Disclaimer: Hellsing belongs to Kouta Hirano.

Author's Notes: Birthday ficlet for kitsunelover. Set after the Manga (spoilers for volume 7) and could be AU if Hirano's new chapters contradict me. This is also a response for the 30 kisses community in livejournal under the theme: "Our distance with that person." Edited by Oscar Rose.

Envy

Every night, Seras watched her Master and her leader stroll the grounds near the forest. Her task consisted of patrolling the perimeter from a special tower on the top of the Mansion, making her surveying perfectly innocent – part of her job. Leaning over Harkonnen two, with no one but herself around, she indulged in listening their business like conversations – Integral complaining about his minions causing trouble, the state of the building and the city and how the impaled started to reek.

Sometimes, very rarely, they allowed themselves to stray from duty and remained quiet or to make uncharacteristic mundane comments – remarks to their appearance, wits and voicing a particular concern of their well-being. Since they lost Walter to Millennium, Sir Integral and Alucard had no one else with whom to bring up these matters. Their distance, little by little, was diminishing each passing night, Seras had noticed. Until they, who had started walking with a meter of distance between each other, were now locking arms.

Seras learnt from Alucard to listen the children of the night when he was teaching Integral the marvels of darkness. She educated herself from other vampiric traits that her Master never bothered to teach her but which she learned through her eavesdropping. They never came as close as kiss each other. Seras gathered neither Alucard nor Integral were made to be romantic fools even if their unspoken attraction was evident.

Thinking of them, seeing their silhouettes entering to the woods illuminated by the moonlight brought a pang on Seras' heart. Her red gaze shifted from curious to wistful, an alien longing shot through her system.

Mignonette, Pip whispered inside her mind, his active presence soothed her soul. He was inside her and she would never forget that. You okay? The boss and Mr. Alucard will be fine.

Seras sighed, embracing herself and taking a final glance at the path between the trees which Integral and Alucard had taken. "Ever wonder, Captain?" she asked, smiling at his mental comfort.

What?

"If they envy how close we are."