The Assignment (Kylo Ren X Reader)

Chapter 50

You stayed up all night worrying. 

About Kylo. 

About your punishment in the morning.

 About how your life has gone upside down in a matter of days. 

It feels like you've been on Exegol for a month, not a day. 

You get up at dawn, trying to get yourself mentally prepared for what the Emperor has in store for you today. Whatever it is, you know you can handle it. You've trained with the Emperor for years, this training is nothing you aren't used to.

The only difference this time is that you have something to lose. Before you only cared about being the best, about proving to the Emperor you were worth his time. 

This punishment will be unlike anything you've ever experienced before.

Deep breath. You remind yourself. Your reflection takes a deep breath in, holds it in for a moment then exhales. You feel a smidge better.

"You okay?" Leo asks from the doorway and you wonder how long he's been standing there for. 

You turn, trying to wipe any hint of worry off your face. If you're nervous about today then it's likely that Leo is too. He was always more sensitive about punishments, but he was also able to connect emotionally with the force more easily. Leo was good but you had always thought of yourself as better. 

But now, you realize you and Leo weren't better than the other. You were equal. The thought makes you feel better.

"I'm okay. Just nervous." It feels really good to say that out loud. You know that Leo will understand what you're feeling. 

"Oh thank the stars you said that. I'm nervous too. What do you think he's going to do to us?" Leo's posture relaxes and he goes and sits on your bed, clearly just as agitated as you are. 

"I don't know. It could be anything at this point." You shrug, feeling defeated. 

"He seems mad. Like more than usual." Leo points out to you.

"I know, I'm just hoping he's calmed down." You reply but the chance of the Emperor calming down is unlikely. You both know that. 

"He seemed beyond mad when we came back. This can't be good for either of us." Leo says, and there's something on his face you can't quite read. Maybe he's a lot more worried than you thought. 

"I know." You say, not knowing what else to say to Leo. There's nothing you can say or do to make him feel better. 

"So, what do we do?" He asks and the question confuses you. 

"What do you mean?" You ask, surely he doesn't want to try and form a plan. That was always Leo's way of getting out of things. He would form a plan and then run. You thought it was better to face things head-on. 

"I mean how are we getting out of this?" He asks and it's like a lightbulb goes off in your head. Leo's going to try and run. 

"I don't think we can Leo." You can't have him trying to leave. If he even attempts it then he's dead. 

"I mean, hypothetically if we never showed up to receive our punishment then he can never give it to us." Of course, you were right. He's going to run and you might not be able to stop him. 

"Leo, he'd searched the whole galaxy for us. He'd kill us if he ever found us." You try to reason with him. 

"So? He'll kill us either way," Leo says, standing up abruptly. Now he's upset with you but you know deep down you're in the right. You don't want Leo killed for something so careless.