Madness: DxD

Incident: Whispering Shadows

What a day. Nearly died thanks to my brilliant idea of scaling buildings. I'm reviewing suit designs. These are terrible. Hrm. Footsteps. Too light to be human. Or it could just be—

Hey... you can't hide from me. You know that, right?

Gasper (soft): Y-Y/N...

Y/N: If you're here about company, you've got the wrong guy.

Gasper (fidgeting): N-no, it's... it's about Valerie.

I squint my eyes. Valerie. Not a name I've catalogued. And I've catalogued a lot.

Y/N: Elaborate.

Gasper (blushing, eyes darting to the floor): She's... uh... Valerie Țepeș. My... childhood friend. We grew up together in Romania. She... she's beautiful. Kind. She...

Y/N: Țepeș. As in that Țepeș. Fangs, egos, bloodthirsty family dinners? That ring a bell?

Gasper: Y-Yes... she's from that line. But she's different! She's not dangerous, not like the rest. She's... Valerie.

I drink the coffee I had. Great. Gasper wants me to tango with vampires. I've seen their kind before. Wonder if someone will recognize me. Doubt it. My Ninja Garb will hide my face.

Be careful... they'll watch you, they always do. But don't forget, I'm here. And I'll keep you safe. Always.

Y/N: So what do you want, exactly? Vampire oil? A silver sword? A coffin-sized box to hide in while she talks to the adults?

Gasper (pleading): N-no. I want... I want you to help me impress her. I've been invited to a family reunion in Romania, and she'll be there. I... Ican't face her alone.

Y/N: So you're asking me to fly across the ocean to be your wingman. For a vampire girl. Do you hear yourself?

Gasper (hands twitching): I know it sounds crazy. But you're confident, you don't flinch. People listen to you. You don't... fall apart like I do. I just... I want her to see me as more than the scared little boy she remembers.

Y/N: She won't even see you as a boy. Even Issa looked more manly when she was eleven.

Gasper: But I look cute in these.

I finish my coffee. The thought of trudging into vampire territory makes my finger itchy. Dangerous doesn't even cover it. But the food. Romania had food that could almost make you forget the locals had teeth sharp enough to crack bone. If nothing else, I wouldn't starve.

You always think you have to do it alone... but you don't. Not while I'm here.

Y/N: You do realize you stand no chance to seduce any women, right?

Gasper: That's why I need you! You make people... hesitate. They're afraid of you. Even me.

He's not wrong. I glance at him. Wrung out like a damp rag, desperate enough to ask me for help.

Y/N: I should tell you no. I should save us both the trouble. But fine. I'll go. Not for you. For the food. And maybe because watching you sweat in front of a vampire princess will be entertaining.

Gasper: You mean it?

Y/N: Don't push it.

Good. Keep your eyes on me if you need to.. I'll be right here, whispering you through it all.

Somewhere in Cernauți

Haven't been in this country for a while. Always thought this nation was the best to retire in. Me and Gasper stood in front of the Țepeș estate gates. Gasper is sweating through his collar. I have a feeling this will all go terribly wrong.