Love the tragedy of what could have been, of innocence being lost in the machinery of cruel, indifferent systems, and how the trauma of that loss manifests to perpetuate further tragedy.
Also I love the black and purple color scheme 🖤💜
General Lesbella headcanons
Some general Isabella headcanons with a dash of Lesbella
Thoughts on when I think Leslie was shipped out (January 2026)
Thoughts on some AUs where both Leslie and Isabella survive
Finally, shoutout to these fanarts:
☆ This piece by @officersnickers
☆ These scribbles by @whalepowder
☆ "夢" by @qiuchi923
in a au were leslie is alive and meets isabella again, how do u think it would be his relationship with ray and the other kids?
I think it depends on when he meets up with them/how canon divergent you want to get? At least when it comes to Ray and Norman.
With the brief glimpses we get of his kind, reserved, and underlying passionate nature in the series proper and the self-esteem issues delved into more in the second light novel, I like to think that translates into him being a kind and nurturing adult to the children across multiple scenarios, especially to the Grace Field kids who see him in a fatherly context because of his relationship with Isabella, and especially to Nat with how much overlap there is between them as musicians and general character design.
(S1 Episode 12 - Leslie playing the mandolin | S2 Episode 3 - Nat playing the piano)
I could also see this extending to Yvette given her proximity and overlap with Nat as an artist.
Love the thought of him being an encouraging mentor to both of them on this front.
I also like the idea of him being close with Don given the aforementioned self-esteem issues.
(TPN Light Novel 2: Moms’ Song of Remembrance - “The Starry Sky and Leslie’s List”)
(Chapter 18)
By the time they'd meet Don would be a lot more confident, but every now and then when doubts creep in, he could be a reassuring presence.
My experience with Leslie Lives AUs usually has things remain fairly canon compliant up until the end where Isabella survives being skewered and they all meet up in the human world. The key factor here is that all of the kids are made aware of who Leslie is to Isabella right away because she's there to give context. While it's not the first time they've seen their mother shocked after their return to Grace Field, to see her so stunned and in tears at the sight of the boy she loved so long ago, alive and grown into a man, is still monumental. The younger kids would take to him easily to him because of this and because of how kind and careful he is with them. The older ones from Grace Field and Goldy Pond may be a bit more guarded but eventually take to him too because they can tell he means well, even if he's awkward about it.
Ayshe isn't overly fond of him, but to be fair, she's not fond of many humans at this point, save for Gilda, Don, some of the younger children, and maybe having some connection with Ray after their conversation about parents.
(Chapter 169 Deleted Scene)
But as far as human adults go, she can appreciate his kindness and patience, and how he doesn't push her to interact beyond her comfort level.
He doesn't push Ray and Norman to interact with him, either, but out of all the children I think they'd have the most baggage in doing so, for reasons entirely outside of his control.
I've talked about my preferences for how Ray's relationship with Isabella is handled in AUs where she survives and makes it to the human world in this post:
I'm open to a variety of outcomes from authors as long as Ray's allowed to ride out the turbulent storm of emotions he has over this rather than glancing over them for some schmaltzy sitcom scenario where he forgives her at the drop of a hat and is acting chummy with her (outside of short-form lighthearted comics).
[…]
Up until the day of their reunion, he didn't hesitate to call her a monster after nearly two years of thinking she was dead because of the note he wrote as bait to get her in trouble with headquarters, a wry smile playing on his lips at the thought of her being considered a "good parent."
[…]
Yet despite what he said about holding no grudges in the immediate aftermath of Peter's suicide, he can't just let go of years of hypervigilance, of being constantly on edge to not show a hint of vulnerability lest it foil his meticulous, multiyear plan, and knowing what he represented to her after he shattered the blissful delusion she'd fallen into at Grace Field for five years. That fear and feeling of being small in her presence was etched into his memory, carved into his bones.
Now that he finally has a say in how their relationship should progress instead of being at her mercy, can rage at her until he's out of breath and be just as petty as she'd been, make her work and beg for his forgiveness to try to amend every cruelty she inflicted upon him, there's just…an emptiness he keeps coming back to. No matter what they did, he would never have an untainted childhood with her, and now that she's back in his life he's left to grieve that again.
I imagine he'd circle through that numbness, grief, anger, frustration, and envy (as stupid and pathetic as that last one in particular makes him feel, seeing his siblings being able to interact with her so easily, her carrying no extra baggage with them, the kind of relationship he was ashamed he ached for when he was at Grace Field) for some time as Isabella recovers and integrates back into their family, and if their biological connection hasn't been revealed already through some external force this is probably where he reaches out to someone (defaulting to Emma, Norman, Don, and/or Gilda) to talk about it, though whomever he speaks with they make it clear he's not obligated to forgive or interact with her.
[…]
Eventually they do start speaking to each other regarding topics that are easier to broach, like the other children, gardening, cooking (I don't know if she started cooking once she became Grandma or if it would something entirely new to her in the human world since the farm system purposely stratified labor as another measure to prevent the sisters from revolting), before tackling their deeper rooted issues or discussing matters like the origins of the lullaby.
While not being openly hostile to Leslie, the association he has with Isabella leads Ray to be more distant with him. There's just a lot of grief in being reminded his mother was a young girl at one point who had everything taken away from her, including the boy she loved who, in a kinder world, she would have built a family with. A tragedy that speaks to his humanity wrestled against the cruelty Isabella inflicted on him for years specifically because of his biological connection to her. It's not fair to Leslie, but those feelings are there, and feelings don't always follow logic.
And then the lullaby…there's multiple ways that conversation about its origins can be initiated and reach the point where all three parties are aware of what it means to each of them, but as someone who thinks Ray would be more private about it and have conflicting feelings over it, I think it would be one tinged in sadness.
Leslie wanted as many people as possible to hear the music he composed, but knowing a melody he created ended up bringing someone so much grief, I think it'd be a lot to take in with his proximity to it, especially if he never shared it with anyone else.
Norman also wouldn't be openly hostile with Leslie, but his track record with adults is abysmal, the only one that never acted as an antagonistic force toward him in the demon world being Smee, so that coupled with his unresolved grief and anger over the multiple betrayals he went through at the hands of his mother would put distance between them as well.
(S2 Episode 8)
This was the last interaction he ever had with her, after his nervous system is absolutely fried because up until ten minutes ago he fully believed he was going to die, one final hug wishing him happiness in his new cage. That stays with him, and similar to how up until the day of their reunion Ray considered Isabella a monster, I don't think Norman fully forgave her either, even if both of them cried at her death in canon because they would never have the chance to reconcile on their terms, but with her alive the possibility isn't off the table after some time.
This distance would also be adopted by the Lambda children who have a similar history with adults, though I could also see Adam, Cislo, Hayato, or Zazie being among the first to bridge the gap since they don't have extra familial baggage tied up in the interaction.
If Leslie meet the kids earlier, though, like in the discarded throughline where the paradise hideout was going to be populated with Minerva demon supporters
(Mystic Code Book Chapter 4)
I think Norman could be a lot more receptive to him not only as a general ally who also came from Grace Field, but because he's introduced without his connection to Isabella, even if it's revealed that he knew and cared for her at a later point.
Ray, however, would mentally put some distance between them once that became apparent, though they could have a conversation about the lullaby tinged with less anger if one day he happened to catch Leslie humming it, so taken aback his curiosity outweighs his more reticent inclinations to ask how he knows that song.
(Mystic Code Book Chapter 6 Q&A)
Leslie would already be dealing with the grief of knowing what Isabella went through at headquarters, what she became, but being confronted with her biological child…it would hurt, through the fault of neither party present.
But the younger children would have plenty of happy memories of Isabella they'd share, too. Even knowing what she did to them and their siblings, there's more separation between the Mom they came to know only in a few short months and the Mom they knew for years, and that fondness would still creep into their recollections of her.
Combined with speaking with Emma, a mirror of Isabella in so many ways, down to how she initially reacted to the presented paths before her under the farm system
(Chapter 31 | TPN Light Novel 2: Moms’ Song of Remembrance - “The Starry Sky and Leslie’s List”)
Who could reflect on everything that happened and accept her mother in her totality (not excuse the harm she caused, but accept as a thoroughly flawed human capable of profound love and cruelty), gives Leslie a lot to mull over before they reunite.
Also shoutout to @officersnickers take on this where Leslie is swapped in for Alex and is the one who finds and cares for Emma in the human world before the kids find them (here, here, here, and here, among others).
Not really in canon other than this one I talked about here for Isabella resolving to read all the books in a Grace Field library, either before being sent to headquarters or when she becomes a mom, partially because it's something Leslie wanted to do.
(TPN Light Novel 2: Moms’ Song of Remembrance - “The Starry Sky and Leslie’s List” Chapter 2)
There's also a tree Isabella carved a heart and their initials into sometime after he's shipped out. It's up a few branches, and she liked to climb up and visit it during free time, thinking about what he was up to in the outside world. She never goes up there again after she finds out the truth about the house.
☆ In modern AUs or AUs where they both live, I like to imagine them gardening together based on the aesthetics and vibes of imagery like this:
(S1 Episode 12 | Chapter 47)
☆ Along with them going on picnic dates. Idyllic summer days with them on a hill overlooking the wilderness or the bustling of a town, a warm breeze catching a stray strand of Isabella's hair that she tucks behind her ear as Leslie serenades her and the wildlife around them with the softest melodies.
☆ I also imagine Isabella with a more stressful job, like the head of a charity or lawyer or the like. Hearing Leslie play helps lift her spirits on more stressful days, along with him braiding her hair.
☆ She was lowkey kind of dying about waiting for him to ask her out, but between his nervousness and how he plans things out she knew it was important to him to be the one to do it. Even though she startles him a bit with how rapidly she accepts and he ends up embarrassed about how long it took (she teases him over this multiple times), it's all still very sweet and she's glad she waited.
1) Yes, I have multiple ships I'm very fond of/passionate about, and at least…*
2) Yes, I have multiple ships I'm very fond of/passionate about, and none of…**
3) Yes, I have one popular fandom ship I'm very fond of and a few…***
4) Yes, I have one uncommon/rare ship I'm very fond of and a few…****
5) Yes, one single popular fandom ship and nothing else
6) Yes, one single uncommon/rare ship and nothing else
7) Yes, but pretty casually/more as an afterthought
8) Yes, but pretty casually/more as an afterthought, and none of…*****
9) No; I can see why people ship some characters romantically, but…******
10) No; I interpret all character interactions in TPN as platonic
11) No; I don't consider myself a shipper for any other media either
Voting ended onJul 8, 2024
1.) *Yes, I have multiple ships I'm very fond of/passionate about, and at least one of them is one of the nine listed popular fandom ships
2.) **Yes, I have multiple ships I'm very fond of/passionate about, and none of them are one of the nine listed popular fandom ships
3.) ***Yes, I have one popular fandom ship I'm very fond of and a few I more casually ship
4.) ****Yes, I have one uncommon/rare ship I'm very fond of and a few I more casually ship
8.) *****Yes, but pretty casually/more as an afterthought, and none of the ones I ship casually are among the more popular fandom ships
9) ******No; I can see why people ship some characters romantically, but there are no ships that are appealing to me in this series
For the purposes of this poll, these are considered popular fandom ships:
