Sagittarius and Capricorn is an extremely paradoxical pairing. The world that Sagittarius and Capricorn make between themselves when they fall for each other, teach each other, or just generally hang out is weird, a bit insane, and can be very much fun.

Sagittarius is the optimist of the zodiac. Capricorn is the melancholic one. Sagittarius is Zeus coming around to kill off Chronos and Capricorn just happens to be Chronos. Capricorn comes right after Sagittarius and you know what they say about the sign that comes immediately after your sign—they put you in your place.

I have something to say about both Sagittarius and Capricorn—they are really quite similar. They’ll never admit it but it’s true. Let me tell you. I’ve lived with plenty of both and the thing that sets both Sagittarius and Capricorn apart from almost everyone else is this: they’re almost never home.

Sagittarius is usually out doing whatever. They don’t even know where they themselves are. They just go from one invitation to the next and surf the city. Capricorn is usually out trying to position themselves into a better situation with a more enriched vantage point. Both are trying to learn from the outside. Neither are home very often which makes living with them pretty easy. You heard it first from me: Sagittarius and Capricorn are the roommates who are easiest to live with. You almost never have to think about them because you almost never see them.

What’s also weird about both signs is that, when they are home, they flip out a bit. Neither of them like being trapped in one place so they usually spiral out. But that’s besides the point.

Do you know why both Sagittarius and Capricorn dislike being at home? Do you know why they are so similar in this way? Because these signs are the two signs who guard the threshold of the winter solstice.

The winter solstice is the first degree of Capricorn. Of course, Capricorn is close to its own cusp and, so, represents the solstice. But Sagittarius does too because the last degree of Sagittarius also borders that solstice point. Both Sagittarius and Capricorn represent the bleak midwinter.

The winter solstice is when the sun gets really far from Earth. It’s about distance. The sun is not at home, is not making home, and is making home get all cold so that we have to stay at home. You know that feeling of cabin fever that you get during the really cold winters when it’s hard to go outside? That’s Sagittarius and Capricorn but all of the time.

These signs are not comfort seeking signs. Sagittarius wants to digest uncomfortable ideas. Capricorn likes to push itself and try out all kinds of strenuous activities. Neither like to stay home because they don’t feel very comfortable when they have to stay in one place.

Do Sagittarius and Capricorn run into each other out there? Of course they do. But not that often. This is for the best. Again, these signs don’t like to cluster. They want to circulate. They don’t like to feel trapped. In fact, Capricorn is probably the only sign that is capable of ghosting harder than Sagittarius.

Because Sagittarius and Capricorn are actually so similar, they see qualities in each other that they have trouble feeling comfortable around in themselves. Sagittarius will sometimes call Capricorn overly ambitious and narrow minded but Sagittarius is the one who has a big vision and a hard nose for the truth. Capricorn will call Sagittarius reckless and attention seeking but Capricorn is actually the one who takes extreme risk to find catharsis and the one who loves to make speeches.

You can probably tell by now that this isn’t the world’s most conventional pairing. Signs that are adjacent to one another are always considered to be incompatible astrologically. But that’s okay. Astrological compatibility doesn’t really exist. You’re not going to get along with someone just because of your sign. You’re going to choose the relationships in your life.

Sagittarius and Capricorn aren’t considered the world’s most compatible pairing but they can really make it work. When they do, Sagittarius is usually appreciative of the way Capricorn helps them find reality. You see, Sagittarius has a tendency to get very scattered ideologically because they get so obsessed with theories. They also resist being trapped in one place. Capricorn has a way of finding reality through multiple perspectives and can offer that to Sagittarius without making Sagittarius feel stuck in one point of view.

Sagittarius has to appreciate Capricorn’s honesty. Capricorn can be a very brutal sign because they always tell the truth but they’re not obsessed with it. They don’t constantly try to weigh and judge what the truth is. They just describe what they see. That can be assuring for Sagittarius whose minds always seem to try and trip them out a bit. The raw honesty doesn’t bother blunt Sagittarius one bit.

Capricorn is a slow sign. They move slowly in relationships. Sagittarius feels speedy but they actually circle around quite a bit. The change in pace does a Sagittarius good.

But there’s something else that helps make a Sagittarius and Capricorn pairing easier—Capricorn must have a project. Capricorn will usually have some kind of personal project going because Capricorn likes to be busy. They’re working on a film. They’re leveling up in their DJ career. They’re applying for most school. Capricorn likes to keep themselves occupied.

Out of all twelve signs, Sagittarius is the one who is least likely to complain that Capricorn is too busy for their relationship. Sagittarius is least likely to complain that Capricorn is too cold. Why? Because Sagittarius doesn’t want that much attention from one person.

An unoccupied Capricorn is likely to put all of their ambitious zeal onto their partner. They want their partner to improve their lifestyle! They want to help and support them with their work or family relationships! Capricorn wants to help. They want to mediate and to facilitate. They might even want to start some kind of project with their partner and, if you let them, they will put 100% of their focus into that project like they are powering through a narrow and dark tunnel.

Sagittarius is all up for creative collaboration but Sagittarius doesn’t really function like that. Trust me on this. Sagittarius will rebuke a plan with their unconscious body. They won’t show up! Not on time. They just won’t do it. They’ll do the things, they’ll work very hard, but not if the thing is planned.

So, Sagittarius and Capricorn partnerships tend to work really well when both people have their spheres. Capricorn needs a sphere of influence and Sagittarius needs a sphere of boundless exploration. Their spheres might overlap or run into each other. It gets fun when that happens. These two signs can live together with almost no issue because home is not where they spend most of their time. But they tend to work together better when both signs are busy. They need space, both of them.