“Okay, so i have a question,” asks the vampire. The witch is currently wrist deep in gecko tails and entirely unable to escape the vampires newfound ‘questioning things’ phase.

“Yep.” xe responds “What’s up?”

“How the fuck do you turn a profit? Last week someone gave you a tray of cupcakes in exchange for five pounds of gingko biloba. And I don’t even pay rent!”

“They were really good cupcakes!” xe defends “Help me sort these tails, if you’re going to chatter at me.”

The vampire scrunches up zir nose, but pulls on a pair of nitrile gloves anyway.

“I’m a witch. I’m a balance. I don’t pay for anything.” xe says “This building is owned by someone else, and everything I sell I either get through trade or donation, or I make it myself. As a balance, it’s against the rules for me to turn a profit.”

“But…”

“You can think of a witch shopkeeper as a figure similar to a priest- you’re catholic, right? We run community centers. We’re sources of knowledge. We’re a place of refuge.”