You shared your headcannons about johnny and kenshi, and while thats great, i wish you also did some for tanya and mileena, since theyre actually cannon (i hope this doesnt come off as rude but they are less popular somehow)
Hi there!! This is a very good request so i dont mind. Also dont worry, it doesnt come across as rude at all.
I dont have headcannons specifically but more like an imagining for how their relationship went. Also- this may not fit with the cannon since these are my thoughts :D
I imagine Tanya as the oldest sister among 5 or 6. I imagine her going into training as soon as she can walk- and being angry about it, which only makes her seem stronger. Why dont her sisters have to train? Why is she here? To protect the future empress? She never even met her. Shes living her life in training for a stranger- a possibility, of a kingdom to thrive. It isnt fair.
She still doesnt understand as the years go by, even if she only gets stronger- more resilient. But for what, she cant even know yet. All she heard were stories about Sindels daughters- mostly praise about Kitana. But what about Mileena, the actual future empress? Her hatred grows into curiosity.
Then she sees her for the first time- and she understands completely.
Its in her rough but quick fighting style- in the angry way she buries her enemies beneath her just how Tanya herself was taught to. She clearly cares- and thats all Tanya has ever wanted really- for someone to care about it. Even if she didnt care about her soecifically, this Mileena seemed to care about her role greatly- so Tanya didnt train for nothing.
Li Mei notices the way Tanya lets her guard down for the first time, the curve of her lips when Mileena stands into her victory pose, facing her future bodyguard. It seems like a demonstration from Mileena, to prove herself to her.
Li Mei scolds her to never let her guard down. As their duty wasnt just to protect themselves, but the royal family above all. Protect. Serve. Thats it.
Even if gentle, she puts Tanya back in her place, and even if Tanya knows she has good intentions, she hates her for it.
Jerrod dies, Li Mei takes the fall. Despite it all, Tanya still believes in her. She shuts down any attempt to denigrate her name. She trains twice as hard to fill out a role she never wanted to fill.
She hates her for her failure, but loves her for her honest heart. She hates her for not fighting Sindels accusations, but cant bring herself to throw her out.
The one saving grace in all of this seems to be Mileenas glances and soft words. She never expected the princess to be so…gentle with her. Even if its just words, Tanya knows she means it.
It makes her accept her purpose.
Sindel is even more stern then she heard. She tells Tanya to always defend Mileena with her life. To make sure she pushes her to do her absolute best- to make sure she doesnt grow weak enough to be replaced.
But how can Tanya help her, when she herself feels weak every time the Edenian smiles in her direction? She is the last person able to ask her to focus.
They train. They train daily, Mileena always summoning her. Tanya cant help but feel a sense of pride that Mileena asks for her specifically.
One day, she defeats Tanya with an incredible ease, her two sai as sharp as a snakes teeth, her eyes like its venom. And she cant help but sigh at what she sees. She is so beautiful it actually pains her, because while she is only devoted to her princess, she knows its only obligatory on her side.
Mileena asks what she is sighing at, and before she can think, she tells her how beautiful and strong she is.
“Words wont help you get my graces Umgadi.”
But Tanya assures her her heart only sings about her. She even grabs Mileenas hand, and something in the way she assures Mileena of her deserving her empress title makes the Edenian quiet.
She went too far. She went way too far.
Sindel will surely banish her once she hears of this. Mileena hasnt asked her to spar in the last few days. She ruined it.
Before it was just quick glances, at most a hug. Nothing like this. She was sick.
This went against everything she trained for, everything she believed in.
She decides to take another risky move, to go to the princess herself to apologise for her unusual behaviour. She knocks- no answer. She opens the door, seeing Mileena crumpled in a sheet, splayed across the floor, her eyes bright like fire and mouth strangely contorted. She looked like a monster.
But then why was her first thought to hug her? To hold her with no fear? Who cared what she had?
She needed HER. She said it herself through tears.
Sindel was deeply disappointed. Kitana was scared- but still held on.
But Tanya? She grabbed onto her like no other before. She would not let anyone harm her again.
“Im a monster- please leave me be. I dont want to ruin you. I dont want to infect you.”
Tanya only cradles her even closer to her body. Even if it took a while, Mileena understood she meant her words of devotion towards her.
Maybe she didnt want to be her guard at first. But the way she cries into her shoulder, or smiles at her hugs, or allows herself to sleep next to her… she wants this. She wants Mileena.
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