"Ever since I first played the game, I vastly preferred the pairing of Cloud/Aerith. I thought Tifa was a boring coward, to be frank with you. I could never like her. Aerith was the type of heroine I like; cute, spunky, flirty, a little mysterious, and special(I like it when the heroine has a rare heritage and a heavy destiny).
But I didn't just prefer Cloud n' Aerith; I saw it happen in the game, and then in the Compilation.
Okay, we have Cloud at the beginning of the game. He's cold, arrogant, and doesn't care for much more than money. No one he comes in contact with moves him, breaks through his facade. Not even Tifa, who he's supposed to be head over heels for.
No one but AERITH. Right after he comes in contact with her, we see him begin to slowly show emotion. He protects her. He accepts the date she offers without her having to pull his leg at all. It seemed like he was blushing, and then he just nods. So, this guy who cares for seemingly only money opts to pass up a monetary fee in favor of spending time with a flower girl? Sounds like the beginning of love to me.
From meeting Aerith on, he becomes the sort of person who will fight for others besides himself. The party notices this, and they mention it. Tifa can see that Cloud and Aerith form a special bond immediately, and this special closeness makes her jealous. Cloud becomes so close to Aerith that he can feel her in his soul when they are apart. He senses her because she has literally become a PART OF HIM.
When she dies and falls into his arms, he gives a heartwrenching display of emotion such as we had never seen from him up to then, and don't see again in the game or Compilation. It's like he was feeling part of himself die with her, and could only cry out in agony.
After she dies, he throws himself into the battle like never before. He says that unfeezing her smile is the most important thing to him and that his memories of her are what he fights for. At the end of the game when he sees her angelic hand and reaches for it, he has a look of such love and awe on his face that we can no longer doubt the force of his love for her. He then says to Tifa that he wants to look for Aerith in his Promised Land.
After the game, he lives with his good friend Tifa while his works a delivery job; which is very likely a front to search for his Promised Land, where he believes he will find Aerith. He contracts Geostigma, and goes to Aerith's church, the only place he feels comfort and peace, because Aerith's presence is everywhere.
I believe he was ready to die, and planned to stay there until the end. He didn't want to fight, he just wanted to be with Aerith. But when she appears to him and makes it clear she wants him to live and fight bravely, he honors her wishes. He fights, and wins. When he defeats Sephiroth, he, quote, "loses himself in Aerith's rain". He feels her around him, and it is too much for him. He then comes close to dying, but Aerith's loving hand brings him back.
After this, he clearly makes visits to flowerfields, a place that holds a special meaning for him and Aerith, and there they find time to be together. They have been reunited, never to be parted again. Aerith's presence is so strong for Cloud that she can even physically touch him. What more could he want?
I don't see how anyone can NOT see and recognize that Cloud and Aerith are bound by great love. It's so in your face. Tifa lost Cloud to Aerith. She never even had a chance with Cloud because he lost his heart the minute he awoke in Aerith's flowerbed to find her smilng gently down at him.
Cloud and Aerith are the best of all Final Fantasy couples. No other one even comes close."
