Chapter Text
BONUS SCENE 1: Grocery
Leon S. Kennedy, once the man who stared down bioterror nightmares, was now locked in his fiercest battle yet: keeping a three-year-old from dismantling the produce aisle while cradling a baby carrier in his other arm.
Claude sat in the cart, tiny legs kicking as he pointed enthusiastically at the mountain of apples. “Daddy! That one! No, that one! Noooo, that one!”
Leon sighed, juggling Leonore’s carrier with one hand while trying to corral Claude’s grabby fingers. “Buddy, they all look exactly the same.”
Claude gasped, scandalized. “No, Daddy! This one is shinier. Mommy likes shiny!”
A woman passing by chuckled, whispering to her husband, “He looks more panicked than the new dads.”
Leon pretended not to hear, grabbing three apples at random and plopping them into the bag. Claude folded his arms dramatically. “Those aren’t shiny enough. Mommy’s gonna be mad.”
Leon crouched in front of him, trying not to laugh. “Mommy’s gonna be tired after her trip, and she’s not gonna care if the apples sparkle, alright? What matters is that we make her casserole. Deal?”
Claude’s eyes lit up. “Casserole!”
Leonore cooed from her carrier, waving a fist as if in agreement.
Leon shook his head with a grin. “Great. Two against one. Democracy in this house is a scam.”
By the time Claire came home from her week-long TerraSave mission, the house smelled like baked pasta and melted cheese. Leon stood in the kitchen with flour on his shirt, Claude perched on a stool “helping,” and Leonore babbling happily in her high chair.
Claire dropped her bag by the door, eyes softening at the sight of them. “You guys didn’t burn the place down?”
Claude puffed his chest out. “Daddy made casserole! I stirred!”
Leon looked over his shoulder, smirking. “And I stopped him from dumping the whole salt shaker in. Team effort.”
Claire crossed the kitchen, kissed Leon, then leaned down to kiss Claude’s messy hair. “I missed you both so much.” She picked up Leonore, who squealed with delight, tugging on her mom’s necklace. “All three of you.”
Leon handed her a plate, his eyes lingering on her with quiet affection. “Figured you’d want something warm waiting for you. And before you ask — yes, the apples were shiny enough.”
Claire narrowed her eyes suspiciously at Claude, who grinned and blurted, “Daddy picked the wrong ones first!”
Leon groaned. “Kid, you’re supposed to have my back.”
The kitchen filled with laughter, the kind of ordinary noise Leon never thought he’d get to live inside.
For years, the battlefield had been his life. Now it was the grocery store, the casserole dish, the sound of Claire’s tired but happy sigh as she settled into his arms.
And Leon wouldn’t have traded it for anything.
BONUS SCENE 2: Bedtime
The house was finally quieting down. Toys scattered across the living room floor, dishes soaking in the sink, casserole leftovers cooling on the counter — the small chaos of family life that Leon had learned to love.
Upstairs, he nudged open Claude’s door with his shoulder, carrying Leonore against his chest. Claude was already under the covers, clutching his stuffed dog in one arm, his blue eyes wide as he watched his dad.
“Alright, soldier,” Leon said, lowering Leonore into her crib across the room. “Lights out.”
Claude pouted. “But Daddy, tell me a story.”
Leon raised a brow. “Didn’t Mommy already tell you one?”
Claude grinned mischievously. “Yeah. But yours are funnier.”
Leon sighed dramatically, sitting on the edge of the bed. “You just like it when I mess them up.”
“You always mess them up,” Claude giggled.
From the doorway, Claire leaned against the frame, arms crossed but smiling as she watched her boys.
“Alright,” Leon said, lowering his voice conspiratorially. “Once upon a time, there was a knight. Brave, strong, but a little bit dumb—”
Claude burst out laughing. “Daddy, he can’t be dumb!”
“Oh, he was,” Leon said solemnly. “He always charged into danger, never thought about himself. But one day, he met a queen. Smarter than him. Way tougher. And she told him, ‘If you keep fighting monsters, you’ll miss the real battle.’”
Claude blinked. “What’s the real battle?”
Leon glanced at Claire, who raised a brow at him. His chest tightened.
“This,” Leon said softly, brushing his son’s hair back. “Taking care of your family. Being here. Not running away.”
Claude’s eyes fluttered, heavy with sleep. “Did the knight win?”
Leon smiled faintly. “Yeah, buddy. He did. Because the queen stayed by his side.”
By the time Claude’s breathing evened out, Leonore was already dozing in her crib. Leon stood, pulling the blanket up to Claude’s chin, then turned to see Claire watching him with that look — the one that made him feel seen, forgiven, and loved all at once.
“You’re better at this than you think,” she whispered.
Leon exhaled, a shaky smile tugging at his lips. “I’m making it up as I go, Claire.”
She stepped into his arms, her forehead resting against his chest. “That’s the job description.”
Downstairs, the house waited — bills, chores, tomorrow’s mess. But in that room, with his family safe and close, Leon finally believed he was exactly where he was supposed to be.
BONUS SCENE 3: School
The Kennedy household was a storm of movement from the moment the alarm went off. Claire, already in her blazer, was skimming through her meeting notes at the kitchen counter while sipping coffee.
“Claude, shoes!” she called. “Presentation day. Socks don’t count.”
Claude, sprawled on the couch with his backpack half-zipped, groaned dramatically. “But socks are faster!”
From the hallway, Leon appeared, tie askew, hair still damp. He had Claude’s science project instructions in one hand and a tube of glue in the other. “Where’s the volcano poster? Someone please tell me it’s not still in the garage—”
“It’s in the car,” Claire cut in smoothly without looking up. “Because I planned ahead.”
Leon blinked at her, looking like she’d just saved the country again. “Marry me.”
“Already did,” she said dryly, flipping a page.
Across the room, Leonore stood on a stool in front of the mirror, furiously brushing her hair. “Daddy! Fix my braid like Mommy’s. Not like last time when it was all lumpy.”
Leon glanced over, panicked. “Sweetheart, I don’t know how to do the twisty…thing.”
Leonore put her hands on her hips, five years old going on fifteen. “Then learn. Mommy doesn’t have time.”
Claire smothered a laugh behind her mug as Leon trudged over, muttering under his breath about bioterrorists being easier than French braids. Leonore caught his reflection and added sweetly, “Oh, and Daddy? Claude didn’t brush his teeth.”
Claude shot upright, scandalized. “Did too!”
“Did not!” Leonore sing-songed, grinning.
Claire finally stepped in, sweeping Leonore’s hair into a quick, perfect braid with practiced ease before kissing the girl’s cheek. “Done. And you —” she turned to Claude — “go brush again. Just in case.”
Claude stomped off toward the bathroom, muttering, “Traitor,” at his little sister.
Leon crouched to Leonore’s level, fixing her collar. “You know you’re scary when you’re bossy, right?”
Leonore grinned, all dimples. “Just like Mommy.”
Claire raised a brow, but her lips curved. “Smart girl.”
When Claude came back, still grumbling, Leon fussed with his son’s backpack straps like he was prepping him for a mission. “Alright, buddy. Remember: loud voice, eye contact, no fidgeting.”
“Dad,” Claude groaned. “It’s just third grade, not the FBI.”
Leon looked wounded. “Still counts.”
Claire tucked her notes into her bag and kissed both kids before heading for the door. “I’ll see you after school. Claude, knock ’em dead. Leonore, be nice to your teachers. Leon—” she gave him a pointed look “—breathe.”
“I’m breathing!” Leon called back, already grabbing car keys. Then to Claude: “C’mon, soldier, let’s roll out.”
Leonore skipped after them, lunchbox swinging. “I’m a soldier too!”
“Of course you are,” Leon said, ruffling her hair. “You’re the general.”
As they piled into the car, Leon realized his heart was pounding harder than it ever had in the field. Third-grade presentations, kindergarten drop-offs, Claire’s TerraSave deadlines — this was the battlefield now. And for once, it was one he wanted to fight in forever.
BONUS SCENE 4: Fight
The living room looked like a war zone. Crayons scattered everywhere, Claude’s science book abandoned on the couch, and Leonore standing in the middle of it all with her arms crossed, chin jutted out defiantly.
Claude glared at her, clutching a half-finished Lego spaceship like it was priceless cargo. “You ruined it!”
“I did not!” Leonore shot back, hands on her hips. “It looked ugly already!”
Claude gasped as if she’d just cursed the family name. “Take it back!”
“No!”
“Yes!”
Leon sighed, rubbing his temples, sitting between them on the carpet. “Okay, okay, timeout, troops. Nobody’s ruined, nobody’s ugly—”
“Her braid’s ugly!” Claude blurted.
“Hey!” Leonore screeched, stomping her foot. “Daddy, he’s mean!”
Leon held up his hands. “Alright, rule number one: no insulting hair, braids, or…uh…spaceships. Rule number two—”
But Claude and Leonore were already shouting over him, their argument escalating into who got the last cookie yesterday and who touched whose coloring book without permission.
Leon looked helplessly toward the kitchen, where Claire leaned against the counter, sipping her tea, eyes dancing with amusement.
“Don’t you dare laugh,” he said, jabbing a finger in her direction.
Claire smirked. “I’m not laughing. I’m…observing. Expert field study.”
Leon groaned. “Claire, help me out here.”
“Oh no,” she said sweetly. “You wanted to be the referee. I’m just here to watch the master at work.”
“Master?” Leon muttered, watching his kids now tug-of-warring over the Lego spaceship. “I’m getting outmaneuvered by a five-year-old and a third grader.”
Leonore shrieked as Claude pulled harder. “Daddy, he’s stealing it!”
“It’s mine!” Claude snapped.
Leon dove in, separating them with the precision of someone defusing a bomb. “Okay, okay—Claude, you get the spaceship. Leonore, you get—” he looked around wildly, grabbed a stuffed bunny off the couch “—this highly valuable…uh…commander bunny.”
Leonore blinked at him, unimpressed. “That’s not fair.”
Claude snorted. “She’s jealous ’cause mine’s cooler.”
Leonore puffed up, ready to explode again, but Leon quickly shoved the bunny into her arms. “It’s not just a bunny. It’s…Bunny Prime. Leader of all Legos. Very important position.”
Leonore’s eyes lit up immediately. “Really?”
Leon nodded solemnly. “Really. Bunny Prime outranks the spaceship.”
Claude’s jaw dropped. “Wait, what? No way!”
“Yep,” Leon said firmly, leaning back with a sigh of victory. “Rules of the house. Ask your mom.”
Claire chuckled, setting her tea down. “He’s right. Bunny Prime always outranks the spaceship.”
Claude groaned, throwing his head back. “That’s not fairrrr!”
Leonore grinned triumphantly, hugging Bunny Prime. “I win!”
Leon shot Claire a look as the kids quieted down. “See? Crisis averted. You doubted me.”
Claire crossed the room, kissing his cheek. “You’re ridiculous.”
“Ridiculously effective,” he corrected, but his smugness faltered when Claude piped up again:
“Daddy? Can we make Bunny Prime a spaceship too?”
Leon’s face fell. “Oh no. Not another one…”
Claire laughed outright this time, shaking her head. “Good luck, referee.”
BONUS SCENE 5: Bully
The house was suspiciously quiet. Too quiet.
Leon narrowed his eyes as he carried a laundry basket down the hallway. “Claude? Leonore?”
No answer. Just muffled whispers behind the bedroom door.
He pushed it open slowly—
WHUMP!
A pillow smacked him right in the face.
“ATTACK!” Claude roared, launching himself off the bed with another pillow. Leon stumbled back, barely managing to dodge as Leonore leapt from behind the dresser, wielding a pink unicorn pillow like a weapon of mass destruction.
Leon dropped the laundry basket, arms flying up to shield himself. “Hey! Whoa! I’m unarmed!”
“No mercy!” Leonore shrieked, giggling as she whacked his leg.
Claude landed another hit square on his chest. “You’ll never defeat us!”
Leon staggered dramatically, clutching his heart. “Betrayed by my own troops…this is mutiny!”
The kids roared with laughter, pummeling him mercilessly. He tried grabbing a pillow to fight back, but they were too fast, too relentless, too united. Leon stumbled onto the bed, buried under fluff and laughter.
From the doorway, Claire leaned casually against the frame, arms crossed, watching the chaos with that infuriating smirk.
“Claire!” Leon sputtered, flailing under a pile of kids and pillows. “Little backup here?”
She sipped from her tea like she hadn’t been standing there the whole time. “Nope. Looks like you’ve got it handled.”
Leonore squealed as she jumped on his back. “We win! We win!”
Claude crowed triumphantly. “Daddy’s defeated!”
Leon collapsed dramatically onto the bed, groaning. “You…monsters…”
The kids laughed until they were breathless, finally collapsing on either side of him. Within minutes, the giggles faded into yawns, then quiet breathing as both drifted off, snuggled against him with pillows scattered everywhere.
Claire finally crossed the room, kneeling beside the bed. She brushed a lock of hair off Leon’s forehead, eyes soft.
“You’re pretty good at this whole dad thing,” she whispered.
Leon cracked one eye open, still playing dead. “You let me get slaughtered.”
She kissed him softly. “And you survived.”
He smirked, arm sliding around her waist. “Worth it for the reward.”
She rolled her eyes, but her smile gave her away. “Go on, hero. Rest while you can. They’ll ambush you again tomorrow.”
Leon pulled her closer, murmuring against her hair. “Bring it on. I’ve fought worse.”
This time, Claire didn’t doubt him.