Soooo ok, since it's been established that Leon while on the job would probably need to take some pretty extensive showers and scrubbing afterwards. What's your take on whether he would be into camping? Not that I'm saying that I can see him taking up fishing, but I can just picture him starting the fire and feeding it... especially when it's about to get dark, and he's reflecting back on his life. Maybe roasting some marshmallows. It's neat to see all kinds of people who connect with nature, it seems like he could be kinda outdoorsy- rather than always in crowded places especially after having to deal with literal outbreaks etc in cities and all that. I may or may not have just pictured Leon out in his sweater, just minding his business, sitting on a rock by a stream and he hears a little scrunch on the leaves or twigs, and spots a deer nearby. He just watches, seeing it walk through, almost as if he's not there, since it's a camping ground and they're used to people being around. And then there's this faint smile on his face, seeing innocent life like that, co-existing in this space that is their home... and he gets to feel a small piece of it for a few days, to take it in, when things feel okay. It's alright, and he can breathe. I don't know! just a thought I had...wanted to share. Love your attention to detail and how much love you put into how you write for Leon and RE verse. Maybe you thought about it before too?
I have to be honest…I never gone camping. During elementary, we had a 1 night 2 days class cabin trip with hot water access and electricity. Not my most memorable experience, and I hate bugs (I know they serve an important role in the ecosystem, but I get the creeps)! Unfortunately, I don’t know much about camping 🙃.
But what I think I could talk about is how Raccon City and the experiences after it would’ve changed how Leon prefers to spend his downtime. I love how you envisioned it, I really feel like this is the very type of scene we could see Leon in.
I see Pre-RE2 Leon being someone who seeks out people and their company because he is afraid of being alone.
Pre-RE2, Leon’s preference on how he prefers to spend his leisure time is often situated on the company rather than the activity in a “I just want to be where everyone else is.” way. Relying on the lore that he was an orphan and expanding the interpretation to include that he had spent his time in the system through multiple foster care families, Leon’s childhood experiences had left him with insecurities with feeling belonged and perpetuated his loneliness. The RE2R Leon appears to be friendly and having a “sunny” disposition, this could be the attributed to a young Leon being able to make friends with the other foster children and thus had improved his otherwise grime experience - this is why he values the company of others as things are bearable if he is not alone.
This Leon struggles with the insecurity of “do you want me here?” so he is extremely happy and very much appreciative when he is actually invited to a social gathering. Leon doesn’t come across as someone who inherently is the type to lead, so I do see him as part of a group rather than the leader/focal point of the group. He just likes to be a part of something, and he is always thankful to be included.
This is why we see Leon exhibit selfless tendencies. No matter the risks or inconveniences to his own person, Leon always insists on helping. Leon wants to be helpful to others, because in a way he is trying to prove his worth and the value of keeping him around.
Because of his insecurities, he does come across as awkward when he first arrives or first joins a new environment. However, after some time has passed, Leon will be very sociable when he becomes adjusted and comfortable. He may be shy due to his insecurities, but he does like people and he loves building a rapport with them.
Leon was shown to be a very perceptive individual who is very in tune with his surroundings. This is the evidence of his sensitive nature and how he is able to pick up on even the smallest amount of body language and overall tone of another person. This makes him one of the listeners and enables him to have a very “easy to talk to” appeal about him.
While the trauma collected and sustained from Post-RE2 would make Leon to seek controlled and quiet environments, because he is knows what the world could do and the travesties that happens when people aren’t prepared.
One of the main things that’s affecting how Leon now prefers to spend his leisure time, is the knowledge and firsthand experience of knowing how normal life can disappear without warning.
By now, Leon has experienced multiple encounters of the impossibles and this has let him to replace living with surviving. He no longer lives in the moment, instead he is always scanning and planning in anticipation of what is likely to come next. The systemic specialized training Leon was put in had altered how he functions - he is always assessing for risks, the likely of danger, and what to do when things take a wrong turn. In a way, Leon never gets to rest because he is always on high alert assessing and reassessing his surroundings.
I don’t see Leon opting for urban places unless he really has to. The crowded places has more stimulus for his to keep track of, and this exhausts him. I see him preferring natural landscapes and quaint neighbourhoods. I see him opting to visit places during off-season times such as coastal towns, the countryside, and resorts by the lake.
But Leon still remains faithful to his past self as he still enjoys company. Whereas the past Leon was afraid to be alone, the now Leon is afraid of being alone with his thoughts. This is where I believe Leon would prefer peace, but I don’t see him opting for complete isolation. The past Leon sought out socialization to feel a sense of belonging, the now Leon had long graduated from that because - now - he uses just the right amount of background noise to distract him from the nightmares that bleed into his consciousness. Ultimately, Leon wants to be left alone but he doesn’t want to be alone.
This is why I feel that he would prefer to rest in unpopular tourist destinations with very low foot traffic, such as the mountain resort lodge he was vacationing in at the start of Vendetta. Because of his penchant for drinking, I also see Leon frequent slow pubs where he could have a drink but also blend into the background. In both examples, he can observe ordinary life continuing around him but without having to participate in it.
One additional headcanon I have about Leon is how he likes to live in his memories. Despite all that he’s done and the lives he was able to save down the road, Leon always falls back on his failure in Raccoon City. He holds onto memories more than he holds onto any crumbs of hope for a better future. He lets the past define him and dictate how to live his life. I feel like this tendency also could manifest through how he likes to travel to places that were recommended to him.
Because his past is too painful, he likes to self-insert himself into the would be lives of the people who passed before him. If a fellow agent or someone he became acquainted with speaks of a specific place fondly (as in memory or the desire to visit if they make it back alive), Leon will make sure to visit that place because it is his way of honouring the dead and the memories of the life they lived/could’ve lived.
He also developed a tendency to buy post cards and fridge magnets from the places he had visited as a keepsake. His home would otherwise be empty and devoid of character if he didn’t display these throughout his home. I believe he does like how these random things captures his eyes when he scans and assesses the safety of his own home. Seeing the postcard or fridge magnets will remind him that he still has his personal life outside of being a government operative…and that he was still able to live fragments of his life as a normal person.
