I never really finished this but it's a good start:
The CloTi Perspective:
Cloud and Tifa are left alone at the Highwind. ... no wait I'm going to start BEFORE that, because I think that's when Cloti really starts.
The real story of Cloti begins during the Lifestream event. It is in that moment when Tifa literally walks through Cloud's mind and sees the window to his past and true self. Many of Cloud's old memories and actions revolve around Tifa herself. In fact, the three most important memories that end up bringing Cloud back together are about himself and Tifa. The first memory is that Cloud would get into fights constantly because he was angry at himself for not being able to protect Tifa from falling from Mt Nibel. The second memory is the night Cloud made the Promise to Tifa to come to help her if she ever needed it. This was significant to Cloud because Tifa had been called out to the water tower before by many other boys, but always turned them down. Cloud was the one she paid attention to which shows that even at the time, Tifa was taking an interest him even without knowing him that well. Cloud also had feelings for Tifa, but because he was young, they hadn't the time grow yet. This is IMO, why they were called "dim" or "slight" feelings, because his feelings changed to that of love overtime as he grew.
(SOURCE: Cloud's Crisis Core Ultimania Profile "Before leaving Nibelheim, Cloud declared that “I’ll be a SOLDIER” to a village girl, Tifa, whom he dimly fell in love with, and made a promise to protect her")
The promise also means much to Cloud, for it is forever etched in his mind/memory.
(SOURCE: Cloud's 10th Anniversary Ultimania Profile. "A Promise to Tifa, Etched in his Memory."
When Cloud left the village dreaming of being a SOLDIER, he swore to Tifa that he would come running to her rescue if she was in trouble. While it was Tifa who strong-armed him into making the promise, it seems that the idea that he must keep this vow was forever in Cloud’s mind.")
Cloud also decided to join SOLDIER because he wanted someone to notice him, and the one person he singles out, is once again, Tifa.
(SOURCE: FFVII "Cloud: If I could just get stronger...... Then even Tifa would have to notice me......").
The third and final memory is of when Cloud defeated Sephiroth and came to Tifa's rescue even though he was a tad late. All of these memories show just how important Tifa is to Cloud. Even the young Cloud says to Tifa that she should tell the adult Cloud about how she was looking for information about him in the newspaper when he left. The younger Cloud knows the adult Cloud cares about Tifa a great deal and knows this will make him happy because his feeling have changed from slight feelings to that of love.
(SOURCE: FFVII:
Tifa "I started reading the newspapers, thinking that there might be an
article about you."
*Young Cloud looks down.*
"Thanks, Tifa."
"Tell him what you told me, later. He'll probably be so happy."
*Tifa nods* )
It is then Tifa realizes just how important she is to Cloud and that those feelings he had when he was a kid have grown to love, and we know she still carries her feelings for him from when she was younger.
THIS is what Tifa and Cloud talked about under the Highwind. When they were left alone (left alone as in no one watched them even if they did have sex... )
(SOURCE: U20: As well, the sight of the two seen by their companions the next morning will lead to an embarrassing scene for Tifa, and she blushes greatly."),
they realized how important they were to one another. They realized they loved one another and wanted to be by each other's side. They also related their feelings to each other without using words, which would indicate some form of romancing going on.
(SOURCE(s): "FFVIIUO, pg. 15: Declares that the team should dissolve in the final hours before the final battle, and communicates his feelings together with Tifa, who remains behind at the airship with him."
"FFVIIUO, pg. 27: When Cloud proposes that the group separates temporarily, she remains behind at the airship and communicates her feelings together with Cloud. "
"FFVIIUO, pg. 27: If Tifa's affection regarding Cloud is high, when the two stay behind at the airship, they will confirm that their feelings of desire/wanting for one another match."
"FFVIIUO, pg. 198: When their companions disperse to the places where people important to them await, Cloud and Tifa are the only two to remain behind. They reveal their mutual feelings in their final hours, and......."
"CCU, pg. 33: She communicates her feelings together with Cloud in the final stages of the story, and in AC and DC they live together."
"FFVII 10th AU, pg. 118; pg. 120 in the Revised Edition: Cloud and Tifa, who remain, reveal their feelings for each other and confirm them to match." (FFVII 10th AU, pg. 118; pg. 120 in the Revised Edition)
"U20 Scenario, pg. 232; main body of story summary: And when Cloud and Tifa remain behind alone, in their final hours, they disclose that their feelings for each other match." )
"U20 Scenario, pg. 394 VII - The night before the final battle
Thanks to Tifa, Cloud regains himself, and before the final battle with Sephiroth, without using words, he confirms with her that their feelings match
"U20 Scenario, margin of pg. 232: Deviation
2 versions of the conversation before the final battle
Prior to the final battle, the contents of the conversation between Cloud and Tifa can change depending on the degree of Tifa's affection. If the degree of affection is high, the contents of the two's conversation will involve deep subject matter and strong feelings for each other. As well, the sight of the two seen by their companions the next morning will lead to an embarassing scene for Tifa, and she blushes greatly."
"FFVII International Memorial Album, pp. 241-242: Script of high affection version of the Highwind scene the only one included in script of the game"
"U20 Scenario, pg. 199: Script of high affection version of the Highwind scene included as one of four "Impressive Scenes" selected to represent the game at the beginning of its section of the book)
Later on, on the Highwind, Cloud and Tifa get teased momentarily. None of the friends actually saw what happened, but Tifa is very embarrassed obviously concerned about what they might have seen which furthur implies that something romantic happened. If not, Tifa is embarrassed for no reason at all. Cloud puts his hand behind his head as he's also embarrassed but not as much as Tifa. That moment is quickly forgotten as the story moves on.
After the fight with Sephiroth, Cloud is lead back to his consciousness by Aerith, and is awakened just in time to save Tifa as she nearly falls to her death. Having seen Aerith's hand moments ago, Cloud speaks about the promised land, saying that he thinks he can find his fallen friend there. He is already looking for forgiveness from the one that he wronged and wishes to meet her again someday to be forgiven. Tifa agrees with Cloud and expresses an interest to see her fallen comrade as well.
At the start of CoT, Cloud smiles as Tifa stands by his side. Cloud expresses, once again, that he wishes for forgiveness for his sins. He believes starting a new life and living it the best he can will lead him to his salvation. And with a smile, he tells Tifa he believe he can do this now, and not fail like he has in the past, because he has her with him and he is very content with this.
(SOURCE: Case of Tifa:
“It all starts now. A new…”
Cloud looked for the right words.
“A new life.”
“I’m going to live. I think that’s the only way I can be forgiven. All sorts of things… happened.”
“That’s right…”
“But when I think about how many times I’ve thought about how I was going to start a new life, it’s funny.”
“Why?”
“Because I’ve always failed everything.”
“That’s not funny.”
“After this … I think I’ll be okay.”
Cloud was silent for a long time before he spoke again.
“Because I have you this time.”
“You’ve always had me.”
“What I mean is kind of different,” Cloud answered with another smile.)
When Case of Tifa progresses, Cloud and Barret build 7th Heaven as their home, and Barret decides at one point to leave. He leaves Marlene and Tifa and Cloud's care and calls them a family. Cloud begins to live like he said he would, and he's very happy with his new life. He even starts his own business and begins a delivery service. It is when this happens that things begin to change. Cloud starts to become distant and Tifa and Marlene notice this. This is because of the feelings of guilt he begins to feel. He had to deliver flowers to the Forgotten City which reminded him of how badly he failed Aerith. He begins to feel that because he could not protect his friends and those important to him, that he doesn't deserve this wonderful family he has. He starts to feel worthless and grows more and more distant as time goes on.
(SOURCE(s) FFVII 10th Anniversary: "The more he realizes how happy he is living with Tifa and the children, the more the fear of losing that and regrets toward the past trouble Cloud…"
Nomura in Distance: "The happier Cloud is, the more lonely he becomes.")
Because he grows so distant, Tifa becomes concerned and starts to wonder if their love for one another is enough to get through the crisis they are dealing with. She even becomes angry with Cloud because of his behavior toward her and Marlene and snaps at him a time or two. They are a couple in peril and many couples go through similar things like this. She asks Cloud one night if he loves her and he awakens perplexed for a moment. Afraid of the answer, she changes the question to ask if he loves Marlene to which he says, "Yes I just don't know how to approach her sometimes." Tifa then asks if they'll be okay, but doesn't get a response.
At some point during all this, Cloud begins visiting Aerith's church searching for salvation. One day when he's there he runs across Denzel, a young boy with Geostigma. He decides to bring Denzel back to join his family and Tifa agrees. They start to raise Denzel along with Marlene and their family life starts to get back to normal.
(SOURCE Case of Tifa: Tifa wondered if they became a real family after Denzel appeared. Cloud was clearly taking less jobs. At night, he would always make sure he had time to spend with the children. The silly little conversations he had with Tifa were also back.)
One night Cloud tells Tifa that he feels Aerith brought Denzel to him and confesses to visiting the church. Tifa, not wanting Cloud to suffer alone, tells him that she'll go with him next time, and reaffirms his belief about Denzel, but adds that she believes Aerith brought Denzel to their home and family. Cloud smiles at hearing this, knowing that he has people who care about him and want to help. Tifa and his family are always with him and this makes him happy.
Shortly afterwards, Cloud begins searching for a cure for Denzel to redeem himself for his past sins;
(SOURCE: Case of Tifa:
“I can’t really explain it well…” Cloud warned before starting to talk. “The problem isn’t resolved. Well, I never tried resolving it for a long time, I think. You can’t retrieve lost lives.”
Tifa nodded silently.
“But maybe we can save the lives who are in a crisis just now. Maybe even I can do it.”
“You mean Denzel?”
“Yeah.”)
however one day when he's out and about, he comes in contact with the disease. He feels that his one shot at redemption is completely blown and once again, he feels worthless. He thinks he doesn't deserve the friends and family he has, so he runs away to hide himself from his shame, and begins to live in Aerith's church possibly looking for another chance for salvation.
(SOURCE(s) FFVII 10th Anniversary Timeline: "[ ν ] – εуλ 0009
· Cloud brings Denzel back from the slum’s church and Denzel joins Cloud’s family.
· Because he contracted Geostigma, Cloud left Tifa and the children, and began living in the Slum church."
FFVII 10th Anniversary Cloud's Profile: "Now running a delivery business while helping out Tifa with the newly opened “Seventh Heaven” bar, Cloud, Tifa, Marlene and Denzel lived together like a family. However, when Cloud contracts Geostigma he disappears. Behind these actions lies feelings of guilt towards his past failure to protect people who were important to him.")
As FFVII AC goes on, Aerith is finally able to speak to Cloud to tell him to move on and that she never blamed him for anything. Thanks to Aerith, Marlene and Tifa, Cloud is able to fight again, and rises up to defeat Sephiroth once again. He wakes up in the church, surrounded by his loved ones, finally free of his guilt. This is truly his promised land. A place where he can live among his friends, and family without guilt or insecurities. As Aerith leaves along with Zack, Cloud smiles and think to himself that he isn't alone. He isn't alone because he has his family and he knows they will be there for him and he doesn't have to suffer alone and that his family and friends will always be there for him.
--------------------
So as you can see, there is no Tifa treating Cloud like shit. There's no Cloud treating Tifa like a doormat. There's no Tifa being mean to Cloud or not believing in him and loving Zack instead. What we believe in is truly a beautiful love story. Two people who took an interest in one another when they were younger even though they really didn't know each other that well. Cloud asks Tifa to go to the watertower with him one night, and despite the fact that Tifa had been asked out by several boys, she didn't respond to them. Only Cloud. This is because they saw something in one another despite their differences and just knew there was something special in the other.
After that, before they get a chance to really share their feelings for one another, they are separated as Cloud heads off to join SOLDIER. He thinks about Tifa while he's there and she thinks about him when he's gone, searching for articles about him in the newspaper. They worry about each other, and finally, years later, the day comes when the two are to be reunited, but alas it doesn't go so well. It's not the happy romantic reunion that one would hope for, for Cloud didn't make SOLDIER and he becomes concerned. He thinks Tifa won't think much of him, so he hides himself behind his mask, unaware that she truly does care for him. Tifa is upset that Cloud doesn't show up, also unaware that he is in fact, by her side. They continue to think about each other, and it drives us, the Clotis crazy to think of how close they were to one another. Hey that's good writing
Finally the time comes for Cloud to save Tifa, but he arrives too late, however he is still able to take out Sephiroth. Tifa is, however, unconscious and doesn't get a chance to talk to the one she longs to see.
Afterwards, we know the story with what happens with Zack and Cloud. So when FFVII begins, we have Cloud and Tifa finally reunited and able to talk to one another, but something is wrong. Cloud knows things he shouldn't know and is acting funny. Tifa, worries about him, asks if he'll join Avalanche so she can keep an eye on him as she begins to question her own sanity. She doesn't understand why Cloud knows stuff he shouldn't know and is worried it's her own mind that's messed up, so she says nothing.
Cloud has forgotten everything he ever thought about Tifa when he was a kid. He is cold to her and doesn't seem interested in her at all. This is how the story pans out, until the Lifestream event.
This is the big moment. After years of worrying about each other, caring about each other, longing for each other, they finally see without a doubt just how important they are to each other. They become aware of the feelings they were carrying for each other, and it is then, under the highwind that the romantic reunion that is several years past due finally happens.
This is when their new life begins, but again there are hurdles. The thing about those hurdles is this, they make Cloud and Tifa stronger. They work through it. Cloud realizes he doesn't have to suffer in loneliness and it brings them closer together. Their bond is stronger than ever by the time FFVII AC/C ends.
And THAT, my friends, is what I and many others see in Cloti. We see a beautiful love story that transcends over the course of two people's lives from when they were kids to when they are now adults. I hope, that this will help people better understand the Cloti perspective
Huhu!
