Welcome to Hellsing CH 2

Weeks Later....

The initial clean up of the Hellsing estate had been a long and grueling job, but with the help of the remaining Wild Geese, and a newly recruited werewolf captain, the process ran much more smoothly.

Walter was dead, Alucard had not returned, and the atmosphere was not the same around the mansion, but everyone put on a brave face and continued with business matters as usual.  Integra had done a bit of research on the behaviors of wolves, and explained to Seras that the captain had been alone for so long during his service to Millennium, that upon seeing such a cute and “buxom female” as Integra put it, that his urge to seek out a mate had probably overridden his programing to fight.

After wrapping up their meeting, Integra gave Seras a small daily planner book with locations that would need to be scouted and cleaned, with the most severe outbreaks having a red circle around the names.
Seras had gotten used to the fact that for at least a while, most of her days would involve wiping out remaining ghouls and freaks that were left to wreak havoc in the countryside.

On her way back to her quarters, Seras ran into the captain who was just getting back from a mission previously assigned.  He was wearing Khaki pants and a simple white button down dress shirt, with a Hellsing armband on his left upper arm.  
Seras thought that captain looked even more handsome when he cleaned up right.

“Oh, good evening, Captain!,” Seras saluted making her back as straight as possible.  
It was an action she had become accustomed to using when greeting fellow soldiers.
The Captain shook his head feverently, his lips formed in a tight line, while grasping her arm and pulling it down to her side.
“Ah, I'm sorry Sir---”
Again the man stopped her actions, this time with a finger against her lips.  
Seras was worried that she may have offended him somehow.  
“Well, what shall I call you??”

The captain removed a small slip of paper from his pocket along with a pen, and wrote something handing it over to Seras.  Just call me Hans, it said, and he'd even taken a second to draw a tiny smiley face beside it.

“Ah! Well, thank you Ha—ha-...“ Victoria stammered, struggling to get the name out.

She was surprised to see the wolf man laugh inaudibly and slowly mouth H-A-N-S.
“I've got it this time,” she said rubbing the back of her head sheepishly.
“Thank you Hans!”
Hans' smile only became broader, and he reached over to ruffle her hair gently, making the spiky locks even more wild.  

They began to walk side by side, with no destination in mind really, until Seras broke the silence.  “So, have you had any dinner yet? The food they serve in the cafeteria is quite nice.”
“We can go together if you like,” she suggested, looking toward the floor, wondering if she was being too bold.

Hans' eyes rounded out upon hearing her words and yet another smile spread across his features.  
“So I guess, that's a yes right?!” The man beside her nodded.
Seras was pleased as they began to walk the corridor toward the cafeteria.
She noted to herself, that the Captain had a gorgeous smile, and even if it meant making a fool of herself, she'd do whatever she could to keep seeing it.

The cafeteria hall was a bit empty when they arrived, having only a few soldiers at scattered tables eating and telling jokes.  Seras picked a small two seater at the end of the room near a large window, her usual spot.  

It was dreary and rainy today, but she always felt more at ease during her breaks if she could see the outdoors.  Hans took the seat ahead of her, and he too seemed to enjoy the view; his featured softened as he turned to stare out into the light shrubbery and surrounding land of the estate, his hand cupped under his jaw.
The sound of two plastic menus slapping down on the table served to awaken the two from their nature watching.

“Good evening Ms. Seras!,” Sara chirped.
The plump cook had already known Victoria for quite a few years since her recruitment to Hellsing.
“Wait, don't tell me...you'll be having the blood correct?!”
The joke seemingly never got old to the woman, and Seras being a good sport always managed to eek out a weak laugh at the very least.  

The waitress' attention was soon diverted to the pale haired man sitting across from the girl.  She could already see a proud smile on the woman's round face.
“You didn't tell me you'd gone and roped yourself a boyfriend! A right fine one at that!”  Her face beamed with pride for Victoria, who's mouth dropped open.
“Er—ah—ah, actually, he's not.....”   

“I get it! I get it!,” the woman huffed, gently slapping the flustered police girl on the shoulder. “Not the one huh??”
In between staring down at the marble table embarrassed, Seras could see the captain looking away towards the window, his jaws set a bit tighter and cheeks covered in a soft blush.

“Ah, darnnit all! It looks like I've gone and caused a bit of trouble,” Sara apologized.
“Oh, no it's OK! It was an honest mistake!” Seras cracked a smile, both hands up in protest.
“Well, then let me just get your drink orders in the meantime, and you have a look over the menu.”  

Deciding on his drink, Hans picked up a pen and wrote down iced tea, and handed it to Sara, who gave him a pitiable look.  “Ah, you're a mute is that it??” Hans nodded.
“You poor dear, it must be hard for you”.
He smiled and gave the waitress a dismissive wave of his hand.  
“Well, that's the spirit son, don't let anything get you down!,”  Sara beamed giving him a hearty pat on the back.

“So, now what'll it be??.” Sara asked now looking at Seras.
“Ah, I guess the merlot if there's any left.”  Seras often drank red wine as she still enjoyed the taste of it, and being a vampire, it had very little effect on her system.
At times she'd experience a slight buzz, but that was it.  

After Sara had walked away with the order, Seras peeked up over her menu to see the captain looking at her with a peculiar smirk, a questioning look on his face, one eyebrow cocked.  He wrote something down again, and slipped it to her across the table.
Red wine? The note said.

“W-Well a girl can treat herself on occasion can't she??,” She defended.
“I mean it's not as if I'd get drunk or anything, besides, you should try it sometimes, the merlot is actually quite good!”  
Hans took the paper and wrote another message.
I really can't drink alcohol, it makes me a bit wild, or, at least thats what I was told.

“Wild!? So, what happens exactly!?” Seras teased, “Do you turn into a giant hairy wolf-man and go rampaging in the streets?!”  There was that silent laugh and beautiful smile again.
She was glad that the mood was lightening back up.

Hans took the paper back and wrote a bit more.
Well, while I was working for millennium, one night Schrodinger and I got a hold of a bottle of vintage wine from the storage room, and I'm sure I'd only had a few sips.  
I don't remember at all what happened after that, but the Major forbid me to drink any alcohol from then on.  
That Schrodinger was always getting me into trouble.

Seras hadn't expected the captain to openly discuss his past affiliation with the group, she wanted to know more.
“Were the two of you good friends?,” she asked, prompting Hans to write on his page again.
I guess so, he was pretty much the only person in group who really acknowledged me, most everyone else just stayed out of my way.
Before she could slide the page back she'd asked another question.  
Remembering what Integra had told her about the wolf weeks back.
“Did you ever get lonely working up there??”
The captains eyes went a bit round again, and he didn't take the paper back, but simply nodded.  Before the mood could go awkward again, Sara was placing their drinks down onto the table in front them.

Seras was grateful that Sara always knew when to make an appearance.

“So, have you decided?,” Sara asked.
Hans nodded and wrote down the grilled chicken and vegetable plate, and Seras decided to try the Svartsoppa.  Typically she steered clear of human food, but if it was made mainly of blood, then she could probably stomach it.
“Alright!! The grilled chicken and vegetables for you, and Svartsoppa for you, excellent choices!,” Sara smiled, picking up both menus and quickly retreating back to the kitchen.

Seras turned to the captain with a hint of disbelief on her face.  
“Grilled Chicken and Veggies??! You honestly seemed like more of a T-Bone steak and potatoes type of guy to me.”  Hans grinned and grabbed his page back.
I prefer light meals.
It was especially helpful when I was in combat, as heavy foods just made me tired.
It keeps me from gaining a ton of weight too.  
When I think back, it would make me so sick watching the Major stuff his face on anything and everything he could get his hands on. That man was such a pig!
He always insisted that I stay at his side during mealtimes too, even if I was hungry or tired I couldn't get any breaks.  It felt like torture.

Seras was intrigued, by these confessions.  “Wow! I didn't think you'd have such strong opinions of your co-workers!”
By now Hans had used up that sheet of paper, and retrieved a new one from his pocket.
I didn't really care for any of the people there, save for Schrodinger.  He was never afraid to make cracks at the major about how greedy and fat he was.
They rest of em kinda got on my nerves; Rip with her horrible singing, the dok constantly dragging me into his lab with those sick experiments, and that butch chick Zorin always trying to get me to sleep with her...
I swear some nights I just wanted to jump off of that damned blimp and never go back.

Seras was laughing like mad now after reading his new note!
“Seriously? That chick was hitting on you!??” Her face twisted into that of disgust.
Captain took the page again, and she could see him visibly shudder as he wrote the last bit.
It must have been a pretty horrifying memory, and she was on pins and needles to see it.
Yeah, one night I was in my room sleeping and woke up to her sitting on top of me, and she was completely naked.  
Seras recoiled at reading the last line herself, and reach over to pat the captain's head sympathetically. “You poor man,” she cooed.

“You know, you should seriously consider writing a book about your experiences, I'd be the first read it!” She finally suggested.
Hans nodded and passed her one last note that said, I might just do that.

Not long afterward, Sara had arrived to their table with two plates, and both of them began to dig in.  At one point during the meal Seras found the nerve to feed Hans some of her stew.  
He actually liked it so much, he said that he'd get it next time they came to dinner.
She'd even prodded him until he took a very tiny sip of the wine.
Sara returned and carefully took their cleaned plates, and set the bill down in the middle of their table.  “It was a pleasure as always Ms. Victoria, and it was a pleasure meeting you Sir.  I do hope to be seeing you again,” she said before leaving the dining area.

Predictably enough, both of them reached out toward the middle of the table to grab for the bill, their hands touching.  
The police girl's face began to turn a shade of apple red, as the captain's lingering hand began rubbing her fingers.
Hans already knew how to push her buttons, and he was able to pay the whole tab without any protest.  
As they departed the cafeteria, Seras though to herself that if she ever decided to settle for a steady boyfriend, then the captain would definitely be it.