Aquarius' pov

'Aqua, dear, there you are. You have to help me; is tonight's party starting outside or in someone's apartment?'

Leo freed me from my thoughts about Libra and chaos, but before I even had time to think about anything else, Aries walked around my best friend and grabbed my arm as she pulled me away from her. All I could do was yell "inside!" back to Leo, but she didn't seem to care about Aries pulling me into the basement.

Now, the basement wasn't the most pleasant place to be. To be completely honest, everyone tried to avoid the few awkward times where we absolutely had to go down there and take out the bikes, because boy, you wouldn't want to send your worst enemy here. Of course, Aries and Leo did so anyway, but I wasn't a highly overrated aggressive gnome and though me and Lee were about the same kind, I wouldn't ever push that gnome into the basement.

If we didn't dump our garbage outside or in one of the apartments downstairs, we'd drop it here. But, even despite the garbage, it was a mess anyway. There had been quite some floods and a plague of rats had been hiding out here, so nobody really came here anymore. That was another reason why I wondered why Aries had so suddenly dragged me down.

As I remembered how extremely hot it was down here, Aries faced me with a grin combined with a frown – her way of saying something was going on and she wanted to find out. The only good response to that was to deny everything she asked and ignore every threat she made, something that seemed about impossible because, Aries.

'Alright,' she started, 'you won't get out of this until I know what is going on between you and the rookie.'

I tried to not let the blush that appeared on me take over my entire face, and usually it would've worked, but I was standing against Aries and it felt like my face would explode. 'I don't know what you're talking ab- '

'You very well do, so give me the answer!' she said and crossed her arms with another irritated expression. 'You're not the type to help out boys, neither are you the type to help out newbies. And since he's the only one of the newbies not to be a Survivor –'

'He only isn't because you refused to help him through anything,' I quickly responded, but she interrupted me with another one of her cunning smirks; 'Fine, if you say so. You just don't want to admit that he's a wimp.'

'He's not a wimp! And there is nothing going on, Aries, seriously!' I shot back at her. My nerves were killing me right now, mainly because lying wasn't one of my best qualities. Actually, it wasn't one of my qualities at all, but I did have the luck to have another great talent: abusing people's thoughts.

'I'd almost think you'd want something to be there. Perhaps you do, but I can't be sure. It would pretty much make you look like Leo.'

Yes, I know I was throwing in a cheap shot, but I was already sick of her asking questions about things going on. Libra may indeed be a rookie – but he surely was a true Survivor, I just knew. And if anyone would find out about my crush I only knew about a day, it wouldn't be Aries, because it would only take seconds before the entire flat would know.

Aries had, in the meantime, gained the same red color I had on my cheeks – though mine was vanishing already and it seemed she had nothing more to say about the subject, as she stomped back up to the door. 'Don't think this is over, though,' I heard her say while sunlight fell in. 'You know me. I'm Aries; I know when something's going on. And soon I'll know what it is.'

'Of course you will,' I responded and I walked after her, but as I was calm on the outside, my heart was beating out of my chest on the inside. This wasn't good; this wasn't good at all. If I wouldn't do anything to keep Aries from trying to find out anything, she definitely would find out. She was right; if she wanted to know something, she would know it in the end. But even if it was "in the end", it might still be too close. Besides, I said to myself as I closed my eyes for a bit when I stepped into the light again, I didn't even know if this was real, or not. It probably would be for the best if it wasn't...

...right?

     Cancer's pov

Someone from outside yelled my name and I started running down the stairs faster, while sweat beads already dripped down my forehead and past my neck. The hoodie I was wearing was actually Aquarius', meaning it was too big for me and the warmth of the clothing combined with the sun's pressure and the fact I was practically racing down stairs was killing me.

'Remind me why I agreed to come along,' I muttered to Pisces as everyone walked off into the street. She shrugged with an amused smile. 'Well, they've lost all of their reasons to make me pay in,' I went on, knowing Pisces wouldn't give me a verbal answer. 'Let's just hope no one will recognize me over there, and that Lara put on the air conditioning.'

Lara hadn't put on the air conditioning, I found out as soon as I set foot into the store and the warmth only became worse. Everybody turned to me, and I tried to be as invisible as possible in the blue hoodie while I guided them through the store.

Of course, we ended up losing everybody among our short trip and while Pisces and Virgo – the only two who I didn't lose out of sight – waited at the exit, I marched back into the store to find the others.

Finding them wasn't hard, yet getting them to come along became a little more tricky. When I finally managed to get Gemini to go to the exit and wait there by promising her I would pay for the seven cereal boxes she'd grabbed, Aries took her sister by the hand and pulled her over to the fruit and grocery section.

I found Leo and Aqua at the dairy's section, where Leo was complaining about fattening yoghurt and Aquarius was very much up in her thoughts. When I asked them to come along, Leo declared me she forgot to take her money and she first had to put back all of the healthy snack things she took. Aquarius was willing to come along, but I lost her again when Aries and Gem passed by and Aries now pulled Aqua with her, for some reason. I decided to let it go and move over to the snacks.

That turned out to be quite a good idea. I found the three boys there, who were just settled with the things they picked out and while I sent Sag and Taurus to the exit already, I told Capricorn about his sister and Aries and he promised me to get both along. Knowing I trusted Cap wasn't a very satisfying feeling, but I had nothing else to go on and this was starting to become annoying and long. I was pretty sure we were here for at least 90 minutes now.

When I walked back to the exit, thinking I had everyone by now, my heart dropped again. Pisces and Virgo were gone too. I turned around, groaning because of the heat, and walked back into the store. Things got even better when I turned into the chocolate section, and bumped right into the manager.

'Excuse me, young lady, I – Cancer?' he said, in complete surprise. 'What are you doing here? Aren't you ill?'

My mind immediately called back every single trick and lie I learned in all those years I lived in the flat already. I blinked a few times, hoping to look confused, before I smiled. 'Oh, no. You're mistaking me for my twin sister, she's Cancer. We're identical.'

The man frowned at me. 'Is it? You sure look alike, I must say.' I laughed in relief, and quickly went on: 'I hear that a lot. Well, sir, if you'll excuse me?'

'Of course, of course,' he said and stepped aside. 'Well, I hope your sister gets better soon.' 'Me too, sir,' I mumbled and quickly moved past him. However, I was soon stopped by a hand pulling me to the pasta section.

It was Aquarius – neither Leo or Capricorn seemed to be around, but I'd given up on them anyway – and she looked quite worried, a bit scared, perhaps. She didn't say anything, giving me the chance to ask her what was going on.

'You have to promise me you won't tell anybody,' she whispered, to which I frowned. 'Is this about why Aries was pulling you away? Is there something she can't know?' 'No one can know!' she said, in a soft yet high tone. 'Please, Cancer, I haven't told anybody. I can't tell Leo, because she really can't keep any secrets, and that's another reason why you should promise not to spill anything! If Lee finds out you know more than she does –'

'I get it, Aqua, I get,' I quickly said. 'So it's a secret?' Aquarius nodded slowly. 'Do you promise?'

I nodded too. 'Of course. You can trust me.' She took a deep breath, which ended up in a scared scream when a can of soda dropped to the floor somewhere behind her, and when we looked, Aries and Gem ran away through the liquid section.

Aqua turned back, a more desperate look on her face than before. 'I'll – I'll tell you back at the flat. Can you – just...' She hesitated and I waited for her to get her words together, until she continued on her whisper tone: 'I have a feeling this party is going to end in a chaos again. Can you keep Aries away from me, so I won't have to deal with her? I'll tell you later, promise,' she said when I opened my mouth, and she turned around to walk back towards the exit.

I frowned in surprise. 'Well, that was odd...'

Aquarius' prediction about a possible chaos could of course come true, but it didn't during the preparations. Aries seemed to stay away from Aqua already, as she, Gemini, Taurus and Cap were stealing everyone's cola bottles and shaking them until they popped. Aquarius herself was recharged from the conversation, and was chatting with Leo just the same as always. Pisces, Virgo and I tried to get all of the snacks outside – we decided to throw it outside, inside would be way too hot – but it was just me and Pisces after a while, as Virgo soon noticed Sagittarius was sneaking the snacks away.

I hadn't seen Libra in a while, but I didn't really care. As long as I didn't really know him, I couldn't judge him either, although I did think it was weird how he stayed inside so much. He didn't strike me as a shy person, more as a strange combination between Virgo and... well, me. But, perhaps he had his reasons for hiding out in his apartment.

'Do you think tonight will be a repeat of yesterday?' Pisces asked me. We were walking up to the third floor, trying to find some chairs that would fit outside. I was first unaware of her question, but I shrugged seconds after. It only took another pair of seconds before we heard screaming from outside. 'Either it's because we forgot the pancake mix, or it already is a repeat of yesterday,' I stated and we ran back down.

I could guess what'd happened when I saw Leo, covered in cola and Aries grinning proudly. Leo shivered and growled softly, grabbing the bottle from the ground and started to walk straight at the cause.

'You – stupid – tiny – foolish – hideous –'

'Why, that's not very polite,' Aries smirked. 'Are you talking about yourself?' 'Shut it, Dwarf!' her opponent shouted. Aries' grin only got wider. 'Do you call everybody those names? Or perhaps only Aquarius when she doesn't want to tell you something?'

Her gaze immediately ripped itself loose from the confused Leo and turned over to a now blushing Aquarius as Aries' grin turned something dangerous. 'Maybe I should try the same.'

'Is that a threat?' Leo sputtered. 'I'm done with you! Gemini!' Aries barked and turned up to Aqua, while Gem threw the bottle she was holding to Cap and started insulting Leo as if she was Aries herself.

While Pisces left my side to move over to Virgo, I remembered what Aquarius discussed with me not so long ago when she flashed me a begging look. I swiftly walked around Sag – who took the opportunity to sneak out more snacks – and I bluntly grabbed one of the muffins on the table, walked up to Aries and threw the muffin right at Leo, who's back was facing me. At the same time, I nudged Aries, who got distracted from a very nervous looking Aqua, and as I quickly pulled her away I could hear Leo screaming: 'TINY DWARF! I SHOULD HAVE KNOWN YOU WEREN'T CAPABLE OF SUBTLETY!'

'Thank you,' Aquarius sighed in relief, and laughed softly. 'Nice actions, by the way.' 'Thanks too. I don't know what's gotten into my head, I'm usually not the one to start throwing foods,' I laughed. 'I learned to keep the compulsion to do that under control, during my work in the store. Customers often aren't happy when you throw stuff to their heads.'

'And how do you know that?' Cap asked me, suddenly standing behind us. 'One of my co-workers used to be a bit crazy. No, you can't meet her,' I told him when he started asking. 'She's now in a mental institution.'

'For throwing food at people? But I do it all the time!' Capricorn snorted and reached over to the table, grabbing the plate with muffins. 'I think it's good you're getting out of your normal doings. Here, throw another.'

I almost had to laugh at the extremely crazy and unthinkable idea of me throwing another muffin without reason to. 'Why? I'm only getting in trouble.'

Cap rolled back his eyes. 'Ugh, and you're back to your old, boring self. Great, you're resembling Q even more like that. Although...' Aquarius groaned and tried to smack him, but he was faster and dove away behind me. Aqua followed him and soon, they were running small circles around me.

'Okay, cut it out you guys,' I sighed when either one of them hit me multiple times. 'Aqua, Cap seems to drive you crazy, Aries is hunting you down and there is still something you wanted to tell me. Let's get inside, I don't want to witness this again after yesterday. And Capricorn,' I said, turning to her brothers as Aquarius herself already walked around the others, 'if you want to see people covered in food, throw it yourself.'

By Leo's next awful, high-pitched screams, I reckoned Cap took my words seriously. Not that I minded it, especially if Aqua needed to tell me something, but it got a little more uncomfortable when we finally reached the second stairs and we heard soft drizzling on the closed windows. As we got to the third floor, we realized it was rain, mainly by everybody sprinting upstairs and straight into apartment 21, where Aqua and I planned our talk. I suggested going to my apartment, but she refused and sat down next to Leo, who was first to take in the couch.

I shrugged to myself and decided to sit next to Pisces on one of the ripped bean bags and things were pretty cozy and silent, until –

'Guys, thunder strikes!' Taurus shouted. 'Now we have to do something exciting fitting for situations like this!' 'I'm in!' Aries laughed, and after Sagittarius, Capricorn, Gemini and even Virgo agreed to join in too, I decided to go along as well.

'Now what, are we gonna read each other creepy stories,' said Gem in a mocking tone as we moved over to the hall, where water drops covered us and we quickly walked to the stairs. 'Creepy stories? We better not, Sag might wet his pants,' Taurus joked and softly pushed his brother, getting another push back.

'Come on, you two,' said Virgo. 'I know; it's still warm, even despite this stupid rain, and we're wet now anyway, so let's get our water guns, go to the second floor and be snipers.'

'Excellent idea,' Cap responded. 'Yeah, we could've done it with our paint guns if someone didn't get those taken away,' Gemini stated, and we all glanced over at Aries. She pretended not to have noticed we were all eyeing her and walked up the stairs. I followed her lead and soon the others did so too. Somewhere behind me, I heard Taurus voice: 'This is just great, I don't have a gun. Sag broke mine last year, after he broke his own.'

I didn't really focus on Capricorn's answer to that; I focused more on the small plan forming in my head of how to escape them in the middle of battle. Because, honestly, I was the weakest of all and I didn't want people to find my dead body all soaking on the second floor, meaning I had to get out of that place during the water gun fight. Which shouldn't be hard; I'm Cancer. I can be invisible if I want. Sort of.

     Taurus' pov

After a short discussion between me and Sag about him breaking my water gun, we decided – or actually, I decided – I would just take Libra's gun and Cap promised him Aquarius' gun. I couldn't deny we were both pretty curious to what was going to happen; neither of us had been on the second floor yet and we also hadn't been in a water gun fight between the people who I recognized as the toughest people around here. Though I wouldn't have expected it from Cancer, she also went upstairs and got into her apartment to get her stuff. Cap skipped steps on the stairs and ran past me, over to his own apartment, with Sag right behind him, while I just grinned and walked up to apartment 26.

However, it was closed.

'Dammit, Libra!' I yelled as I fumbled with the doorknob. 'Okay – Lib! Open up!' The door opened, but the person behind it was a surprise. And not in a positive way.

I frowned my eyes at my brother, who wasn't looking well-dressed and with a nice expression, for a change. He was wearing sweat pants, the same as this morning, and his expression was more hard than friendly. It was almost as if he wanted me to comment on him.

'Dude,' I started, 'what's going on?' Libra huffed, but instead of answering he turned around and walked back into the living room. I stepped inside, closed the door behind me and followed him. 'I'm serious, Lib. Did you take a nap or anything and just woke up? Did you drink that old milk in the fridge? Did you –'

'Shut up, Taurus,' Libra sneered at me all of a sudden. 'I'm fine.' 'You don't seem fine,' I reacted, feeling my own temper raise too. 'Look, if there's a problem, you should just –'

'Leave me alone! I don't need your help!' he screamed suddenly. He looked furious, the way he was standing with his feet spread and a very pissed off expression. 'I don't need anyone's help, alright? Just leave me alone!' With those words, he turned around and left me completely confused, as he stomped back into his own room, smacking the door harder than I ever thought he could.

'Someone's grumpy,' I muttered, but I quickly shook it off and not a single minute later, I was in the hall again, facing the loud rain that tried to reach me along with thunder bolts.

It seemed Libra wasn't the only one who was feeling bothered; while I waited impatiently for the others, screams came to my ears and soon Aquarius stormed out of apartment 25, looking more stressed than actually angry. She was followed by Aries, who bumped into me in her rush and she quickly stepped back.

'Good, it's you. Sorry for that, Aqua was being stubborn and I don't know why,' she groaned. It was obvious she had taken over Aquarius' irritation. 'Gosh, girls. They're so annoying.'

'Well, some boys are too,' I agreed with her and I told her about Libra. Instead of going on complaining about people being stupid overall, she frowned and seemed to be thinking about something. 'That's... odd. Maybe I should talk to him... perhaps I'd gain more information that way. Or...'

She looked up at me, with a weird, almost hoping look. 'Maybe you could talk to Aqua instead! Sure, you're new, and you're his brother, she'll spill things to you. And then I'll go talk to the rookie, since he seems to know more about it too. Wait,' she said, when she noticed the large frown on my forehead. 'I'll tell you the story.'

'And now I have to inform her about things between her and my brother? How am I even going to find that out?' I asked Aries, as we walked to the second floor already. She seemed to be handling this with a lot more confidence than I had in me.

'Easy, just gain her trust.'

'Yeah. You see me gaining her trust? I'm deterrent to people who don't know me.'

'So much self-knowledge in one boy.'

'Funny. I'll give it one shot, if I blow it, it's your fault.'

'Sure it is. That's not the point, the point is that I am going to find out what Aquarius is hiding from – well, everyone! No one can hide things here. Besides, I don't really know yet what to think about it, but it seemed like...'

Aries hesitated a bit and I waited for her to finish. We had already reached the second floor, and while Virgo was counting down, she pulled me over to one of the last apartments to finish her sentence.

'...it seemed like she has fallen in love with him.'