The Familiar Nightmare

[l_law_liet]

Who: Gumshoe!L and Freddy!Dexter
When: Afternoon, during the flood of course
Where: L's dreams... no really
Rating: Warning for probable violence

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[dreaming_dex]

“L!” a voice suddenly called out from behind. It was the very same person, but at the opposite end of the hall. He was far, almost out sight, and he seemed to be struggling against a large, hulking shadow. Occasionally the light from the screens would glint across the shadowy figure, show a flash of fangs for yellow-red eyes. The young man at the back of the hallway struggled, ducking grabbing hands, snapping jaws. He seemed to be trying to run to L, but whenever he made the slightest bit of headway, a huge back hand would reach out and drag him back. “L!” he called again.

Meanwhile, the original figure had come to a stop at the opposite end of the hall. He halted, back to L, standing perfectly still for a few long moments. Then he turned his head slowly, a single apple-red eye visible over his shoulder, teeth that were just a little too sharp behind his crooked smile. He watched, and waited. Then one by one, the many monitors began to blink out, slowly but surely filling the long hall with darkness.

[l_law_liet]

L had froze in his tracks the moment he heard the cries behind him. Whirling, he stared back at the other figure fighting against the shadowy figure. His heart pounding in his chest, he tried to figure out what to do. Should he keep chasing the figure fleeing him, or go back to save the one behind him?

As the screens began to shut off around him, L grit his teeth, panic barely showing behind his eyes. "The lights..." Then, as the familiarity of the word, slowly dawned on him, L took off back towards the struggling stranger. "Light!" The anxiety and fear within him grew as he turned his back on the more sinister version of this man, but his mind was made up. He had to save him. He knew something bad would happen as a result of letting the other escape, but that threat was an abstract one. The threat he rushed towards now was immediate.

Reaching a hand out, L flung himself forward. "Hold on, I have you!"

[dreaming_dex]

The more sinister red eyed figure at the end off the hall threw his head back and laughed. The sound was unbelievably cruel, and deranged. In the instant L moved for the struggling figure at the beginning of the hall, darkness took over completely, every single light blinking out. For a few long moments there was only blackness and emptiness, until a pair of red-yellow eyes lit up in the dark, and a sweet odor filled the air... apples, perhaps? Quiet crunching filled the silence

[l_law_liet]

L was breathing heavily now, though only in part due to his running. Everything seems so familiar to him, even as he couldn't completely place it. His head spun with confusion and he forced himself to try and calm himself and approach this rationally. Closing his eyes a moment he collected his thought, finally finding himself unusually aware of things.

"This... this isn't real. It's some kind of dream. A vivid one, but still a dream."

Looking over Light, L's eyes moved down to the book. The understanding of its significance slowly slithered its way into L's consciousness. When he spoke again, there was a slight hitch in his first word from the stab of pain that came with the memory. "Forgive me, Light, but I can't."

It was only then L became aware that the figure behind him had gotten closer. He looked back over his shoulder and locked eyes with the blood-red pair.

"'Nine, ten, never sleep again,' was it? I see..."

[dreaming_dex]

"... why not?" asked Light, seemingly oblivious too everything other then L, himself. "Come on, I signed yours... it's only fair," another imploring, careful smile, as Light took half a step closer to L, holding out the book. The blood dripped from the pages in long red streaks, staining the ground at L's shoes.

"Good memory," the other replied, a grin stretching further across his face then any human grin should ever go. The teeth behind his lips were sharpened to jagged, dangerous looking points. "What's the matter, L? Not going to sign the book? That's not very considerate... tsk, tsk, no wonder......" the figure waved a scolding finger back and forth, and for a split second, it appeared to be adorned with a long claw-like blade.

[l_law_liet]

L stepped back from the growing puddle in front of him, stopping short of actually colliding with the more dangerous doppelganger of Light. The increasingly inhuman form triggered further memories; memories of creatures with the power to bring death to others. Was that what this was?

"That book isn't important to me anymore. I'd much rather know who you are and how you're doing this. Are you a shinigami? A reaper?"

Though still as calm as ever on the outside, L felt himself coiling within himself, ready to move at the slightest hint of attack. The fear made his stomach ache and his skin chill almost to the point of making him shake. Hold it together. There's no reason you can't think your way out of this.

"Dexy? That's your name, isn't it?"

[dreaming_dex]

Another cold, maddening laugh spilled from his mouth, and for a moment his tongue flickered, like a reptile.

"I'm whatever you want me to be," he said, no longer in Light's voice but in his own. "Whatever makes your eyes wide, your heart race... whatever makes you scream."

Without even appearing to move, Dexy was suddenly behind L, standing close enough that there was seldom any place between them. "Kruger," he said, "Dexy Kruger... spread it around," he laughed softly, sinisterly, "If you get the chance."

Suddenly all the lights flickered out, and L was once again in the darkness. The only sound that broke the silence was of a pan frantically scratching across paper.

"Why the serious composure, L?" The voice seemed to come from right beside his ear, even though there was no one there. "I can feel your heart beat... and it's fast..."

[l_law_liet]

L silently steeled himself, now more resolved than ever to keep his typical expression. The last thing he wanted to do was to give... whoever this was what he wanted. He turned his mind to the curiosity he felt rather than the fear, fiercely trying to block that part of him out.

"You want me to tell others about you? And why would that be? I don't see any reason to tell my dreams to anyone."

As the lights vanished again, L wrapped one arm around himself, moving his hand up and down his opposite sleeve to try and warm the chill out of him. The sound of the pen injected more adrenaline into his fear and again he closed his eyes to collect himself. The voice by his ear sent his heartbeat rocketing up into his throat in surprise.

"There's no need for me to be afraid. This is just a dream. I sincerely doubt you can even touch me." L had a hunch this was unfortunately quite untrue, but hoped that in goading this creature on he'd learn more of who it was he was up against.

[dreaming_dex]

He could feel the terror like a heat under his skin. Dexy circled like a predator, invisible, the sound of his footsteps coming from everywhere and no where at all. "Trying to hide everything behind those neat, logical questions? Huh, well, the pieces of you they find scattered across your bedroom will be very well informed little pieces indeed!" that maddening, insane laugh rang out again.

"Come on now, L... if you believed that... would your heart be about ready to jump right out of your chest?" with that, L would feel a horrible pain. For three solid beats his heart kicked hard against his ribs, so much so it would very nearly crack bone.

[l_law_liet]

Clutching at his chest, L stumbled forward at the sudden pain. For a moment another memory sparked in his head, and all he could think was "not again." But then it was over, and L straightened himself up, feeling moderately foolish.

I should find a way to wake myself up before this guy tries anything else... but if I do that, I won't get any answers.

It was a risk to continue provoking his attacker, but it was a risk worth taking in his mind.

"How do I know that was you doing that? If I'm as scared as you believe me to be, then that could explain my feeling a bit off. I never saw you do anything, after all. I don't have any real proof that you can do anything."

L prepared himself once again, wagering that his attacker would retaliate in some way, hopefully revealing himself. Though scared, L hungered for this. He needed to learn something solid about this man. For the sake of his investigation...

[dreaming_dex]

Suddenly, gray long fingered hands shot out from the darkness, coiling around L's wrists, his shoulders, and hauling him back against an invisible wall. The impact was hard, cruel, certainly enough to cause a concussion, at least.

Another spot light lit up the darkness, and there illuminated stood the Light that was not Light, slowly walking towards L. Flames began to slither up from the ground at his feet, burning fabric and flesh, but changing it as well. By the time the figure stood right in front of L, it was clearly someone else entirely.

If L had seen him before, he would recognize him as Dexter Morgan, one of the barge's wardens. Only his skin was horribly burned, and we wore the sharp, hungry smile of a maniac.

Dexy waved a clawed finger, "Tsk, tsk. Such a skeptic..." Suddenly the claw cut down L's front, ripping fabric, leaving a long a red line from his collar to his navel. It was hardly enough to bleed, but he wanted to scare L

[l_law_liet]

Grunting as he hit the wall, L tried to blink away the spots before his eyes quickly. Grey danced at the edge of his vision and he wondered how real any injuries he sustained here may be. It certainly felt real enough, yet this pain was far less upsetting than the literal pounding of his heart. He hurt, pinned to the invisible wall, but the threat of death by heart-attack has lessened

Just moving the comment~

[flamebishonen]

Suddenly there were echoing giggles in the darkness. "Dexy-love... I could taste your desire from so far away~ You really do love blood, don't you?"

The incubus floated down to land on the dark ground, the heels of his boots clicking against the invisible surface. "But you shouldn't kill people... Not everyone can heal like I can..." He sauntered over to where Dexy was torturing the poor boy. "What can I do to stop you, darling? Do you have any suggestions?"

He was behind L now, the invisible wall seeming to be no obstacle to him, and wrapped his arms soothingly around the boy's chest. He leaned his head against L's, nuzzling his cheek. "He's so pretty... Don't kill him... I want to taste him~"

[dreaming_dex]

Dexy's eyes narrowed, a cruel smile spreading across his burnt, scarred lips. "Does it make you feel better? Hiding behind all that logic? It's all you've got, isn't it? I tell ya', most people's minds are full of faces I can pull up and use against them... but not you. You're empty... and the once face I found, well..." he trailed off, still smiling like a hungry shark, "let's just say the chances are this situation might not be that far fetched, were I still in Light's skin."

Suddenly though, echoing giggles interrupted his little speech.

"That happens to be the point" he voice echoes, hissed sinisterly in the empty space all around them. "I suggest you beat it. I gotta kill something and it cant be you, so if you're gunna ruin my little game..." Suddenly Dexy thrust his hand right through L's chest. It didn't even break the skin, in fact he almost seemed to have phased right through... but his fingers wrapped lightly around L's hard, holding just tight enough to feel it beating. "... then I'm just gunna have to kill him quick

[l_law_liet]

L cringed slightly from Dexy's words, the sound of them stinging almost more than the cut across his torso. He'd had quite enough talk about himself. He really wished that this... whatever he was would talk more about himself, but L had already tried to shift the other's focus with little success. He could always try provoking him more, but the risk involved was larger than even L was prepared to tackle. After all, he couldn't solve anything if he was dead

[flamebishonen]

The incubus looked sadly at L, running his fingers softly over the boy's cheek. "Poor dear..." He looked back up at Dexy and pouted. "But he's so pretty... And he's in pain... in unwanted pain. I don't like it. I don't like it at all." He tilted his head and gave L a soft, gentle kiss on the lips, still petting the side of his face. "I'm afraid I can't, darling. But I can try and get you out of this situation, at the very least. All I ask for in return is a few kisses from those sweet, pretty lips of yours~" He kissed the boy once again before moving out from behind him and over to Dexy.

"Dexy, please... What if I can give you something else? Can't we make a deal, hmm? How about... if you leave him alone, I'll give you Wolfram as a replacement? I'll let you take apart my host, in any way you choose. You can frighten him, torture him, and even kill him... Just leave L alone, okay darling?" The incubus asked sweetly.

[ooc: So, posting sequence until L gets woken up: L, Wolf, Dex? That good?]