beatrusharch

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legionsniper

   “Gah, it’s freezing out here. Don’t you want to come inside?” Tifa raised a brow, concern for the stranger huddling outside her establishment shone plain on her face. “I won’t make you buy anything, I promise.”

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Tifa’s decision in Mideel always felt disappointing to me, but I’m starting to see it in a new light. Though she’s obviously devastated - and once again, expressing that she has no idea what to do - “I don’t care about anything else, only Cloud” always felt a little wrong. We’ve seen her care about so many things other than Cloud, after all, so this felt like another instance where the game treats Tifa as Cloud’s girlfriend rather than as her own person.

When asked about the LTD the other day though, I said that I think Tifa tends to express a lot of her survivor’s guilt through her relationship with Cloud, and I’m starting to see what happens here as an extension of that. We don’t really see Tifa deal directly with her feelings about Nibelheim, but what we do see is this incredible responsibility she feels toward Cloud; Cloud, who also survived Nibelheim (though Tifa doesn’t know how), who’s the only one who can really share that nightmare with her, and who came out apparently so much worse for the wear.

“I couldn’t protect them” is Cloud’s line, but remember that Tifa was the first to the reactor, the first person to try to stop Sephiroth, despite surely knowing she never stood a chance. She does rash things when she doesn’t know what else to do, including joining AVALANCHE. Abandoning the party to stay with Cloud and take care of him is also a rash decision, but it’s something that she can do, something that will let her act out the responsibility she feels towards him and alleviate the guilt she’s internalized over having “failed” him.

For Tifa, staying with Cloud isn’t giving up the fight; it’s continuing the struggle she’s been having all along.

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Promise by carousal

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At last, the promise has been made

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   Tifa smiled, and said, “Sounds nice.” But given his tone, she couldn’t help but think that his idea of ‘high class’ was probably middle-shelf vodka in nice glasses with tiny paper umbrellas tossed in to make then feel fancy. 

   “So was that before, or after you went about terrorizing innocent civilians?” She was half-joking, remembering the way that Reno had carried himself when they first met. Her first impression had been one of a hot-headed rookie, desperate to prove himself to the point of failure. But at least his heart was in the right place nowadays, right?

“What can I say? It’s the simple pleasures that make life worthwhile.” He let out a puff of smoke as he spoke, cigarette nestled between his fingers as he grinned at Tifa. Truth was, he really didn’t have room to speak so highly but he wasn’t about to admit that. “I like the high class life I used to have. Me and the rest of the snobs having grand ol’ parties day in and day out.”

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   “Oh, you’re going to have to try harder than that.”

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   He was so obvious, somehow. Maybe it was how tight he was gripping his handles, or the angle from which he looked at her, the tension in his shoulders that she could see even from the open doorway... Well whatever it was, she knew what it meant; and it was a good damn thing they kept plenty of liquor around. She scoffed quietly when he fired back at her, hitting back with a quick, “No kidding,” before tossing the towel on his head as he crossed the threshold of their home.

   No sooner had he stepped inside than Marlene and Denzel blew passed on their way up the stairs, however the both froze halfway up when they realized who they’d nearly run over. They looked at each other before grinning at Cloud and yelling, “Welcome home!” then taking off up the stairs.

   Tifa groaned, “They’ve been doing that all day. Probably should have let them go outside.”

Unlikely to happen—his immune system always managed to do a pretty good job thanks to his mako enhancements. But their shared joke and her simple gesture, though they might not seem much, were enough to raise his spirits a little. It had been a rough afternoon: Edge’s structural repairs had caused traffic congestion miles long, topped off nicely by the increasing rainfall. He’s not sure when the habit started—Tifa greeting him, towel in hand, every time it rained—but it’s one he would sorely miss if it were ever to stop.

“I guess it is a little wet out,” he quipped dryly, pushing back the bangs sticking in his eyes. He kicked the stand down and dismounted his motorcycle, hurrying inside.

With a small smile, he added, “I’m back. Sorry I’m late.”

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@ Jab_nishii

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   “This whole thing!” She huffed, casting a wary glance around. Lowering her voice, “We’re supposed to be sneaking in to this place, aren’t we? I’ll bet she’s just using us as a distraction so she can steal some materia or something. It wouldn’t be the first time...”

   “I just hate sneaking around...”

“…W…What?” Instantly confused, just by the woman’s first sentence. Did she miss something? “I…have no idea what you’re talking about…what was a bad idea, exactly?”  

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   “You’re a man of simple tastes, Reno.” Tifa kept her tone as even as possible, but part of her just wanted to smack him. ‘Lower class’? And just who the hell was he to say that? She knew it was only bugging her because he happened to be deriding Cloud’s choice of occupation, but even so, his logic was flawed. “Then what, pray tell, would you call yourself? If this sort of work is beneath you.”

“Hmph, sure, for the lower class probably.” His voice haughty, Reno stuck a hand inside his coat, pulling out a half-empty pack of cigarettes. With little effort he had it between his lips and lit. “The upside so far is being able to have a smoke whenever I want.” To punctuate his comment he took a long drag on his cigarette.

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makogirlwithapast

   “I’m just going to say that, for the record, I think this is a horrible idea.” She crossed her arms over her stomach, shaking her head slightly. Even guessing at the thought process behind this made her head hurt. “Was it Reeve? No, I’ll bet it was Yuffie.”

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   “Hard to believe that some people actually do that for a living. Gasp! Shock and awe!” Tifa was out on errands when she’d come upon the fiery haired Turk and, upon hearing him lamenting the sorry state of things, couldn’t help but interject.

“Maaan, I kind of miss the good old days.” Reno sighed, stopping in his walk to adjust the messenger bag slung across his shoulder. “Striking a little fear into the people, unlimited coffee in the staff room. Ugh. Now I’m reduced to a pathetic little errand boy.”

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  She tilted her head in response to his question. Casting a glance around the bar, she noted all of the things that she had gotten done that day, but even so... “Hah, bored, mostly. But it’s amazing how much you can accomplish with no distractions.”

  “How was work? Anything interesting happen?”

Finally, all deliveries done he was home. He had a few people that gave him nerves today, but he wasn’t going to let them ruin his mood. Even though he was tired, he wouldn’t complain, his job wasn’t as complicated as others. Entering the bar, he was greeting by a warm voice. “Ah, hey. Thanks.” Taking over his gloves and goggles, he placed them on a small table near the counter.

“So, how are you today?”