Something I recently realized about Kikoru and Reno. Again, this is all my interpretation because I'm too ship brained for my own good (haven't had delulu hour in a while)
We all know Kikoru believes in him. She'd spelled it out herself subconsciously.
When Reno was using No. 6 for the first time, the people closest to him that we know of, Iharu and Kafka, both instinctively were discouraging about it.
I'm not saying that in a way that implies they had malicious intent—Kafka's first instinct was to go against it because he knew it was too dangerous and was worried it would hurt Reno, and Iharu's own envy + concern (which he ended up scolding himself over and stemmed from his own insecurity) made him initially also try to deter Reno from using No. 6.
It's not that they didn't believe in Reno, but in both their cases their aversion to the idea of Reno using No. 6 came from a place of concern that he wouldn't be able to handle it. Which is understandable.
Neither of them were bitter about Reno's compatibility, and Iharu's insecurity got the best of him because he thought Reno's failed test with No. 6 meant that Reno wasn't advancing as fast as he thought he was and could still catch up to Reno which is why he was relieved (at least that's how I see it! I might be wrong sjdhjdjkg... moving on—)
But then we got to Kikoru. When she first hears of the news, she doesn't worry about him at all—she's actually the one who reminds Kafka that Reno is more than aware of what his compatibility with No. 6 means, and she knows he's willing to take to take that risk anyway because she knows what it's like to feel helpless and take any opportunity to become a better and stronger solider for their comrades.
There was a time where she kind of did doubt him? But it wasn't out of worry or self-superiority or anything like that. She probably just saw him as your average officer until the raid on Tachikawa base. She told him to keep up, and he did. He exceeded her expectations and she could tell he was actually more capable than she initially thought of him. And since then she hadn't changed her mind about him since.
That's why it's so meaningful to me that she was one of the most supportive of him when it comes to No. 6. Hell, even Reno didn't believe in himself and almost succumbed to the voices telling him he was too weak to handle it.
Whether she realized it or not, part of her knows they've been in the same spot hence why she understands why he'd follow through with using 6 even if nearly everyone else discouraged him from wielding it.
Idk it's details like this that make me weakkk. She trusts him to that extent that he knows what he's doing and even stands up for him for following through with his decision. And in turn, it was her reminder to Kafka that made Kafka ultimately trust Reno to handle the mega monsters in the final fight so Kafka could go get Mina.
TLDR: This is such a major example of her respect for him. Even when others, the people closest to him were initially against him using 6, she supported him. So yeah, I'm a puddle. I melt just thinking about them. That's it goodbye :3
