around Yumiko, pulling her tight.