HEADCANON:   004   //   HIS  MOTHER’S  NECKLACE.

(   also  big  thanks  to  @leagueremade  for  letting  me  talk  to  her  about  this  and  putting  up  with  me  being  high  and  emotional  about  this   )

his  mother  was  JEWISH ,    and  proud  of  it.   she  didn’t  embrace  lots  of  things  after  lewis  came  back  from  prison ,    out  of  fear  that  he’d  taint  and  ruin  what  she  enjoyed.   she  kept  to  herself ,    didn’t  show  INTEREST  in  anything ,    but  her  religion?   she’d  NEVER  let  lewis  have  the  advantage  to  ruin  that.   she  taught  leonard  everything  she  knew ,    she  told  leonard  to  embrace  everything  that  they  were ,    that  they  had  to  be  PROUD  of  who  they  were.   she  had  a  mezuzah ,    like  many ,    that  leonard  thought  beautiful.

when  lewis  KILLED  HER  in  a  drunken  state ,    he  intended  to  throw  out  everything  that  reminded  him  of  her  the  next  day   (   because  it  was  painful ,    believe  it  or  not   )   –   clothes ,    photos ,    anything  that  smelled  of  her.   EVEN  HER  MEZUZAH.   it  was  the  first  time  leonard  ever  raised  his  voice  back  at  lewis.   he  didn’t  want  that  to  be  thrown  away ,    he  didn’t  want  her  religion   /   race  to  be  thrown  into  the  garbage  because  of  lewis’  mistake.   he  ended  up  with  two  broken  ribs ,    a  searing  cheek  and  a  black  eye  for  raising  his  voice.

he  went  through  the  trash  to  find  it  and  kept  it  as  a  necklace.

years  rolled  around ,    leonard  got  himself  into  juvie.   one  of  the  other  kids  DIDN’T  like  jewish  people   (   for  whatever  reason   ) ,    and  he  caught  glimpse  of  the  necklace  hanging  around  leonard’s  neck.   the  kid  snatched  it ,    pulling  it  CLEAN  off  leonard’s  neck  and  in  retaliation:   leonard  punched  him.   he  ended  up  on  the  floor:   broken  nose   /   bruised eye   /   hurting  ribs.   the  kid  pulled  out  a  knife ,    intending  to  FINISH  but  someone  came  to  his  rescue.

he  woke  up  a  couple  of  hours  later  with  something  in  his  hand   –   the  mezuzah.   mick ,    the  person  who  saved  him ,    found  out  the  situation  and  returned  the  necklace  back  to  him.   he  COULDN’T  have  been  more  thankful ,    because  honestly:   he  was  PREPARED  to  die  for  that  necklace  as  it  wasn’t  just  any  ordinary  necklace  to  him   …   it  was  hers.   his  only  memory  and  surviving  thing  that  carries  his  mother.

(   leonard  holds  onto  it  when  anxiety  gets  the  better  of  him  or  whenever  he’s  in  a  DARK  MOMENT  of  his  life.   takes  a  deep  breath   /   closes  his  eyes   /   being  reminded  of  his  mother.   it’s  what  helped  keep  him  calm.   )

i. — ❛ certified dc trash. ⁽ out of character. ⁾ii. — ❛ goddamn right : you should be scared of me. ⁽ headcanon. ⁾long post.long post cw.long post /injury cw.death mention cw.antisemitism cw.ask to tag.me: i just want leonard to be happy. leonard: u sure abt thatno but i had the mezuzah necklace on my mind for like a week nowand then i got the idea of len almost dying in juvie over itas for the hc that he's jewish -- that sailed forever ago honestlyhe's jewish on my blog bYEhe takes so much care of that necklace thoughthe only time he's ever taken it off is right before he goes on mission with the legendsbecause he doesn't want it to get lost or have it stolenso it hangs up in his room and gideon makes sure to take care of italso i put it under a read more because it got Pretty Longdc / cw: he doesn't wear necklaces me: HE DOES NOW