Interestingly enough, I think that Aries and Aquarius are both people who are highly attuned to the constraint of human mortality. Both signs think about death quite a lot. Both are highly aware of one’s own limitations.

I know, I know. Fire and air signs are supposed to be light hearted and fun! We make edgy jokes instead of spilling our hearts. We prefer to talk randomly instead of exploring a topic intentionally because, if you’re too serious, then what’s the fun? But, if you look closely at a fire and air dynamic, you’ll find that it’s not 100% fun and games.

Aquarius is highly concerned with mortality because they like to do this thing where they see things from a bird eye’s view. “What is the meaning of my life?” Aquarius might wonder. “I’m currently forty five so I might have four or five decades left.” Aquarius has been thinking about how much time they have left since they were five years old. They really just can’t help it.

Aries, on the other hand, isn’t quite as calculating. Aries has no idea how much time they have left and they prefer to not investigate it. They just know that life is short. “You only live once,” Aries is often heard saying despite there being absolutely no evidence that we only live once, “so just be yourself and do your best.”

If you ask an Aries what they like about Aquarius or an Aquarius what they like about Aries, you’re likely to get an answer that goes something like this: “Hell yeah. I do like that person’s energy. Not sure what it is about them. They just always make me laugh, even when we’re mad at each other.”

Aries and Aquarius share something that is very important. They share the same sense of humor. Both of them are extremely self deprecating. Why are they so self deprecating? What is this desire to take pleasure in picking fun at one’s own self image or reducing one’s ego for sheer shits and giggles? Maybe it has something to do with Aries and Aquarius’s awareness of life’s limitations.

Aries takes everything personally. We take things personally because—why would you tell us something if you don’t want us to react as ourselves? Aries believes that not everything is our business. We’re not a neutral sounding board but a highly specific individual with a unique point of view. We think that, if someone tells us something, then they must want something from us.

Aquarius—not so much. Aquarius is capable of entertaining a very long conversation about something that they think is completely unrelated to themselves. In fact, Aquarius prefers to talk about theoretical ideas over their personal experiences.

I think that this difference is actually what makes Aries and Aquarius work so well together. Aries will straight up ask Aquarius, “How is this relevant to your life? Like, what can you actually do with this information? What is your actual position in all of these systems that you’re trying to describe?” They find Aquarius funny people because Aquarius is so knowledgeable and yet so clueless.

Aquarius also thinks that Aries is a funny person. Aries thinking is black and white because it is goal oriented but Aries's mind is also constantly changing. “How can you be so simple minded about all of this?” Aquarius wants to ask Aries. “You can’t just focus on figuring out what to do without understanding the entire problem. You have to think beyond just what is actionable at the moment.”

When Aries and Aquarius bicker or argue, an activity that both like to do, the tension rarely lasts beyond the moment. Aquarius appreciates Aries’s straightforwardness (this person is so easy to figure out and connect with!) and Aries doesn’t really get angry unless you attack them personally which Aquarius never does.

These two signs are sextiled. They give each other grace. They also activate each other in a way that doesn’t feel particularly challenging. They can also be very attracted to each other.

Romantically, an Aries with a crush is like a dog with a bone. We chase people. If Aries likes you, trust me that you will know. They will just tell you, “I like you romantically. Let’s try kissing now.” They will text you everyday often without even waiting for a response back because they’re always thinking about you all the time. This period of Aries hogging your time and hunting you down tends to last around three months after which they will become more chill.

Aquarius is a bit more suspicious about romance. They’re doubtful people and they need frequent pauses in spending time together before they figure out the pace of the relationship. However, Aquarius's need for space doesn’t really bother Aries. Aries will continue to make their desire obvious.

“Okay, you need space. How much time do you need?” Aries demands to know. “Five days? Fine.” Aries can do five days. They’ll just do their own thing and live their life. On the morning of the sixth, they give Aquarius a call. “When are we seeing each other?” Your five days of space are up! Time to talk to me now.

Weirdly enough, Aries’s tunnel-vision-pursuing style of courtship doesn’t really bother the more reluctant Aquarius. Aquarius just wants things to be clear. They kind of like being so wanted by someone who doesn’t get defeated by a few “not right now”s here and there. Keep in mind that, if you tell an Aries that you don’t like them in that way for sure, they will also leave you alone immediately. This level of clarity gives Aquarius peace of mind.

“What kind of relationship does your life currently allow for? What does commitment look like for you if that’s something that you’re desiring? When you say that you want to date, what are you mostly expecting?” These are all questions that Aquarius likes to ask as they start to get to know someone and these are all questions that Aries has extremely earnest, fast, one sentence answers to. Aries gives Aquarius permission to do the theorizing, the meta analysis of the relationship. Aries’s frankness gives Aquarius emotional security and a sense of control.

Also weirdly enough, Aries usually becomes invigorated by the more low energy air signs. They like someone who seems a little interested, a little ambivalent—someone who is maybe playfully testing you out. Aries, who is turned on by their own plans and desires, likes it when Aquarius gives Aries permission to ask for attention, when Aquarius asks Aries exactly how they would like to receive said attention, and really listens for the answer.

As a final note, I’ll say this: both Aries and Aquarius can have a tendency to take themselves very seriously in a way that the other person helps them laugh at. Aries cares a lot about being a noble or an honorable person. Aquarius reminds Aries that we’re all just regular people trying to figure out how to come together to change larger systems. Aquarius cares a lot about social responsibility and what people owe to one another. Aries reminds Aquarius that you have to find your own place in everything and that some things are meant for you to do.