Resident Evil Imagines & Preferences

nightmares - leon kennedy

Leon's eyes shoot open the moment his nightmare ends. His breathing comes in sharp, rapid gasps. He immediately shifts his gaze to you, making sure you're okay before scanning the rest room, searching for any signs of danger. Everything looks fine but he can't seem to be able to shake off the nagging anxiety as he leans back. Despite it being six weeks since his return from Spain, the trauma from that whole mission still haunts him every single night.

He once again glances at you, muttering under his breath, "God damn it," feeling guilty for waking you up.

Your eyes flutter open and you look over at your restless boyfriend. "Leon?" you ask, still groggy from just waking up. You're still half asleep, so you're very confused.

Leon's eyes widen slightly as he looks down at you, his expression filled with guilt. "I'm sorry. I didn't mean to wake you up," He apologises, running a hand through his dishevelled hair. "I had that same fucking nightmare again..." he admits.

"The one from before?" you ask softly; this isn't the first time this has happened, it's one of many.

Leon nods while sighing, "Yeah, it's still happening."

Sitting up, you wrap your arms around him, trying to offer him some form of comfort. You don't know what else you can do as there really isn't a lot. "I'm so sorry. I wish you didn't have to go through this," you say, your voice laced with sympathy.

You feel bad for him, knowing the torment he's forced to face every night. You don't know how long this is going to last or if it's going to get worse. Concern for his wellbeing weighs heavily on your mind.

Leon returns the hug, his arms holding you close. "Thank you," he murmurs. "I'm sorry I keep waking you up," he adds after a moment of silence.

"Don't be." You reassure him, "I honestly don't mind it."

Leon gazes at you, his eyes reflecting the guilt he feels for breaking down like this in front of you. The nightmares have been haunting him for six weeks, and he can't go a single night without them.

After a brief silence, you whisper, "Do you want to try going back to sleep?"

Leon's head nods as he looks at you. "Yeah... I just want to lie down and forget about it for a bit," he whispers.

"Then we'll do just that," you reply, offering a soft smile. You both lay back down, this time cuddling, seeking solace in each other's presence.

Leon settles on his back, wrapping an arm around you. Your head rests on his chest, listening to the gentle sound of his heart beating. He stares up at the ceiling above, hoping sleep will finally come to him soon. However, before he can, he has a question he needs to ask you before drifting off.

"Y/N, can we talk again in the morning?" he whispers. "Mhm," you agree, already mostly asleep.

Leon slowly drifts off to sleep - not without some struggle though.

The morning arrives after a few hours, the sun flooding into the room through your thin curtains. Leon slowly wakes up, opening his eyes and looking over at you. However, his mind can't help but drift back to the nightmare he's been having every night.

A couple of minutes later, you begin to stir, sensing a pair of eyes on you. Seeing your eyes finally open, Leon speaks softly, "Morning, princess."

"Morning," you reply with a sleepy smile, stretching out a bit before snuggling closer to Leon. "Did you sleep okay after last night?"

Leon hesitates for a moment before responding, his expression troubled. "Not really," he admits quietly. "The nightmares kept coming back, on and off."

You frown sympathetically. "I'm sorry, Leon. I wish there was something more I could do to help."

"Just having you here with me helps," he murmurs, his voice barely above a whisper. "But I can't shake off this feeling of dread."

You nod understandingly, unsure of what you can do to help. "Oh, that reminds me - you had something you wanted to talk to me about, right?" you ask, remembering the discussion from the previous night.

Leon's face takes on a more troubled expression. "Right. It's about me and my nightmares," he begins. "They make me feel so weak and vulnerable. I feel like a failure every time I wake you up because of it." He sighs, his shoulders slumping. "It's been six weeks, and the images won't leave my head. I just hate feeling so helpless."

You gaze at him for a moment, your expression filled with empathy. "It's not your fault, Leon. That mission you went on - I don't know even half of what happened and it already sounds terrible. So what you're going through doesn't make you a failure, it makes you human. Any normal person would probably react the same way."

Leon's head droops as he absorbs your words. He's always despised the idea of being perceived as weak or inadequate. "I guess you're right, but..." he pauses, pondering for a few seconds. You nod, silently encouraging him to continue.

"I just can't stand the idea of breaking down like that, especially in front of you. I'm supposed to be the tough one," he admitted, his gaze averted. "I hate being so vulnerable in front of people," he adds.

You take a moment before responding, "Who cares if you're supposed to be the tough one? Because I certainly don't. Feelings are completely normal."

Leon's head turns, looking at you. "I know, I know. I just can't get those horrible images out of my head," he whispers. "I feel like nothing I do will ever get rid of them." Leon's face shows a look of sadness as he rubs his eyes with his hands, probably to try to get rid of some of the tiredness. "I'm scared, Y/N... I'm afraid I'm gonna stay like this forever. I'm afraid I won't be able to do my job properly because of it," he says.

You hug him tight, saying, "It's okay, Leon. You'll get through this. I'll be right here with you for every single step."

"I'm so glad you're here," he mumbles. "I'm glad we're together. I love you," he says, his tone filled with genuine affection.

You smile slightly, "I love you more."

Leon's face breaks out into a smile after you whisper those words. "No way," he replies softly. "I love you the most," he adds.

"Well, I love you the most-est," you reply, making up a word on the spot.

"Damn it," he mumbles in a joking tone.