Zaunite reader x Savanaclaw
Request by anonymous: Maybe how about a headcanons with Yuu who is born and raised in Zaun? Most importantly how would cast reacts to Zaun's environment once Yuu trusts them enough to tell about it? (Or maybe cast would see for themselves somehow?)
Synopsis: You have always kept your past a secret, but as their relationships deepen, the truth about Zaun slowly unravels. A city of smog, struggle, and survival far from the world of NRC. How will their lover react to the harsh reality Yuu once called home? And more importantly, can they bring comfort to the one who endured it all?
Warnings: ⚠Mentions of poverty, crime, substance abuse (shimmer), survival struggles, and environmental pollution. The setting of Zaun includes themes of danger, societal disparity, and rough living conditions. Reader's past involves hardships, but the story focuses on comfort, understanding, and romance.⚠
Heartslabyul,Savanaclaw,Octavinelle,Scarabia, Pomifiore,Ignihyde,Diasominia
Since you didn't specify her past,I'm just gonna assume that she's an orphan like 99% of the Zaunite cast.
Leona had always found it amusing how quickly you could mask your true feelings.
You weren’t one to wear your heart on your sleeve, which made you an enigma to him. Most people were easy to read,easy to predict. But you? You didn’t let much slip. And that intrigued him.
But that didn't stop him from noticing the little things. The way you always kept your distance in a crowd, how your gaze would sharpen when someone raised their voice, the subtle way you would position yourself to avoid being caught off guard.
It wasn't until he started pushing you a little more, testing the waters of your walls, that you finally let him in.
The toxic air that hung over the city, the constant hum of machinery, the sickly glow of the neon lights that painted everything in unnatural hues. You spoke of the gang-riddled streets, the people who fought for scraps, the ones who never made it out. You told him of the grim reality of life in Zaun,how you had learned early to survive or perish.
Leona didn't say anything at first. He just listened. And that, more than anything, was what made you feel safe enough to speak your truth.
When you finished, you were waiting for his usual teasing, for his carefree remarks. But instead, you found him silent, his golden eyes flickering in the dim light as he processed your words.
"That's a hell of a way to grow up," he muttered. His voice was low, deeper than usual. "Doesn't sound like much of a life."
You shrugged, trying to brush it off. "You get used to it."
"Yeah, well, that's the problem," he said, his voice rough. "No one should have to get used to something like that."
He didn’t press further. But you could tell that what you said had struck a chord with him. And for some reason, that made you feel lighter, like something had finally clicked between the two of you.
A few days later, Leona found himself standing on the streets of Zaun with you.
It wasn’t planned. In fact, he’d been dragged along more out of curiosity than anything else. But now that he was here, the place felt as oppressive as you’d described. The air was thick, heavy with the scent of smog and metal, the ground slick with rainwater that never quite seemed to wash the grime away.
The neon lights flickered above, casting an eerie glow on the streets that only seemed to highlight the decay around them. The people here moved with a kind of hardened grace, their faces masks of indifference as they passed by, too focused on survival to even acknowledge his presence.
Leona felt uncomfortable.
It wasn’t because of the people,they didn’t bother him. It was the sense of danger that hung in the air, the weight of the world pressing down on him in a way he hadn’t felt in a long time. He wasn’t used to feeling so… out of place.
But when he looked at you, moving through this chaos with a calm ease, it all made sense. This was your world.
He followed you, watching the way you maneuvered around the people in the streets, never rushing but always aware, always alert. You were a force in this environment, and it was something he couldn’t help but admire.
“You’re quiet,” you remarked after a while, glancing back at him.
Leona grunted. “It’s a little too... lively for my tastes.”
You smirked. “It’s not the place, it’s the people.”
“Yeah,” he muttered, his eyes scanning the surroundings. “They’ve got a way of looking at you like you’re already dead inside.”
You shrugged, though there was a shadow in your eyes. “Yeah. It’s hard to survive here if you let that stuff get to you.”
Leona’s gaze softened as he watched you.
You weren’t just surviving here. You were thriving. You moved through this city like it was a second skin, like the dangers it held had been there long enough to become a part of you.
Leona didn’t know what it was about you that made him feel both protective and deeply impressed. You weren’t the type to ask for help, never the type to lean on anyone, and yet here you were, carrying the weight of this city with grace.
"Hey," he said, stepping closer to you. "You ever think about leaving this place?"
You tilted your head, considering the question. "I don’t know. It’s home. It’s what I know."
“Yeah, but you deserve more than this,” he muttered, his words barely louder than a growl.
You stopped walking, turning to look at him. "I don’t need more. I’ve gotten by just fine with what I have."
Leona stared at you for a long moment, his golden eyes searching yours. Then, slowly, he reached out, tucking a strand of hair behind your ear.
“Maybe. But I want you to have more. More than this.” His voice was softer now, almost a whisper. “You deserve a life where you don’t have to fight every single damn day just to stay alive.”
Your heart skipped a beat at the sincerity in his voice.
For the first time since you had arrived, you felt a wave of something warm rush over you. You didn’t know how to explain it, but with Leona by your side, Zaun didn’t feel quite as dark.
“Leona…” you began, but your voice faltered.
He gave you a small, rare smile, stepping even closer. "I know you don’t need me. But I’ll always be here, no matter what."
And just like that, the walls you had so carefully built up seemed to crumble.
You were still in Zaun, still surrounded by the familiar chaos, but now, with Leona by your side, you knew you didn’t have to face it alone.
Leona’s hand found yours, his grip tight and reassuring.
“You don’t have to do everything on your own, you know,” he said softly. “Not with me around.”
And for the first time in a long while, you felt like you had a future.
One where you didn’t have to survive, but where you could truly live.
Jack had always admired your resilience.
You were strong, stubborn, and independent,qualities he could respect. From the moment he met you, he could tell you were different. There was something about the way you carried yourself, the way your eyes always seemed sharp and calculating, as if you were used to expecting the worst.
But it wasn’t until you finally trusted him enough to talk about your past that he truly understood why.
Zaun wasn’t just rough. It was brutal.
You told him about the constant struggle to survive, the polluted air that poisoned the lungs of those who couldn't afford to escape it, the crime-infested streets where trust was a rare commodity. You spoke of the shimmer addicts, the gang wars, the people who disappeared without a trace.
Jack was quiet for a long time after you told him. He didn’t pity you,he knew you wouldn’t want that. But he did feel a deep, simmering frustration.
How could anyone be forced to grow up in a place like that?
“You never should’ve had to live like that,” he finally said, his voice firm. “It’s not fair.”
You gave him a small, almost bitter smile. “Life isn’t fair, Jack. You just learn to deal with it.”
His ears twitched in irritation, but he didn’t argue. He knew better than anyone that words alone wouldn’t change reality.
But that didn’t mean he had to like it.
Then, one day, Jack found himself standing in Zaun.
You hadn’t planned to bring him here, but circumstances had led to it. Maybe it was fate, or maybe it was just bad luck. Either way, he was seeing your world with his own eyes, and he hated every second of it.
Everything about the city put him on edge. The air was thick with pollution, making his sharp nose twitch in discomfort. The streets were damp, slick with filth, and the people moved with a hardened wariness that reminded him of scavengers.
It wasn’t just dirty. It was hostile.
Every corner smelled of danger. He caught the scent of blood, chemicals, and something sickly sweet that made his hackles rise. His instincts screamed at him to be alert, to stay close to you.
You looked completely at ease.
Jack watched as you navigated the streets with the confidence of someone who had done this a million times. You knew when to speed up, when to slow down, when to avoid certain alleys. You carried yourself with the sharp awareness of a survivor.
And that made his chest ache.
You shouldn’t have to be like this. You shouldn’t have to carry yourself like prey avoiding predators.
He clenched his fists, his tail stiff behind him as his golden eyes flicked around. He didn’t trust anyone here. Every stranger that walked too close, every shadow that moved suspiciously,it all put him on high alert.
Then, you stopped walking and turned to look at him.
“You don’t have to be so tense,” you said, amused. “I told you, I know my way around.”
Jack frowned. “Yeah, well, I don’t like it.”
You raised an eyebrow. “What part?”
“All of it,” he admitted, his ears flattening slightly. “This place… it’s dangerous. It’s not right that you had to grow up here.”
You sighed, crossing your arms. “It is what it is, Jack. I survived. That’s what matters.”
His eyes softened, but his expression remained firm. “You shouldn’t have had to ‘just survive.’ You deserve better than that.”
Something in his tone made your chest tighten.
Jack wasn’t saying this because he pitied you. He was saying it because he cared. Because he wanted you to have something more, something safer, something better.
You looked down at your hands, feeling a warmth spread through you that had nothing to do with the neon lights around you.
“…You really think so?” you asked quietly.
Jack let out a small huff, stepping closer. “Of course I do.” His voice was gentler now. “You’re strong, Y/N. You’ve been through a lot, but that doesn’t mean you have to carry everything alone.”
His hand found yours, giving it a reassuring squeeze.
“You don’t have to be alone,” he murmured. “Not anymore.”
You felt your heart stutter.
For so long, you had relied only on yourself. But now, standing in the place that had shaped you,where survival had always been the priority,you realized that, with Jack, maybe you didn’t have to fight alone anymore.
Maybe, for the first time, you had someone who truly had your back.
It was more comforting than anything else in the world.
Ruggie had always been good at reading people.
It was a survival skill,something he had picked up back in the slums of the Afterglow Savanna. He knew how to spot the difference between someone who had grown up comfortable and someone who had fought for every scrap of food they ever ate.
And from the moment he met you, he knew you were the latter.
You had the same sharp instincts, the same guarded way of carrying yourself, the same look in your eyes,one that told him you had seen things most people wouldn’t understand.
But he didn’t press. He knew what it was like to have a past that wasn’t meant for casual conversation.
And eventually, you told him.
Zaun was nothing like the Savanna, but struggle was struggle, and Ruggie knew the weight of it all too well. He listened as you spoke about the city buried beneath Piltover, its polluted air, its streets filled with desperation and danger. He listened to how you had learned to survive,not because you wanted to, but because you had to.
And for once, Ruggie didn’t have anything clever to say.
He just sat there, processing your words, his ears twitching as he mulled over everything you had been through.
Then, in a voice quieter than usual, he muttered, “Man… you really had it rough, huh?”
You scoffed. “Says the guy who grew up in a place where food was a luxury.”
“Hey, at least I had fresh air,” he pointed out, nudging you with his elbow. “That’s gotta count for something.”
You chuckled, but there was a heaviness in your gaze that didn’t fade. Ruggie noticed. He always noticed.
So, without another word, he reached over and ruffled your hair.
“Don’t get all gloomy on me,” he said, flashing you that signature mischievous grin. “You made it out, didn’t ya? And now you’ve got me.”
You rolled your eyes. “Lucky me.”
But then, somehow, Ruggie ended up in Zaun with you.
Maybe it was curiosity. Maybe it was a dumb decision. Either way, he found himself standing in the middle of the undercity, ears twitching at every little sound, his nose wrinkling at the thick, chemical-laced air.
“…Okay,” he muttered. “I get it now.”
And it wasn’t just the pollution. It was the feeling of the city,the weight of it pressing down on him. The way people moved, the way they barely glanced at him before looking away like they were already calculating whether he was worth the trouble.
“You’re staring,” you said, amused.
Ruggie blinked, shaking himself out of his thoughts. “Yeah, well… I’m just thinkin’.”
He stuffed his hands into his pockets, walking a little closer to you. “How the hell did you survive here?”
You shrugged. “Same way you survived in the Savanna. You adapt, you find ways to get by. You do what you have to.”
Ruggie was quiet for a moment, his tail flicking behind him.
Then, suddenly, he grinned.
“Bet you ran some real good scams here,” he said, nudging you playfully. “C’mon, tell me you at least pulled off some fun tricks.”
“Knew it.” He chuckled, shaking his head. “You and me, we’re not so different, huh?”
You tilted your head. “Because we both had rough childhoods?”
“Nah,” he said, flashing you a sharp grin. “Because we both know how to win.”
You stared at him for a moment before laughing.
It wasn’t often that someone could understand what it meant to grow up fighting for every little victory. But Ruggie? He got it.
He didn’t pity you. He didn’t act like you needed saving. He just understood.
And, somehow, that made everything feel a little lighter.
Ruggie stretched his arms above his head, sighing. “Welp, as much as I’d love to stick around, this place is a little too grimy for my taste.”
“Hey, hey, I’ve got standards,” he said, wiggling his ears. “Besides, I like your dorm way better. Way less chance of gettin’ jumped.”
You raised an eyebrow. “Scared, Bucchi?”
Ruggie grinned. “Nah. Just got better things to do.”
He reached over and tugged you closer by the wrist, his grip surprisingly gentle.
“Like takin’ you somewhere nicer,” he murmured.
Your heart skipped a beat.
You huffed, trying to play it off. “Oh? And where’s that?”
Ruggie smirked. “Anywhere, as long as I’m with ya.”
And just like that, the weight of Zaun seemed to fade,just a little.
Because with Ruggie by your side, even the darkest places didn’t feel so bad.
English is not my first language !
