#leon fluff | Explore Tumblr Posts and Blogs

praisethegabs · 1 month

Text

OLDER

leon kennedy x reader

synopsis: he's getting older, and he knows that. not believing in luck or in love, leon finds himself in a position of complete misfortune. he convinced himself he's not worthy of love, but that changes when he meets you.

warnings: angst with fluff ending, age gap, leon is very insecure about his age and the reader. strangers to lovers, mentions of smut, ptsd, alcoholism, depression, suicidal thoughts. reader is very delicate, kind, and patient. there's parts from the vendetta book and a few scenes from re6. it starts with re6!leon and ends with di!leon

word count: 15k

a/n: guess who's back? to celebrate the 1 year re4r anniversary, I decided to post this one shot I was working for almost two months. I'm into my angst era again. also i wrote this based on this analysis i read, which made me think about the broken part of leon for a while, also this fic contains part of the vendetta book. feel free to leave comments, reblogs, tips, or positive critics. they're always very welcome ❤️

I. THE WEIGHT ON HIS SHOULDERS

Life can be a bitch sometimes.

This is what he says to himself when he finishes another bottle of whiskey. Every day, when he opens his eyes, he tries to stay positive, hoping his day will be different from his usual schedule; in the end, it is always the same bullshit. Over and over again. No apparent ending; always his solitude.

But someday it must end, right? He can’t be fighting B.O.W.'s for the rest of his life, can he? Maybe someday he’ll finally settle down and have a peaceful day. Maybe, on this day, his nightmares will stop, and if he’s lucky, he’ll sleep for the entire night. No one can blame him for dreaming of a perfect life, and no one can take this from him.

The government made him their slave, their deadly pet that follows and obeys every rule and command, and forced him to risk his neck almost every week to keep their country safe. What a bunch of assholes, he thinks to himself. Thing is, Leon hates himself for what he was forced to become.

There is so much pain. So much suffering. He only wanted to be a cop — nothing more than that. He wanted to deal with simple things — not bioterrorists ready to blow up the entire world, not grotesque mutations that defy the natural order of things. Certainly, if he had a choice to go back and change that night, he wouldn’t go to Raccoon City. He would've stayed in his cheap hotel room; he would have obeyed Marvin’s orders to not go in there.

But now he’s something else. The rookie cop who had to survive that night died. He can’t even recognize himself anymore, and sometimes, he blames himself for it. No more than he blames the government for it; if he could go back…

His days are filled with this emptiness — the sensation that he might never see his happy ending. Ada? Yeah, sure. He knows he can’t trust her, and God knows where she is or what she’s doing. He was so naive to fall for her like he did. While on his free day out of the office, he finds himself with a certain envy of happy couples. He can’t stop thinking: why can’t he have the same? Why can’t he be happy for once?

Getting older sucks. At this point, Leon thinks and has already convinced himself that he doesn’t belong to anyone and that he won’t be able to have someone. To experience love and being loved, he wants to be wanted. He’s getting older and still doesn't have anyone by his side. That’s the price he pays for having this life, and he still blames the government for taking it from him. He doesn’t remember the last time he actually felt something for someone, and at this moment of his life, it doesn’t matter to him anymore. Leon had already accepted the fact that he'd die alone. Maybe he’ll get a cat to keep him company. Since he’s not much of a dog person since Raccoon City, maybe he’ll name her a cute name; who knows? That’s probably the closest he’ll get to having something waiting for him at home.

Leon doesn’t remember the last time he actually felt happy. Since Raccoon City, he doesn't know what happiness means, and sometimes, on very rare occasions, he envies people around him. He feels like his entire life has no purpose and no meaning, and he’s completely faded to emptiness, to a sad existence based on killing bioweapons and serving his country. Does he feel proud about it? No, he doesn’t.

It’s been a very long time since Leon felt pride. That feeling died and is now buried in the remains of Raccoon City, inside that police station where his life turned upside down. Now he’s only an empty shell of what he used to be. He’s rotting inside, craving something he knows he can’t have, and there’s nothing but a void inside him, consuming every inch of him.

After serving his country for years, he started to get used to the idea that maybe he wasn’t made for a happy ending, and he shouldn’t bother with such things. He can’t afford the luxury of being with someone, because it means being vulnerable, and it also means he would have to open himself to things he swore he would never feel again. No, thank you.

Things at work aren’t exactly the best, either. Years ago, Leon started to question himself about whether the government cared about their people, especially the ones he had to kill in order to save others. Leon couldn’t forget what happened in Spain — the entire village he was forced to end so he wouldn’t die. Perhaps they could’ve saved them; possibly they could’ve had a chance; maybe if… and this is where he dozes off thinking about the infinite possibilities.

After what happened in Raccoon City, Leon knew he had lost faith. He knew things would never be the same after everything he saw that day. Sometimes, he finds himself thinking about Annette and William Birkin. He feels his body shivering when he remembers he had to fight for his life, clinging to something bigger than him. Survival.

II. RINSE AND REPEAT

He has no social skills, and doesn't know how to interact with people anymore. It all feels weird and uncomfortable, and it makes him feel terrible. Sometimes he feels like he’s stuck in time and can’t have a proper conversation with someone normal. The worst part of his life is that he feels he’s carrying a weight on his shoulders that it wasn’t supposed to be his in the first place. He has the weight of the world with him, and there is no one to help him through it. Life made him depressed, cold and distant. Life has built him this way; he's shaped himself into something he’s not, and he can’t find himself. He’s lost.

Leon can’t stop having nightmares about Raccoon City.

At this point, he just accepted that they wouldn't go away. It feels like he’s trapped inside his own mind, and there’s no turning back. Sometimes at night, he keeps looking at his ceiling imagining a different life, where he was a cop and happy. Usually, his nightmares are so dark and deep that when he wakes up, he finds solace in the sunlight, feeling relieved that he survived another night. When he doesn't sleep, when he’s too scared to close his eyes, he cries quietly, protected by the walls of his room, searching for assurance and a promise that everything will be fine. It doesn’t always work, but now he knows he can control his fears, and somehow, it helps him feel safe.

This time, his mission nearly got him killed. His entire body was full of bruises and wounds, and every part of him hurt. He felt his body swallowing a little, and he felt terrible again. He has blood under his nails, and he washes himself at least three times to make sure there’s nothing more on him than the burden of being a slave for the government.

Leon is paranoid; he can’t stand the fact that he has blood on his hands. If he sees a spot, he’ll clean it until there’s nothing left, and maybe he’s now too obsessed with the idea of being clean. It makes him feel sick to the bones, because he knows what he does and what it means. He knows that this guilt won’t be washed away like the blood on his hands, and certainly won’t get away from his head like it does from his clothes whenever he launders them. It’s a pretty shitty routine, but he’s used to it.

Now he finds himself in a very dark place; he can’t eat without feeling guilty. He can’t do the basics of his chores because he can’t stop thinking about his life, regretting every decision he made. Everything he does seems mechanical, like he’s repeating the process over and over again, a perfect killing machine that has no one to care about. On Fridays, he finds himself sitting on his couch, in complete silence, holding an empty bottle. He knows he can’t drown himself in alcohol, no matter how much he wants it or how tempting it sounds, because the liquid doesn’t affect him anymore. It doesn't make the pain go away or silence the horrors he saw during his life.

After three weeks inside his house, locked inside his room, Leon woke up with a strange feeling inside his chest. Something was telling him that this day would be different, like a big change would happen. For the first time in weeks, he decided to leave his place for a simple walk. He could do that; he could walk into the market and buy some real food or maybe get a haircut. He felt that he was able to allow himself to have an ordinary day.

After taking a long shower, Leon decided to wear cozy and comfortable clothes. He was so used to his brutal routine that he almost forgot what it was like to have a normal day, but this time, he was willing to try something different. He took a deep breath before leaving his house, and when he felt the soft, cold breeze reaching his skin, he knew he could do that.

Step by step, Leon found himself walking towards the market, even enjoying the lovely view he had from his neighborhood. He doesn’t remember it to be so… gray. Sure, he knows what winter is, but he doesn’t remember the last time he actually stayed at his home during the winter. His lips turn into a small smirk, and he thinks how silly he is. When he reaches the small market, which is more of a store, he walks slowly, looking at what he might be buying - he’s done with frozen food. He stops at the veggie section and keeps looking at it, confused.

“These aren’t fresh” a sweet voice is enough to wake him up from his trance. He looks in that direction, and all he sees is you.

“How can you tell that?” he asks you in visible confusion, which makes you smile. And that smile was enough to sparkle something oddly inside him.

“Color, smell, texture,” you explained, still smiling and showing him a fresh vegetable. “This one is fresh."

"Thanks,” Leon replied awkwardly, taking the vegetable from your hand and placing it in his basket.

“You don’t come here very often. I know almost everyone who comes to buy food here,” you said next, glancing at him with curiosity.

“I… have a busy schedule,” he says, still sounding awkward.

“Really? Well, you should definitely take some time to buy healthy food. I’m pretty sure you do a lot of workouts to keep your body in shape” you giggle, noticing the size of his muscles, which makes his face turn red.

“I’ll keep that in mind” Leon managed to say, although he wanted to dissipate from Earth.

“I can help with that” you suddenly said, analyzing him more carefully.

“With what?” Leon frowned, already feeling his heart beating ten times faster.

“I noticed you’re having difficulty with your right arm, which makes me think you got it hurt. If you’re planning to buy more, I can help with your bags” you offered, very polite and kind, catching him by surprise.

“Thanks” Leon says, finding himself smiling, which is unusual.

At first, having some company after so much time alone made him think it was strange. He wasn’t feeling ready to have a small conversation, but you didn’t seem bothered. In fact, you were enjoying walking to this stranger's house in complete silence. Fifteen minutes later, you were in front of his house in an awkward silence between the two of you.

“I guess this is it” you smiled at him, and Leon found himself lost in your smile.

“Yeah. Thank you” he said for the fifth time, which made you giggle a little.

“Anything for a customer” you said to him, giving him his bags. “My parents are the owners, so…”

“You don’t seem too old” he said, and after a second, he felt more weird. “I mean…”

“Nah, it’s ok. This isn’t the first time people say I'm younger than I look”. You smiled again, thinking that this old man was very silly and cute. “I’m 25, don’t worry”

“I’m Leon, by the way” He finally says his name to you, stretching his hand in a very educated way.

“Nice to meet you, Leon” you said before shaking his hand.

Leon took at least three weeks to return to the market.

His initial thoughts about you were that he definitely felt weird in your presence. Maybe he felt that way because of his lack of social skills and because he really sucks when the subject is social conversation. He caught himself thinking too hard about the visual and evident contrast between the two of you; you were young, bright and smart, with a great future ahead of you, and plus, you came from a loving family. Leon, on the other hand, was an orphan used and abused by the government, their pet and a man who only knew pain and brutality.

However, you were the first friendly face he saw after years. The way you were smiling and giggling at his awkward answers, it definitely made him feel something he thought he would never feel again. It was like you found the rookie cop inside him, and despite the fact that he barely said something, he felt normal around you. And that was more than enough. How could it happen so fast?

“How can I help you?” you said before noticing it was him. “Oh, hi”

“Hi” Leon is welcomed by that smile of yours. “I… um…”

“You came to buy more veggies?” you ask, still smiling at him. You think it’s cute to see him without any words.

“No… I just came because I’m looking for food seasoning” Leon said, his face slightly turning red. “I’m trying new recipes, so…”

“Yeah? What have you been trying?” you ask with sudden enthusiasm, leading him to the part with seasonings.

“Nothing too risky” he answers vaguely, following you closely.

“What kind of seasonings do you like?” You turn back to face him as you show him the shelves with different types of seasonings.

“I’m more into spicy flavors” Leon tells you, his attention going to the shelves.

“It suits you” you said, giving him some space. You saw him smiling again.

"How does spicy seasoning suit me?” he asks with a hint of curiosity.

“You might think I’m weird, but… seeing from outside, you look like someone with a rough agenda and, apparently, whatever you do is dangerous. Personally, I think you suit perfectly spicy things” you said, hoping it would make sense.

“I think I got your point,” Leon said, and then he found himself smiling for the second time.

“Lucky me, right?” you laugh, walking back to the cashier. “Is this all for today?”

“Yeah, I guess it is,” Leon nods, grabbing his wallet to pay for the seasonings.

“How’s your arm?” you ask, taking his money and counting it.

“It's better. I had to take a few painkillers, but it’s definitely better” he said, avoiding you for a few moments.

“That’s great. I know a few herbs to help with the pain” you said, giving him the change from his purchase.

“How so?” Leon asks with another hint of curiosity.

“A great sorcerer doesn’t reveal her secrets” you wink playfully at him. “You need to earn that, soldier”

“And how could I earn your secrets, great sorcerer?” Leon asks, enjoying your playful mood.

“Maybe you can invite me for dinner and show me your cooking skills” you shake your shoulders and, for the second time, catching him by surprise.

“You would love that, wouldn't you?” Leon said, and a slight smirk appeared on his lips.

“Who knows?” You wink playfully at him, with another suggestive smile on your lips.

The world has gone to hell, Leon thinks to himself.

He starts to contemplate everything that has happened to him. When did this madness begin? It was back in Raccoon City? Oh, no. It is way older than that. Maybe his collapse started when his family died, and he was left an orphan; what happened in Raccoon City wasn’t really the beginning of his nightmare. It was the cherry on top of the torments that would become his life.

Now that he’s coming back home from another mission, he can’t stop thinking how his life could’ve been if Umbrella had never happened. If those bioweapons were never created, defying every natural order. He looks outside his window, and he just can’t stop blaming himself for Tall Oaks.

What has become of this world? Leon thinks. Where did I go wrong?

His life is an entire mistake. It just goes on and on. His family first, then Raccoon City. Tricell, Los Illuminados, Uroboros and, finally, that nightmare at Tall Oaks. Leon takes a deep breath. He feels his hands shaking and closes his eyes, forcing himself to forget. How silly he is!

The future is a hell that’s only getting worse.

III. THE PAIN OF REMEMBERING

You weren't expecting Leon to find the note with your number that you left on his seasonings, the same way you weren't expecting him to call you.

However, something about him got your attention the minute he stepped foot inside the store. He wasn't like anything you had seen before; he was definitely something else.

After almost four weeks since the last time you saw him, you got a call from an unknown number. It was pretty late at night, but your curiosity won the battle within you, and you had to pick up the phone. With a groggy voice of sleep, you saw the number and frowned.

“Hello?” You ask, followed by a big yawning. It was one in the morning.

“Hi… um, it's Leon” he says with some urgency, to which you jump from your bed. “I'm sorry to wake you up”

“No, don't worry. I wasn't sleeping” you lied, forcing yourself not to yawn again.

“I know it's late, but… I was thinking about that dinner…” he says, sounding somehow hopeful. “Maybe you could come later and… talk?”

“Yeah, sure. Can you pick me up?” You ask him, and a smile appears on your lips as you answer him.

“Of course. At seven?”

“At seven, it is,” you smiled again.

As soon as the call ended, he was in complete shock. For some reason, Leon felt you wouldn’t accept his invitation, especially after being alone for so long. His heart was beating faster inside his chest, and he had to remind himself that it was just a casual date between… two friends? Could you possibly be his friend?

Leon felt anxious, something he only felt when he was on his missions.

Suddenly, the mere thought of having you at his home with him sounded terrifying. He felt like it would end in a complete disaster, and you wouldn’t see him ever again. Then, Leon had to stop and calm himself down, knowing it was his trauma trying to get the best of him. After everything he went through in his life, being able to trust someone proved to be a difficult task. He felt scared, and his mind was racing with thousands of different thoughts, each worse than the other.

Betrayal is the word that defines Leon.

He was betrayed before and multiple times, which left him with a lot of insecurities and traumas to the point he feels that he can’t trust anyone, which led to another set of insecurities. Leon feels that he isn’t enough anymore, that he can’t provide the proper attention someone might need from him, and that he can’t be in a relationship because of his problems. The truth is, he can’t be in a relationship until he leaves his trauma behind, and he knows it. That’s the easy part, but the hard one is how to let it go.

Later that day, Leon finally had the courage to clean his house. He needed some motivation to get rid of his depression, and nothing was better than finally allowing himself to have some company besides his solitude. His house smelled pretty good, everything was clean, and his furniture was even shining. He opened the curtains, and the sunlight entered his living room. He took a deep breath with the fresh air that came inside, and smiled, feeling somehow proud and happy.

At seven, you were waiting outside the store, scrolling through your phone, when you saw Leon approaching on his motorcycle. You were gorgeous, wearing a beautiful dress and covered by a black leather jacket — the perfect contrast that suited you well. Leon was completely mesmerized by the sight of you - so beautiful, he thought.

“Hey, there” you waved at him as he parked next to you.

“Hi,” Leon replies, sounding embarrassed. “You look beautiful”

“You too, handsome” you said playfully, taking the helmet from his hand and sitting behind him, your hands holding him tight. You didn’t notice the small blush on his cheeks.

"Are you okay back there?” Leon asks you, making sure you were fine before starting the engines.

“Yeah, I’m fine” you said, nodding your head, and smiling when he started to drive his bike to his place.

You two didn’t take long enough to reach his place. Leon offered you his hand so you had support to get out of his bike, and he even opened the front door for you. He led you inside his house, and everything inside was enough to show you the kind of man he was; his home was big, but simple. He had a lot of comfort there, but it seemed like he didn't spend much time at his place. You saw some photos at the fireplace, a few when he was younger, at some training camp with his possible friends.

“How old were you when you took these?” you asked him with curiosity.

“I was twenty-one” he said, grabbing the wine and the glasses.

“So young” you whispered, noticing that in some pictures, he was sad.

Leon took another deep breath. Why did this have to be so difficult? Why couldn’t he be just normal for once? Why did everything have to happen to him? You were standing there, so gracefully, observing his old photographs, so young and full of life, with no baggage with you. Someone actually happy and alive. If you knew how much he envies this.

“People say that our eyes are the windows to our soul” you turn to face him, noticing his sudden silence. “Yours are so sad and broken… what happened to your neck?”

Instinctively, his hand reaches his neck, and Leon feels the bandage perfectly secured on his skin, with a small spot of blood. Gladly, it was enough to change the subject, because he was shocked enough by what you said about his broken soul. If you only knew.

“I, um… got hurt on my job. It’s nothing.” Leon tries to avoid speaking about his past.

“It seems pretty bad” you step closer to him, your hand gently touching his bandage.

“It’s nothing… trust me” Leon smiles weakly, looking down. His heart is beating so fast inside his chest that he could explode any time. “I’m fine”

“Then explain why you are so nervous around me” you whispered, now softly touching his cheek.

Leon felt he stopped breathing, like his lungs decided to leave him alone and deal with the matter himself; how powerful your touch felt. It was enough to break every wall he built around himself for years; it was enough to make him break. And it was only a soft and kind touch. He slowly closed his eyes, his breath becoming normal again, and he allowed himself to just feel it.

“I don’t know what on earth happened to you…” your voice is full of kindness as you speak, now seeing him hold your hand as you keep touching his cheek. “But I’m always here if you decide to talk”

Leon was reaching his breaking point.

He was used to being a slave, always using his body, mind and soul to provide safety for the others without them knowing one damn thing about it; he was used to always being alone, to the point that kindness was a strange feeling, almost not existing at all and that he didn’t deserve it. But here you are.

“It hurts to remember,” he confessed, his voice a low whisper. “I tried to forget it, but I can’t”

When he felt you wrapping your arms around his body and your warmth embracing him, Leon felt his eyes getting wet. He was so deeply touch starved, craving something so human, that when he got it, he knew he was going to break. His mind was racing, and his body was trying to process the feeling and react in the proper way. He felt so many emotions at once that he thought he was going insane.

“Please, keep holding me” Leon begs, his arms finding their way through your back as he hugs you back. “Because I know I’ll fall if you let me go”

After that night, it took almost two months until Leon decided to show up at the store to see you again. He felt nervous, but at this point, he realized that, for some reason, he couldn’t stay away from you; he felt that you had some type of magnetism enough to keep him close, which made him feel comfortable, something he hadn't felt in a while.

However, before he went to the store to see you, he needed courage. Leon thought you would be upset with him after being ghosted for almost two months, although he felt responsible for it, since he never told you the nature of his job or why he was so absent. Sadly, Leon was again in a spiral of sadness and depression. His last mission was a disaster, and Leon knew he had no control over his feelings again. He was sitting on his bed, contemplating the bottle in his hands. The curtains were closed, and the atmosphere inside his room was darker. He closes his eyes for a brief moment, and then, he’s there again.

June 29, 2013. Tall Oaks, USA

“It might create more problems than it solves…” the voice of the president echoes inside his head as he points his gun towards the said person.

Leon doesn't recognize the man in front of him, or what he used to be. He keeps his gun raised, his grasp around the trigger getting tight by the second he makes his decision. His voice comes and goes, creating a tense atmosphere around him.

“Bio-organic weapons are a global threat and we are partly to blame…” Benford said once to Leon when he expressed his desire to expose the truth about the Raccoon City Incident. He looks at the living corpse in front of him. Tick tack. He knows what he needs to do. “I’ve always valued your friendship, Leon… It’s time to take responsibility and end this mess”

He shakes his head, somehow returning to his reality.

“Stay right where you are!” Leon said, his voice sounding cracked and angry. The corpse starts walking towards him and as a reflex, his grip gets more tight. “Mr. President!”

The zombie starts walking towards him and the woman next to him. He hesitates for a moment, unsure and sure about what he needs to do. Every part of him screams and begs, trying to find a solution. He knows it’s too late. He can’t save the president, he can’t save anyone.

“Don’t make me do this” Leon gritted his teeth, trying to find any reason to avoid what needed to be done. It happens fast. Adam Benford, the former president of the United States and now a corpse, throws himself towards her. “Adam!” Leon screams.

He pulls the trigger.

And there’s only blood.

He gets out of his thoughts when he hears someone knocking on his front door. It doesn't take too long for him to finally stand up and see who’s there, and, inside his mind, he’s already preparing himself to tell this person to leave him alone, but his entire demeanor changes when he opens the door, and all he sees there is you.

“You’re back” you smiled warmly at him, your cheeks red because of the cold temperature. “I wasn’t sure you were home”

“What are you doing here?” Leon’s first question isn't as welcome as you thought it would be.

“A friend can’t see a friend?” you answered simply, and the smile never left your lips.

“I’m sorry” he sighs, giving you space to enter his place. “I didn’t mean to be rude”

“Don’t worry” you said, removing your scarf and hat. “Are you ok?”

“I’m fine, I guess” Leon nods slowly, and you notice he’s not entirely well.

“Breakfast?” you ask him, wanting to confirm your suspicions, and he nods quietly.

You had difficulty finding yourself inside his place, since you’ve been there only once. You notice that he’s quiet, and despite that fact, which is completely normal for him, you know that there’s something wrong. So, you decided to go simple with his breakfast. Almost forty minutes later, you came back with a plate full of pancakes, crispy bacon, scrambled eggs, and some orange juice.

He leisurely used his knife and fork to eat the food you made. The careful manner in which he ate wasn’t due to his cautious nature, but rather because he had a terrible hangover that messed with his coordination, and rushing could easily lead to a slip of the hand and his shaking. Leon was a pretty man, and he could easily take on leading roles in Hollywood blockbusters. However, he currently sported a scruffy beard, exuded a weary atmosphere, and radiated fatigue and discontent.

“I think I reached rock bottom,” Leon finally says, but he avoids your gaze at all costs.

“Then I’ll help you get out of there” you said with kindness, your pinky finger interlocking with his.

IV. GRIEF AND BARGAIN

The path to healing isn’t always easy, and now Leon is aware of that.

The year is now 2014 and he’s struggling to forget what happened a year ago. Sometimes, when his mind is quiet, he starts to wonder. Is it possible that there could have been a world without Umbrella and zombies? Leon scoffed and shook off his sweet dreams. A world without zombies? That's something from a long time ago. The future is only going to become a worse hell. Then, he has to remind himself about the great things he has in life. You are one of these things.

Although he has your support, he knows that he’ll only get better walking this path by himself. The winter deciduous forest looked like branches made of human bones. A mixed forest with a walking path spread out. This is a high-end residential area in Bethesda, Maryland, where congressmen and bureaucrats commuting to Washington spend their nights. In the depths of a thicket, there was a slightly open gentle sloping area where the desired building was located. It was a designer house filled with a sense of openness, with all outer walls covered in glass, and it appeared like a model intended to showcase beautiful scenery rather than a place for people to live in.

The luxury was excessive to the point where it seemed somewhat like a toy. Leon had hidden himself in the thicket away from the road and was monitoring the designer house through binoculars with night vision capabilities. It was an unacknowledged fact, but a traitor to the country was living in this mansion. Senator Steven Air, who had sold information to a bioterrorist organization, was one of many government officials who had been involved in the incident in Tall Oaks where the President became a victim of B.O.W. Simmons, the President's aide, was among those who betrayed the government. And Leon still blames himself for what happened that night.

Currently, fifteen members of the Division of Security Operations (DSO) and two stealth drones have surrounded Steven's mansion. It was necessary to capture him and extract plenty of information before bringing him to trial. According to reports from aerial surveillance, Steven was on his way home by car from Washington. The distance from the White House to Bethesda was approximately twelve kilometers, and it would take about thirty minutes if he drove fast. Leon shifted his focus to his shoulder holster with a handgun. Of course, capturing him alive was best, but there was no hesitation in shooting the traitor if he resisted.

Leon suddenly remembers. This is Bethesda. The name is derived from the Bible. From the Gospel of John–

“Now there is in Jerusalem near the Sheep Gate a pool, which in Aramaic is called Bethesda and which is surrounded by five covered colonnades. Here a great number of disabled people used to lie — the blind, the lame, the paralyzed. One who was there had been an invalid for thirty-eight years."

Jesus healed the man who had been sick for 38 years. God's love and His miracles. Bravo. That's exactly what this world needs in this hell.

"Target approaching."

As he thinks about the Bible, a communication comes through his earpiece. It's a report from the overhead surveillance team flying a drone. A roadway that weaves through a grove of mixed trees was approached by Stephen's white Porsche, an elegant luxury car resembling a graceful white swan. Perhaps dozens, hundreds of people may have died to buy that car. Such is the life of a villain.

"Visual on the target vehicle. Secure upon my GO signal," Leon whispered into his radio microphone. Both the earphones and microphone were of a bone conduction type that excelled in noise resistance. It converts vocal cord vibrations transmitted through the skull directly into voice signals. It was a perfect gadget for special operations where one couldn't make loud noises or miss instructions in the midst of noise.

The Porsche approached the garage.

"GO," Leon said sharply.

At that moment, two SUVs that had been hiding in a blind spot by the roadway started their engines like barking dogs and closed in on the Porsche at tremendous speed, trapping it in a pincer movement as planned. The driver of the Porsche was Stephen's secretary, with a bodyguard in the passenger seat and Stephen himself in the back seat.

Suddenly trapped from the front and back, they were thrown into confusion. Leon wondered – would the bodyguard or secretary resist? There was no doubt that they were carrying guns. He didn't want to give them unnecessary visibility, but he would deal with it when the time came. The agents jumped out of the trees. In the next moment, Stephen's Porsche exploded.

A deafening roar and shock. The high-performance explosive device planted under the car's body lifted the Porsche several meters off the ground, engulfing it in flames. And caught up in it, the DSO's SUVs overturned as well. The window glass of all the cars shattered into tiny pieces, the car bodies twisted and burned the people inside. All six agents from the team on foot, including Leon himself, were blown backwards by the force of the blast. Leon still thinks like he’s floating in the air, an eerie feeling of weightlessness that ended when he felt his body slamming against a tree trunk. In those fleeting moments, his consciousness waned, and it was the closest he had come to death.

Yet, it seemed the Grim Reaper was not yet ready to claim him.

Pain, intense and searing, jolted Leon’s awareness back to life, a grunt of pain escaping his lips. Leon struggled to his feet, and he threw up, retching repeatedly. His consciousness ebbed and flowed like waves, and he knew that rest was essential. Leon suspected that his ribs and collarbone were either fractured or cracked, but, fortunately, his arms and legs remained unbroken. Gritting his teeth, he managed to force his dislocated left shoulder joint back into place, enduring the excruciating pain, as he tried to work out which way was up.

There are bruises littered across his skin, scratches and abrasions where the bark of the tree tore his flesh. The shock of the explosion and the fear of death… an unpleasant feeling of internal organs turning over welled up. No matter how many times he experienced it, he could never get used to the terror of a close-range explosion. The air was knocked from his lungs; his breathing temporarily stopped; his eardrums were about to burst; and his knees were weak. He can barely stand. Leon finally sits up, willing his agent training to give him a sense of urgency even though his body is screaming in agony. The stench of gasoline fills the air, but Leon can barely smell it. His sense of smell and hearing are both almost gone. What the hell happened? Leon asked himself in front of the burning Porsche.

He feels paralyzed.

It was three in the morning when your phone started to ring.

It was an unknown number, and you had to fight the necessity of hanging up; something inside you told you to pick up the call, which you did. It was Leon, and the way his voice sounded on the phone made you aware that something bad had happened. Terrible, nonetheless. You drove to his location, and you found yourself shocked when you found smoke, fire and the smell of gasoline among a lot of government agents and military personnel. You found Leon sitting in the back of an ambulance, his body covered by a blanket, as he was examined by a paramedic. Not only that, but you had credentials to enter that isolated area, and the way those agents were rushing from one side to the other, talking on their phones, made it clear that someone important had died. You made your way towards Leon, not daring to look around, and when you reached him, you saw tears in his eyes. You hugged him tight, like you were holding the world in your hands.

“It’s ok, I got you” you said to him, your words full of assurance and kindness.

Leon refused to be taken to the hospital; instead, he asked you to drive him back home, since he felt he couldn’t do it on his own. The ride back to his place was silent, and you decided to respect his space, although you saw him trying to find solace in something real. He couldn’t stop playing with his finger, showing an elevated level of stress and anxiety. You have never seen him like this before.

“Can you stay?” Leon suddenly asked when you pulled over in front of his house. “I… don’t want to be alone”

“Yeah, sure” you nodded, noticing how vulnerable he was, which was odd.

You heard him groaning in pain once he got out of your car, but he refused your help, insisting he was fine. Knowing him well at this point, you gently held his hand, offering nothing but your support, and Leon quietly appreciated your effort. You helped him sit on his couch and heard him mutter something only he could understand. Judging by the look on his face and the way his hands were still shaking, you knew he was in shock.

“Do you have any first aid kits or something?” you asked him, hoping you would gain his attention.

“I’m fine” Leon replies, his eyes fixated on his shaky hands. You sat next to him, holding his hands and scratching his skin softly.

“It’s ok not to be okay." Your voice is almost a whisper as you look into his blue eyes. “You don’t have to be tough all the time��

You saw him reach the breaking point.

Feeling embraced by your kindness and safety, Leon finally allowed himself to feel his emotions — the same ones he fought hard to bury deep inside him — in the same place he swore he would never visit again. In the cozy atmosphere of his living room, having nothing but you as solace, the brunette agent gave himself a break, and when he did that, his eyes started to get watery.

After Raccoon City, Leon shut himself up so he wouldn’t be hurt ever again. He used to keep his emotions contained; he used to not think of them. He kept everything bottled up, because he knew he couldn’t handle it. Leon was so traumatized that the way he dealt with his feelings was to pretend they didn’t exist, in the first place. After Spain, it got worse. Nightmares after nightmares, the paranoia of still being infected with Las Plagas, everything that came after this.

But here you are, telling him that it is ok not to be okay, that he doesn’t have to be tough, and that it is okay to feel and to be vulnerable. He couldn’t stop sobbing; his hands were still shaking, but he didn't even care about this at the moment. Gently, you started to play with his hair, your fingers slowly going up and down on his head, providing comfort and care — exactly what he’s been missing his entire life.

“I lost them all” Leon started to say through sobs. “I saw them dead”

“It wasn’t your fault” you assured him with calm words.

“I failed them," he says as he looks at you, his blue eyes shining with tears as they fall through his skin.

“That’s not true. You didn’t know the car was about to explode or whatever happened there” You tried to calm him down.

“We were watching him; it was my responsibility to make sure they would be safe… it was my job to ensure that” Leon sobs again, and you can see he’s struggling to breathe due to his anxiety attack.

“Listen, you’re too nervous right now. Come on, take a deep breath with me” you said, hoping he would listen and cope.

Leon nods between sobs and takes several deep breaths to try to calm himself down. You took a glass of water and gave it to him, then you took his hand into yours, whispering words of assurance and kindness. You decided to put him to rest, and it wasn’t necessary to drag Leon into his bed; the moment you step foot inside his room, you can see how severe his depression is. Successfully, you were able to lay him down and remove at least his boots. Leon curled into his blankets and muffled his sobs with his pillows.

“Do you want me to stay here until you fall asleep?” you ask, sitting on his bed with him, moving his hair from his eyes. He nodded silently.

Slowly, his sobs turned into sniffs, and Leon finally fell asleep. It took almost an hour to calm him down completely, but now he was safe and sound into a peaceful slumber, or what appears to be. You don’t recall exactly when you fell asleep on his bed, but you certainly remember when you woke up to the sound of his screams. Leon never told you about his nightmares, and you weren’t expecting that. His chest was drenched in sweat, and he seemed like he couldn’t breathe. His eyes were filled with fear, and he was shaking head to toe.

“Fuck” Leon mutters, his hand running through his hair.

“What happened?” you ask him after turning the lights on.

“Just a nightmare…” he whispers, trying to calm down again.

“How frequent are they?” It was a bold question, but you needed to know.

“Every night” Leon ignores your glance, focusing on his shaky hands again.

“Here, drink it” you give him a glass of water with sugar to calm his nerves. You already had that glass with you the moment you went with him to his room.

“Do you even like me?” Leon suddenly asks you.

“What do you mean?”

“You’re so kind, beautiful, and young, with so much in your future” Leon sighs heavily. “Why would you be with a… broken man like me? I have nothing to offer but traumas and the big baggage of my shitty life”

The pressure you put on biting your lip was so intense that it was enough to cut your skin and make it bleed.

“Who says you have nothing to offer? I don’t think that’s true. You’re a wonderful person, Leon. I can see it every day when you come to see me at the store. The way you smile whenever you are around me, the way your eyes shine…” you said to him, hoping it would be enough to give him some comfort. “I don’t see you as a broken person or a man with the baggage of a shitty life. I can’t imagine what must have happened to you, and I know it must be difficult and hard because that's what I see, but, Leon, the darkness around you doesn’t define who you are. Whatever life did to you, it doesn't dictate your present or future."

No matter how many kind words you say, it isn’t enough for him. Leon blames himself for what happened, and you know he won’t forget it so soon. How can he? Those men trusted him and followed him, and now, they’re all dead. Leon thinks he should’ve saved them, even though he knows he couldn’t guess the car was about to explode.

“I wish I could heal your soul so you wouldn’t suffer anymore, but I can’t” you sigh, then look at his hand. “I wish I could fight all of your demons, but I can’t do that. I’m here and I don’t intend to leave you alone”

After holding his hand, it was the first night Leon actually slept without any more nightmares. When he woke up the next morning, he felt his eyes heavy and he instantly remembered how he cried the night before after his entire squad was murdered. Then, he also remembered that you were there with him the whole time. Finally, he noticed how strange that feeling was - the feeling of being comforted instead of comforting others. It was a strange feeling indeed, but it was a good one.

Lazily, he stood up from his bed and decided to look at himself in the mirror, washing his face and taking a moment to see the collateral damage caused by the bomb. There were a few bruises and cuts on his skin, but huge purple marks on his shoulder, which he dislocated. It still hurts, but it’s enough to keep him in the real world. He’s still alive.

“Morning, princess” you greeted him in his kitchen. “I made breakfast”

“You shouldn’t worry about that, y’know?” Leon says, leaning against his cabinet.

“Too late for that. Now is my job to worry about ya” you said, opening the cabinet above your head on tiptoe, which made him smirk. “Are you feeling better?”

“Yeah, I guess so” he says, nodding his head and helping you get the cornflakes. “Thank you… for sticking up with me last night”

“You know I care about you, right? Since day one” you glance at him with a warm smile. “I really do”

“I care about you, too” Leon blushes slightly. “More than I can tell”

You know Leon pretty well at this point and you know he has trouble speaking of his feelings. You know he can’t express himself properly, and you ain’t stupid. You know someone has hurt him before and you understand why he is the way he is. Fortunately, you are very patient, and that’s enough for now, because you don’t mind giving him time and space.

“I can look at your wounds; maybe I can help” you offered, finishing preparing the breakfast.

“This means I finally earned your secrets?” Leon asks, a small smile on his lips, as he references the conversation you had with him a few months ago.

“You surely did." You nodded, smiling. “Let’s eat first, then I’ll take a look at it”

Leon seemed to enjoy the breakfast you made for him, and, for the first time since you two met, he genuinely seemed happy. However, you knew deep inside he was trying and fighting hard to hide his true feelings; losing his squad certainly shattered him inside, and caused more damage to him than you could ever imagine.

Leon is a master when it comes to hiding his feelings. All over the years, Leon had built around himself an impenetrable shell, not allowing anyone to get closer, and all of that because he is scared of being hurt again. However, if the explosion never happened, if his men never died the way they did, Leon wouldn’t be pretending he’s fine when you know he’s not. The damage is so intense that you’re afraid he won’t recover. It’ll always be there with him, rotting inside him.

You weren’t expecting so many wounds all at once, but when he took off his shirt and you saw his bruised skin, you took a deep breath. He had so many marks, so many stories. You wanted to ask, you wanted to know, but Leon wasn’t ready to share it yet.

“I got this one back in Raccoon City” Leon quietly says, pointing to the scar on his left shoulder. “I got shot”

“How did this happen?” you decided to ask him as you gently cleaned a few cuts he had.

“I was helping a woman named Ada Wong to get a sample of G-Virus, and only a scientist named Annette Birkin had this sample. We were trying to find her and, when we did, she started to shoot Ada. I jumped in front of her, that’s why I got shot” Leon sighs, recalling the events that happened in the sewers.

“This Ada seems very important to you” you smiled at him, cleaning the other cut he had on his neck.

“She was, but it was a long time ago” Leon avoids your gaze. “Not anymore”

“She was the one that hurt you?” you ask him very carefully.

Leon didn’t answer, but his silence speaks for himself. You can see the extension of the damage and how Leon still struggles to deal with whatever happened between him and Ada. He stays silent, maybe trying to understand how his life turned into this mess. Then, he starts to count every time he was betrayed before until this very moment. His blue irises meet yours and all he feels is… peace. There’s no inner storms inside him, he feels completely at ease.

“If I ask you a favor…” Leon suddenly says, changing the conversation.

“What do you need?” you ask him without hesitation.

“Could you come with me to the morgue? There’s something I need to do” Leon sighs, preparing himself for what’s about to happen.

“Of course. I’ll tell my parents I’ll go to the store later” you nodded, quickly picking up your phone to text them.

Leon partially felt guilty, but you were so willing to go with him that he changed his mind after you helped him dress himself — the way he dislocated his shoulder still hurts and he has difficulty with it. You drove to the morgue and judging by the interior of the building, you found out Leon was some sort of agent working for the government. You were able to read the name of the organization. Division of Security Operations.

“So you’re a badass agent, huh?” you ask with enthusiasm as you walk next to him.

“I wouldn’t say I’m a badass” Leon chuckles, still feeling tense.

“Well, if you put your neck at stake to save your country, then you’re definitely a badass” you added, giving him a warm smile.

When you both stepped inside the morgue, he reached out for your hand, seeking any support you could give him. The back wall was a box-shaped cold storage room, and a row of dissecting tables lined the spacious room. And on those dissecting tables were numerous body bags. It's a body bag with the DSO logo on it. Do they really need a logo even on something like this? Irony floated within Leon's chest. Are they planning to sell products with the logo on them, like DSO-branded body bags, DSO-logoed cigarette cases, DSO-logoed pass cases...?

He walked between the body bags to the sound of his boots. Unlike normal bodies, the victims of b.o.w - related incidents were usually sent for examination to specialized research institutions. Although this time the cause of death was due to a bomb, not a zombie attack, the instruction from above was to send the bodies to various laboratories, so they followed suit. This DSO branch’s mortuary was a relay point for passing the bodies from the scene to the laboratory, like a baton in a relay race. It wasn’t easy to simply bury them in a graveyard. The morgue itself wasn’t scary, but the corpses were scary because they stimulated the imagination.

“Would they suddenly start moving? Would I end up like this too?” Leon thinks to himself a little bit loud, enough for you to hear him.

“You won’t” you whispered, squeezing his hand to let him know you were there.

Watching the corpses closely would cause a moment where the elongated shadows would appear like monsters. However, that was before Raccoon City. He had seen too many moments where the dead came back to life.

“I’m not scared of the mortuary anymore; recently, I’ve been thinking about it a lot” Leon frowned as he moved towards the back while swirling his thoughts. He thought he heard a sound from there minutes before.

“What do you mean?” you ask him with curiosity as he approaches one of the bags.

“I was constantly thinking about death and ending everything. I was depressed and thought I had no hope left” Leon confessed, his eyes locked on the body bags in front of him. “But now… I don’t think about that anymore”

He glances at you, finally. Slowly, his eyes meet your hand while you’re holding him and there’s a small smile on his lips, then his blue irises find yours again.

“I used to be scared of the morgue… but coming here with you… is something else” Leon says next. “I couldn’t do this alone”

“I’m glad I can help” you said to him with your usual kindness.

But he stops and turns his attention back to the body bags and sighs. His entire demeanor changed and suddenly, he found himself fighting hard to keep doing this. He needed that. He owed his men at least this final goodbye.

“What kind of adult did I want to become when I was a child?” Leon thinks to himself as he approached one of the body bags.

The zipper was slightly open, and the body bag seemed like it was about to move any moment. It’s common for something that seems like it’s about to move to actually move.

Leon carelessly closed the zipper. Was it because of the sharp sound that, suddenly, another body bag bounced behind him? Inside the body bag, the zombie was wiggling and struggling. It seemed unhappy, as if it had been woken up from a deep sleep by force. Leon pulled out his gun from his holster and squeezed the trigger.

“What kind of adult did I want to become? I definitely didn’t want a life like this”

V. ACCEPTANCE

After everything that happened with his squad, Leon knew he needed time off of his office. Decided to get his mind off everything and take a break, Leon chose the Rocky Mountains in Colorado as his destination. Instead of going there alone, he thought it would be good to spend more time with you, mostly because he felt safe around you and due to the nature of his job and everything he saw, he needed to feel that safety only you provided him.

You had to explain to your parents why you would be going on a vacation, but they understood with no problems; they didn’t know about Leon because you were fearing some trouble because of the age gap, so you felt they weren’t exactly ready to meet him. How could you explain to them you were apparently dating a man eleven years older than you? It would be one hell of a surprise.

It was 9 a.m. in the mountainous area near Rocky Mountain National Park, located in northern Colorado. The national park was about a two-hour drive from the state capital, Denver. Along the way, there were several viewpoints where numerous travelers parked their cars to enjoy the scenic beauty. Even in the mountainous region of the Rockies, the mountains around this area were not exceptionally high. They were just before the tree line, covered with spruce and fir trees on the subalpine slopes. The forest appeared like a beautifully groomed brush, while wildflowers bloomed modestly, sheltered by large rocks.

“This place is incredible” you sound mesmerized by the incredible view from the hotel.

“You haven’t been in places like this before?” Leon asks you with curiosity.

“I barely leave my house” you chuckle, leaving your bag on the bed. “I just work at my parent’s store and go to college”

“It feels like I’m dating a baby” Leon chuckles, also leaving his bag next to yours.

“We’re dating, huh?” you teased, taking off your sneakers.

“Yeah, we are” Leon nods his head, smiling. “I know I haven’t officially asked you, but I’m too old for that”

“It’s fine, old man. I’m just messing with you” you said, playing with his fingers.

“Old man? Now I’m offended” Leon teases back, smiling.

“You said it first” you replied to him, your hands reaching his brown hair. “By the way… I have something for you”

Leon glanced at you, frowning. The mischievous smile on your lips immediately told him you were planning something. He sat up on the bed and kept his eyes fixed on you, waiting patiently for whatever you were about to do.

“I got you a birthday present” you said with enthusiasm, catching him by surprise. “I know I’m a few days late, but I wanted to give you something for your 37th birthday”

“You didn’t have to” Leon whispered in shock as you gave him the small box.

He unwrapped the present you gave him and found a beautiful dagger, silver and shining, also pretty sharp. Leon knew immediately that you probably paid a lot on that and he felt bad. He took a deep breath and glanced at you.

“This was very expensive. You shouldn’t waste your money with me like that” Leon says to you.

“It’s a gift. You can’t give it back” you said to him, a hint of playfulness in your voice as you insisted for him to keep it.

“That’s not fair” Leon complains, laughing softly.

“It’s pretty fair to me, though” you said to him, smirking. “It’s just a dagger, not a diamond or something related. I know your job is kind of dangerous and you might need it”

“Okay, you win. I’ll take it” Leon sighs in defeat. “About my job… I know I haven’t been extremely open about it, but…”

“It’s okay, I don’t want you to feel forced to share this with me if you don’t feel ready” you stopped him before he could finish his sentence.

“I wish I could be more open to you” Leon glanced at his hands, feeling bad because of that.

“Start simple and small. You don’t have to tell me absolutely everything at once” you placed your hand on his shoulder, petting him.

“Simple and small? How could I do that?” Leon frowned at the idea. He always thought it was impossible to open up about his trauma.

You pondered for a few moments, thinking about a way to help him talk about his issues in a positive way.

“Start with something like… why don't you like dogs?” you suggested. A while ago you noticed Leon had a certain aversion to dogs.

“I… um… I was attacked by dogs in Raccoon City. They weren’t common dogs, they were infected, something like that” Leon found himself surprised by the way he spoke about this issue so easily. “Then, at Spain, I had a few encounters with wolves also infected with a parasite, monstrous things”

“See? That one was pretty easy” you said, encouraging him to keep talking. “Wanna try to say something else?”

Leon thought about your question for minutes; inside his head, everything that has happened to him was like an endless movie. The trauma, the pain and the events that seem to be haunting him to this day. It was hard to pick one, but then, he reminds himself of your words of being simple and small. He takes a deep breath and quietly, he convinces himself that he can do this.

“Back at Raccoon City, it was my first day at the force and I was 21 at the time” Leon starts, his eyes focused on something else. “I was late, but I think that’s why I’m still alive”

While he was telling you the horrors he saw, you gently placed your hand on his, to let him know you’re there for him. It was a simple and kind gesture, but for him, it meant the world. Leon was only familiar with danger and brutality, so having you by his side providing comfort was enough to penetrate the depth of his former persona. It was enough to rescue the rookie cop buried inside those walls.

“After that night… everything changed. I’m here because of what I did to survive and I’m not exactly proud of it. I can’t stop blaming myself for my past actions, but…” Leon suddenly stops, taking another deep breath.

“You can’t control everything around you, Leon. And not everything that happens to us is our fault. You couldn’t know you were going to be stalked and nearly killed on your first day… you didn't know that there was a virus outbreak in Raccoon City that night…” you said to him, placing your hand on his shoulder. “You need to understand that this isn’t your baggage to carry. What happened that day wasn’t your fault”

Leon had your words playing on repeat inside his head. Even though he was early in the morning drinking his sorrows away, he was still thinking about what you said. He also felt partially guilty for leaving you asleep in the bed while he was drinking, but the other part of him told you knew him pretty well and you wouldn’t be judging him for this. His head was a roller coaster and at this very moment, he wasn’t at the top.

Leon sat on the first floor of a lodge-style hotel in the rural town. The hotel was two stories tall, made of reinforced concrete, but designed to resemble traditional log construction. There was only one waiter and one chef, making it far from a trendy establishment — a rather run-down place. He was having breakfast in the first-floor restaurant. Though the restaurant wasn't popular, the food was decent. Approaching footsteps came from behind him — two sets of them.

"--To come fully armed to such a peaceful town," Leon said without turning around.

"Leon S. Kennedy, the ace of the DSO, a special agent organization directly under the President of the United States," a voice replied.

Finally, he turned around to see Chris Redfield and Rebecca Chambers standing there.

"Chris and... oh, the renowned expert in biohazard research, Professor Rebecca Chambers. What do you want?" he asked.

"It's work. Cooperate," Chris said in an uncompromising tone.

Chris and Rebecca sat across from him. And it was noticeable that he wore an annoyed expression.

"I'm on vacation."

"...In the past, while protecting the President's daughter, Ashley Graham, you fought and annihilated the cult group Los Illuminados. They were using special bio-organic weapons called Plagas," Chris said.

"I've forgotten about that old stuff," Leon replied simply.

"Do you plan on loafing around in this town for another week?" Chris asked.

"I don't know what will happen in the future," Leon retorted.

"Beer, please," Rebecca chuckled at the reference to an old movie, while Chris wore an unamused expression.

Leon called over a passing waitress with a casual wave to place his order, but Chris interrupted him.

"Cancel the beer."

"No, it's not canceled."

“Come on… what the fuck?!”

"I don't need any more alcohol."

"Cut it out. What's going on?"

"That's my line."

The waitress looked between the two of them suspiciously and before walking away. Eventually, Leon pulled out a flask from his back pocket and took a swig as a substitute for the additional order that couldn't be fulfilled.

"You–!" Chris leaned forward.

"Enough, both of you," Rebecca interjected. "--Leon. We apologize for disturbing your vacation. However, we need the information you possess," Rebecca said.

Finally, Leon showed a willingness to listen.

"...What's the situation?" he asked.

Chris and Rebecca had to explain to him what happened earlier at the university. The case was simple. Glenn Arias was a new threat and they needed to stop him at all costs. However, they didn’t know how Leon was suffering inside; they couldn’t know about the recent events. Leon wearily intertwines his gestures and continues,

"Just before I took my vacation... I was involved in a DSO mission in Bethesda to apprehend a treacherous senator who was selling internal information to a bioterrorist organization."

The disgusted irritation was evident in his movements, his expression, and his voice.

"You know..." Leon begins. "Here's the thing: the informant we used betrayed us. We fell into a trap instead. A massive explosion killed many of my colleagues... and then there was the incident with the resurrection of the corpses you guys were involved in... It's all a mess,"

Leon explains, letting out a heavy sigh. It's a sigh that escapes unintentionally, like a burden he carries.

"I had planned to become a police officer in Raccoon City. It was my dream job. But on my first day, there was a massive zombie outbreak, and from there... it never stopped," Leon pauses and shakes his head. "I've been fighting this whole time. There's no end in sight, and it only keeps getting worse. Have I been living just to fight zombies and the people who create them?"

"What are you trying to say? That you don't want to cooperate with us?" Chris asks.

"It's not that..." Leon's tone is uncertain, "Well, maybe it is."

With a hesitant tone, Leon continues

“What exactly is our goal? How far do we have to run? Do we have to keep running endlessly? The villains keep coming, one after another, while the good people keep dying. Maybe it's better to lose our minds."

Then, Chris found himself forced to explain to Leon what they were facing. He showed pictures of Cathy White, the agent that was turned into a bio-weapon. And worse, her son she killed. He showed the photos taken during the autopsy and how Glenn turned people into something else purely because of power.

"Killing him is the goal," Chris declares.

"That's only your goal, not mine," Leon retorts, his voice filled with resentment.

Tension fills the air between them once again.

"Hey," Rebecca interrupts, breaking the silence just as she did before. "So, Leon, you're exhausted," Rebecca points at Leon and then gestures to Chris. "And Chris, you're frustrated. There's one thing both tired people and irritable people have in common."

"What do we have in common?" Chris asks in response.

They both look at each other with a wide-eyed grin.

"You only think about yourselves," Rebecca replies.

"I–" Chris tries to interject, but Rebecca continues.

"Chris, all you talk about is wanting to kill Glenn Arias. After helping me, you didn't say a single word mourning the sacrifices of our colleagues. Leon, you're acting like a college student in their moratorium period. People get tired of running. But if we stop running, more people will lose their lives."

Rebecca takes out a trigger-activated needleless syringe from her small bag. In front of the bewildered duo, she abruptly presses the syringe against her left forearm and pulls the trigger, causing her blood to collect in the test tube attached to the syringe.

"I'll tell you something important. We're already infected," she says.

"What?" Leon's expression tightens in response.

Rebecca continues speaking in a tone reminiscent of a teacher addressing a poor student.

"The truth is, it's difficult to estimate just how many people have been infected by Arias' new virus. The problem is, we don't know the identity of the trigger that activates it."

As she speaks, Rebecca removes the test tube from the syringe and seals it with a cap.

"The virus is activated by something only Arias knows. When that happens, the dead rise, and living humans become bio-weapons."

Rebecca glances lightly at Leon.

"If things continue like this, this city will eventually become a living hell. There won't be any safe places."

Leon remains silent, averting his gaze.

"Just so you know, a prototype of the antivirus has been developed," Rebecca says. "It actually worked on me. However, the effectiveness of the antivirus is unstable without knowing the conditions for the activation of Arias' virus. When to administer it and how long it remains effective..."

Rebecca then places the sealed test tube into a small protective case and puts it on the table.

"My blood should provide valuable data. If I die, make sure it reaches a reputable research institution that you can trust."

"You're not in danger. We'll protect you," Chris says firmly.

"What?" Leon asks, confused.

"It seems like you're misunderstanding, BSAA soldier," Rebecca lightly dismisses Chris's assumption.

There’s a slight smirk on Leon’s lips as he hears that.

"The forefront of pandemic response is not the BSAA, but the research field. How many doctors and colleagues do you think I've seen die in conflict-ridden African countries or small Middle Eastern nations used as testing grounds for bio-weapons?" Rebecca questions.

Chris tries to say something in response, but his voice gets stuck in his throat, and only faint breaths escape.

"After I left the team, you two might have fought against plenty of mad scientists. But science can only be countered with science. Unless benevolent technology advances, we will never have a chance of winning. We fight not only for ourselves but for others. Have you both understood at least a little of what I'm saying?" Rebecca asks.

She stands up and adds, "Cool your heads," before leaving her seat.

"She's a great woman," Leon comments.

"We can't handle it on our own," Chris remarks, watching Rebecca leave, and he and Leon exchanged a wry smile.

And then, here it comes. The urge to talk about what happened one year ago.

"Leon, China was tough," Chris says, referring to that incident.

"Yeah, it was like a zombie version of Black Hawk Down." he nods in response.

"At that time, I wanted to quit the BSAA so badly," Chris admits, surprising Leon, "After getting involved with Umbrella, I witnessed too many deaths. We..."

Chris trails off. His expression was heavy, as if lead had settled in the depths of his heart. Then Chris realized: Why does it make me so angry to see him like this? He was too much like his old self.

"It makes you want to quit... makes me want to quit," Chris says, emphasizing his point. Leon falls into silence. And Chris delivers the final blow. "But, the moment we quit, all of our subordinates and friends will have died in vain. We are the survivors of Raccoon City. We carry that burden."

Chris falls silent, and the air becomes still. The waitress looks annoyed by the silence. For a few moments, there’s nothing but the said silence.

"Leon, I always thought you were a cheerful guy no matter what," Chris breaks the silence.

"No one is like that," Leon replies, “Well… I’m not. I've always been a stress-tolerant guy. I've been able to do what I've done because of it. But now look back on it. In Tall Oaks, I killed the president.”

"Technically, you had to save the President infected with the virus," Chris quickly adds, trying to provide some context.

“But,” Leon shakes his head, "But the fact remains that I pulled the trigger, I shot him, and I was even suspected of assassinating the President afterward. Although I managed to clear my name, the mastermind behind that incident turned out to be the President's aide. The DSO was once called the 'Sword of the President,' but now it sounds ironically fitting."

Chris remains silent, attentively listening to Leon's words.

"Chris," Leon continues. "I've returned to active duty, but every time I face the new President, I feel anxious. I can sense his unease as well. The President's aide had sold his soul to B.O.W. terrorism. Who's next? The Secretary of Defense? The Vice President? What's become of the foundation that supports the soldiers in the field? They keep using us, while the higher-ups continue to flounder, grow bloated... They only think about shifting blame onto others."

He pauses for a moment. There’s so much pain.

Leon furrows his brow and lowers his voice. "Perhaps the reason entities like Umbrella persist is that our society harbors a fundamental evil... I can't help but feel that way now."

Even agreeing with this stupid mission, Leon can’t go without saying goodbye. He feels guilty, but the moment he sees you, everything feels completely right. He sat at the bed, watching you perfectly asleep, imagining what kind of dreams you were having. Leon sighs and shakes his head.

“Hey, sweetheart” Leon says when he sees you waking up.

“Hi” you whisper, rubbing your eyes.

“Listen… something happened and my colleagues need me. Will you be okay here?” he asks you, his thumb trailing your cheek.

“Will you come back?” you ask him, sounding a little groggy.

“And leave my baby girl here all alone? Of course I’ll come back” he smiles sweetly at you.

“Ok… I’ll be here” you nodded your head, closing your eyes to go back to sleep.

Something about you made him see, for the first time, the bright side of things. Maybe it was the fact that you were younger than him, and also the fact that you were full of energy - he was just an old and bitter man. But, hey, he’s learning how to cope with every shit that has happened to him.

Before you, Leon was ready to die.

He was ready to embrace death, he already had made peace with his inner demons. But everything changed when you came into his life. Suddenly, he thought he could live and find happiness and death wasn’t in his thoughts anymore. It was like you were able to bring him back from his darkness. He wasn’t rotting inside. You were able to rescue him from himself and return the light he needed.

But if he thought he wasn’t close to death, he was wrong. Leon never thought he would face something like Glenn Arias and come close to death, but he had his job to do. Chris needed his help and Leon finally found closure to something that was weighing on his head; the death of his squad wasn’t his fault and he found the real culprit. He found the peace he was desperately looking for. And he was able to see another sunrise and come back to you.

It was a repetitive cycle. Leon recently started to wonder if anything he did was futile. That's why he took a vacation and drowned his sorrows in alcohol. It was a kind of protest, perhaps. A protest against the grand concepts of this world and destiny. A statement of "I’m not going on like this forever, I’m not going to do it," or something of that sort. But fate was cruel. In the end, human life rarely goes well by one's own choices. Perhaps humans are merely chosen by fate without their consent. Yet, Leon now felt that it was okay like that. Being chosen doesn't make him a hero by default. He becomes a hero reluctantly because he was chosen. And that's fine.

The merged form approached Leon with an eerie growl, swinging its massive fist. Leon leaped back to dodge it, and the merged form's punch shattered one of the spires on the rooftop into tiny fragments. It had the destructive power of a construction hammer, with each strike resembling the impact of a tank cannon round. Leon intentionally slid and jumped into the merged form's feet, thinking that at such a large size, close range might become a blind spot. He positioned himself beneath the massive body, lying on his back and firing his handgun. The shots were practically point-blank, but they were still deflected by the hardened muscles and exoskeleton.

"Doesn't matter," Leon muttered involuntarily. "I'll do whatever it takes, even if it's futile. Today's a good day to die anyway."

The merged form kicked out.

The enemy's movements were deceptively swift, and Leon was sent flying as if hit by a car. His body tumbled through the air until it finally collided with a gargoyle statue, coming to a stop. The impact was so intense that his breath nearly ceased. However, the merged form continued its pursuit. It threw a straight punch, a blow that would surely result in instant death if landed, but Leon managed to evade it with a jump. Not only did he dodge it, but in mid-air, Leon twisted his body and unleashed a spinning kick. His boot-clad foot connected with the grotesque face of the merged form.

Whether it would have any effect or not didn't matter. This strike was my will. Of course, a kick from a mere human wouldn't have any effect. The merged form retaliated with its opposite hand, grabbing hold of Leon.

"Gah!" A groan escaped Leon's throat involuntarily. The massive fist tightened around him like a vice, and within a few seconds, he felt himself being crushed like a tomato.

"Leon!" Chris emerged from the penthouse.

In his fading consciousness, Leon thought about you. The way you smiled whenever you were with him and the sweet perfume you love to use. The way your hands embrace him at night, helping him sleep safely, without any nightmares to harm him. And then, he doesn’t want to die anymore. Please, God, don’t let me die this way.

Chris picked up the fully automatic handgun that Arias had dropped along the way and unleashed a barrage of bullets at the merged form. For a brief moment, it seemed like the merged form's focus shifted, and its grip loosened slightly, but that was all.

Was my life meant to end here, crushed by this grotesque monster? Leon wondered, his pessimism threatens to shatter him. Leon wasn't the type to easily get this depressed or overthink things too much. Still, he felt more than a little exhausted.

What kind of adult did I want to become when I was a child? I never imagined I would be burdened with the stigma of assassinating a president. At least, I didn't want a life like this ― It doesn't matter what I want. There's no such thing as a person who can live the life they desire. Arias must have felt the same way. In the end…

VI. ABSOLUTION

When he came back, you noticed something inside him had changed.

After the fight with Arias, Leon noticed that life was much more than death, darkness and depression. At least, he started to think like that when he almost got killed. And his only thought was coming back to you. No, he couldn’t die like that and leave you alone. His arm was injured, but he was alive. And he was back.

“What happened to your arm?” you asked him when you saw him entering the room.

“Remember that day in the morgue when you told me I was a badass government agent?” Leon asks you back, sitting on the bed next to you.

“Yep, I do” you nodded, starting to massage his tense muscles.

“Well… I’m not this kind of agent. I work under the president’s orders. I fight bioweapons for a living… since that hell in Raccoon City” Leon sighs, finally opening about his job.

“Bioweapons? Like zombies and shit?” you ask him with curiosity.

“Worse than zombies, but yes” Leon nodded with a slight smirk. “It’s dangerous, and this time I nearly got killed… thing is, my job requires a lot of my time, it forces me to not be around for God knows how long. It scares me because I don’t know if you can live this chaotic life with me…”

“Wait, wait, wait… slow down” you held his hand and squeezed it softly. “Everyone deserves a second chance in life, Leon. You were alone for too much time and I don’t mind if you need to go somewhere else to fight bioweapons. If this means I get to see these pretty eyes of yours and this sweet smile every time you come home… I’m willing to live this chaotic life with you”

Leon couldn’t believe your words. After being deprived of something so human and getting used to it, Leon felt he was about to explode. It was too much for him to handle. At this point, he knew perfectly he was experiencing anxiety. But it was a good one.

“I don’t want you to get hurt. If we do this, I’m gonna get you wrapped up in something bad someday… and I’ll never forgive myself if this happens” Leon tells you, sounding extremely worried.

“I know you won’t let anything bad happen to me. And besides, I can take care of myself. I made self defense classes” you laugh sweetly, a symphony to his ears.

“Are you sure?” Leon asks, and those big puppy eyes of his wanting nothing but assurance.

“Honey, if this wasn’t true, I wouldn’t be here” you chuckled, kissing his forehead.

After what happened, you decided to introduce Leon to your family as your boyfriend. But before that, you convinced him he needed to improve a little. Getting rid of the alcohol was the first step. He started to see a therapist and work harder on his issues, which influenced a lot of your relationship. He was more happy and willing to do things he and you both liked. One year after that incident with his squad being killed and his mission with his friends, you noticed he was ready to meet your parents.

“I’m nervous” Leon tells you when you both were entering your home.

“Why? It’s not like we’ve been dating secretly for almost three years. Besides, they’ll think you’re cute, don’t worry” you giggled at him.

“I’m not so sure about that” he muttered, following you inside your parents place.

You could clearly tell how anxious he was. However, he always felt at ease on your side, and it was like you had the power to make him relax, like nothing could harm him and the world was finally at peace. When you stepped inside the house with Leon right behind you for a Christmas dinner, your parents were already expecting both of you.

“Mom, dad… this is Leon. The guy I was talking about” you introduced him to your parents with certain expectations.

“You clearly got my taste for man” Leon heard your mom whispering to you, which made his cheeks turn red.

“So… um… how long are you two hanging out?” your dad asked and you glanced quickly at Leon.

“Three years, I guess. We met at the store” you tell your parents. “I didn’t tell you before because Leon has a busy schedule. He’s not always in town, so…”

“Well, moonpie, if you’re happy, we’re happy too” your mom says with a gracious smile on her lips.

Leon wasn’t expecting to be so welcomed into your family, but the fact that your parents treated him so kindly melted his heart. He got himself thinking about the dinner for at least one week, mostly because part of him was still thinking it was weird to receive so much kindness and affection, especially coming from a real family. He wasn’t expecting to be playing cards with your dad while you and your mom were in the kitching talking about girl’s stuff, but it was enough to make him see he made the right choice. That it was okay for him to finally experience love.

“I like your light brown hair now that you finally stopped dying it” you said, sitting between his legs in the living room.

“My emo era is over” he chuckles sweetly, like a melody.

“May it rest in peace” you made the signal of the cross. “

“Changing the subject, tomorrow I gotta go to San Francisco. Work stuff” he says to you, softly kissing your neck.

“Yeah? Am I getting some gift?” you whisper, feeling the shivers down your spine with his lips against your skin.

“Do I ever go on a mission and come back empty handed?” Leon asks you, his soft lips pressing more against your neck and you can feel him softly biting you.

The thing is, Leon is like a porcelain doll. He needs to be treated with softness and kindness, because deep down, he is vulnerable. The way his lips met your skin was a clear sign that he was ready for you. He was finally ready to be yours. However, loving Leon also needed patience, and after three years, you could tell he wanted that too.

“Do you want to do this before you leave, handsome?” you ask him teasingly, holding his hands as he keeps kissing your neck.

“Yes, I do,” he nods, almost moaning in your ear.

He gently took you to his bedroom, the place was almost a sanctuary for him. He laid you down on his bed and removed his shirt, and this time, he didn’t seem ashamed of himself. You stood up from his bed and sat him on the edge, your hands trailing down his skin like he was a roller coaster. He closed his eyes, his breath soft and calm, although he anticipated what was about to happen. Leon craved for you.

“I’ll take care of you” you whispered, leaving soft kisses across his neck and chest.

You sat gently between his legs, your sweet and soft fingers removing his pants and reaching his already hardened cock. He sat there, observing you with those big and blue puppy eyes, like he was savoring your image. When you took all his length inside your mouth and gently started to suck him, Leon felt he was in heaven. It felt so good, so powerful.

Tears started to fall from his eyes and he cried. Not because you were hurting him, dear lord, of course not! It was because he finally felt that he deserved to be loved. Your tongue did an amazing job on his cock and when he came, he felt his body at ease. Leon moaned with the sudden sensation, it was stronger than he last remembered. But it was because of you.

“I love you” he says when you touch his face, wiping his tears.

Loving Leon needed patience, you knew that already.

However, living with him brought new challenges that you weren’t expecting at all. He would be gone for weeks, then he comes back out of nowhere. He always forgets to send you a message to let you know he’s coming back, but that’s okay, because his lack of patience to deal with technology amuses you. He always sends an emoji out of context, which makes you laugh and you find it very cute when he gets disappointed for misunderstanding those little and yellow faces. He’s getting there, don’t worry about that.

When he’s at home, things turn out differently. He always helps you with the chores, likes to tease you whenever you’re cooking his favorite meal and at the end of the day, you two are together on the couch watching some silly movie while he complains about it and softly scratches your leg. Sharing a domestic life was something he never thought he would have, not after everything he went through alone.

Now that he's back from whatever he did in San Francisco, you have another job to do. Tend to his injuries. It’s a small sacrifice to pay whenever he comes back hurt; this time he has purple marks all over his body and face. You don’t ask what on earth happened, because you know he can’t really give details, but at least he’s safe and sound with you again.

“Stop moving, old man!” you tell him, trying to clean a small cut he had on his neck.

“That hurts,” Leon replied back, flinching slightly.

“I know, but someone has to clean it” you rolled your eyes, applying a Barbie band-aid on his neck.

“Please, don’t tell me I got the Barbie thing on my neck” Leon closes his eyes, taking a deep breath.

“Next time I’ll get you a cat one” you wink playfully at him.

After so many death experiences and the inner wish of being dead, he’s glad that he found the absolution that he always wanted. He looks at you with amusement, part of him finds it hard to believe that he’s so lucky to have you, but the other part is glad that you are real and you love him for who he really is. You took every damaged part of him and loved with such intensity that it was enough to bring him back from that dark place he was at. He forgave himself, allowed his soul to heal and to be loved. Life had gifted him with the second chance to live, made him see the beautiful things again. You took him in when he was on the lower part of his life, and your love brought him back. He knows he’s getting older, but he doesn’t mind spending his days with you, because you are the only thing in his life that makes sense.

And he’s fine with that.

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angelltheninth · 11 months

Text

Leon struts around half naked around the house. Not only that but he will wear only a towel when walking out of the shower and hugging you, getting you and your clothes wet. When he's half naked he holds you close, felxing his muscles and reveling in the marks you left on his body last night. There's no need to hide them when its just the two of you. It also makes it easier to fuck you, all he needs to do is drop his pants, or his towel, and he's ready to go.

#leon kennedy #leon kennedy fluff #leon kennedy x reader #leon kennedy smut #re fluff #re smut #resident evil fluff #resident evil smut #resident evil x reader #leon x reader #leon imagine #leon headcanons #leon fluff #leon smut

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xxacademy · 1 year

Text

tender

husband!leon kennedy x fem!reader

summary: succumbing to injuries inflicted by a B.O.W you fight the mental and physical battle to recovery. meanwhile, your husband does everything in his power to support you.

any leon timeline works, except re2. i did have older leon in mind though <3

a/n: inspired by lil a snippet from an anon request, find it here. anyhow, i love how this turned out, i was 🥺 writing it. pls lemme know what you think <33

content//warnings: depictions of blood & injury, hospital setting, non-graphic description of an IV, pain medication, y/n is used ONCE, pet names (dear, sweetheart, honey), hurt/comfort.

harsh white light wakes you revealing an image of horror. your trembling hands painted with your own dried blood, hooked up to an IV and a pulse oximeter. dazed, you know you’re in pain, but it’s not registering. it’s like you’re floating, possibly in a dream. a bad dream. but the reality of your condition is enough to confirm this is in fact not.

there’s a small group of medical staff standing at the end of your bed, talking quietly amongst each other. “the bloodwork came back, she’s not infected. all though the acid is wreaking havoc on her immune system, sending it into overdrive. the patient needs to be monitored for at least another two days.”

one of the nurses walks over to check on you, first, he looks at the monitors at your bedside, then goes to place a hand on your forehead. he notices you’re waking up, your heavy-lidded eyes focused on your hands.

he calls the doctor over, who pulls a chair up next to you. “hey, how are you feeling?” her voice is soft and calm.

“w-why am i here?” you mutter shakily, unable to make out much more.

“you sustained serious injuries on an extraction mission against a bio-organic weapon. you came in contact with its lethal acid, which is primarily why you’re here. your ankle is broken and you have puncture wounds in your arms.”

you’re still fixed on your bloodied hands, images of what you endured flood back. it was so intense- the last thing you remembered is a sharp talon-like claw piercing your upper arm. it all went fuzzy after that.

“you had surgery early this morning, and we have you on a morphine drip to help with the pain. please let us know if you begin to feel ill.”

you respond with an unsteady nod.

“you’re gonna be alright.” she smiles sympathetically.

another nurse comes into the room walking directly to the doctor. their speaking is hushed. “doctor, there’s a man here to see the patient. he says he’s her husband.”

“we can’t risk exposure from an outsider, we can’t have visitors yet.”

“he seems antsy.”

“well, assure him that she’s okay”-

the room is dead silent, so you can rather clearly make out what they’re saying.

“bring him in.” your voice quivering.

their heads turn, giving you a look of disappointment. similar to the one your mother gave you as a child. a sullen expression of remorse when she couldn’t afford to buy you new toys.

they do not want to hold your loved ones away from you. but it’s what has to be done. after all, it could mean life or death.

you sigh. you’re in no place to put up a fight.

“i’ll talk to him.” the nurse whispers. leaving the room.

“i’m sorry mrs. kennedy, you’re just not in a well enough state for visitors yet.”

you respond with yet another dreary sigh. fidgeting with the ring finger of your left hand.

your wedding ring is missing. you know you were wearing it prior. you’re always wearing it. sometimes you would loop it around a necklace chain, but you didn’t before this mission. surely it was on your finger.

“-doctor” you whisper.

“yes mrs. kennedy.”

“do you have my wedding ring?”

your tattered and blood-stained belongings were placed in a biohazard bag. a nurse picks up the bag feeling through the plastic for a ring.

“it’s not in here.” the nurse admits, a touch of anxiety in her voice.

“that’s okay.” you exhale.

it’s not okay. your beautiful diamond ring was more than just a pretty thing. it was one of the only sentimental pieces you coveted so highly. hand-picked by leon, it was a symbol of his undying affection. despite all the odds pinned against your love.

wanting to cry, but your bloodshot eyes are dry. the medication numbs you enough to let the pain run by, but you still feel broken, physically and mentally.

the hours pass as you bob in and out of sleep. your wavering limb’s finally settling. nurses and doctors are always present, constantly checking your vitals.

the next day two nurses come to bathe you at your bedside. gently wiping the sticky dried blood from your skin. the other trying to get it out of your hair.

“thank you, i mean it, thank you,” you whisper, fighting to keep your eyes open.

it was a relief. the sweet, metallic smell was driving you crazy. it felt itchy and uncomfortable against your skin.

…

leon hasn’t left the hospital. confined to a chair in the waiting room for the last day and a half. constantly flagging down staff for updates on your condition.

“she’s doing really well, the blood transfusion took perfectly.” the nurse smiles reassuringly.

“does that mean i can see her?”

“not yet, but soon.”

leon sighs. “well anyways, thanks for the good news.”

he sullenly returns to his chair. the stress and lack of sleep painting his under eyes dark. in his grasp is a picture you two took together, one he always carries in his wallet. it was taken a few years ago and you’re kissing his cheek. it’s the only solace he can find in the depressing waiting room.

leon had fallen asleep for the first time in over twenty-four hours. slumped over in his chair, chin resting in his palm. he jerked awake when his chin slipped. it was dark outside and the lobby eerily quiet.

3:47am

leon walks to the front desk heavy-footed and groggy. “my wife, y/n kennedy, is she okay?” his voice is grave.

“yes sir, she’s sleeping- and everything is looking good. but, you should get some sleep too sir, it’s gonna be a while until she wakes up.”

“-thanks.”

the pain of not being able to see you cuts like a knife. leon can't stand the image of you suffering and alone. but he’s borderline delirious from the sleep deprivation. he returns to his chair, lays his legs out across another, and falls asleep.

leon is jolted awake by a nurse tapping his shoulder. it’s morning- warm sun seeping through the windows and the smell of fresh coffee wafts through the lobby.

“do you need me to move?” he asks, still half asleep. voice deep and raspy.

“oh no mr. kennedy, your wife is on the right track to her recovery. you can go see her now.”

…

you feel much more alert, the daze the blanketing your apprehensive thoughts finally lifting. they switched you onto a far less invasive medication, which was probably helping.

it’s been a week since you’ve seen leon, and about two of those he’s been here, but just barely out of reach.

whenever the nurses praised you for the progress you made- you jump straight to asking if you're well enough for visitors. In your defense, it’s been unbelievably hard going through this journey alone.

the door creeks open, a very common occurrence of your stay. but instead peaking through the door is your blonde-haired husband.

you immediately start to cry- tears welling up and streaming down your cheeks. leon tears up too, casting a glossy filter over his blue eyes. he delicately wraps his arms around you, careful not to inflict any more pain. and you bury your face into his chest, immediately staining his shirt with your cry.

“i missed you, leon, i can't believe you’re here, i’ve missed you so much.” you sob.

“it’s really you, you don’t understand how much i’ve missed you, dear.”

you take your time, relishing in the comfort of your husband's arms. he gently rubs your back, consoling you with his touch.

“how're you feeling?”

“ugh okay, i guess. my whole body hurts and i can barely move. but the doctors say i’m improving- so yippee” your deadpan tone emphasizes how exhausted you are.

“that’s what i heard. and look, i know it’s been hard, but i’m so proud of how strong you’ve been, sweetheart.”

“i love you.”

“i love you, too” leon squeezes his embrace around you a little tighter, gently kissing the top of your head.

you smile, the first one in a while. but it quickly fades. “leon, can i tell you something.”

“of course you can.”

you fidget with your hands pressing your face deeper in his chest. “i lost my wedding ring- i think it was during the mission. i’m so sorry.”

“is that really what’s on your mind right now?” leon chuckles.

you look up at him with, tears streaming down your face. “you do understand how much that ring meant to me.”

“of course, i know, dear. but how can i care about the stupid ring if the wife i thought died is actually alive and in my arms?”

leon wipes the tears from your cheeks, his hand cupping your jaw. “i promise i’ll make it up to you, okay?”

“okay.” you say sniffling your runny nose.

with a big yawn, leon stands up raising both arms up into a stretch, his shirt lifts up slightly showing off his abdomen. “i’m going to find your doctor, see when you’re coming home.”

you smile. it’s nice not being alone. you feel bad knowing leon anxiously waited at the hospital for days. but there’s an unfamiliar warmth in knowing how much he cares. leon had always cared about you- before you were even dating. that’s one of the many reasons why you married him. aside from the ongoing list of shared interests- he’s so protective, it’s one of his beautiful ways of loving you.

leon comes back to the room, “looks like they need to run more blood tests, make sure that acid is out of your bloodstream before you come home.”

you’re totally spaced out, it feels like you haven’t even had a chance to take in what’s happened to you. it’s all become a blur, taking in the moments a second at a time. you were so worried about the details it almost failed to compute that you were nearly infected by the very thing you swore your life to rid of.

like a time release valve finally triggering; anxiety washes you cold- it could have been the end. leon would have been widowed, and all your friends would have been at your funeral. your mind is playing devil's advocate. what if i don’t get better? are the doctors just hoping i stay positive?

“are you okay?” leon’s bloodshot eyes are nearly aching with concern.

“i’m scared.” your chest is sinking deeper with each anxious breath.

“why? why would you be scared?”

it may not make sense to you now- but having leon there was a sort of reality check. alone, you just survived. with him, everything has weight.

“i dunno… i just want things to be okay. i want you to be okay, i want to get better.”

leon rushes to your bedside, holding your hands in his. “but it will get better- you’re doing better, so much better! i’ll be there every step of the way. i promise you.”

you take a deep breath in an attempt to calm yourself. trying to hang on to his words.

you sob, absolutely overcome by emotion. “i love you, leon. thank you for being here, thank you for everything you’ve done.”

a nurse knocks at the door but you don’t let go of leon’s hand.

“mrs. kennedy- so sorry to intrude. but the doctor wants to do a scan of your ankle. is that okay?”

you wipe the tears from your face, trying to compose yourself.

“yes, of course, that’s alright, thank you.”

leon whispers “you got this, dear,” before standing up and sitting in a chair by the window.

…

leon has done everything possible to make the next few days easier for you. like ordering takeout and watching your favorite movies with you. serving as a distraction while you recover.

it certainly worked. he’s good at keeping you calm, and the energy light-hearted. you didn’t even think it was possible, given the grim reality of your circumstances. but somehow he can have your eyes filled with tears, giggling with laughter.

four days you’ve been in the hospital, and today is your last one. you’re able to stand up and the effects from the B.O.W are finally gone. granted you still have a long journey to recovery, at least you can go home.

…

after the agonizing hours of travel, you make it home. leon helps you into the house, guiding you to your bed. “i want to take a bath, i feel disgusting.”

“i’ll draw one for you, you want it now?”

“hmhm” you nod.

“sure thing, sweetheart.” leon tenderly kisses your forehead.

he runs a hot bath, adding a little lavender soap, just the way you like it. he walks you to the tub and helps you undress. he holds your hand as you shakily step in, slowly adjusting to the hot water.

“god my first real bath in a week, can you believe it.” you sigh, sinking your body in the bubbly water.

leon chuckles, “i know, you poor thing, those nurses really tried their best to help. but it’s never the same, is it?”

“…especially considering i was covered in congealed zombie guts”

leon laughs, “but look at you now, covered in…” he pauses to read the name on the soap bottle “…lavender dreams”

you both giggle, in love and delighted by each other's company.

“okay, i’ll leave you to it, holler if you need anything.”

…

“leon! will you fetch my bathrobe!” you yell from the bathroom. you hear his feet patter across the hardwood, “coming."

you stare at your reflection in the mirror as you brush your wet hair, inspecting the scars, bruises, and stitches that litter your body. it feels like you came home to a different person, a body you’re now unfamiliar with.

leon peaks through the door. head cocked to the side. “everything alright, baby?”

“i don’t know- it’s hard to wrap my head around it. i-i feel off.”

“c’mere i got something to show ya.” leon swoops you off your feet carrying you in his arms.

“what are you doing?” you giggle wrapping your arms around his neck.

“you’ll see.”

he delicately sets you down on the couch in the living room and sits next to you. he fumbles around in his pocket pulling out a little black velvet box.

“leon-honey, oh my god, what is that.” your eyes are round and doe-like, your bottom lip beginning to quiver.

he opens the box, presenting it to you as if his hands were a clamshell, revealing a glimmering ring set in pearlescent white satin.

“for you- i know it was hard losing the ring, but that one was beaten up anyways. you deserve something a little nicer.”

tears swell, gathering in the inner corners of your eyes. chocked up and rendered speechless, you mouth the words, i love you.

he reached for your trembling left hand, sliding the diamond wedding ring onto your finger.

“i love you, most.” he beams, the words fluttering with tenderness.

“i-i love the ring, it’s beautiful-truly. but how’d you do it?”

“do what?”

“get a new ring, you were with me the entire time…?”

“i have my ways,” he smirks, planning on keeping that little secret to himself.

leon holds your hand, admiring the way your hand looks adorned by his diamond ring.

“remember when we got engaged?” he muses.

“of course i do! you took me to milan, i should have known you were going to propose.”

“you have the same look in your eyes as you did then.” leon swipes his thumb along your cheek, smiling to himself, gazing into your eyes.

“and you’re as smooth as ever” you look at him through your lashes, pupils wide. “but really leon, thank you, means more than the world”

“you are my world.” his soft lips meet yours, kissing you gently.

somewhere in the crystal pools of leon’s eyes, you find the hope you were looking for. his unbreakable faith in you, alongside his never-ending acts of love, is reassuring.

hell, it’s not going to be easy, but at least you're not alone.

⭐️tags

@yourgentlegirlfriend

#academy fics✨#thank you for reading <3 #leon kennedy #resident evil #leon s kennedy #leon kennedy x reader #leon s kennedy x reader #leon x reader #leon kennedy fluff #leon kennedy x you #leon scott kennedy #leon fluff #leon kennedy fanfic #leon kennedy hurt/comfort #hurt/comfort #husband!leon kennedy #wife!reader #leon kennedy x fem reader #resident evil fanfiction

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bitbugbites-re · 7 months

Text

𝙿𝚛𝚊𝚒𝚜𝚎 | 𝔥𝔢𝔞𝔡𝔠𝔞𝔫𝔬𝔫𝔰

Headcanons on how different RE men would praise you

tumblr exclusive!

characters: Carlos Oliveira, Chris Redfield, Leon S. Kennedy

gender: gn! reader

cw: FLUFF // praise, love languages, nicknames/pet names // ktober

a/n: every time I give a rating at the end I feel like that one video of abby lee miller with the wall paper pyramid. also the love languages were so fun to do??? i might do another post expanding on it, maybe scenarios or smth :p

𝕮𝖆𝖗𝖑𝖔𝖘 𝕺𝖑𝖎𝖛��𝖎𝖗𝖆 (re3r)

Do they praise you often?

Yes. He seems like he would praise you consistently whenever the opportunity arises -- both big and small scenarios. You got a promotion? Praise. You helped an old lady cross the street? Praise. You got out of bed this morning? Didn't squash a bug? Tied your shoes? You're a viable option for the Nobel Peace Prize in Carlos' eyes

Love language?

I'm gonna go ahead and Carlos' love language is probably either physical touch or quality time. Words of affirmation comes close as well

Likely, since this is how he perceives love, acts falling under these categories are what he's going to give you when he wants to praise you. I don't think he'd stray from them unless you told him you preferred a different love language -- in which case, he'd try his best to meet your expectations (although it might take him a while to become fully conscious of what you'd like from him)

So things like: petting your head, embracing you randomly, offering to take you on dates as a reward, complimenting you, etc.

Nicknames?

Literally anything and everything. Seriously --

Names relating to one of your traits (like an achieved status), for one. For example --Supercop (lol)

He's probably got nicknames for you if you're smaller/younger than him too: pipsqueak, tater-tot, chica/o, peanut, etc.

As for more general nicknames: baby, babygirl/boy, babe, sunshine, princess/prince, gorgeous, beautiful/handsome, etc.

(he'd probably use a lot of really corny nicknames when in a joking manner, too -- some shit like sugar plum or cuddle muffin, LOL)

What are their go-to praises?

"Good girl/boy"

"You're doing great"

"I'm proud of ya'"

Are they successful at praising you?

heuheuheuheuhe yup!

Overall, I'd give him a 10/10. I feel like he'd be really good at making you feel good about yourself and he'd never let your feats go unrecognized either

𝕮𝖍𝖗𝖎𝖘 𝕽𝖊𝖉𝖋𝖎𝖊𝖑𝖉 (re: death island)

Do they praise you often?

mmmmmm. Occasionally. Like a very average amount?

Death Island's version of Chris would praise you every time you achieved something hard or did something really good (like you did good at a job interview or won an award) but other than that it's a little more occasional and random

Love language?

My guess would be acts of service, gift giving, and/or quality time

I don't think Chris would stray far from his ideas on what love is, either. If you wanted something different like physical touch or words of affirmation, you might have to tell him. He'd struggle with doing it in a smooth manner at first, but eventually, he'd get the hang of it.

His rewards to you will usually consist of: making you food; bringing you food; gifting you flowers, chocolates, stuffed animals, jewelry, etc.; watching tv with you; taking you on dates; etc.

Nicknames?

Nothing corny. I feel like a lot of nicknames he would cringe at and would be too embarrassed to say them

Generally, things like: babe, honey, hon, pumpkin

Not as commonly, he may use a shortened version of your name as well. Although, I still think he'd prefer like babe or hon more

What are their go-to praises?

"Good job, (nickname)"

"You did good"

...and a lot of very like. Flat kinda ones? like "Nice" or "Cool" (LOL)

Are they successful at praising you?

For the most part.

Overall, this version of Chris gets a 7/10. Not terrible, but not amazing either. ("you did good, I'm waiting for you to be great." HFHFH)

𝕷𝖊𝖔𝖓 𝕾. 𝕶𝖊𝖓𝖓𝖊𝖉𝖞 (re2r - re4r)

Do they praise you often?

...He's, um, he's gonna try!

I feel like at the beginning of your relationship, the re2r time period, he would very frequently try but it would be...well, not very smooth

By the re4r time period he's just given up on words of affirmation bro like. it is just NOT his thing (he'd replace it with diff love language acts tho)

Love language?

*rubs hands together deviously* let's see here...

I'm gonna go ahead and say this boy likes, and thus is prone to, spoiling you with acts of service and/or gift-giving. HOWEVER...I feel like he would actually differ from the other two men on this list, and he'd be very proactive in trying to figure out what you like specifically. Leon, to me, seems like the most empathetic on this list and while he's a little awkward in nature, he's always eager to do/be the best he can

You can expect a lot of: cleaning for you; making you breakfast and/or dinner; helping you with work/problems; bringing you food; giving you flowers, chocolates, stuffed animals, etc.

Additionally, I think out of all the characters on this list, Leon would be the best at giving you gifts that you actually like too. For example, it's not just gonna be a flowers-every-time type of deal -- if he knows you like games, he's gonna get you games. If he knows you like snacks, he's gonna get you snacks. If he knows you like clothes, he's gonna get you clothes. So on and so on

(side note: I feel like he'd actually secretly enjoy picking out clothes for you? considering how he's got that whole pretty boy vibe going on. I mean LOOK at his jacket in re4r. the man has SOME fashion sense, at least)

Nicknames?

At the beginning of your relationship, re2r timeline-wise, he's gonna try everything. And it's GONNA be bad.

Once he finally realizes he can't force shit like "sweet stuff" or "muffin" he'll move onto ones that come out more naturally -- like shortening your name

The general ones after getting comfortable are: babe, hon, angel(?), princess/prince(?) (not too sure about the last two, they're strong maybes)

I also feel like if you called him pookie or something else funny-sounding as a joke, he'd call you it back, LOL

What are their go-to praises?

"Good job"

"Nice"

"Cool"

...and more very generic ones. Words of affirmation are NOT his strong suit whatsoever

Are they successful at praising you?

In terms of actual words of praise, no. In terms of rewarding you in general? HELL yeah.

Overall, he's getting an 8/10 for effort. I feel like this kind of stuff wouldn't come naturally for him since he's more introverted, but INTROVERSION be damned, this boy has got mind-blowingly serious dedication to being romantically swag as FUCK !!! (sorry)

For the official and original Kinktober 23 prompts, check here. Credits to @kinktober2023 for the ideas!

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ghostkennedy · 1 year

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Runaway Bride

~Leon Kennedy x fem! Reader~

Word count: 3165

Content warnings: arranged marriage, readers parents are mean, gender roles, patriarchy standards, arguments, super feminine wedding gown the whole 9 yards wedding stuff there, panic attack, kissing, leon driving (shits scary okay)

!!!!!!!!MINORS DNI! GHOSTKENNEDY IS STRICTLY 18+!!!!!!!!!

“Are you sure this is what you want? I genuinely just want you to be happy,” Leon said, eyes full of concern.

“I want to make my parents happy. He is a good guy and I think I could be happy with him,” you replied. It’s hard to believe your wedding day is tomorrow. You spent so many years disobeying your parents and doing everything in your power to drive them crazy. They want you to marry Todd so much; it’s practically all they’ve talked about for the past two years. Four months ago you finally accepted his proposal and now–now it’s almost midnight and you’re still up talking with your best friend, Leon.

“I don’t think you should marry someone just because it’ll make your parents happy. Do you love him? I think the only reason you should ever get married is because you love someone.” Leon has repeatedly said these same things since you told him about Todd. How does he not understand that backing out on your marriage to Todd would be the nail in the coffin on your relationship with your parents.

“You know the answer to that, Leon. I wish it were that simple. I wish I did love him, but I can work on that. I could love him. I need to make my parents happy. I don’t have a choice here, okay? I have to do this,” you said more angrily than you should have, but once Leon let out a chuckle and was shaking his head, you decided you weren’t nearly angry enough with him.

“You don’t have to do anything, Y/N. If your parents don’t want you to get married for the right reasons, then maybe you should stop trying so hard with them. Don’t you see that you don’t need them? You don’t need to marry him, you don’t need to do anything!” Leon exclaimed out his last ditch effort to get you to come to your senses. It’s not that you don’t know these things to be true, but your feelings are, well, they’re complicated.

“Maybe you should just go,” you say getting up from the couch you two were sitting on. How can he not see how difficult this is for you? How can he not just respect your decision? You turn to walk away, but Leon darts up and grabs your wrist stopping you.

“I can see it in your eyes, Y/N. You don’t want to marry him. Anytime you talk about him or anyone mentions him your eyes stay blank. I’ve seen you more happy to talk about a fucking pizza, Y/N,” before Leon can continue you interrupt him.

“Oh, I’m sorry, I didn’t realize you knew everything. I should’ve realized you know me better than I know myself right?”

“Maybe I do. If you believe this is actually what you want, then you are delusional. Your feelings show so strongly on your face and they always have. You don’t need me to tell you. You know how you feel, all you need to do is be honest with yourself,” Leon said, staring right into your eyes. The rage slowly crept up from the bottom of your spine, up into your shoulders, until all you could feel was anger.

“Just get the fuck out Leon,” you yelled at him but he just continued to stare at you. “Go!” you yelled louder than before and he just shook his head as he began to walk away.

“I won’t be attending your bullshit wedding, but I will be outside in the car. If you come to your senses before you make such a grave mistake, I’ll be waiting,” he turned to you once more.

You stomped to the door, opening it and pushing him out into the hallway of the hotel, before slamming the door behind him. You were shaking with anger as you stormed back to the couch. Your body vibrated with anger; it encompassed your whole being, you felt it deep in your soul.

Before you could stop them, the tears started rushing down your cheeks. Then something in you just fucking broke, shattered completely if you’re being honest, and the uncontrollable sobbing started. Everything is so hard all of the fucking time, why does he have to make things so much harder?

You look into the floor length mirror, staring at yourself in your wedding gown. You’ve never felt so emotionally drained before in your life. You hate this venue, you hate your dress, your veil, your makeup, your hair, your bouquet. Nothing is how you dreamed it would be. You picked everything your mother liked. It’s not like your father would pay for anything she didn’t like anyway. Maybe you hate your parents too. No, what are you saying? They’re your parents, you love them because they’re your parents.

You can’t stop itching your neck. You feel like you’re choking with this high neckline. You can feel the tulle of your dress all over your skin and you hate it. It feels like you can’t move in this stupid princess ball gown. How are you even going to fit out the door? You pull the blusher of your veil, which makes the veil so much worse, over your face. Do you even exist underneath all of this fabric? Have you ceased to be beneath it all?

You hear a knock on the door and you roll your eyes. All you want to do is be alone right now. Well, maybe not alone, but you know whoever is at that door isn’t the person you want it to be. What if it is though? Maybe those dirty blonde locks and pretty blue eyes will come through the door and make everything better. He’ll reassure you that everything is fine and that you got this. “Come in,” you say barely loud enough for the person on the other side to hear. You hold your breath hoping for him, yearning for him.

Your heart sinks when your mom comes rushing in. “Honey, you look perfect! Straight out of a fairytale. Such a princess!” your mom beams at you.

“Thank you mom,” you say looking back into the mirror.

“Isn’t it everything you’ve ever dreamed of?” she says as she pulls your blusher back behind your head so she can get a good look at the work done to your face and hair. You try to force out a smile at her, but it feels impossible so you just slightly nod your head. Your mom’s face goes cold at your reaction. She grabs your cheeks and stares directly into your eyes. “Cheer up, Y/N. Don’t fuck it up,” she spat.

“I’m not gonna fuck it up, mom. I’m just nervous, that’s all,” you lie through your teeth. Nothing is fine and you’re going to completely fuck this up.

“It’s just a wedding dear. You go out there, put on a nice show for everyone and then you go home. That’s when the hard part actually starts, so get it together,” she said and released your cheeks from her grasp.

“Wait, what do you mean? About the hard part?” you asked confused.

“Marriage isn’t a walk in the park–but your father and I expect you to do a good job. Be a nice, polite wife. Be quiet and take care of your husband. Keep sweet and life will be easy. Todd will tell us if you cause any trouble for him, but you won’t. We trained you better than that,”

“Trained? Like a dog?” you asked, causing your mom to snicker.

“Well yeah. We taught you good manners and good homemaking skills. Like good wife training or however you’d like to refer to it,” she said waving you off.

“You raising me?” you asked, almost horrified.

“Yeah,” she said as she started to walk out of the room. “Your father will be here in about 10 minutes to walk you down the aisle. Be ready,” she closed the door and you had to physically stop yourself from running out of the room. Although, you’re not sure why you’re stopping yourself. How bad could it be to marry someone 10 years your senior, who expects you to take care of him and however many children he wants you to have and whatever wifely duties he deems necessary.

It could be really fucking bad. Terrible. Completely miserable. But if you can’t marry the person you actually love, then marrying into wealth while making your parents happy is the next best thing. Right? You look at yourself in the mirror again. How many people have to convince themselves to go through with their wedding on their wedding day? Surely it’s not just you.

You felt suffocated within these four walls of your bridal suite. Your heart rate was steadily increasing, sweat breaking out across your forehead. No, not a panic attack. Not right now. Focus on your breathing, 1 2 3 in, hold 1 2 3, and out. Nope, this is not at all helping. Where’s Leon when you so desperately need him? You can’t even fathom a point in your life when you could possibly need him more and he’s just not fucking here. How could he let you do this by yourself? He’s your best friend!

And there’s the deflecting. This is where your mother really shines through you. You always promised yourself you wouldn’t blindly deflect blame onto others for your own problems, your own mistakes. Yes, you understand that growth is being able to acknowledge this thought process and correct yourself, but why does your first instinct always have to be projecting onto someone else? Right, your mother has continuously done that since the day you were born. You guess it’s not hard to see where it came from when you’re not too busy deflecting.

Stop fucking deflecting! Maybe you could try allowing your body to go into autopilot. Put on your big girl game face and say your “I do’s” and become Todd’s trophy wife and do his bidding and completely lose your sense of self. You can’t do this. How are you supposed to do this? The only man who you could ever love isn’t here to help you, how can you ever get through this? You need the man you love here to help you get married to the man you don’t.

And then suddenly the panic stops and all of your jumbled up, foggy thoughts clear. The man you love. The man you would do literally anything for–the man you would give up your own life for any day of the week. You’ve spent years convincing yourself that your future wasn’t yours to decide, how could you ever hold it in your hands when your parents kept such a firm grip on it? Why fight for someone’s love who will never deem you worthy enough of it regardless of what you do?

Love should be freely given, given unconditionally with no strings attached. Love shouldn’t be held over someone’s head, to force them into obedience. But here you are, a grown ass woman still vying for it from people who would rather die than give it to you for free. The people who could put a price tag over anything, including a human emotion. Maybe you are delusional and have no idea what love actually is. You’d never given an absolute love and you weren’t sure that you had ever received it in your entire life.

Except you have, and you love him as absolutely as he loves you.

Fuck it. You bunch up your puffy dress and pull the tulle underskirt out from underneath it, immediately feeling a hundred pounds lighter. You unstrapped your high heels, pulling them off and throwing them to the side. Dropping your dress back down, you stare at yourself in the mirror again. Are you really going to do this? Whichever choice you make, there’ll be no going back. So what do you choose, your happiness or the approval of those whose approval isn’t really worth much regardless?

Well, isn’t it obvious?

You cracked open the door to your bridal suite, looking out into the hallway. One way led down to the grand hall where the ceremony would be taking place, the other way leading to a side door that’ll take you out to nearly the front of the building. You could hear the muffled music coming from the grand hall as everyone prepared for the ceremony. Not a soul was to be found in the hallway. It really is now or never.

With one finally deep breath, you were bunching up the front of your skirt to your knees so as to not trip over it. And then you were off, running for the side door as fast as your feet would carry you. Your fast heart rate was debilitating back in your suite, but now as you ran for the door that would lead you out into the hot, summer sun, the feeling of your heart racing in your chest was exhilarating. Fuck this wedding and fuck this dress. The second you’re able to, you’ll be ripping it off and tossing it to the wind.

You went crashing through the side door and your bare feet hit the hot pavement. You quickly glanced around in every direction. You didn’t see anyone out here, which was a relief, but was also worrisome because that also meant you didn’t see a certain someone as well.

Another deep breath and your bare feet were booking it through the grass, running directly for the road ahead. You came to a halt right before coming into contact with the pavement of the street looking all around for that car you’d ridden all around this town in. Your eyes wildly searched every piece of the street, eyeing every single car in the vicinity. Your hope started to dwindle when your eyes never landed on that shitty, little jeep.

Your heart sank as the possibility of Leon not bothering to show up at all sank in. And you couldn’t blame him, after the way you’d treated him last night, he truly owed you nothing. Maybe he decided you didn’t deserve an out after living mindlessly in a bubble for so long. Why would he want to sit outside and wait, wondering if you were really going to go through with this? Leaving him in the dust of what could’ve been. If you were in his position, you’re not sure you could’ve endured the pain of it either. But you’d always been a coward. And it seems being a coward could potentially have fucked up your entire life.

“No fucking way,” you were pulled from your thoughts as Leon stepped out of an alleyway just down the road. His voice was filled with shock, and it perfectly matched the look on his face. Your heart felt like it could burst from happiness at the sight of him standing on the tree lined sidewalk before you. The breath you didn’t know you were holding left your lips, leaving you beaming a huge smile at the man at the end of the sidewalk.

Once again, you bunched up the front of your dress and somehow managed to run faster than you had to get to this point toward him. A smile rose on his face, rising all the way up to his eyes as he watched you run for him. You reached up into your hair and pulled your veil off, letting it blow behind you in the wind. His arms opened up wide, ready to embrace you as you got closer and closer to him. No matter how small the distance between the two of you became, it was never enough. It wouldn’t be enough until you were engulfed in him.

And then you collided with him. His arms wrapped around you tightly, pulling you off your feet as he began to spin you around in a circle. Your arms wrapped around his neck and you raised your feet up further, pulling them into you as close as you could with the dress you were wearing. You two were staring into each other's eyes as giggles fell from both of your lips. You could see the sparkle in Leon’s eyes as he beamed at you. He was practically glowing, radiating happiness and relief.

He looked so kissable like this. So, you kissed him. You closed the measly few inches separating your lips. Your eyes flew shut and Leon’s soon followed. After so many years, never having kissed him, the feel of his lips sent shock waves through your entire body. Fuck, if you had kissed him sooner, you would’ve long been Mrs. Kennedy and never would’ve found yourself in such an unnecessary situation.

His lips parted from yours as he stared up at you. “You’re the most beautiful bride I’ve ever seen,” Leon said, causing you to have to fight the blush threatening to break through your cheeks.

“I think I was always supposed to be your bride. Should’ve been a long ass time ago,” you spoke to him softly. You aren’t sure how he managed to pull you closer, but he did as he pressed his lips to yours again. His kiss was so much more intense this time and you found yourself getting lost in the feeling of him. You know you couldn’t possibly deserve it, but you still hoped you could spend the rest of your life feeling just like this.

“Y/N? Where the fuck are you?” you heard your mothers voice in the distance, pulling you from your thoughts of Leon. He broke the kiss and set you back down on your feet.

“Well, sweetheart, I think it’s time to bail,” he said, grabbing your hand, lacing his fingers with yours.

You couldn’t help but laugh, “I think it was time to bail a long time ago, but now's as good a time as any.” And then you were both running together, him leading you down the alley to his beat up jeep. He quickly brought you to the passenger side, opening the door and helping you climb in. He had to stuff the big skirt of your dress in over you, but he somehow managed to get it all in before slamming the door.

He ran around the backside of the car before throwing himself into the driver's seat and starting up the engine. He switched the gear shift into drive before turning and looking at you, “You ready?”

With both of your hands, you reached out and brought his mouth back to yours in a scorching kiss. Without needing to say anything, this moment between the two of you said everything. You smiled up at him as your lips separated once again, “Get us the fuck out of here, loverboy!”

And then he was flooring it down the alleyway, away from the wedding venue, heading towards forever you hoped.

~masterlist~

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keikiri-kitten · 11 months

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IT’S YOU THAT I ADORE ★ LEON KENNEDY

leon x reader, late 30’s/early 40’s leon, early 20’s reader, smut adjacent, angst, fluff, addressing leon’s drinking habit

Leon swore on any pure thing left on this Earth that he found a good thing in the one who took a chance on him, the old man.

Your smile ignited his heart; the flames warmed him up to the idea of a world filled with hope and promise. Something he hadn’t felt in a long time. He could actually anticipate the sound of your laugh in the morning and dig his fingertips into your flesh when he hugs you. Your kisses drive him wild and your sprite-like spirit makes him feel twenty seven again. Twenty one even.

He appreciates your willingness to stick besides him despite his stubborn nature. One that hasn’t changed since he was a rookie In Raccoon city. Leon’s a stubborn man in many aspects and the main one? Keeping you safe from any unsavory parts of him.

Alcohol was nothing short of a hobby with Leon and when he gets wasted, he’d come home late. The both of you could nearly count on him stumbling in at one in the morning with liquor on his breath as he finally begins to sober up. Nights like that make him choose to sleep on the couch. He won’t take off his clothes, he’ll sleep in an upright position with his head hanging on the back of the couch. Truly using his best judgment.

By the morning, he’s sober and can find you either staring at him pitifully in love or getting your day ready as you let him continue to rest. It’s usually like that when he gets wasted. Though that’s only how he perceives nights like this.

He doesn’t think about how you wake up in the middle of the night to hear him barging in. He doesn’t realize that you understand why he confides in a flask. Though what he doesn’t realize is that you wished he’d come to bed. No matter how much commotion he causes. You wish he’d be vulnerable in every aspect. You hope he knows you are in love with him for the good, bad and ugly he had to offer.

It’s the same kind of night tonight; Leon is stumbling in with a better sense of self awareness than what he had a couple of hours ago. You’re rocked awake from the sound, hearing him shuffle to the couch.

You hear him swear after a small thud, knowing that he banged his toe on what most likely was the couch. It causes you to shift in the bed that you two are supposed to share. This time was going to be different. You’ll get to catch him before he falls asleep. Pushing your tired body out of the bed, you tug the heavy duvet behind you until you’re peeking out from the door frame.

It’s easy to spot Leon who’s taken a similar position as always on the couch. He’s sitting up, limbs spread all over the couch and his eyes are hunting all over you. It’s obvious you startled him. A familiar black leather jacket and ragged boots are placed by the loveseat to leave the man in a dingy navy blue t-shirt and black jeans. His eyes roll while he scolds himself for waking you up.

“I didn’t mean to wake you,” he starts. His words are slightly slurred but his intentions are near sober. “Go back to sleep.”

“Leon, come to bed.” You tiredly coo, never minding the shameful look on his face. “I want you in bed with me.”

“I smell like alcohol. You don’t need to smell that…” he tries, sitting up as he continues to ramble off reasons to leave you be. “I’m sure you’re pissed with me for coming in late, waking you up.”

He’s talking but you’re not registering anything he’s saying. Your feet shuffle towards the older man, watching his body become tense. A hand of yours grips the blanket tighter in your fist. Out of instinct, his hands reach out for your hips, allowing you to fall in his hands. That and he longed for your touch.

As you begin to straddle his legs, he grips your hips and pulls you in close. Your face meets his chest, missing the sound of his heartbeat. Leon is stunned at first but he regains composure and takes the duvet from you and covers the both of you with it.

“I don’t care that you’re coming home late. I know how hard it is. I see it on you… I smell it on you,” you whisper. “I just want you to come home to me and not the couch. I love you.”

It was sudden but under the comfort of the cover, you could feel a strong hold wrap around you. Leon’s secure hold made you sigh out in comfort. With one arm wrapped around your waist and his other hand caressing the back of your head, he rests his cheek on the top of your head. “I love you too.”

“How can you sleep like this?” You ask.

“I can sleep just fine, doll face.” He mutters, shushing you, kissing your temple.

Your head slowly lifts off of Leon’s body to meet his eyes. The searing blue ached for your attention. They flickered between your eyes and lips. They have age to them; his eyes are hooded over and they’re accessorized with crows feet and bags from stress.

The hand behind your head drops to your neck as it brings your face closer to his. He didn’t have the intention of kissing you, it would have been tasteless. However with the pound of your heart increasing the longer he kept his eyes on you, you took it upon yourself to dress his lips in your kiss.

Leon stutters within the kiss for a brief moment as if he were about to object. Though your willingness to make him feel comfortable made his body sink deeper into the couch and his chest fall. Kissing you back, his kisses were damn near bruising. He secured your face against his with that grip on your waist almost piercing you.

It was only when he could feel your hands loosely drape around his neck that he tensed up so he could at least try to keep you against a sturdy surface. His hand that kept your kiss pressed against his lips traced to your cheek, naturally causing you to tilt your head in the palm of his hand. His lips grazed from your lips and over your jaw and down your neck with gentle kisses. You could feel the stubble on his jaw tickle at your skin.

The tip of his nose trails along your neck while he adorns you with kisses. “Leon,” you tiredly breathe out, knowing what he’s trying to get out of you.

That rough grip he has on your waist drops to snake his fingertips underneath the shirt of his you wore to bed. He wouldn’t speak, but he was obedient. It hurt to try and pull away his lips from you. They found their way back to yours in a last ditch effort for you to change your mind. They don’t kiss you but ghost over your lips. “I want you,” he mutters.

“Maybe when you’re completely sober we can talk about it, hm? I can make your hangover easier,” you tease, sending him a smile.

“I’ll hold you to that.”

“I keep my promises, Kennedy.” You chirp, wrapping your arms around his neck.

Leon smiles. Truly.

He knows that he’s comfortable with sleeping sitting up, but he wouldn’t dare let you sleep in such a way. He adjusts your bodies to lay down on the cushions of the couch. All you could do is cozy into the firmness of his chest. “Now you can sleep. You’ve got me feeling like an ass having you sleep on the couch.”

Snorting, you shake your head. “Goodnight, Leon.”

“Good night, beautiful.”

#leon x reader #leon kennedy #leon kennedy x reader #leon kennedy fluff #leon kennedy imagine #leon kennedy drabble #leon kennedy angst #leon fluff #leon angst #residentevilbirdie #resident evil leon #resident evil x reader #residentbirdie #leon scott kennedy #Leon Drabble

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c0smoshit · 8 months

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Afternoon cuddles ˚₊﹅

⋆ ࣪. ℙ𝕒𝕚𝕣𝕚𝕟𝕘 ≫ Leon/Reader

⋆ ࣪. ℙ𝕝𝕠𝕥 ≫ Leon is jealous of your books

⋆ ࣪. 𝕎𝕒𝕣𝕟𝕚𝕟𝕘𝕤 ≫ fluff, cuddly Leon, him crushing you into the bed, not proofread!

⋆ ࣪. 𝔸/ℕ ≫ Lil drabble for my fav rookie🤧

⋆ ࣪. 𝕎𝕠𝕣𝕕𝕔𝕠𝕦𝕟𝕥 ≫ 560

Dawn was starting to form in the horizon, it's warm hues of sunlight soon fading out and creating a colder ambience inside your shared room.

You were the coziest you could had ever been inside your soft blankets, your back resting on your pillows as a cute plushie accompanied you in this pleasant afternoon.

You were totally immersed in your lecture, the dim tangerine beams of your night lamp lighting up the words of the book placed on your lap.

You noticed the creaking sound of the door and the heavy footsteps of someone coming in, you turned the page.

"Hey"

Your eyes didn't require the necessity of peeking over from your book to know who had entered. You heard him say something to you but you were too invested reading to process his words.

Your mouth didn't even have the proper time to open up and complain about him taking away the book from your hands as the sudden "plof! " of a big body falling on top of both you and the mattress cut you off.

His arms caged you bellow him, his hair trickling the side of your cheek as his weight crushed you to the bed. His shoulder was just bellow your chin and your arms were trapped by his bare chest.

"Why are you reading so late?"

You could feel the clench his stomach made when he spoke, slightly irritated words followed by the huskiness of his voice.

"You don't want me to?"

His head shook, and you couldn't figure out if it was his hair that moved and trickled your neck or his out of nowhere cuteness that made you chuckle.

"Let me move Leon"

"No"

Then he continued to draw you closer to him, you squirmed but it was always useless, he was a complete rock on top of you. Your cheeks started to redden, the warmth of your personal heater enveloping you.

"I hate those stupid books"

A few more grunts left your mouth before you gave up, your head falling on top of the mattress tiredly.

"Okay fine, you win"

You sighed out exaggeratedly and you noticed a smirk burning into his face.

He had just returned from work, tiredly discarding everything but some shorts. He wasn't usually this clingy with you, he must've had a bad day or something, you thought.

"Bad day at work?"

His body finally moved a bit, freeing your hands that almost immediatly wrapped behind his neck, massaging softly the spots that made him groan out. He leant into your sweet touch, he loved your massages, the only incentive he had when he went to work was your afterwards touch.

"It's okay babe, relax for me"

He sighed out, automatically doing what he was told and as a result, you sinked deeper into the mattress.

You, not so secretly, loved when he came home like this. He acted like a lost puppy, demanding the love he hadn't got at work.

You stayed silent, drawing soothing circles on his shoulders, movements growing longer and firmer. His cheek rested on your shoulder while his arms slowly wrapped around your waist, pressing you further into his body.

"I missed you"

You smiled, of course he had missed you even though he was only gone for a few hours.

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comatosebunny09 · 2 months

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Hear me out:

Bodyguard!Leon understands you lead a life of luxury. Knows you’re used to fancy dinners and luxury cars. Glittery things. But he also knows that those all bore you. That you prefer the simpler things. Stuffed animals won at the carnival. Carne asada tacos from the food truck park on the not so ritzy side of town. Swinging your legs on the edge of the pier, watching the stars glimmer in the sky subtly reaching for Leon’s hand.

He also knows the pretty boys who’ve flit in and out of your life haven’t offered you much aside from sex and empty compliments. That you haven’t gone steady for a very long time. That people often use you for your status and wealth. But you grin and bear it. You’re used to it. Expect it.

Which is why you’re a little alarmed when Leon drops a small, rectangular box into your hands one night in your parking garage. Clad in matte black wrapping paper, accented with a gilded bow.

Your limbs still hum with the champagne you consumed earlier, and it’s like hot potato trying to keep your present from tumbling to the ground.

Earlier, you attended a party for socialites and influencers. Stood out like a sore thumb—or at least, to Leon, you did. A nervous little wallflower, smiling pretty for TikTok and Snapchat. Less fickle than the people around, all bathed in the blue light of their phones.

You clung to your bodyguard’s sleeve despite projecting this air of confidence. Hid your anxiety behind a flute of Chardonnay for most of the night before Leon whisked you away to safety.

“For me?” you trill with a dazzling smile.

“Yeah,” Leon chuckles, sheepishly rubbing the scruff of his neck.

You’re so goddamn adorable. Garbed in his suit jacket that’s clearly too big for you, hair spilling from your updo, and your heeled sandals dangling from a curled finger.

Leon averts his gaze, shifting his weight between his feet. Doesn’t know why he feels so shy. So little beneath the sparkle of your eyes. He’s been with you for years. Seen you sweat, bleed, and cry. So why, why is he suddenly so damn apprehensive?

You’re tender as you unravel his gift. And his heart sits heavy in his throat. Your eyes light up with glee at what’s painstakingly revealed. And your chest puffs up with a gasp.

Leon’s so not smug as he eyes you in his peripheral. Isn’t smirking at how something so small makes you grin so big. Not at all.

“What the fuck, Leon! An OLED Switch?!”

He’s never heard you more ecstatic. Like a kid unleashed on a theme park. A woman left on her own in Target.

“No fucking way!” you continue, turning your box this way and that.

“Yes way.”

He bites back a smile as you do a happy jig and fist pump. Who told you it was alright to be this irresistible?

#leon x reader #leon kennedy x reader #leon s kennedy x reader #leon x you #leon kennedy x you #leon s kennedy x you #leon fluff #bodyguard au #bodyguard!leon

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not-another-leon-blog · 8 months

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Out Together

DI! Leon Kennedy x Fem! Reader

Summary- Your family spends some rare quality time together. Word Count: 2266 S/n- Son's name D/n- Daughter's name A/N: Part 3 of the Family Matters Series Family Matters / Aftermath

With the kids on suspension from school, Leon had decided that it was the perfect time to spend together. It was rare that all four of you went out to do something together– work tended to prevent it and oftentimes stole him away to far corners of the country or the world. So naturally, he wasn’t going to let this opportunity go to waste.

Of course, he gave them the standard lecture about not fighting in school (though he did praise them for standing up for and protecting each other), but otherwise assured them that they weren’t in too much trouble.

Leon woke up with S/n still curled up against him and your side of the bed empty. S/n had slept through the night between the two of you, and D/n seemed to have slept all night in her room, too. His kids were starting to heal just a little bit and the thought brought him peace.

The scent of bacon wafted through the house and just moments after Leon smelled it, S/n was pushing himself to sit up. His hair stuck up in all directions and he yawned, rubbing the sleep from his eyes. “Bacon?” he mumbled as he looked back at his father.

Leon chuckled and rubbed his boy’s head. “Better go get it before your sister does,” he said. Without another word, S/n jumped out of bed and rushed out of the room. D/n was notorious for eating almost all of the bacon you made. So much so that you started buying two packs just so the rest of the family could have some, too.

You had just pulled the second pan from the oven when a pair of strong arms wrapped around your waist. The twins were already sitting at the table, quietly eating the bacon tacos you’d made for them. Leon gave you a squeeze and pressed a kiss to your temple, uttering a quiet ‘good morning’ against your skin.

Moments like these were his favorite. You in one of his shirts and a pair of your sleep shorts, the twins sitting at the table with messy hair and rumpled pajamas. If he could, he’d live in these moments forever. No bio-weapons, no being called away for work, just him and his family enjoying breakfast together.

You smiled and turned your head to give him a proper kiss before turning to plate the bacon. “Good morning, handsome. There’s eggs and potatoes over there, too.” You gestured to the table. “Go ahead and start eating, I’ve been nibbling while making all this.”

“You’re the best, you know that?” He kissed you again.

“I am, aren’t I?”

The four of you ate in a comfortable silence for the first time in a while. Since returning from San Francisco, tension had settled over the table. At least for the moment, that cloud had dissipated. It made you think that perhaps Leon was right. Getting the twins to be active seemed to be the best way for them to release their stress. You only wished it hadn’t been a school fight to make you realize that.

“Are we still going to the park today?” S/n asked between bites of his taco.

“We are,” Leon replied, “and don’t talk with your mouth full, bud.” He took a napkin and gently wiped crumbs from the corner of S/n’s mouth. “I’ll bring down your glove and we can throw a ball around.”

“Can I bring the soccer ball, too?” quipped D/n.

“Absolutely, baby,” you said. You ran a hand through her hair and gently undid large knots with your fingers. The twins finished eating and put their dishes away, leaving you and Leon alone while they went to get dressed.

You looked over at Leon. There was a sad, forlorn look in his eyes. “What are you thinking about?”

Leon gave you a sad smile. “When they were born. I promised them I wouldn’t let anything happen to them. Now look at us.”

You reached over and gave his hand a squeeze. Guilt over what had happened plagued the both of you. In the days following Alcatraz, Leon barely slept. He would get up and triple-check the locks on all the windows and doors. Nearly any creak would have him up and checking the house, especially when D/n had started sleeping in her own bed again.

“And you saved them,” you reminded. “They knew you would. We can’t change the past. But what we can do is give them a good day.” Helping them move on was the best you could do. You couldn’t let them wallow in those memories and drown in nightmares.

Leon pressed a kiss to the back of your hand and nodded. You had a habit of drawing him out of his darker thoughts, and when you did it made him love you even more. You were right. Your family came home in one piece. Neither of the kids were hurt (physically) and Rebecca had cured you. Your family was intact and that was all that mattered.

The two of you cleaned up the kitchen and went to get dressed. Then it was time to get to packing the car. It wasn’t much, just getting a small cooler filled with water and a few sandwiches while Leon went to hunt down S/n’s baseball bag in the garage.

“S/n, D/n,” he called as he came back inside with both of their gloves. There was an excited twinkle in his eye that you hadn’t seen in a while. The twins came running and he handed them the gloves. “Try them on, see if they still fit.” Leon had once had a dream of getting at least one of them into sports, but there simply wasn’t time. He never wanted to be the parent that didn't make it to practices or games. The twins put the gloves on and flexed their hands, opening and closing them. “Feel okay?”

“Good,” they replied unanimously. “A little stiff.”

“Just need to break them in. We ready to go, Mom?” You smiled at him and nodded.

This was the kind of life Leon dreamed of having when he was younger. A beautiful wife and two wonderful kids. If he didn’t have a dislike of dogs, he was certain that there would be one running around with you.

The park was almost empty. Being a weekday, the only ones around were the occasional joggers or new parents walking their toddlers in their strollers. The day itself was nearly perfect. Only a few clouds dotted an otherwise clear blue sky.

You watched from under a tree a little bit away on a blanket as Leon tossed baseballs for the twins. It was S/n’s turn to bat and D/n was scrambling to catch the fly balls he hit. Her jeans and shirt already had grass stains from diving after ground balls.

“Dad,” S/n said after he hit another, “I’m hungry.”

“Hey, Hungry, I’m Dad,” Leon replied with a cheeky grin. The twins groaned, resulting in a wider smile from Leon. The three of them made their way back to the tree you sat under. You lifted your camera as they came closer, wanting to preserve the moment. It was an old thing from years ago and though the lens was a little scratched, it still took fantastic pictures. “I didn’t think you still had that.”

You shrugged. The kids plopped themselves down and rummaged through the cooler. “Well, we don’t do stuff like this often. I figured we could use some more pictures together.”

“I wanna sit next to Mom,” S/n said, trying to scoot in between you and Leon.

“I had her first,” Leon wrapped his arms around you, pressing you to his side.

But this didn’t deter S/n. “But I’m her first-born.”

“I’m her husband.” He loosened his hold on you just enough that S/n was able to wiggle in and try to push Leon away from you.

D/n settled herself on your other side, quietly watching her brother and father squabble as she ate her sandwich. She leaned up to your ear and whispered, “Are boys always this dumb?”

“Sometimes,” you replied, wrapping an arm around her.

“Is that why Daddy makes things explode?”

“No, Daddy tries to be careful about that.” No point in denying that Leon did, in fact, blow things up every now and then. She’d already seen him do it once, at least you could prevent her from worrying about him getting hurt while doing something so dangerous.

The four of you continued to eat and once the kids had their fill, they were up and chasing after each other. Leon threw the soccer ball between them and it quickly became a game of keep-away.

Leon took to clicking through the pictures you’d taken, a soft smile on his face. “You know, you deserve to be in a few of these, too.” Most of the pictures were of him and the kids, very rarely did he see you in any of them.

“My mom takes more than enough,” you replied. You made it a habit to take the kids to see their grandparents at least once a month, and your mother could never have enough pictures of you and her grandkids.

“Still, this is a family outing.” He gave you a gentle push, urging you to your feet. “Go, I’ll take a few for you.”

You groaned playfully and got up. He was right, afterall. The albums you’d put together over the years were filled with him and the kids growing up. In fact, you’d started making them because of how often he was gone; you wanted to keep some kind of record for him to look back on. And being so focused on keeping his memories with the kids, you often forgot about keeping some of your own.

Leon watched you jog out to the kids, laughing as you stole the soccer ball from S/n. You carefully and swiftly moved the ball between your feet. The twins charged at you, but flew past you as you turned to dodge them.

The twins shared a look and split up, D/n running to get himself behind you and S/n staying in front to distract you. Leon raised the camera, waiting just a few moments before pressing down on the button. He watched through the viewfinder as you tried to keep both of them in your sight. D/n sprinted up behind you, throwing her arms around your waist as S/n swooped in to take the ball from you.

God, he wished his vacation days would last forever.

He put the camera away and went to join you. He easily snatched D/n from you, picking her up and lightly tossing her in the air. She squealed with laughter, “That’s cheating, Daddy!”

“And what were you doing just now?” He caught her and tossed her up again. You’d taken off to chase after S/n. The next half hour continued like that: racing after the kids and eventually ending up in a pile in the grass trying to catch your breath.

The sky had gotten darker, gray clouds threatening to rain. “Alright,” Leon said, pushing himself to his feet, “time to go.” He helped you up and S/n followed. D/n continued to lay in the grass, her eyes closed. It was obvious she was only pretending to be asleep but he didn’t care. He scooped her into his arms and carried her back to the car.

“Want me to drive?” you offered once the car was packed and the kids were buckled in. Rain had begun to fall and you knew how it could put him on edge.

“If you don’t mind.” He tossed you the keys. Truth be told, he was exhausted. But in a sense, it was satisfying. For once it was the kids who wore him out, not some bioterrorist trying to shoot him down or zombies chasing after him. It was the sort of tired he’d love to get used to.

By the time you returned home, rain was falling steadily and the twins had officially fallen asleep in the back seat. The two of you decided that everything in the trunk could wait to be taken in later and instead simply carried the twins inside.

You gently set them down on the couch and woke them up. They stretched and yawned, rubbing their eyes. “Go take your showers,” you instructed softly.

“Do we have to?” D/n whined.

As much as you wanted to give in to her, you nodded. “Don’t want to wake up all sticky tomorrow, do you?” She shook her head. Slowly, the two of them waddled down the hall to take their showers and get ready for bed.

Leon watched them until they were out of sight and then took their spot on the couch, pulling you down with him and tucking you against his side. You were happy to oblige, tossing your legs over his lap and nuzzling into him.

“Want me to get any of those pictures printed?” you asked tiredly.

“I have a few in mind,” he replied. You could print out all of them and he’d cherish each one. He sighed and leaned his head back against the cushion, closing his eyes.

The next time he opened them, he found the twins settled on either side of you, their hair still wet from their showers and sound asleep.

#leon kennedy #dad! leon kennedy x reader #di! leon x reader #leon kennedy x reader #leon s kennedy #leon scott kennedy #resident evil #resident evil x reader #leon kennedy fluff #leon x reader #leon s kennedy x reader #leon kennedy fic #leon fluff #resident evil fluff

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narcissarina · 5 months

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“An age-old vendetta between two powerful families erupts into bloodshed. A group of masked Kennedy’s risk further conflict by gatecrashing a Capulet party. A young lovesick Romeo!Leon falls instantly in love with Juliet!Reader, who is due to marry her father’s choice.”

— Romeo and Juliet AU

Romeo!Leon, a type of person who'd refuse such risk, such as crashing the Capulets feast. A feast to introduce their one and only daughter, Juliet!reader, but the temptation and thrill got the best of him. He'll join in, but! It was also to be sure that his friends won't make an utter fool of themselves at the feast.

Romeo!Leon, who got into his disguise with his friends, finally got inside the feast as he got seperated from his friends. People dancing along the melody of the music, panic somehow sets in to Leon as he could not find his friends within the party—causing him to bump his back to yours.

Romeo!Leon, whose eyes sparked when he set his eyes to you, like a chanted love curse. He was mesmerized and hypnotized by your sore beauty, he even forgot to breathe when you ask him if he's doing alright and that he might've stopped breathing.

Juliet!reader, where you finally have come to age and have your family plan a feast to officially introduce you as the Capulets only daughter that has finally had come to age.

Juliet!reader, whose parents aren't that strict and cared for your happiness and wishes. But news flashes to you when you found out that your parents had arranged your marriage with somebody whom you do not love, nor wish not to love.

Juliet!reader, who's in a panic and had the urge to ran away—away from the feast, away to anyone at all! Where you are wearing your red elegant dress, where the time strikes to finally have you introduce to the people.

Juliet!reader, who's in the run and hide bump to a “guest” and immediately apologizing to them as you finally set your eyes to him. Eyes sparks as if it was love at first sight, he too probably feel the same, right?

“sir?” you called, his eyes fixated to yours—his blue eyes could be described as the color of the midwinter sky. He was lost for words, he was mesmerized and got lost by your beauty. How perfect your eyes is and how melodic your voice is—as if he heard an angel call out to him.

“y-yes?” he stammer, fixing his composure and clearing his throat—his voice sounded kind and sweet. He could finally breathe as he hold his breath when he was so lost by admiring you up close. Despite the mask, you could tell that he's handsome, the way the corner of his lips tug a sweet smile as he greeted you with a bow.

Before the two could greet one another, your nurse called for you—desperate to find you and bring you to your parents to finally have you introduce, as such—seeing such scene. Your nurse was surprised, it was sweet but she does not recognize the man nor is he from the Capulets. Hence in a hurry, she escorted the two to the main hall to feast and join the dance.

Guests dancing, cheering and laughing, chattering then silence came along. You leaving the mysterious boy alone as you come up the stairs to your parents, a formal and welcoming greeting as the Capulets finally introduced you to everybody in the feast. They cheer and clap, but he on the other hand—was still lost by your beauty.

He fell inlove, it was love at first sight.

Absurd as it is, but it was the truth. Y/n, your name runs through his heart and thoughts. As the loud yell and chatter and claps faded from his hearing, as if the world had faded and thought that it was only you and him. Nothing more.

The only daughter of the Capulet, you, came down the stairs and walk towards the boy. No one utter a word, only the eyes could tell. The feelings were mutual, as the two of you really did fell inlove at first sight, “Leon.” He said, introducing himself, “so, you were y/n. You are a beauty, I couldn't help but feel captivated by you.” You smiled at his compliment.

The two dance, he offered first as you took his hand then guided you to the dance floor and gracefully dance along the soothing music. As each step you take, he follows—his eyes never leaving yours as he was memorizing every features of your beautiful being and his hand rest to the back of your waist, leans in to kiss you but soon rather interrupted when his two idiotic friends tried causing a ruckus.

He was exposed.

He wasn't from here, he wasn't from the Capulet, but your heart speaks his name as he flee from the feast and gave you a quick peck from the cheek as he yell, “I'll come back for you, my princess.”

Romeo!Leon, who finally made his escape from the feast with his idiotic friends who caught him in the act with the Capulets only daughter. They tease him and acted out what they saw Leon do to you; hands on waist, slow dancing, and even leaning in for a kiss.

Romeo!Leon, who left his friends and gone off to bed but couldn't sleep when you linger through his mind. Preventing him to sleep as he recalls the way you smile and look at him with those pretty eyes. He could only smile and giggle at himself like a lovesick idiot.

Romeo!Leon, who snuck out from his room to go see you as you were out in a daze from your window. Smiling and giggling to yourself, as you repeat his name like a love spell.

Juliet!reader, who was caught in the act with the boy who wasn't from the Capulet side, you were brought back to somewhere private to have a matter of discussion with your parents.

Juliet!reader, whose parents finally broke the news to you that you got engaged to a marrage that you do not want, and to a man that you never loved. The man who will never be Leon, as your mind, heart and soul speaks his name.

Juliet!reader, who was upset and cried in front of your parents. Demanding nicely to call off the wedding, she doesn't want to marry someone who isn't Leon. You do not care if he wasn't from the Capulet side, your hearts speak to him. You need him, and he'll be the only boy or man that you will marry, and if your parents can't give you that. Worse things might happen as you take love and marriage seriously.

Leon saw you in a daze from your window, your expression speaks different emotions as it shifts to annoyed to happy to something you're pouting about and to something that makes your toes curl.

“y/n!” He yelled as it snaps you back to reality, you turn your head and smiled down at him, “Leon!” your tone so loving and sweet, he wants to climb up and kiss you here and there. And maybe do more.

Time pass as the two chatter and share their good times to one another, you were lost with your ramblings and never notice that Leon was finally behind you.

“And my parents set me up to a wedding that I do not want, making me marry to a man that my heart does not speak of.” You huff a pout as a hand embraced you from behind, his nose against the crook of your neck. He tilts up as his lips were next to your ear, “That's horrible, who does your heart speak of?” he asked.

“You.” you utter as heat rose from your cheek, you receive a charming chuckle from him. “Do not laugh at my situation, Leon!” you pouted, “aren't you a little concern that I will not be marrying you if that happens?” you added, turning your head to the side to look away from him.

“Then..” he turns you around to face him, your eyes close and focus to the side as his forehead press against yours, “I'll steal you away from your wedding.” he added, chuckling at his own joke.

“But in all seriousness, I want you to be mine as much as your heart wants me.” he leans and kiss your forehead, “Let's get married tomorrow..?” he propose the idea, you turn to him—hands on his chest as both of your bodies were pressed to one another.

“Talk about short engagement, but..” your fingers tracing circles over his chest, “I would love that...”

Leon pulls you even closer, eyes only focus to yours as his hand cups and caress your cheek—finally leaning in slowly to press his lips against the softness of your own.

“Parting is such sweet sorrow that I shall say goodnight till it be morrow.” — Romeo and Juliet, Act 2 scene 2.

Juliet!reader, whose parents seek your presence to have another discussion with you as they realize their mistake in making this arranged engagement, wanting to confront you about the incident with the boy who snuck in the feast just yesterday.

Juliet!reader, who's anxious and nervous why your parents had called for you. Had you seated infront of them as silence followed.

Juliet!reader, who got understanding parents finally reasoned to you and will find a way to call off the engagement as they asked you a question regarding your feelings to the boy from the other side.

“We may just have met yesterday from the feast, but...” you utter, a smile on your face as Leon was always in your mind. “I know that he is the man for me, mother.. Father.” Both of your parent look at each other, sighing—not because of disappointment, but rather a defeat sigh.

“I will have the marriage cancel. I'll try my best, sweetheart.” Your father smiles, stands up and caress your cheek and brush back a strand of your hair as he left the room. Completely stunned as you are, you turn to your mother.

She only smiled and sat beside you as she took your hand to hers, “may this marriage bring you happiness and desires.” she said and caress her thumb to the back of your hand.

Speechless as you are, whether this is real or not—but all you knew that they acknowledged your love for Leon and how your eyes sparks when marriage with him was brought up.

Telling the news to him might will be a greatest surprise.

Romeo!Leon, who was careful and try to keep himself low and not get spotted as he wanted to visit the love of his life.

Romeo!Leon, whose mind wanders when he tried to see you again by the window, but soon got caught by a member of the Capulet.

Romeo!Leon, who was confused when your own father came looking for him specifically. Shock came after when your father asked him what he felt for you, even if it was just love at first sight.

“Her beauty captivated me, her eyes mesmerized me as it made me lost time—as if I was hypnotized, making me frozen like a statue. But to my surprise, my heart skips a beat, the world faded from my ears so that her voice will be the one that only I... could hear.” Leon confessed with a smile, it was sweet and genuine. Your father knew from that moment that he wasn't like any other Kennedy he had ever met.

The way he had described you; from your looks, your voice, your eyes—even how you took effect on him. How he melts under your touch, it may be just love at first sight. But the more your father hears Leon talk genuinely about you, how his tone of voice was filled with love...

Your father knew, that he may be the one.

“I'm deeply sorry if we crashed your party, sir. But..” he chuckles to himself, his cheeks warming. “If it wasn't for them, I wouldn't have met your daughter.”

Your father took in his words, smiles planted on to his face as he nodded. Your father puts his hand to Leons shoulder and welcome him in the Capulet resident, and of course.

Away from you, away from everybody as the two discussed how your marriage with Leon would be. Your father wants it to be perfect, it has to. But the most important thing is; that you are happy.

It was unexpected, really.

Already standing right at the door, bouquet of roses in your hands and veil covering up your face but can still be seen. How long your wedding gown is as the door finally flew open as you were greeted with the light and people standing up to clap.

Both sides of the family attended, some are either crying, cheering, chattering and even having a breakdown.

Making peace between the Capulet and Kennedys wasn't that easy, Leon had to reason with his family on how this kind of idiotic bickering can stop and be finally at peace.

No war, just love and friendship between the two powerful families.

You took a step whilst taking a deep breath as you slowly walk up to the aisle, the loud chattering toned down as music finally plays.

Oh, Leon.

How he watch you walk up to the aisle with a smile on your face, how beautiful and elegant you are with your wedding dress. How you were finally walking up to him in the aisle.

He wanted to shed a tear, oh yes he do.

He's a softie after all, but crying can wait when he finally said his vow.

You took his hand as the two of you stood beside to one another, you can tell that he was taking a glance at you. He couldn't ask for more, he couldn't wait—he could stare at you all day and tell you endless of times how lucky he was and that he'll do anything, and... that he loves you the moment he laid his eyes upon you.

“I, Leon Kennedy, promise to love you not just because of your beauty but also your being. I will cherish and treasure you whole.

I swear to be always by your side and protect you with all of my being, even when we may come across conflict nor when the world is against us or our love.

Y/n, the moment I laid my eyes upon you. I was stoned—I was lost in your eyes, I feel like that the world around me has faded.”

Leon took a breather for a moment before continuing.

“If it were not for my idiotic friends request that we ‘crash’ the party, I wouldn't have met you.

You were the unexpected experience that I'll ever have. Now, your eyes, your lips, and your voice. How I almost lost myself when you speak, how I melt to your touch when your fingers traces against my skin.”

Tears were already forming in his eyes, he chuckles and apologize to the audience—which was also sobbing and chuckling.

“y/n Capulet, I love you. Beyond the moon and back, to where we reach and catch a shining star. You were... everything. And I hope, that together, we'll stay.”

His vow reach to an end as he puts the ring to your ring ringer, he cups your cheek as his eyes never leaving yours—knowing fully that he means his words.

You sniffle with a smile, took his hands to yours as you spoke your vow.

You mean every words, every sentences and everything that you speak of. He was the book that you were thankful that you've read, and you were the poem that he took time to memorize and harmonize like a poet.

Taking the ring and pushing it to his ring finger as you ended your vow, your eyes never leaving his too—to let him know that you, too, mean every word you spoke of to him.

“And now, I pronounce you as husband and wife. You may now kiss the bride!”

Cheers roar along with the delighted claps, he has his hands on your waist as he delicately pulls you in for that sweet kiss that he's been eager to get.

A wedding kiss.

A special moment as he finally shed a tear, he would stop time if he would, right in this moment.

But moving forward and facing the future as a newlywed couple was much better in the back of his mind.

A wonderful experience, and a wonderful story.

A poem and the poet, to be the love of someones story.

A happily ever after.

I would run away with you, when the world turn their back on ours.

I'll love you forever, from the moon and back.

— unknown

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praisethegabs · 6 months

Text

SCARS

pre re4r!leon kennedy x reader

synopsis: You and Leon are the rookies in the training camp, although Leon is under the training of Major Krauser. You hate Krauser more than anyone else and you despise his methods, knowing how abusive he can be. As for Leon, he's your roommate and he's like a stranger to you — until you see his scars.

warnings: descriptions of violence, bullying and physical abuse. Leon cries a lot, hurt and comfort, angst with good ending.

word count: 4492k

a/n: another angst one shot with a happy ending. I'm really into angst, anyways. hope you guys like it as much as i do!

"Being silent does not mean not speaking but opening our ears to hear everything around us" Paulo Coelho

As you walked into the cold, fluorescent-lit government training facility, you couldn't help but feel a mixture of anxiety and excitement. You were part of an elite group chosen for a classified program, and the details had been shrouded in secrecy. All you knew was that your skills were needed to combat a rising threat.

Navigating through the labyrinthine hallways, you finally arrived at your assigned room. You swiped your access card and pushed the door open, revealing a sparsely furnished living space. Two singles bed, two desks, and a small bathroom were all that adorned the room. You already knew you would have a roommate, and you were excited to meet them.

As you entered, your eyes fell upon a man standing near the window, gazing out at the facility's courtyard. He had a rugged handsomeness about him, and the name on his doorplate read "Leon Kennedy."

"Excuse me, I think there might be some mistake. I was assigned to this room, and it appears we're meant to be roommates." You cleared your throat to get his attention.

The man turned to face you, his expression a mixture of surprise and curiosity. He was young, perhaps in his early 20s... but something about his eyes told you he's someone who went through a lot. His eyes were sad, tired and traumatized.

"Roommates, huh?" he said, a faint smile gracing his lips. "I'm Leon. Leon Kennedy."

You smiled largely at him, shaking his hand. You spotted a bandage over his shoulder; probably something recent. You left all your belongings under your new bed, and sat there with crossed legs.

"Do you know who's your instructor?" You asked him, curious.

"Major Krauser. Do you know who's yours?" Leon asked in return, avoiding your gaze.

"Hmm... I don't know yet, but apparently we won't train together" you said, grabbing a few clothes.

"Well, good luck" Leon faced you, his voice sounding kind for a brief moment, and he smiled.

You hated Major Krauser.

After the first month in the training camp, rumors had been circulating throughout the training facility about Major Krauser and his unorthodox methods. Whispers in the hallways and hushed conversations among the trainees hinted at the darkness behind his strict training regimen. You had heard your fellow agents-in-training speak in worried tones about the psychological toll it took and the physical brutality they endured under his guidance.

This evening, as you returned to your shared room after a grueling day of training, you noticed Leon sitting on his bed, shirtless. His body bore a tapestry of bruises, fresh and angry against his pale skin. It was the worst you had ever seen him, and it sent a chill down your spine.

"Leon," you gasped, rushing to his side. "What happened? Are you okay?"

"Just a rough day in training. It's part of the program." Leon shifted his gaze away from you and shrugged, wincing in pain.

You didn't buy it. You knew that Leon had faced something before, even though he refused to talk about it, but these bruises looked different, more vicious. You couldn't keep silent any longer.

"Leon, this isn't right. I've been hearing things about Major Krauser, about what he does to us, to you" you sighed heavily, trying to convince him to talk.

"Come on, you don't understand. Krauser's methods may be tough, but they're meant to prepare us for the worst. We can't afford to be soft in this line of work." Leon's eyes flashed with a mix of anger and frustration, and he turned to face you.

Still, you weren't convinced. You'd seen the toll it was taking on your fellow trainees, and now, on the man you truly cared more than anyone.

"Leon, it's not about being soft. It's about doing what's right about treating us with respect and dignity. This isn't training; it's abuse." You glanced at him as your voice sounded more concerned, and you stood up, then sitting next to him.

Leon sighed and ran a hand through his disheveled hair. "Sometimes we have to do things that others wouldn't understand. There's more to this than meets the eye, and I can't talk about it. Just focus on your training. We'll get through this."

You wanted to push further, to demand answers, but you could see the weariness in Leon's eyes. You knew he was hiding something, something that ran much deeper than the surface of their brutal training.

And then, when you were about to leave for dinner, someone knocked aggressively at the door. It was him, the said man you hated the most. Major Jack Krauser.

Krauser was standing there, an imposing figure with a harsh expression. "Kennedy," he barked, "get ready. We're going to train right now"

Leon nodded, steeling himself for whatever lay ahead. He had been through tough training earlier, but something about today's session felt ominous. Krauser was notorious for his extreme methods, but this was different.

You watched silently as Leon left the room, being escorted by Krauser. Everyone at the dorm room was looking at the scene; it wasn't a secret that Krauser loved to bully Leon. If he had any small opportunity, he would definitely take advantage of it.

The training began, a relentless barrage of physical challenges and combat drills. Leon gave it his all, but Krauser pushed him harder than ever before. He moved with the agility of a panther, landing blows that seemed impossible to evade. Each strike landed with a painful intensity.

Time blurred as the grueling training continued. Leon's body ached, his breathing labored, but he refused to give in. He knew the importance of pushing his limits, especially in their line of work.

He felt every punch against his skin, the way Krauser did that just for his humiliation. It wasn't training. It was a pure demonstration of who was in charge.

"You're weak! Pathetic!" Krauser yelled, punching Leon even more. "Do you think you'll survive the training? Such a disappointment"

Finally, when Leon's muscles screamed in protest, and his vision blurred with exhaustion, Major Krauser called a halt.

"That's enough for today, Rookie," he said, his tone colder than ever.

Leon, battered and bruised, sank to his knees, gasping for breath. His body felt like it had been through a meat grinder. He couldn't help but wonder what had brought on this level of brutality in his training today.

As Major Krauser walked away, leaving Leon alone on the training ground, he couldn't shake the feeling that something sinister lurked beneath the surface. But for now, all he could do was struggle to his feet and gather the strength to carry on, one step at a time.

He managed to go back to the dorm room, feeling his bones hurting. Leon spotted the bleeding from his ribs, and he wanted desperately to cry.

After everything he saw at Raccoon City, this was the only thing he wasn't expecting at all. The training was hard and painful, and it was taking a toll on him. And worse than that, he still would see you. Leon couldn't understand why you cared so much about him, but sometimes he got himself thinking you were just like him. Or what he used to be.

"Did he hurt you?" Leon heard you ask when he walked inside the room. He sighed heavily.

"It's okay, I'm fine" Leon muttered, trying to avoid you. He thought it would be for the best to keep you away from him.

Silently, in the pungent scent of antiseptic hung in the air, Leon gingerly removed his torn shirt, revealing the intricate web of cuts and bruises that adorned his battle-worn body. With a sigh, he slumped onto the edge of his bed, his breath labored.

You decided to stay silent, completely focused on your book, which was very usual.

The other roommates were friends at this point, but not you and Leon. You were a total stranger to him, and he was a blank space to you.

But, truth be told, you had been an unexpected presence in his life. A stranger at first, you had shown kindness and compassion that Leon had never experienced before. You had witnessed his struggles and the pain etched on his face, and in your own quiet way, had offered your support.

Decided to change that, you took a deep breath and walked straight to the bathroom. When you came back, Leon was still laying on his bed, his eyes closed and his breath heavier. Your gentle hands trembling slightly gathered an assortment of bandages and ointments. You knelt beside Leon, your touch soft as you began to clean and tend to his wounds. The room was filled with a hushed serenity as you worked, a comforting contrast to the relentless violence of his training.

"What are you doing?" Leon gasped, his eyes meeting yours in a surprise tone.

"Being your friend" you said to him, focused completely on his swollen ribs. "Let me take care of you, Lee"

He winced as you tended to a particularly nasty gash on his forearm, but he held back his pain, not wanting to show weakness. However, you saw through his facade. You looked up, your eyes meeting his with an understanding that ran deeper than words.

"Leon, it's okay to let it out," you whispered, your voice soothing. "You've been through so much today."

He hesitated for a moment, struggling to contain his emotions, but the weight of the day's trials was too much to bear. Tears welled up in his eyes, and he finally allowed them to escape, his shoulders shaking as the emotions he had suppressed for so long came rushing forth.

You set aside the first aid supplies and wrapped your arms around Leon, pulling him into a comforting embrace. You held him as he wept, offering solace through the storm of his pent-up feelings. In that moment, Leon realized that he didn't have to be alone in his pain and vulnerability. He had found an unexpected friend and confidant in you, and your presence was a source of strength he had never anticipated.

After twenty minutes, Leon finally calmed down. His eyes met yours again, and you felt something delicate floating inside you.

"I'm sorry" Leon muttered again, sighing.

"You don't need to apologize, it's okay" you said back, your words full of kindness and care.

"Do you... do you know anything about the incident in Raccoon City?" Leon finally asked, feeling he needed to talk about this torment.

"I've heard something about the outbreak... and the city being exploded" you said to him, already understanding what he was saying.

"I was there... it was my first day at the RPD..." Leon said, and somehow, you felt the pain in his words. "It was in there I got shot"

And then, he showed you the scar on his chest, right under the shoulder. Truth be told, you were not his friend, and you weren't exactly the best person to talk with, but Leon was alone. He had no one else besides you. But he was so broken inside that he needed to vent.

Leon sat on the edge of his bed, his shoulders slumped, and his eyes filled with tears. The room in the training facility was the only place he felt safe enough to open up. You sat again next to his side, waiting patiently for him to open up.

"It was a nightmare" Leon began, his voice shaky. "My first day as a cop in Raccoon City… It was nothing like I expected."

You leaned forward, placing a reassuring hand on Leon's knee. "Take your time, Leon. You can tell me everything."

Leon took a deep breath, trying to compose himself. He closed his eyes, and suddenly, everything about that night came back like a wave.

"I got a call one week before telling me i wasn't supposed to go, but I decided to go there anyway, ignoring the call. When I arrived, it was like something out of a horror movie. Zombies, blood, chaos everywhere." He whispered to you as he could see that night again.

Tears welled up in Leon's eyes as he recounted the horrors he'd witnessed.

"Annette Birkin, a scientist working for Umbrella Corporation, shot me in the shoulder when I was trying to help a friend. She was trying to protect something, something terrible. I could see it in her eyes. She didn't care that I was just a rookie cop. She just… shot me."

Your expression softened as you listened, your grip on Leon's knee tightening in support. "That sounds terrifying, Leon. I can't even imagine what you went through."

Leon wiped away a tear and continued, "And then, I found Claire again, this girl who was looking for her brother. We tried to escape the nightmare together. But it just got worse. We found out the city was infested with those… those things."

His voice broke, and he buried his face in his hands, finally letting the tears flow. You moved closer, wrapping your arms around him and offering comfort as he sobbed.

"I don't know if I can handle all this," Leon said, his voice muffled. "I never signed up for this. I just wanted to be a cop and make a difference."

You held him close, offering a soothing presence. "You're stronger than you think, Leon. You've already survived so much. We'll get through this together. And when it's over, you'll be the hero you want to be."

Leon continued to sob out loud. He was keeping things inside him for so long that it was almost unbearable. And then, you noticed he wasn't telling you everything. He kept more things to him than he told you.

"Leon," you said gently, "you've been through so much. You don't have to keep it all bottled up. I'm here for you."

He took a shuddering breath and looked up at you, his eyes red and puffy from crying.

"I… I don't know how to explain it. The city was like a nightmare. People turning into those monsters, the stench of death everywhere. And then… then, there was the Tyrant."

Your brow furrowed as you listened intently.

"The Tyrant? What happened?"

Leon's voice trembled as he continued, "It was this hulking, unstoppable monster. It was relentless, chasing me through the police station. I thought I was going to die. I thought I was already dead."

His voice cracked, and he wiped away more tears. You sighed heavily. Of all things you imagined, this was the last thing you would think of. Gently, you decided to take his hand, offering a comforting squeeze. "I can't even begin to imagine how terrifying that must have been, Leon. But you're here, you survived it. You're strong, and you can get through this."

Leon nodded, his voice still shaky. "I know, but the nightmares, they just won't go away. Every time I close my eyes, I see those things, and the Tyrant's face… I can't escape it"

After that night, Leon seemed more distant. You've noticed his small attempts to start a conversation, but every time he tried, he ended up being silent and avoiding you. And honestly, you couldn't understand him. You were so worried about him, feeling desperate to help, but being obligated to watch him sink in his own darkness, refusing any help or a friend.

As for his training, Major Krauser had always been a formidable presence at the academy. Tall and imposing, his glare was enough to make even the bravest cadets shudder. He had taken a particular interest in Leon, a young recruit with potential, but also an easy target for the major's relentless bullying.

As the afternoon sun cast long shadows across the training grounds, Major Krauser approached Leon, his voice laced with cruelty and a smile that would make the devil himself be scared.

"Leon," he barked, "You're a disgrace to this unit. You'll never amount to anything here."

Leon clenched his fists, trying to hold back tears of frustration. He knew better than to talk back to the major.

"Yes, sir," he replied through gritted teeth.

Major Krauser's lips curled into a sinister smile. "Since you seem to enjoy wasting everyone's time, you have a new mission. A punishment mission. You're to report to the obstacle course at 0500 hours tomorrow. Maybe that will teach you some discipline."

Leon's heart sank. The obstacle course was notorious for being grueling and unforgiving. He couldn't help but feel the weight of despair as he nodded and saluted Major Krauser.

The obstacle course loomed in the distance, a daunting series of barriers, walls, and challenges. Leon stood at the starting line, his confidence shaken from the relentless bullying of Major Krauser. The memory of the major's words echoed in his mind, eroding his self-esteem.

As the signal to start rang out, Leon's heart raced, but his steps were heavy. He stumbled over the first set of hurdles, scraping his knees against the coarse ground. His classmates, once his friends, now looked on with a mixture of pity and scorn.Leon tried to ignore their judgmental gazes and push forward.

The rope climb came next, and he struggled to find the strength in his trembling arms. His fingers slipped, and he fell back to the ground, the impact driving the wind from his lungs. The tire run proved equally difficult. With every leap through the hanging rubber, he felt like a clumsy child instead of a trained cadet.

A chorus of laughter erupted from behind him as his classmates breezed through the obstacle.The wall presented a nearly insurmountable challenge. Its height seemed to grow with every passing second, and Leon's past success at conquering it felt like a distant memory. He tried to summon the courage to leap, but his legs refused to obey. Each futile attempt only deepened his frustration.

Major Krauser watched from the sidelines, a cruel smile tugging at his lips. He had orchestrated this punishment with the intention of breaking Leon's spirit, and it appeared to be working.

Leon finally reached the final leg of the course, the mud pit. Covered in muck and exhaustion, he struggled to pull himself out, his body feeling like dead weight. His vision blurred, and it became increasingly challenging to distinguish the course from the nightmarish haze in his mind.

As Leon approached, he couldn't help but think of Major Krauser's words: "You'll never amount to anything here." The tears welled up in his eyes, and his hands quivered.

Finally, as Leon reached the wall at the end of the course, his trembling arms gave out, and he fell to the ground, unable to complete the final obstacle. The disappointment was crushing, and the sting of failure was intensified by the distant laughter of Major Krauser, who had been watching from the sidelines.

Major Krauser approached Leon, a cruel smile on his face. "You're a disgrace, Rookie," he sneered. "I told you that you'd never amount to anything here, and you've proven me right. Incompetence at its finest."

Leon's eyes filled with tears, not just from the physical and emotional pain but from the humiliation of being berated by the very man who had tormented him from the start. The other cadets exchanged uncomfortable glances but said nothing.

"How pathetic! Are you gonna cry like a baby? You don't belong in here, Rookie!" Krauser shouted, humiliating him in front of everyone.

Leon's spirits were shattered, and the weight of Major Krauser's scorn felt insurmountable. As he lay there, covered in mud and feeling utterly defeated, the obstacle course had become not just a physical challenge but a harsh reminder of the relentless cruelty that he would have to endure on his path to becoming a better soldier.

The following morning, Leon returned to the dorm room, covered in mud, sweat, and exhaustion. He stumbled through the door and collapsed on his bed, tears welling up in his eyes. The events of the punishing mission had taken a toll on him.

As you were studying at the desk, as soon as Leon walked inside the room, you immediately noticed his distress. You rushed to his side, concern etched on your face.

"Leon, what happened?" You asked gently.

Leon's voice quivered as he recounted the humiliation and the physical strain of the punishment mission. "I can't take it anymore," he admitted, his pride shattered.

You sat beside him, offering a comforting embrace.

"I know his an asshole... and he's cruel... but I'm here with you" you whispered, wiping away a tear from his cheek. "I'm here"

As Leon buried his face in your shoulder, he realized that your support was the beacon of light in the darkness of his training. After so many months together, your presence gave him the strength to face each day, no matter how tough the challenges became. After what happened in Raccoon City, he finally saw that he had someone by his side. You were the only one who could understand what he was going through.

"You gave it your all, and that's what matters. Don't let Major Krauser's words get to you." You finally said something after minutes in silence.

Leon tried to force a weak smile, but the tears still welled up in his eyes.

"It's just... It's hard. He makes me feel so small, and I don't know how much more of this I can take." Leon vents with you, feeling exhausted after the course.

Your voice was filled with compassion as you offered a reassuring hug. But then, you noticed something different. You already knew Leon had scars, but this was new.

"But what happened to your eye?" You glanced at him, your concern deepening.

Leon hesitated, not wanting to draw more attention to his ordeal.

"I... I must have hit it during one of the obstacles," he mumbled, trying to avoid eye contact.

You gently lifted his chin, forcing him to meet your gaze. When you saw the deep purple bruise forming around his eye, your eyes filled with anger.

"Leon, this isn't from an obstacle. Someone hurt you." You couldn't hide your frustration as you realized the truth.

Tears welled up in Leon's eyes again, but this time, they were tears of relief. He had kept the incident with Major Krauser a secret for too long, and now, someone who cared was finally noticing.

"It was Major Krauser," he admitted in a hushed voice. "He hit me after I couldn't finish the course."

"That asshole, son of a..." you muttered with every ugly word you knew. "We can't let things end like this"

"It's okay, you don't need to pick up a fight for me" Leon smiled again, his eyes still shining with tears. "Soon we'll end this training and then... I won't see him again"

"Are you sure about that, Leon?" You asked him, with visible concern and worry on your voice.

"Yes, I'm sure" he nodded, confident.

Leon was the type of guy with a hero complex. He thought he could fix everything — not noticing that sometimes, there were things beyond fixing. Each day, he returned to the dorm room full of purple marks and exhausted. Each day, you were there for him, like a true friend. You took care of his wounds and showed him support and reassurance.

Most importantly, you were there.

Leon doesn't talk about Raccoon City. Every time he tries, he shuts himself completely and cries. He avoided this topic for months because he felt he wasn't ready to share the rest of it. He wanted, but he couldn't.

You've decided not to ask more things about his life. He needed time to process everything, and the training, although cruel and painful, made him forget for a while.

But the nights were the worst.

He had nightmares, and sometimes, he would wake up screaming. Leon refused to talk about his nightmares, always thinking he shouldn't bother you with such silly things. Little did he know that you cared — a lot.

It was almost two in the morning. Leon awoke with a start, the lingering terror of his dream still clutching at his heart. Beads of cold sweat dotted his forehead as he struggled to discern the line between reality and the haunting images of Raccoon City.

The room was almost filled by a pale moonbeam that sliced through a gap in the curtains, casting eerie shadows across the walls. Breathing heavily, he tried to shake off the horrors that still clung to his mind. He couldn't go back to sleep; the nightmares always returned with a vengeance.

A soft rustle from the bed beside him caught his attention. Leon turned his head to see you, your eyes filled with concern.

"Leon, are you okay?" You spoke in a hushed, soothing tone.

He sighed, his voice trembling. "Just a nightmare, but it felt so real."

You scooted closer, your fingers reaching out to gently stroke his cheek. "Tell me about it. It might help."

Leon hesitated for a moment. But after so many months of silence, he gave up. He took a deep breath, then started to recount the horrors of his dream, the monsters, the chaos, and the relentless pursuit of survival. As he spoke, your presence provided comfort, grounding him in the real world.

When he had finished, you offered a reassuring smile. "You're safe now, Leon. Raccoon City is gone, and we're here together."

He gazed into your eyes, finding solace in the warmth and kindness he saw there. Your hand slid into his, fingers entwining as you two lay side by side.

"Thank you," he whispered, his heart slowing its panicked rhythm.

You leaned in, your lips meeting his in a soft, reassuring kiss in his forehead. As they pulled away, you murmured, "Now, try to get some rest. I'll be right here if you need me."

Leon nodded, closing his eyes, and as the remnants of his nightmare faded, he realized that the presence of you he was starting to like the help he needed to heal.

The training finally ended.

Now, you were officially a government agent, ready to serve.

After six months of pure stress, you finally ended your training. The ceremony was exactly like you imagined. But, for some reason, you weren't that happy. It was like you were missing something — or someone.

You found him after the celebration party. And he was so beautiful.

"Congrats, Agent Kennedy" You smiled at him, shaking his hands.

"Congrats to you too" he blushed a little. "I guess... I never properly thanked you... for everything"

"You don't need to thank me. You needed a friend" you said, your face blushing as well.

"Can I at least take you on a date or something?" Leon asked, and then he avoided your eyes. He was tense.

"Yes" you nodded, feeling your heart skip several beats.

And then, to your surprise, Leon kissed you. Right there, in front of everyone else. He didn't care about Krauser, the bullying, and the punishment he went through. When his lips met yours, he felt he was doing the right thing.

You both knew that you wouldn't see each other soon.

He needed to enjoy that moment. He needed you, at least one time.

You've seen his scars. You were there for him. You were exactly what he needed.

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