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ship_manifestoTitle: Punch-Drunk Love
Author:![[livejournal.com profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/external/lj-userinfo.gif)
turkish_delight, aenigmadarai
Fandom: FFVII
Pairing: Reno/Tifa
Word Count: 13,753 >.>;;
Spoilers: The Game, of course; mostly focuses on Advent Children, references to Before Crisis. IMAGE HEAVY, YO.
Between the Lines: Call their Bluff
These are all examples of how canon information allows for these two to have a relationship--even calls for it to be so...but if we tilt our heads and squint a little, the very character traits that define these two would make them excellent comrades. After the events of the game, the two of them could easily find more consolation and support in each others' presences than their usual company, simply because of their similar mindsets on life.
FAMILY
Tifa grew up in a small town with close neighbors and loving parents. She had a best friend, a powerful mentor, and big dreams of falling in love and living a long, happy, peaceful life. But things don't always go as planned, and Tifa's family was slowly whittled away... First her mother, then her best friend, then her father and her whole town. Her entire world was shattered before she was sixteen years old, leaving her lost and floundering. But she persevered, and tried making something of a new life for herself out of AVALANCHE. Cloud, Barret, Yuffie, Cid, Vincent, Red, Marlene, and later Denzel all became the new family she so yearned for. But it seemed that this family would not remain intact either. Advent Children proves to us that somewhere along the way, they drifted apart, scattering to other places. Certainly they all returned to help out in a time of need, but even Barret, who had helped Tifa build her new bar and entrusted his daughter to her care, had left to settle his past and try and make a living in the oil fields.
Cloud, however, was probably the most devastating loss Tifa endured. At the end of the game, Cloud seems to have come to terms with Aerith's death, and the entire party was satisfied that things would be better from now on, since ShinRa had fallen and Sephiroth was dead. It seemed that better times would be coming their way. But it was not to be. Despite their victory at Northern Crater and the summoning of Holy to counteract Meteor, Cloud still slips into an almost debilitating state of grief and introversion. He lays down his sword and starts up a delivery service, almost as if he's deliberately trying to keep away from home--as if in fear that Tifa's being near him will endanger her.
While exactly what manner of affections he has for Tifa are unclear, it's obvious that he cares about her a great deal, and the idea that her depending on him might get her killed the same way it did Aerith scares him a lot. And so rather than square with his fears and deal with his grief, he instead wallows in it, closing himself off from everyone he holds dear under the misconstruction that his absence will keep them safe.
And so Tifa is right back where she started several years ago. She's got a house and children and friends, but no home...no family. And it is this lack of family unit in her life that seems to keep the smile off her face and the bounce out of her step.
Or perhaps more specifically, it is that she lost everything she had been working for over the past few years so suddenly. The family she thought she had gained with AVALANCHE slipped between her fingers as soon as the fighting was over, and she was left yet again with an encompassing emptiness. Cloud doesn't seem to understand the depths of her love, or appreciate the fact that she would stand by him no matter what. When he was found in Mideel with an advanced case of mako poisoning after having fallen into the Lifestream in the Northern Crater, Tifa opts to stay by him, forsaking her quest to destroy ShinRa and abandoning the mission to try and save the planet to instead remain by his side.
Surprisingly enough, family would be one thing Reno would easily be able to relate to her on. While the details of Reno's past are a mystery, if the Turks are not his family then he surely has none to speak of. Turks fight together and guard each others' backs; they work together, drink together, vacation together, and while their residence quarters come the events of Advent Children are unknown, in old ShinRa Tower in Midgar, they even lived together. If Reno can't connect with Tifa on how important family is and how devastating it can be to lose a member thereof, then surely no one can. In Mission four of Before Crisis, the AVALANCHE operative Shears knocks Rude semiconscious in a fight, and when Reno discovers this he is visibly furious about it. Rude refuses to admit who hurt him, but it becomes obvious that Reno knows who is responsible, because when Rude heads off to engage Shears on the beaches of Costa del Sol to settle the score, Reno quickly heads out after him, coming to his partner's aid.
ルード「フン
毎度ながら好き放題動きやがって
合わせる方の身にもなってくれ
レノ「ルードこそ危なっかしかったぞ
俺が来なかったらどうするつもりだったんだ？
ルード「・・・・・・
さあな・・・
でも・・・
来ると思ってた
レノ「何でだよ
ルード「長い付き合いだ
お前が考えることぐらい分かるさ
Rude: *sigh* Always doing whatever you want... Be more careful next time.
Reno: Right back at you, Rude. I wasn't the only one in trouble there. What would you have done if I hadn't come to help you?
Rude: …dunno… But… I knew you would come.
Reno: Why’s that?
Rude: I’ve known you for a long time. I know how you think.
Both Rude and Reno had already engaged Shears a few times and knew what difficult opposition he presented, and yet one immediately went to the other's aid without hesitation or compunction, without second thought or fear for their own well-being. Likewise, when Don Corneo kidnapped Elena, Reno and Rude wasted no time retrieving their lost rookie, exacting revenge for her treatment and making an example of the Don. A Turk leaves no man behind, despite the risk it might take to retrieve them. It is the Turks' attitude about family and solidarity that really solidifies Reno's visible disdain for Cloud--obviously, someone who appreciates family above most things wouldn't find someone who drops the ball on the subject worthy of much respect.
DUTY, SECTOR 7, AND BLOODIED HANDS
Well certainly a Turk understands a feeling of responsibility to one's organization, and that the needs of the company outweigh the desires of the individual. The Turks may be 'bad guys', but they're not bad people. They're just as human as anybody else--perhaps with slightly looser morals--and while they won't hesitate to destroy a threat, it seems highly unlikely that a group that values family and teamwork so sacred as they clearly do would hold life itself in such low priority. Take the incident with the Sector 7 plate, for example. When Cloud and his gang fight Reno, he flees the scene after taking a rather impressive beating, and then the next thing we hear is that he's laid up out of commission and a rookie had to fill in the space.
Now...let's stop and think on this a moment, shall we? Why in the world would getting physically beaten up and not even knocked unconscious put a Turk out of commission? Even if he had been badly injured in the fight, with Restore materia, even the greatest of injuries can be easily and quickly healed. Basically, so long as you aren't stone cold dead, your physical injuries can be healed with the casting of a spell, meaning that either Reno just decided to give himself a long weekend for his troubles (which, granted, wouldn't be out of character for him in the slightest), or his debilitating injuries weren't of a physical nature. Given Reno's history of tutoring and rescuing the junior Turks in Before Crisis and making certain they will be good agents who can not only do their job well, but survive their missions and handle them safely, I believe it's safe to assume that as a general rule Reno is a good person who respects the value of life. He might have an unorthodox outlook on ethics, but you'd have to be a real monster to kill the hundreds of people living in the slums of Sector 7 and not even blink.
That in mind, if it takes a psychological wound to cause significant lasting damage, this would easily indicate that Reno was made to drop the plate unwillingly, and was haunted by the deaths of all of the people he crushed beneath it. It's very likely he was out of commission for those few days not because he was injured beyond speedy repair, but because he was racked with guilt and tormented by the sheer malice of the orders he had been given.
Similarly, Tifa herself feels responsible for the destruction of Sector 7. After escaping the wreckage, she cries, "Are you saying it's our fault? Because AVALANCHE was here? Innocent people lost their lives because of us?", and while her cohorts quickly denounce this, Tifa obviously bears the burden of this idea for some time; she even dwells on this fact in the pre-Advent Children novella, On the Way to a Smile; Case of Tifa. She feels it is her duty to take care of Denzel as her son, because 'Sector Seven was destroyed because of us. That's why I had to take responsibility and raise him. He didn't go to Cloud's place. He met Cloud so that he could come to my place.'
And so whoever was truly to blame for the annihilation of the slums of Sector 7, be it ShinRa and the Turks--or Reno specifically--for carrying out an order to destroy AVALANCHE, or AVALANCHE itself--and Tifa specifically for holding meetings beneath her bar there in the slums--for being there at all, the weight of Sector 7 is theirs to share between them as they see fit. Whether or not they seek in each other the forgiveness of their mutual crime is left up to interpretation...but it certainly is a good starting point for a ceasefire if nothing else.
It's canon that Reno has a love of the drink, so it's not like it would be difficult for him to find a reason to seek Tifa out. While it might take a little cajoling to get these two to play nice in the first place, neither of them is beyond reason. Tifa has a big heart and forgives easily, and Reno has a big mouth and no tact, and so broaching the subject that is very close to home and hits several nerves for both of them would be relatively simple. Likely all it would take for these two to come to something of an understanding--or a ceasefire if nothing else--would be a civil discussion...or a simple apology. And it serves to reason that once the preliminary prickliness was overcome, these two would find they had a lot in common, and plenty to talk about. Where things might go from there? is entirely up to interpretation...however somewhere along the lines, a civilized and at least somewhat courteous relationship must have formed between the two of them. The phone call scene is proof that there are no longer any hostilities between Reno and Tifa; it had to have come about somehow...
The Intrigue: See, Raise, or Fold?
So we have a good helping of evidence that would support the idea of Reno and Tifa getting together...but why look to put these two long-time rivals together in the first place? What's the appeal of these two anyway? Well, on the surface, there's always the visual allure of having two attractive people together, and while Reno's 'dashing good looks' might have been somewhat debatable in the original canon, I'd say his game face in Advent Children is pretty darn easy on the eyes by just about anybody's standards.
On a slightly less superficial level, when you get right down to it, Reno and Tifa are a good match because they complement one another. If you take a moment to really step back and compare the two of them, they're really not all that different in the first place; they've got a lot more in common than people give them credit for, and would likely have plenty to talk about if given the opportunity. Their personalities mesh gorgeously once the initial enmities are over with. Aside from simply having a lot of common interests, they would quickly find that their general attitudes are well-suited to keeping each other company. 
They're both smartasses, for one thing; if you opt to take the stairs up to the top of ShinRa Tower, Tifa snarks at the boys the whole way up, complete with the obligatory, "Are we there yet?" "No!" exchange, and topped off with a, "Would you stop acting like a retard and climb?" This goes nicely with Reno's wisecracks, such as his snide, "I haven't decided yet," when asked by a ShinRa grunt if he wants Cloud and Aerith taken out, and the follow up--"Oh! And don't step on the flowers!" when he had done just that in the first place. And let's not forget his announcement as he and Rude make a hasty advance to the rear, "We may be retreating, but we're still victorious [yo]!", or the time he makes fun of the soldiers who request the Turks' help in Turtle Paradise and teases, "Right now we're off duty and can't run off to save your butts." A little sarcasm to bridge the hostility might be just what the doctor ordered for these two.
Moreover, they're both martial artists. And while Tifa's fierce kickboxing taekwondo techniques may differ greatly from Reno's less regimented concoction of capoeira and kendo-style moves, any good combatant can appreciate the methods and skills of another. A sparring match between these two would be a sight to behold.
Most of all, Reno and Tifa are excellent foils of one another; their natures each suit what the other seems to be lacking. Reno needs someone grounding in his life--that's likely why he and Rude get along so well. Reno also seems to have a way of neglecting his own needs when faced with something of what he deems a higher priority. Case-in-point, after pushing the button that will drop the plate on Sector 7 and subsequently getting beaten up by Cloud and the gang, Reno leaps off the platform, and then appears to have taken over flying the helicopter while Tseng taunts the heroes, instead of seeing to his own wounds, be they visible or otherwise. And then in Advent Children, when Tseng and Elena are presumed dead, I'm convinced that Reno was hurting much more than he might have let on, putting on a strong face because they had a job to do and they couldn't afford to mourn. Tifa's way of putting others first and doing all she can to make sure that the people around her are safe and happy would do Reno some good; he really should learn to take better care of himself.
On the other side of the coin, Tifa has had a lot of hardship in her life, and while she probably puts on a smile so that her friends don't worry about her, it's got to be difficult for her to maintain that happy face. Especially once Cloud descends into his own grief and stops coming home, Tifa has no one to lean on any longer, and no one to make her smile. Reno is an excellent means to satisfy this deficit--if anybody can coax a smile onto someone's face, he's likely the best candidate. With his grandiose gesticulation, blunt vernacular, animated facial expressions and tendency toward absurdity, anyone would have a tough time keeping a straight face when Reno's around.
All in all, Reno and Tifa seem a lot more suited to one another than to anyone else in particular... Reno needs someone caring and attentive in his life--he won't stand to not be the center of attention. His boisterous nature and unbridled desire to have a good time with his day require that if he was to take a partner in his life, it would have to be someone who would not only be right behind him every step of the way, but would bring plenty of levity and laughter to the endeavor, along with a steady hand and a level head to make sure he doesn't bite off more than he can chew (and maybe some band-aids and booze for the after-party). And while Rude is as stalwart as they come, Elena as bubbly as the day is long, Tseng as steady as the beat of a drum and Rufus more ambitious than most people would have the stamina for, Tifa encompasses all of the traits Reno's temperament would demand of a companion...and then some. Tifa was willing to give up everything--to give up saving the world--to stand by Cloud's side. If that doesn't prove that she would go to the ends of the earth for someone she loved, then surely no task can; her affections for Cloud illustrate a level of patience, devotion, and unadulterated tolerance on Tifa's part. That in mind, Tifa is probably the only person capable of putting up with Reno on a long-term close-contact basis...
Likewise, Tifa needs cheerfulness and vigor in a partner; she's spent far too long in the shadows of sadness the turmoil of the past. She deserves the companionship of someone who can not only appreciate the boundless infinity of her loyalty to her loved ones, but can return that dedication and dependability with pride and confidence. Cloud has demonstrated several times that while his affection for Tifa is deep and genuine, he simply can't be counted on; while he comes through in the end (of both the game itself and Advent Children), it is only after lots of prodding, scolding, and persuasion that he manages to find the faith in himself to be a good friend to those he loves. However Reno is nothing if not self-assured, overconfident, brazen, and ready to throw his whole being into protecting what he wants. It might take some weaning to get Reno to commit his heart to one person (as the fanon characterization that paints him something of a player suits him rather well, in my opinion), I believe firmly that if he was to swear himself to someone, he would pour all of that wanderlust into a lust that can be slaked much closer to home, if you...know what I mean. *nudge nudge wink wink*
In Conclusion: Ace High Royal Flush
When all is said and done, and all of the fighting is over with and the world is safe once again and AVALANCHE is no more and ShinRa is falling apart at the seams, there's really no reason for the hostilities from the game to stand anymore. Advent Children is proof that the resentment and opposition between Cloud's gang and the Turks was mostly dissolved. Even if Cloud still thinks the Turks are jerks and Reno still thinks Cloud is a lame dummy, there's no real reason that they can't get along. At some point or another, Tifa and Reno did just that--the phone call confirms that the air between the two of them is casual and congenial if nothing else. So while the extent of their relationship is left up to interpretation, it's a pretty good bet that they're friends at least...and undercover lovers at best.
However deep you may choose to interpret the connection between Reno and Tifa, the fact remains that there is one there...even if the finer details of it are only in the eye of the beholder.
The Fandom: An Ace in the Hole?
The fandom for this pair is relatively small, especially when compared to many other pairings available in the game. And of the meager offerings the fandom provides a Tino fan, I personally find a significant percentage of the fanworks somewhat disappointing. While neither Tifa nor Reno is particularly known for their tact or diplomacy, there is a fastidious delicacy to writing their relationship in its fledgling state that I find very few people capture well. When they inevitably meet again for the first time after the events of Meteor and Holy have run their course, the fact that there is still going to be a lot of resentment and ire between them is often glossed over. While I will admit that it somehow suits Reno's character to be lascivious and somewhat perverse, he surely won't have forgotten who left him bruised after the battle for Sector 7 or the fight in Gongaga. And while Tifa is certainly known for being a sweet and loving person, she won't be so quick to forgive the man who single-handedly killed hundreds of people and destroyed her old bar. Theirs is not going to be a quick and easy friendship to forge--romance won't be a straight and simple path to walk for these two. And while Reno might be willing to look past their differences for the sake of a meaningful overnight relationship, Tifa has never struck me as loose; there's no doubt in my mind that if Reno was to try anything lewd or even remotely intimate with her, she wouldn't hesitated to deck him. I'm saddened by the fanfiction that paints Tifa as a lustful pushover and Reno as a sex-god who only cares about getting Tifa into bed. I'm dismayed by the stories that completely bypass the rocky roadto Dublin that they would have to walk to come to any sort of real friendship, much less romance. There's so much room for so much development on both their parts that it's almost a crime so few people dabble into the grittier points of the relationship. Fluff is fine, smut is hot, but the arguments, insults, and bristly posturing that would precede all of that is where the intrigue lies, in my humble opinion.
That in mind, here are some places where you can find fanworks for this pairing, so you can decide for yourself what interpretation suits them best:
RETI: a RenoxTifa fansite with art, fiction, and a forum. The layout is somewhat obnoxious, but the content isn't too shabby. ^_^
![[livejournal.com profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/external/lj-community.gif)
reno_tifa: the Reno/Tifa LJ community. Not a lot of traffic here lately, folks--let's see some action! >:[
Reno-Tifa-Love: the Reno/Tifa DA community--lots of lovely art here.
Selection of Reno/Tifa fanworks from the Advent Children Forums: some of the links are broken, but here's a pretty expansive list of fics, from oneshots to completed epics to incomplete stories. You're bound to find a few you enjoy. There's also fanart, cosplay, and outside links to other websites. Great Tino resource!
Aaaand because I'm a brazen hussy, I'm going to pimp my own enormous Reno/Tifa fic here. After all, what's a manifesto without a shameless self-plug or five, am I right?neo_shinra_hq: Beyond Good and Evil--the fic that inspired the manifesto.
Thanks for reading, everyone! Here's hoping the next time you watch Advent Children, you catch a little something extra. ^.~ This manifesto was so much fun to write; I hope you all enjoyed reading it!
Reno & Tifa is Sexy Love.
Made by:seii_monogatari & serika_san
AND DON'T YOU FORGET IT!
IMAGE/SCRIPT SOURCES//WORKS CITED
● r e u n i o n: AC Screencap Gallery
● Additional AC Screencap Gallery
● ファイナルファンタジー7 データベース: FFVII Database--FFVII Japanese Dialogue Script
● FF7BC: Japanese Dialogue Scripts from Before Crisis
● FFWebNovel: Translations of the pre-AC novellas
● FFⅦ補完計画: Instrumentality of FFVII--Advent Children Japanese Dialogue Script (all English dialogue from the movie used in this manifesto was translated from the original Japanese dialogue and not taken from the dub or fansubs of the movie)
● English Dialogue from the game: Scene-by-scene breakdown with screencaps
Author:
turkish_delight, aenigmadaraiFandom: FFVII
Pairing: Reno/Tifa
Word Count: 13,753 >.>;;
Spoilers: The Game, of course; mostly focuses on Advent Children, references to Before Crisis. IMAGE HEAVY, YO.
These are all examples of how canon information allows for these two to have a relationship--even calls for it to be so...but if we tilt our heads and squint a little, the very character traits that define these two would make them excellent comrades. After the events of the game, the two of them could easily find more consolation and support in each others' presences than their usual company, simply because of their similar mindsets on life.
Tifa grew up in a small town with close neighbors and loving parents. She had a best friend, a powerful mentor, and big dreams of falling in love and living a long, happy, peaceful life. But things don't always go as planned, and Tifa's family was slowly whittled away... First her mother, then her best friend, then her father and her whole town. Her entire world was shattered before she was sixteen years old, leaving her lost and floundering. But she persevered, and tried making something of a new life for herself out of AVALANCHE. Cloud, Barret, Yuffie, Cid, Vincent, Red, Marlene, and later Denzel all became the new family she so yearned for. But it seemed that this family would not remain intact either. Advent Children proves to us that somewhere along the way, they drifted apart, scattering to other places. Certainly they all returned to help out in a time of need, but even Barret, who had helped Tifa build her new bar and entrusted his daughter to her care, had left to settle his past and try and make a living in the oil fields.
Cloud, however, was probably the most devastating loss Tifa endured. At the end of the game, Cloud seems to have come to terms with Aerith's death, and the entire party was satisfied that things would be better from now on, since ShinRa had fallen and Sephiroth was dead. It seemed that better times would be coming their way. But it was not to be. Despite their victory at Northern Crater and the summoning of Holy to counteract Meteor, Cloud still slips into an almost debilitating state of grief and introversion. He lays down his sword and starts up a delivery service, almost as if he's deliberately trying to keep away from home--as if in fear that Tifa's being near him will endanger her.
And so Tifa is right back where she started several years ago. She's got a house and children and friends, but no home...no family. And it is this lack of family unit in her life that seems to keep the smile off her face and the bounce out of her step.
Surprisingly enough, family would be one thing Reno would easily be able to relate to her on. While the details of Reno's past are a mystery, if the Turks are not his family then he surely has none to speak of. Turks fight together and guard each others' backs; they work together, drink together, vacation together, and while their residence quarters come the events of Advent Children are unknown, in old ShinRa Tower in Midgar, they even lived together. If Reno can't connect with Tifa on how important family is and how devastating it can be to lose a member thereof, then surely no one can. In Mission four of Before Crisis, the AVALANCHE operative Shears knocks Rude semiconscious in a fight, and when Reno discovers this he is visibly furious about it. Rude refuses to admit who hurt him, but it becomes obvious that Reno knows who is responsible, because when Rude heads off to engage Shears on the beaches of Costa del Sol to settle the score, Reno quickly heads out after him, coming to his partner's aid.
ルード「フン
毎度ながら好き放題動きやがって
合わせる方の身にもなってくれ
レノ「ルードこそ危なっかしかったぞ
俺が来なかったらどうするつもりだったんだ？
ルード「・・・・・・
さあな・・・
でも・・・
来ると思ってた
レノ「何でだよ
ルード「長い付き合いだ
お前が考えることぐらい分かるさ
Rude: *sigh* Always doing whatever you want... Be more careful next time.
Reno: Right back at you, Rude. I wasn't the only one in trouble there. What would you have done if I hadn't come to help you?
Rude: …dunno… But… I knew you would come.
Reno: Why’s that?
Rude: I’ve known you for a long time. I know how you think.
Both Rude and Reno had already engaged Shears a few times and knew what difficult opposition he presented, and yet one immediately went to the other's aid without hesitation or compunction, without second thought or fear for their own well-being. Likewise, when Don Corneo kidnapped Elena, Reno and Rude wasted no time retrieving their lost rookie, exacting revenge for her treatment and making an example of the Don. A Turk leaves no man behind, despite the risk it might take to retrieve them. It is the Turks' attitude about family and solidarity that really solidifies Reno's visible disdain for Cloud--obviously, someone who appreciates family above most things wouldn't find someone who drops the ball on the subject worthy of much respect.
Well certainly a Turk understands a feeling of responsibility to one's organization, and that the needs of the company outweigh the desires of the individual. The Turks may be 'bad guys', but they're not bad people. They're just as human as anybody else--perhaps with slightly looser morals--and while they won't hesitate to destroy a threat, it seems highly unlikely that a group that values family and teamwork so sacred as they clearly do would hold life itself in such low priority. Take the incident with the Sector 7 plate, for example. When Cloud and his gang fight Reno, he flees the scene after taking a rather impressive beating, and then the next thing we hear is that he's laid up out of commission and a rookie had to fill in the space.
Now...let's stop and think on this a moment, shall we? Why in the world would getting physically beaten up and not even knocked unconscious put a Turk out of commission? Even if he had been badly injured in the fight, with Restore materia, even the greatest of injuries can be easily and quickly healed. Basically, so long as you aren't stone cold dead, your physical injuries can be healed with the casting of a spell, meaning that either Reno just decided to give himself a long weekend for his troubles (which, granted, wouldn't be out of character for him in the slightest), or his debilitating injuries weren't of a physical nature. Given Reno's history of tutoring and rescuing the junior Turks in Before Crisis and making certain they will be good agents who can not only do their job well, but survive their missions and handle them safely, I believe it's safe to assume that as a general rule Reno is a good person who respects the value of life. He might have an unorthodox outlook on ethics, but you'd have to be a real monster to kill the hundreds of people living in the slums of Sector 7 and not even blink.
Similarly, Tifa herself feels responsible for the destruction of Sector 7. After escaping the wreckage, she cries, "Are you saying it's our fault? Because AVALANCHE was here? Innocent people lost their lives because of us?", and while her cohorts quickly denounce this, Tifa obviously bears the burden of this idea for some time; she even dwells on this fact in the pre-Advent Children novella, On the Way to a Smile; Case of Tifa. She feels it is her duty to take care of Denzel as her son, because 'Sector Seven was destroyed because of us. That's why I had to take responsibility and raise him. He didn't go to Cloud's place. He met Cloud so that he could come to my place.'
And so whoever was truly to blame for the annihilation of the slums of Sector 7, be it ShinRa and the Turks--or Reno specifically--for carrying out an order to destroy AVALANCHE, or AVALANCHE itself--and Tifa specifically for holding meetings beneath her bar there in the slums--for being there at all, the weight of Sector 7 is theirs to share between them as they see fit. Whether or not they seek in each other the forgiveness of their mutual crime is left up to interpretation...but it certainly is a good starting point for a ceasefire if nothing else.
It's canon that Reno has a love of the drink, so it's not like it would be difficult for him to find a reason to seek Tifa out. While it might take a little cajoling to get these two to play nice in the first place, neither of them is beyond reason. Tifa has a big heart and forgives easily, and Reno has a big mouth and no tact, and so broaching the subject that is very close to home and hits several nerves for both of them would be relatively simple. Likely all it would take for these two to come to something of an understanding--or a ceasefire if nothing else--would be a civil discussion...or a simple apology. And it serves to reason that once the preliminary prickliness was overcome, these two would find they had a lot in common, and plenty to talk about. Where things might go from there? is entirely up to interpretation...however somewhere along the lines, a civilized and at least somewhat courteous relationship must have formed between the two of them. The phone call scene is proof that there are no longer any hostilities between Reno and Tifa; it had to have come about somehow...
So we have a good helping of evidence that would support the idea of Reno and Tifa getting together...but why look to put these two long-time rivals together in the first place? What's the appeal of these two anyway? Well, on the surface, there's always the visual allure of having two attractive people together, and while Reno's 'dashing good looks' might have been somewhat debatable in the original canon, I'd say his game face in Advent Children is pretty darn easy on the eyes by just about anybody's standards.
Moreover, they're both martial artists. And while Tifa's fierce kickboxing taekwondo techniques may differ greatly from Reno's less regimented concoction of capoeira and kendo-style moves, any good combatant can appreciate the methods and skills of another. A sparring match between these two would be a sight to behold.
Most of all, Reno and Tifa are excellent foils of one another; their natures each suit what the other seems to be lacking. Reno needs someone grounding in his life--that's likely why he and Rude get along so well. Reno also seems to have a way of neglecting his own needs when faced with something of what he deems a higher priority. Case-in-point, after pushing the button that will drop the plate on Sector 7 and subsequently getting beaten up by Cloud and the gang, Reno leaps off the platform, and then appears to have taken over flying the helicopter while Tseng taunts the heroes, instead of seeing to his own wounds, be they visible or otherwise. And then in Advent Children, when Tseng and Elena are presumed dead, I'm convinced that Reno was hurting much more than he might have let on, putting on a strong face because they had a job to do and they couldn't afford to mourn. Tifa's way of putting others first and doing all she can to make sure that the people around her are safe and happy would do Reno some good; he really should learn to take better care of himself.
On the other side of the coin, Tifa has had a lot of hardship in her life, and while she probably puts on a smile so that her friends don't worry about her, it's got to be difficult for her to maintain that happy face. Especially once Cloud descends into his own grief and stops coming home, Tifa has no one to lean on any longer, and no one to make her smile. Reno is an excellent means to satisfy this deficit--if anybody can coax a smile onto someone's face, he's likely the best candidate. With his grandiose gesticulation, blunt vernacular, animated facial expressions and tendency toward absurdity, anyone would have a tough time keeping a straight face when Reno's around.
All in all, Reno and Tifa seem a lot more suited to one another than to anyone else in particular... Reno needs someone caring and attentive in his life--he won't stand to not be the center of attention. His boisterous nature and unbridled desire to have a good time with his day require that if he was to take a partner in his life, it would have to be someone who would not only be right behind him every step of the way, but would bring plenty of levity and laughter to the endeavor, along with a steady hand and a level head to make sure he doesn't bite off more than he can chew (and maybe some band-aids and booze for the after-party). And while Rude is as stalwart as they come, Elena as bubbly as the day is long, Tseng as steady as the beat of a drum and Rufus more ambitious than most people would have the stamina for, Tifa encompasses all of the traits Reno's temperament would demand of a companion...and then some. Tifa was willing to give up everything--to give up saving the world--to stand by Cloud's side. If that doesn't prove that she would go to the ends of the earth for someone she loved, then surely no task can; her affections for Cloud illustrate a level of patience, devotion, and unadulterated tolerance on Tifa's part. That in mind, Tifa is probably the only person capable of putting up with Reno on a long-term close-contact basis...
Likewise, Tifa needs cheerfulness and vigor in a partner; she's spent far too long in the shadows of sadness the turmoil of the past. She deserves the companionship of someone who can not only appreciate the boundless infinity of her loyalty to her loved ones, but can return that dedication and dependability with pride and confidence. Cloud has demonstrated several times that while his affection for Tifa is deep and genuine, he simply can't be counted on; while he comes through in the end (of both the game itself and Advent Children), it is only after lots of prodding, scolding, and persuasion that he manages to find the faith in himself to be a good friend to those he loves. However Reno is nothing if not self-assured, overconfident, brazen, and ready to throw his whole being into protecting what he wants. It might take some weaning to get Reno to commit his heart to one person (as the fanon characterization that paints him something of a player suits him rather well, in my opinion), I believe firmly that if he was to swear himself to someone, he would pour all of that wanderlust into a lust that can be slaked much closer to home, if you...know what I mean. *nudge nudge wink wink*
However deep you may choose to interpret the connection between Reno and Tifa, the fact remains that there is one there...even if the finer details of it are only in the eye of the beholder.
The fandom for this pair is relatively small, especially when compared to many other pairings available in the game. And of the meager offerings the fandom provides a Tino fan, I personally find a significant percentage of the fanworks somewhat disappointing. While neither Tifa nor Reno is particularly known for their tact or diplomacy, there is a fastidious delicacy to writing their relationship in its fledgling state that I find very few people capture well. When they inevitably meet again for the first time after the events of Meteor and Holy have run their course, the fact that there is still going to be a lot of resentment and ire between them is often glossed over. While I will admit that it somehow suits Reno's character to be lascivious and somewhat perverse, he surely won't have forgotten who left him bruised after the battle for Sector 7 or the fight in Gongaga. And while Tifa is certainly known for being a sweet and loving person, she won't be so quick to forgive the man who single-handedly killed hundreds of people and destroyed her old bar. Theirs is not going to be a quick and easy friendship to forge--romance won't be a straight and simple path to walk for these two. And while Reno might be willing to look past their differences for the sake of a meaningful overnight relationship, Tifa has never struck me as loose; there's no doubt in my mind that if Reno was to try anything lewd or even remotely intimate with her, she wouldn't hesitated to deck him. I'm saddened by the fanfiction that paints Tifa as a lustful pushover and Reno as a sex-god who only cares about getting Tifa into bed. I'm dismayed by the stories that completely bypass the rocky road
That in mind, here are some places where you can find fanworks for this pairing, so you can decide for yourself what interpretation suits them best:
RETI: a RenoxTifa fansite with art, fiction, and a forum. The layout is somewhat obnoxious, but the content isn't too shabby. ^_^
reno_tifa: the Reno/Tifa LJ community. Not a lot of traffic here lately, folks--let's see some action! >:[Reno-Tifa-Love: the Reno/Tifa DA community--lots of lovely art here.
Selection of Reno/Tifa fanworks from the Advent Children Forums: some of the links are broken, but here's a pretty expansive list of fics, from oneshots to completed epics to incomplete stories. You're bound to find a few you enjoy. There's also fanart, cosplay, and outside links to other websites. Great Tino resource!
Aaaand because I'm a brazen hussy, I'm going to pimp my own enormous Reno/Tifa fic here. After all, what's a manifesto without a shameless self-plug or five, am I right?
neo_shinra_hq: Beyond Good and Evil--the fic that inspired the manifesto.Thanks for reading, everyone! Here's hoping the next time you watch Advent Children, you catch a little something extra. ^.~ This manifesto was so much fun to write; I hope you all enjoyed reading it!
Reno & Tifa is Sexy Love.
Made by:
seii_monogatari & serika_sanAND DON'T YOU FORGET IT!
IMAGE/SCRIPT SOURCES//WORKS CITED
● r e u n i o n: AC Screencap Gallery
● Additional AC Screencap Gallery
● ファイナルファンタジー7 データベース: FFVII Database--FFVII Japanese Dialogue Script
● FF7BC: Japanese Dialogue Scripts from Before Crisis
● FFWebNovel: Translations of the pre-AC novellas
● FFⅦ補完計画: Instrumentality of FFVII--Advent Children Japanese Dialogue Script (all English dialogue from the movie used in this manifesto was translated from the original Japanese dialogue and not taken from the dub or fansubs of the movie)
● English Dialogue from the game: Scene-by-scene breakdown with screencaps
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no subject
Date: 2007-07-12 05:43 pm (UTC)thanks for reading!
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Date: 2007-07-13 02:33 am (UTC)I've had fun reading this ^_^ More importantly, I was englighted more. They may be looked as rivals but after all those sorts of troubles, I think they can really get together :D Thanks you so much for th article ^^
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Date: 2007-07-13 03:09 am (UTC)glad you enjoyed it!
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Date: 2007-07-13 03:57 am (UTC)I have to say that this is one of the best and most impressive manifestos I've seen in quite a long time. It's obvious that you've spent a lot of time and care on this, and it reflects in how well-written the manifesto is. ^_^
I will definitely have to look for some of the subtle (and not so subtle) hints for this pairing the next time I play the game or watch "Advent Children." Once more, you did quite a wonderful job on this! Thanks for such a wonderful read! <3
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Date: 2007-07-13 05:19 am (UTC)and thanks! *beams proudly* i'm glad the effort i put forth shows; this dissertation was kind of a fanwork opus for me. XD glad you enjoyed it; i wish there were more FFVII fans who saw the potential these two have for being an awesome pairing. here's hoping you'll see what i saw next time you watch Advent Children. ^_~
no subject
Date: 2007-07-13 08:21 am (UTC)Even taking the BC Turks into account, I think Tifa would be the female that would suit Reno the most. I tend to pair Tifa with Cloud because I'm a canon whore, but Reno/Tifa has a wonderfully refreshing lack of angst to it.
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Date: 2007-07-13 05:43 pm (UTC)as for rufus, he's a whole new level of twisted layers upon layers, and i've had a ball trying to get into his head.
thanks for reading. ^_^
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Date: 2007-07-25 01:39 pm (UTC)no subject
Date: 2007-07-25 06:53 pm (UTC)