#laotana

[shugarrdog]

Old railaotana

[charlotte-family-apologist]

Traditional sketches based on the headcanons I worked on with @running-with-the-feels

[agvarina]

Defenders of The realm au in The year 2024? More likely than you think

[edxnian]

@hxttrick asks ' 💗 '

"Mm, I'm not sure..."

Teasing smile was followed by a soft chuckle as Kitana regarded the Shaolin monk warmly. She couldn't help but to joke with him a little about his infamously large (albeit well-deserved) ego. The Kahnum allowed a moment's pause for Lao to react before she shook her head softly to nip the potential protests in the bud.

"Not sure where to begin, I mean. How does one quantify something which defies description? You are singular in so many ways to me, Lao... and there is no one that I care about more."

[running-with-the-feels]

If you allow me to talk about liulaotana marriage proposal

Now that things are (mostly) at peace kitana and liu kang propose to kung lao, though most people (including themselves) consider them married they all want it to make it official.

I like to think kitana would rather propose than be the one proposed to. Maybe is a tradition for the khan to be the one to ask their partners to marry them.

Liu kang is a romantic at heart and he also wanted to proposed to laotana, when kitana and liu kang found out their plans they decided to surprise kung lao. Before proposing together they proposed to each other, it looked more like an agreement than a proposal but it was very emotional and perfect for them as they both got to exchange the rings they had, that same day they went to find kung lao.

Since both proposals where private all of them felt comfortable letting out a lot of emotion, which means kitana cried both times, kung lao sobbed so much he got a headache and liu kang didn’t stopped tearing up at all throughout both proposals.

Kitana neither confirms or denies crying (jade sees right through it) kung Lao denies it to almost everyone and while liu kang admits he did, he is a little embarrassed by it.

This is adorable and I love it. Liulaotana being soft is giving me life

[edxnian-a]

@hxttrick​

His face flushes with light embarrassment, shielding his face with the rim of his hat tilting downward. “….Empress Kitana Thot.” He faintly reproaches.

A slender digit lifted that brim without hesitation, the Kahn unable but to blush faintly in spite of herself.

“Who said such was an insult?”

[healingwords]

@hxttrick asks ‘ "Mirror, mirror on the wall: who's the loveliest kahnum of them all? I shouldn't ask. I know it's you~." ’

"Flattery is never required, Kung Lao.”

In spite of her verbal chiding, however, the upward curl of her lips and the dusting of rose upon her cheeks made her true feelings clear; she appreciated his compliments. Furthermore, she appreciated him gracing her with his presence once more.

[charlotte-family-apologist]

More traditional sketches with a Kuai Liang cameo

[agvarina]

Something cute

[charlotte-family-apologist]

I love your liulaotana hcs so much!

After Liu Kang and Kitana get together, what do you think Kitana and Kung Lao's courtship is like, and how does Liu Kang react to it do you think?

Thank you for fueling my addiction

Kung Lao thought he knew just about anything about Outworld courting rituals, but he was sorely mistaken. He did try his best to learn, even asking Raiden and Fujin if they had any knowledge on the topic. Raiden looked disturbed at the question and quickly excused himself (that man is a sex repulsed aroace who avoids romance like the plague), but Fujin managed to find some old tomes, which were out of date and vague.

What he saw Liu Kang go through was incredibly surface level and being on the receiving end was an entirely different experience.

It started small too with the same "expose your neck" jig. Then every time he visited his favorite Outworld cuisines would be made. How Kitana knew that his favorite food was fried vikt on a skewer made by the old Tarkatan woman in her food stand downtown, he'll never know. He asked Kang if he told her that, but Kang didn't even know that was his favorite.

Unlike Liu Kang, he didn't get a Michidou skull. He got some weird creature called a Khuonho that looked like a mix between a mountain goat and a dragon, she even saved him the hide because he mentioned at some point he needed new blankets.

Kitana has a freakishly good memory and Kung Lao is forgetful. Liu Kang has to hold himself back from laughing every time Kitana mentions something Lao said and forgot about as he acts all freaked out that she knows. "Your sister's favorite color is green, is it not?" "(⊙_⊙) ...yeah."

Lao notices right away when his clothes start to go missing, he knows it's Kitana, but he doesn't understand how as he checks his luggage several times before leaving the palace. Kitana asked Kang if he could get her some of Lao's clothes and he was more than happy to oblige, even throwing in a pair of Lao's underwear in there as a joke. Yes, they did come back smelling like Kitana.

Liu Kang actively encourages them both. Telling Kitana what Lao likes and helping Lao reciprocate the courting because he doesn't know what the hell he's doing. He gets a good laugh out of it.

Lao decides to go for traditional Kung courting which involves a lot of gifts and displays of strength. Kitana's jewelry collection had tripled by the time they decided to start dating. Also, hair has a lot of meaning to Kungs so he lets Kitana play with and style his hair.

If Jade has to hear her wax poetic about how soft and silky Lao's hair is one more time she's gonna snap.

The first time Kitana met Jin was when Lao was babysitting. Embarrassingly, her first thought upon seeing him with a toddler was: He's fertile. Even though she knew that was his niece. It took everything in her power not to smack herself for thinking such a thing.

Adores Jin and hearing him call her auntie was the thing that pushed her to ask Lao to date officially.

[agvarina]

More of defenders of The realm au

[edxnian]

@hxttrick asks ' 💋 '

The moon's gentle glow painted the royal bedchambers in silver light, highlighting the sleeping monk's features in its glow. Like this, it appeared that Kung Lao was carved of moonlight itself, chiseled out of the stuff of dreams to become reality at her side. If she were to ever tell him such out loud... the thought of how Lao would (blushingly) beam with pride brought an amused smile to royal lips. While some found his pride to be off-putting, Kitana knew it came from a good place--and with their relationship deepening, he had mellowed out some.

He did not need to compete for her heart, now that it was his.

Lao was not complacent in his victory, either. It seemed as if he found a new way to show his affection every day, something that she did her best to reciprocate. The sentiment led to her cuddling up against his side, a hand delicately claiming his cheek to turn slumbering features toward her own. A gentle brush of lips was all she settled for at first--a show of affection meant to allow him to continue to sleep--but the way he leaned into the touch guided her into kissing him properly.

As he awoke and returned the kiss, she found herself reminded of how lucky she truly was to have him.

[edxnian]

@hxttrick asks ' Gifts Kitana with a small white rabbit from his hat. Unlike his own, this one was as pristine as a blanket of snow; not a blood stain to be seen. '

Edenian hands cupped to form a platform for the little white rabbit, a soft giggle leaving her as it hopped from her Konsort's care to her own. When the bunny rose up onto its back legs to touch its nose to her own, Kitana's giggle shifted to a full-on laugh of delight.

"Oh, hello there!"

[edxnian]

Anonymous asks ' "Kung Lao is not in our league." - another Kitana (Is this a reference to one of Kitana's mirror match intros? Yep lol) '

Kitana could not help the sidelong look she gave to the alternate version of herself. Certainly she could understand the sentiment--she certainly had her own doubts of worthiness from time to time in many aspects of her life--but hearing them aloud in her own voice was different. Perhaps that was the key to never falling into such a trap again, to imagine the sound of her own voice saying them. It would serve as a reminder of how foolish self-doubt truly could be. A faint smile.

"Never question your worth. If anything, he is beneath you."

And he will be whenever you ask it of him.

[edxnian]

@hxttrick asks ' "when your head lays on my chest, i want you to forget the world and all it’s problems." '

The sentiment, murmured softly by her Shaolin monk, earned a slow closing of Edenian eyes, a deep breath taken as she stepped in closer to him. While it could never truly be accomplished, Kitana still did her best to breathe him in deeply, take what she could of his essence into herself to cradle it close even as her arms encircled Lao's waist. Stepping further into the embrace, royal forehead rested against his chest as instinct guided her into what had become her shelter from the maelstrom her life oft became. Within his presence, she was at peace--and judging by how he easily and reflexively wrapped her up in his arms to support her, he knew it.

With Kung Lao, she could allow her own fortress to slip away, so confident she was in his ability to keep her safe.

"...you honor me with your protection, Lao."

Those words were incredibly, almost painfully inadequate... but they were the best she could muster up at the moment. Mercifully, she knew that her actions--especially the small ones--spoke her love to him in a way that her voice never could quite do justice.

[edxnian-a]

@hxttrick​ requested a starter.

The dust whirled and danced all around the Kahn, though she paid it no mind as she advanced into the center of the empty koliseum. To think that mere hours before, she had been declared the new ruler of Outworld after bringing Shao Kahn to his hateful, monstrous knees... it was a lot to process. Especially on top of her concern for Kotal’s injury and what it would mean for Jade, not to mention the fledgling diplomatic relations between herself and the Tartarkans, and... and...

I had him dead to rights. Why didn’t I end him? After everything he cost me, I...

Leather creaked in protest as a hand balled into a royal fist, the urge to lash out and strike something, anything flooding her veins with its poison. Taking his sight had been a fitting blow to rob him of a good deal of his ability to function without aid, yes... but why hadn’t she sliced deeper? Why leave the beast wounded where he could someday rise as a threat anew? He wouldn’t have spared her, oh no--he would’ve twisted her flesh and mind into somehow bringing Mileena back from the dead, or perhaps stripped away all of her sanity until she was naught but a raving beauty among his concubines.

I... why...

It took her a moment to realize that the thin, faint keening that she hadn’t noticed before the wind dropped was coming from her own throat. Once she did, she was dropping to her knees, a hand rising to drive itself knuckles-first against the ground as the weight of it all brought the walls that contained her innermost emotions not only cracked, but buckled beneath the pressure, exposing the contents of her conflicted heart. As horrible as he had been, as deceptive and brutal and heartless as he had been... he was still the closest thing to a father she had memory of, a realization that only forced those sobs out into the open as she did her damndest to beat the ground beneath her as if it could somehow silence those whirling thoughts. Dimly, she was thankful that she was alone--that no one bore witness to such a shameful display.

If only she could sense the approach of a certain Shaolin monk...