them getting married would kill the mystery of the feelings between them, but taking too long to develop the relationship is also very agonizing...just think Lana Lang and Clark Kent, lol

thankfully, Tifa and Cloud live in an fantasy world where they cannot age, and therefore are not bothered by such a thing.
Append Quote Prepend Quote

I haven't really played the game, but reading what everyone has to say about all this, doing some research, and watching the movie, I'd have to say that Tifa and Cloud were meant to be from the beginning. Even if Tifa didn't really notice Cloud in their childhood, it could be that they were just friends and that Cloud simply wanted her to notice him to be more than that. So as many guys do, they find a way to impress the girl of their affections. Cloud trained to be a SOLDIER for Tifa, and I suppose it worked, since she realize her feelings later on for Cloud. However, there were other things that did get in the way, circumstances that Cloud and Tifa had to deal with. Aerith had a role in changing things for Cloud, but it isn't without the circumstance that Cloud wasn't himself exactly, he had Zack added to his persona. Aerith reacted to it, the reminder will inevitably tug at her emotions and feelings for her boyfriend from the past even if it has been years since she last saw him. Cloud being in the state he was in did attach himself because Aerith allowed it and he needed someone stable enough since he was a mess. I don't think that it was quite a romantic love mainly because when someone is a complete mess and is lost, they're going to cling to someone that will give kindness and has a sense of calm stability. Aerith being who she is, as an Ancient, someone who will exude that type of earthy and healing energy, someone like Cloud is going to want and feel the need to be around someone like that. Having to lose a friend and the person he actually _Relied_ upon with who he is, someone who basically help him build his foundation (like a parent or guardian) is killed right in front of him. Its going to be a shock, and face it being Cloud he's got issues all his life, like someone mentioned from his childhood he was blamed for Tifa being in a coma, the girl he was infatuated with. That's gotta be tough for a kid, especially if he was innocent. Cloud blamed himself for Aerith because he believed that he hadn't been strong and quick enough to save her despite Cloud being more innocent than he recognizes (stemmed from that event in his childhood involving Tifa). So his attachment to Aerith and then losing the person relied upon emotionally and mentally is going to shake him, plus seeing Aerith's killer and what he did, its going make him want to avenge Aerith since she cared for him, she was a close friend and maternal/guardian type of figure in his life taken from him. His thoughts are going to be more towards...'I let her die, and because of that it would be the same as killing her. Its a terrible sin, someone as good she was, shouldn't have died that way...she cared for me and this is how I repay my gratitude. I could never do anything right, all I do is end up hurting the people I care about.' Cloud loathes himself, why else would he have just given up and die alone with his Geostigma. He probably thinks its what he deserves. Someone as depressed as he was.
I don't deny that Aerith and Cloud have that affectionate bond, but it would not have grown beyond that into a romantic relationship even if she did live imo. She's too much of a caretaker, a guide type of person for Cloud. And comparing them to other characters from other games and what not is irrelevant. Anyways, I don't think Cloud could rely on Aerith as a comfort blankie forever, so I suppose the writer wanted to make Aerith someone who would become someone who helped developed his character and force his independence.
Oh, that reminds me, referring back to Tifa and their childhood, I think after what happened, he didn't only train to impress Tifa, but he did it so that he would become stronger enough to protect her if she was in a pinch.
Tifa has been in the background, not because Cloud didn't want to be with her, its that circumstances forced quite a few things to happen. I think the _real_ Cloud that has become his own person really suits with Tifa and who she is. And to say...Tifa did reach Cloud, she was honest about her feelings and the talk they had in AC.

quote FF VII: Advent Children

"Don't run, let's fight it together. We can help each other I know we can. But I guess that only works with real families."
"I'm not fit to help anyone...not my family, not my friends...nobody."
"Dilly Dally Shilly Shally. (repeat)"
Reno: "I think she wants you to move on man."
He talks to Vincent considering her words, and
"Stop running! I know...even if you find the kids you might not be able to help them. Maybe something will happen that can never unhappen, and that scares you, doesn't it? But you need to think about now, really take it in! Look at you! You think you got it so damn hard! Well you hate being alone, so let people in. Sure you might not answer the phone, but I don't see you throwing it away either...Which is it? A memory or us?"

She set down that choice and made that wheel turn setting something in motion within Cloud and eventually he began to understand, especially when he asked Vincent about sins. I'm not sure how the heck he didn't realize that he had to try to forgive his own sins...I swear...Cloud is a bit ditzy at times.

This is just my two cents about the "love triangle", I don't think there really is one, but its what people seem to like.
Append Quote Prepend Quote

i honestly think that cloud's feelings for Tifa is unsure because he's a very complicated person to tell when it comes to love. But there is time when he have feelings for her throughout ffvii. Tifa likes cloud and cloud likes tifa. it's just that they are just too shy to tell each other's feelings.^^
Append Quote Prepend Quote

It would make good sense if they did, because then Cloud can be with the girl he likes while Aerith was killed off to be with the guy she likes (anyone heard of Zack from Crisis Core: Final Fantasy VII? Even if you haven't, it was that guy with black spikey hair that you see at the end and in Cloud's memories).
Append Quote Prepend Quote

I think CLoud Likes Tifa.It implies it at th end of A.C and Last time I cheaked it saied Cloud admired her on Wikipeda.
They would make a cuit couple!
Append Quote Prepend Quote