A Dangerous Game (Krel x Reader)

~20~

(Y/n) walked up to the entrance of Area 49B that night, dressed in her assassin attire, mask and everything. The guards there shrunk upon seeing her tall and opposing form compared to their small human frames and with one glare, they opened the door and allowed her inside. 

The next human she saw was Kubritz. The colonel's eyes widened upon seeing her and she froze in her steps, fumbling for her gun at her side. (Y/n) drew her serrator, unsheathing the blade and pointing it at Kubritz's neck. "Don't," she said softly, the filter making her sound even more sinister. Kubritz dropped her hand. "Where is Morando?" 

The colonel led the assassin stiffly into the main hangar into a larger room where General Morando was standing, his back facing them. He was inside a map of the galaxy, turning to face them when Kubritz cleared her throat. "Ah, (Y/n)," he said, spreading his arms out welcomingly and stepping down from the platform. 

"Wait, (Y/n)?" Kubritz breathed, looking over at the assassin. She didn't acknowledge the human, taking her hood and mask off. Morando stopped in front of her, smiling. 

"How did you filming go?" the general asked teasingly and (Y/n) snorted, shaking her head. 

"The humans who 'employed' me are ridiculous. I expect nothing more of their script and character choices," she said. Morando chuckled, putting his hand on her shoulder and pulling her back to the map, stepping inside the circle. 

"Well, it's almost over now, my dear," he said in a tender voice he only used for her. It reminded her of all he'd done for her, made her feel like someone needed her when no one else would. Made her feel strong and, sometimes even, loved. He was like a father to her. She looked down, her emotions warring inside her. She'd cared for Morando for much longer than she'd ever cared for Krel, yet she couldn't deny that what she felt for the King-in-Waiting was real. But she didn't want to betray Morando. 

Yet, what she'd told Kubritz when Morando had sent the meteor to cover his entrance came back to her. The general wasn't who he used to be. He had turned power hungry and was destroying Akiridion-5, and he was going to destroy Arcadia, which, admittedly, the assassin had come to like. 

"The Tarrons will be eliminated today and I will be free to take Gaylen's core for myself," he finished and she realized she'd missed most of his speech. She got the gist of it, though. He looked down at his assassin. "(Y/n), would you accompany me tomorrow night? Your ordeal with the Tarrons will finally be over. With you by my side, they will not stand a chance." 

She paused, then looked up at Morando with a smirk. "Of course, my king," she said, pressing her hand to her core. "It would be my honor." 

~

"How did filming go?" Aja asked Krel as he walked into the house, shifting back to his Akiridion form once the door closed. His sister followed suit, looking up from her phone where she'd undoubtedly been texting Steve. 

"It went...fine," he said awkwardly, not willing to deal with Aja fangirling. 

"That doesn't sound good." 

"It was fine," he said in a more confident tone. He was still thinking about...it. About her. (Y/n). Admittedly, he liked her. He liked her a lot. She was strong, pretty, smart, and apparently a good actor. But what she'd been saying before...the thing...worried him. Why didn't she want him to trust her? Why would she say that in the first place? He sat down at the bar and Lucy placed a grilled cheese sandwich in front of him. 

"I know that look," Aja said, sitting beside him and accepting her own sandwich. "What are you thinking about, little brother?" 

"I don't know," he sighed, taking a bite out of his sandwich. "Something...I don't know." Aja frowned, looking over at him. He sighed again and set his food down, standing up. "I'm going to go outside for a few macrons." 

He left out the backdoor, sitting on the grass and staring up at the stars. Akiridion-5 felt even farther away. They weren't in the same galaxy, even, and the thought made him homesick. 

"Hey, Krel." He stiffened at the filtered voice. He sprang to his feet, retrieving his serrator and turning to the assassin as she slid over the fence, serrator in hand, sheathed. "Beautiful night tonight, isn't it?" 

"What do you think you're doing here?" he spat, stepping back as the assassin moved towards him. 

"I'm not here to fight," she said and he blinked, staring as she tossed her serrator across the lawn and at his feet. "Rather to confess to you." 

"What-" His eyes widened as the assassin slowly removed her hood and mask, lifting her head to meet his gaze. Something shot through his core, deep and painful. It was (Y/n). He took several steps back, however she only dropped to her knees, lowering her head. "(Y-Y/n)? It is you?" 

"Yes," she said in a soft voice. "On the moon, I lied. I told you it was just a disguise, but I really am the assassin." 

"You've been...you've been playing us this whole time?" Krel asked, and he couldn't keep his voice steady. "F-from the beginning?" She nodded, her head still down. A feeling of rage suddenly took over and he unsheathed his serrator, taking several steps forward and placing the blade under her chin, forcing her to look at him. "I am the King-in-Waiting! Look at me when I speak to you!" His voice still trembled, and he couldn't stop the tears from slipping down his cheeks. 

"You were our friend," he said, his breath hitching. 

"I tried to tell you," she whispered, lifting her eyes to his. A single tear slid down her own cheek and Krel hesitated. Then she lifted her hand, gripping the sharp edge of the blade. Pixels flaked off her skin and the royal gritted his teeth. "Do what you want to me. Exile me, kill me, shun me, I don't care. But I wanted you to know. I wanted you to know." 

"Why?" he said through his teeth. "Why would you lie to me? I thought you cared about me!" 

"I do! That's why I'm telling you now!" 

"Instead of when Morando takes over the world?" 

"Yes! So you can kill me and get rid of one more threat!" She slid her hand down the blade, dropping it back by her side. "Please, Krel. I don't think I could fight you." He lifted his chin at this, the pained feeling in his core returning like a wave and he stumbled back, dropping his serrator and falling to his knees. He pressed all four hands into the ground, shaking his head and letting out a sob. 

"First Varvatos, and then you," he whispered, looking up at her as she stared pleadingly at him. He looked down at his discarded serrator, reaching hesitantly out and grabbing it. 

"I do care about you Krel," she murmured. "I tried to deny it, but I can't. Back there, at Toby's it was real. I-" 

"SHUT UP!" he shouted, standing up and pointing his serrator at her. "I don't care what you have to say, you lied to me! You, you, traitor!" She lifted her chin, keeping her eyes downcast. She was waiting for him to kill her but...he knew he couldn't. He couldn't kill Varvatos, so he certainly couldn't kill her. "I...I don't understand. You saved Aja's life. You saved both of us from Morando when he had the chance to kill us. Why did you do it?" 

"I told you," she said, her voice trembling slightly. "I came to care for you when I wasn't supposed to. I didn't want to care about you when you didn't seem to care about me, but I do, Krel. I...." She closed her eyes, letting the tears fall. Krel squeezed the serrator, wondering if anyone would come out.

"Get out," he finally said and she looked up at him. "Get out of Arcadia and get out of my life! I thought you were our friend but you're just a traitor! You can't possibly care about me and I don't want to listen to you anymore! Please, just get out!" She slowly stood up and he kicked her serrator over to her. "Take it. Take it so I don't have to remember you." He turned away from her, squeezing his eyes shut. The tears continued anyway. "Please." A moment later, he heard her soft footsteps and then she was gone.