Annnnd it's been a while haha. Usual real life rubbish. As a result, I once again fell into that deep pit of anxiety and depression that has become my second home. The only things I've really been in the mood for is video games and drawing. Anything else was too much effort. So I figured writing this small one-shot would be a way of easing myself back into things. After this, I will be updating my other Hellsing fics, mainly focusing on 'Double Trouble'.

Anyway, I came up with this idea while me and a colleague were bored at work and started braiding (or plaiting, as we call it in the UK) each other's hair, and it got me thinking about Alucard's hair and how soft and nice it probably feels lol. I hope you enjoy this silliness.

Interwoven

In which Seras ponders just how soft her master's hair looks...

A fledgling vampire, otherwise known as Seras Victoria, whistled to herself as she left the dark confines of her chambers. She had woken up in a pretty good mood today, finally getting used to her new life as a vampire living in Hellsing's Headquarters. She could at least leave her room of her own accord without feeling too intimated now.

Though the hallways of the basement were dark, Seras could see perfectly fine, especially since she had managed to take one sip of her blood this evening – scary though it was. It gave her a feeling of accomplishment that maybe, just maybe, this would be enough to get her master off her back for a day or two. Baby steps, Seras, baby steps, she thought to herself.

Enjoying her newfound strength, the blonde woman decided to head upstairs and see if Sir Integra had any missions lined up for her. Her boots echoed on the stone steps as she began to make her way out of the basement. However, Seras was stopped in her tracks when the thick, dungeon-like metal door was pushed open, followed by the sound of a male grunting. Seeing the tall figure stumble slightly, Seras ran forward to quickly catch the unexpected guest. She caught him easily, despite him being much taller and larger than she was.

"Ah, many thanks, Miss Victoria," a familiar voice panted. "I'm afraid this old body is not as strong as it used to be."

Seras blue eyes met wrinkled grey ones, and she couldn't help but smile up at the butler who had become one of her only friends in this new life of hers. Walter stood up straight again, adjusting his hold on a rather large bucket, as well as straightening the lapels of his jacket. Seras' polite smile fell as she watched the old man, noting how exhausted and frazzled the retainer seemed.

"Are you alright, Walter, sir?" Seras asked, furrowing her eyebrows.

"Sorry, my dear, I am fine apart from the fact that I seemed to have found myself run off my feet a little bit." He chuckled at his own joke.

Seras, however, could only frown further. Since she had met him, Seras knew that Walter was more than what he seemed, and was far stronger and more experienced than any soldier she had ever met. But his old age certainly had to catch up with him sometimes. The young vampire wasn't too sure how old Walter was – it didn't feel polite to ask – but she assumed he had to be at least pushing sixty, despite looking pretty good for his age. Everyone else that age that Seras had previously known had been on the verge of retiring. Yet Walter showed no signs of stopping or even slowing down.

"Is there anything I can do to help?"

"Do not worry yourself, Miss Victoria," Walter replied with a small smile. "Although... I do still have quite a bit to do, so would you be so kind as to deliver this to Sir Alucard?" He held out the bucket to her.

Seras blinked at it for a second before automatically holding her hand out for it. The heavy bucket was light as a feather to her vampire strength, however, the amount of ice-cubes and blood packs told Seras that this would have been extremely heavy for an ordinary human.

"Um, sure," Seras replied, and Walter thanked her and walked away before she could fully comprehend what he had asked her to do.

Wait...

Deliver this... to her master?!

Seras gulped and tried to calm her racing undead heart.

She'd never been into her master's chambers before. She had instinctively assumed that they were off limits. Sure, she knew where his rooms were, but that was his territory. Talk about walking straight into the lions' den, Seras thought to herself with another gulp. It was too late now, though. Walter had disappeared, and she had offered to help after all. Besides, it was just her master. The master that she served and adored. She'd just drop the bucket off and leave. How hard could it be? Surely her master would be more grumpy if he didn't get his breakfast.

You can do this, Seras.

With a deep breath, the fledgling vampire made her back down the stairs and back into the basement. Her masters quarters were much further down than her own and far more isolated. The atmosphere became more thick and suppressing the closer she got. The corridor grew darker, and the scent of damp grew stronger. Occult symbols stained the walls along with what looked like long claw marks. Seras didn't like to speculate how those got there.

The dungeon door finally emerged from the darkness, and Seras froze briefly when she stood in front of it. She tilted her head to listen for any signs of her master. However, the only sounds that met her ears was the occasional drip drop leaking from the natural underground springs. Holding her breath, she raised her hand to knock on the door, praying that her master was in a good mood, and that she could quickly be on her way. Her whole form vibrated from the raw power his chambers seemed to exude. She knew he was inside. She could sense him. But her knock had received no reply.

Maybe she didn't knock hard enough?

So she tried again.

Still no answer.

Seras bit her lip and furrowed her eyebrows as she reached a hand towards the door handle. Did she dare? Should she just leave the bucket outside? But then surely the ice would melt and the blood would coagulate? Maybe he didn't want to see anyone? Her master did always seem to prefer his own company. Should she shout for him? Should she just walk in? Her master was such an enigma that it was impossible to discern which would be the better course of action.

"Master?" she squeaked out, her voice much higher in pitch than normal.

Her only answer was silence.

Without even realising she was holding her breath, the little vampire finally placed her hand on the cold door handle. It froze her skin, even with her gloves on. She cringed as the heavy door creaked open, and any second now, Seras expected to be grabbed by her collar for entering her master's chamber without permission. But he wasn't answering! And she knew he needed his blood.

But nothing came.

Instead, Seras was left blinking into the wide, dark, empty expanse of his room. The walls were invisible against the darkness, and the only furniture that seemed to be in the room was a small table, and a chair with a long back, within which she could see her master's equally long and lanky figure perched inside. There was what appeared to be a bottle of wine on the table, alongside two glasses. Her master drinks? But Seras barely had time to ponder that as her blue eyes were once again drawn back to her master. He was facing the door, but his head was slouched. His black hair and red hat covered most of his features from view. His gloved fingers were interwoven and resting on his knee that crossed over the other. He was completely still.

Seras shuffled slightly, hoping that maybe the small noise she made would get his attention without startling him, but her master still didn't acknowledge her. The blonde woman then bent forward at the hip, hoping to try and see his face under the mess of black hair. All she could see was that his mouth was closed in a neutral expression.

Was... was he asleep?

That was actually kind of cute, Seras couldn't help but think she she smiled at the scene before her. She'd never seen him sleep before. She was surprised that her entrance hadn't awoken him, but maybe he was just a deep sleeper. Wow, she learned more about her master every day. Seras found herself transfixed as she slowly placed the bucket down without taking her eyes off him. He was so still. It didn't even look like he was breathing. Was this just how vampires slept? Did Seras also stop breathing when she was asleep?

She'd never been able to study her master for this long of a period, so she couldn't resist stepping closer to observe him better. She was finally close enough to touch him, and still he didn't move. His face was more visible now, and Seras could see that his eyes were closed; long lashes brushed against his pale cheeks. As Seras bent closer to study his face, her master's nose twitched, and Seras froze in fear that she had woken him. However, he merely shifted his head so his hair could slide from his face, leaving him more exposed to his fledgling.

His hair looks so soft, Seras sighed, reaching out to touch a stray lock. Did her master use any products to get it to look like that? He probably didn't, and that made the female vampire pout slightly in annoyance. Why did men always seem to have better hair than women who needed lots of products to make it look half as decent? It wasn't fair. Even with her gloves on, his hair felt silky. It was as black as midnight, as dark as hers was light. It was thick, and currently at a length where it sat on his shoulders.

Seras grabbed another strand, careful not to wake her master, as she examined and played with it. Touching him like this felt electric, like she was doing something that she really shouldn't be, but she couldn't resist. In this moment, she could pretend that she had a close friend. Someone that she could share contact with. Someone to relax with.

Seras crossed one strand over another as she was deep in thought. If her master could change his appearance at will, did that mean that she could do the same? Could she control the length of her hair? She hoped so, because just before she had been turned into a vampire, she had been beginning to get split ends. How handy it would be if she could get rid of them with just a simple thought. In the meantime, she continued to mindlessly braid her master's hair. Each individual braid appeared glossy in the light shining in from the lamps in the corridor. Her master didn't move the whole time, and before Seras knew it, she had braided most of his hair – that she could reach anyway.

But then Seras' sensitive vampire ears caught something. Joints popping, as well as the crackle from the communicator that sat in Seras' room just once floor above. Integra's voice soon followed, and Seras whipped herself around as soon as she felt her master twitch. Without looking back, she darted from the room and back up the stairs, carrying straight on towards Sir Integra's office.

That was too close...

Had he seen her? Oh, Seras really hoped that she had left just in the nick of time. Her whole face burned with embarrassment. That situation sure would be difficult to explain.

Face still hot, Seras came to a sudden stop in front of her boss' desk, not daring to look at her. She could sense her master materialising beside her, yet he made no move towards her. Had she gotten away with it? The longer the silence lasted, the more she began to relax.

However, that was until...

"Alucard," Integra finally spoke up, a layer of humour to her tone. "I must say that new hair style of yours quite suits you."

"Excuse me?"

Shit.

As always, please feel free to let me know your thoughts! Thank you for reading!