Aries liked Leo.

It was a simple fact that everybody knew about. And no matter how much Aries tried to convince everyone otherwise, she couldn't quite convince herself.

Leo… he saved her from Karen at the cost of banishment. He was her best friend, her hero.

He taught her how to be someone

She would do anything for him; even give up her own life. If only she could tell him how she felt. She was sure he didn't like her, he was player and a flirt, could have any girl he wanted. But that way, she would know that she at least tried.

But Aries didn't want Leo to avoid her. She wanted him to feel comfortable with her. She didn't want to ruin their friendship, so she stayed quiet and hid all her pain and emotions. Because it would make him happy, she told herself.

The spirit was always shy and didn't do a really good job on expressing herself, so it wasn't too hard at first. But every day, she found herself hurting more and more.

"Andromeda was flirting with me today," he stated. Aries had been practicing her magic when Leo came to her. She wasn't a strong spirit, she knew that much. She had come to accept it no matter how much everybody told her otherwise. She wasn't a fighting spirit, but she could at least be good at what she did.

The spirit smiled and nodded her head in acknowledgment before continuing her training.

"She's cute."

She ignored it.

"Do you think I should go out with her?"

She formed a ball of wool.

"I think I should."

She launched it at the tree. It exploded.

"But I dunno, what do you think?"

She kicked the boxing bag.

"Aries?"

Followed by a spinning roundhouse kick.

He stood up.

"Aries what's wrong?"

And then a flurry of punches.

"Aries!" Leo grabbed her wrist just before she could land her final punch.

Her head was down, her pink hair covering the despair in her eyes. He grabbed her chin and gently pushed it up so that she faced him. "Aries…" he dragged out. "Please, just tell me what's wrong."

She was his best friend, of course he would tell her. But him… talking about other girls. She hated it. She wasn't jealous… Aries was never jealous. She was miserable, living years after years, just trying to tell him.

She wouldn't tell him. She couldn't.

Because she would do anything for him.

Aries didn't like Leo.

She loved him.

Loke liked Aries.

But Loke was a player. And to be frank… he was hot and he knew it. Girls swooned over just the sight of him. There's not a single girl that the mighty lion didn't manage to charm.

But, he would never be here if it weren't for Aries. She's reason he's still a person. Her innocence and joy, it's the only thing that's kept him from becoming a mindless flirt. She was his best friend, his only reason.

She taught him how to be someone.

Loke owes everything to Aries. And that's why, he would protect her with his life. He would give everything just to see her smile. Her smile… He loved how she could smile with all the happiness and joy in the world. It was something he could never really do.

She was the embodiment of innocence and purity. And he was the corruption.

If they were ying and yang, she would be the light and he would be the darkness. Loke wasn't like Aries. He had seen and done things that he wasn't proud of. Now Aries… she wouldn't even hurt a fly.

There were just so many times where he just wanted to tell her, to tell her about his feelings. But he didn't want to corrupt her. And so, he kept his emotions at bay and hid his misery from her. But it was proving to be harder than he thought. So he kept himself busy with other girls.

"Aries!" Leo grabbed her wrist just before she could land her final punch. What got into her?

For a brief second, his eyes were filled with anger. It didn't last longer than a second, he couldn't stay mad at her, not even for two seconds.

Her head was down, her pink hair covering her eyes. Loke didn't like that. He grabbed her chin and gently pushed it up so that she faced him. He could see the misery in her eyes and a pang of guilt filled him.

She was hurt.

"Aries…" he dragged out. "Please, just tell me what's wrong." She stayed silent. He couldn't bear to see her like this. For a moment, all Loke wanted to do was kiss her, to kiss her and make everything better. To let go of the emotions and just tell her.

He wouldn't tell her. He couldn't.

Because he would protect her with his life.

Loke didn't like Aries.

He loved her.