What Each Zodiac Needs In a Long-term Relationship

ARIES

Unwavering loyalty.

The partner of the god of war needs to exhibit militant qualities. To stick it out in the long term, sometimes you have to be willing to take orders without questioning the reasoning behind them. An Aries needs someone who is willing to make an ethical mistake before they would leave their significant other to take a fall solo. It’s a Bonnie and Clyde, “we go down together” mentality. There will be parts of the relationship that are a struggle, that require patience and dedication to see the chess-like strategy behind a series of battles. At a certain point, it just requires faith that the two of you will come out on top in the long run. The foresight to see that the sacrifices of today will yield tomorrow’s victories.

TAURUS

Timelessness.

A Taurus needs someone that will always be their perfect fit. Like a Cartier tank watch that never goes out of style. A person and a relationship that will age with grace, that will become more valuable with wear. They’re not the sign to just slip on whatever is trendy one season, and discard it when it clashes with the next. They have an eye for what suits them, what’s a good investment, and what will allow them to present the best version of themselves for years to come. So a Taurus will metaphorically “save” for the right relationship. They know a decades-long love story isn’t built overnight. The bond they’re looking for can’t be acquired in a single swipe. They’ll put in the work for the person that will grow alongside them.

GEMINI

Stability.

Geminis need to see that you can weather any storm. They want someone who can take some heat, stand firm with wear, and provide the support they need, even under duress. They’ve seen other people come and go, the ones who couldn’t keep up with their hectic schedules and the stress that comes along with it. A Gemini is a complete, self-actualized individual, and doesn’t need a partner to feel whole. So their significant other needs to be just as secure, and confident enough to be with someone who knows exactly who they are. They are a sign that really needs to be loved at their best and at their worst. They won’t enter into a lifelong commitment otherwise.

CANCER

A no-grudge policy.

Cancers need someone who knows how to make up after a heated argument. Someone who isn’t keeping score, who’s not going to tally up who does the dishes every night to hold it against their partner down the line. They just need someone who knows the value of compromise, of the words “I’m sorry”. Someone who is willing to always remember their partner’s humanity as well as their own. It’s not about playing a never-ending blame game. Cancers need someone who will see problems as something to be shared, something to be solved together. And when reconciliation is made, that fight cannot be reignited down the road. There is no double jeopardy in love.

LEO

Evolution.

Leos are constantly making friends, so they need a partner with an open mind and heart. They can’t be with someone who is too locked into any one routine, someone who has had the same friends and done the same things since high school. Leo’s secret dream is to be the cool older neighbors in an apartment complex or on a block one day. A couple who can connect with younger generations because of their energetic and extroverted demeanor. So their partner cannot be afraid of change or growth. They need someone who wakes up each morning, ready to embrace all of the opportunities life throws their way, whether that’s trying new things or meeting new people. There’s no such thing as a dog who can’t learn a new trick.

VIRGO

Unconditional love.

A Virgo needs you to love them in the good moods and the bad. Someone to love them when life is a mess and they just can’t seem to get everything color-coded and labeled quickly enough. They need someone who is going to look at them with pure love once their temper is well past lost. Someone who just understands the way they operate without a user manual. Because unless someone can see all of the lovable motivations behind the meltdown, you don’t deserve a Virgo at their best. When they nail the anniversary gift or rearrange your closet by surprise. When they create multiple Google maps for your first vacation together or stay up all night researching your mysterious illness. They just need someone who is going to see and love them for the bigger picture.

LIBRA

Growth.

Libras need someone who isn’t afraid to take on more. To learn new information, develop skillsets, explore further, and never stop reaching for their full potential. Because they represent scales and balance, they see life as a series of choices. What will enrich your lives most as a couple? What do the two of you need to work on for things to run smoothly? What do the two of you need to make happen for you to reach that next stage in your lives or careers? They know that planning is all about decisiveness, about exploring the options available and making a conscious decision, taking certain paths while leaving others behind. The partner that is going to grow with them over the years is the partner who is on board to go through that process as a team.

SCORPIO

Effort.

Scorpios can’t stand being taken for granted and can’t commit to a lazy partner. They expect sex far after you’ve both retired, whether it requires medicinal assistance or not. It’s all about being present together. Everyone needs time to unwind, even when you’re sharing a home and a life with your partner. But a Scorpio needs someone who will divert their attention from the TV when requested. Someone who will help decide what’s for dinner every night. Someone who knows that date nights are for a lifetime, not just the first six months of dating. They need designated quality time outside of sharing a bed and a bathroom. Conversation, physical touch, and activities that are designed to bring you closer. It doesn’t need a crazy price tag as long as they see it comes from the heart.

SAGITTARIUS

Enthusiasm.

The sign that gets a bad rap for needing too much adventure, actually just wants to see their partner’s eyes light up. And while travel is one of their favorite ways to awaken the awe of that inner child, what they want out of a relationship can be so much simpler. It doesn’t matter the activity or the occasion, as long as you can show them that you are invested in spending time with them. Cooking a new meal together, trying a new restaurant, taking a class. They just want to know that you’re as excited to be with them as they are. Their biggest fear is a mundane life, but they know that can only happen if both of you stop expressing and pursuing the things you want together. At the end of the day, it’s about not giving up on your happiness.

CAPRICORN

Partnership.

A Capricorn wants someone to fold the laundry with. Someone to make a monthly budget with and follow until you can afford the splurge item you decided to save for together. They just want someone who is willing and able to make plans because they get their happiness from anticipation and accomplishment. And when they can share these with another person, they feel extremely bonded. They are okay with taking on certain roles based on your own strengths but don’t want to feel like you assume they will take on huge loads of work without specifically deciding together. They want responsibilities to be equitable so that your successes feel like they truly belong to both of you.

AQUARIUS

Kindness.

An Aquarius just wants to be with someone who says more positive things than negative. Who assumes the best in people before the worst? Who hasn’t totally lost their faith in humanity, no matter how bleak current events get? They’re the sign that gives the most back to their communities, and it means they don’t shy away from those who are less fortunate than them. A partner needs to be just as optimistic as they are that the world around us can be improved for the better, specifically by one’s own actions. Anyone who is too much of a defeatist will only drag them down, and they need someone who knows how to cheer others on instead.

PISCES

Stimulation.

A Pisces needs someone who’s not afraid to follow them down a rabbit hole, and by a I mean many, on a daily basis. They can’t be this deep in thought alongside a partner who can never leave the shallow end. Their partners need to be able to confront uncomfortable hypotheticals and consider possibilities that are bleak, scary, or sinister because Pisces takes in all of the good and bad around them and lets their imagination multiply it by infinity. They live in a way that straddles reality and all possibilities at the same time. So they need a partner who can plan for any disaster but also hope for the best at the same time. Being with a dreamer means you need to be open to fantasy and nightmares, with equal open-mindedness.