Two of....a kind?

"Eteri you can't keep waltzing in here." Archie said, rather annoyed. I think he was upset about something... unno why...

Maybe it was because I wandered into his shop proclaiming my welcome to him loudly and scared off the customer he was talking to in hushed tones. Not my fault they were being so secretive. Or...maybe it was because I climbed up onto his counter and was now resting on my stomach. It was in his way...sure, but it was where the sun was, and so the warmest and best place in the store.

"But Ven come here many times." I pouted through pursed lips, tail swishing side to side. "Want see Vennn...."

The old man sighed and rubbed his temples. "Eteri... what - what exactly is he to you? Do you have any idea how precarious and dangerous it is to share his soul? The implications of that? The binding factors of blah blah blah blah blah relationships blah blah blah blah repercussions..."

He was talking, buuut - I wasn't exactly paying attention. All I heard was blahs, and big words and complicated sentences I didn't understand. Truth be told... I felt a little off lately. I wasn't sure why, but parts of me hurt. At one point it almost felt as though I was suffocating, maybe Barchie was right, and this whole soul sharing thing was a mistake. Sure...it felt fantastic to have something there, something warm and comforting, wild and free... but it wasn't mine the shining warmth that sat deep within me belonged to Ven, and what right did I really have taking it?

...

He wasn't even around lately.

Was he avoiding me? I think I remember getting upset that night in the pub... but I had drunk a little too much and all I really remember is being picked on by my sister. Ugh...her and Barchie were saying the same things.

"ETERI!" He slammed his hands down on the table and I jumped.

"What! What Eteri do!?"

"Were you listening to anything I was saying?"

"Uhm...maybe? Eteri think you said having Ven soul may be dangerous?"

The man sighed. "That wasn't all was saying, I'm asking you if you at least carry around protection?"

"Protection? From what?"

"Sex."

I furrowed my brows, confused by his words. "No understand, why need protect from that?"

The man practically yelled at me, "I mean when you and Venex have sex are you carrying birth control! The LAST thing you two need is a kid!"

"EEH!?!?!?"

What did he just say? Me and Ven??? The sex? That made no sense. We were friends. Why was it that everyone thought otherwise? Hell... I wasn't even sure if Ven wanted to talk to me right now!

I snapped right back at him. "Me not know if Ven even like! Why would the sex!?!??"

Ven was having a good day. The sun was shinning, the birds were singing, and it felt like the world was smiling upon him. Maybe it was him, maybe it was some divine force, whatever it may be, Ven was happy and carefree. Well, more so than usual, which could be either really good or really bad. Good because the the feeling should theoretically pacify him of his more random acts of shenanigans, and bad because on the chance it doesn't, it could only mean he is plotting something. Obviously.

Regardless, Ven was on his way to visit Archie.

Up the path, to his dingy little shop, open the door, and - HEY! Eteri was here!

Wait what did Archie just say to her?

Sex? What about sex? He doesn't recall having sex. He doesn't recall having sex ever? Ven started to panic.

Did someone erase his memory? Oh gods-

"I'm too young to be a dad! Archie help me!"

Archie looked away from Eteri. "Ven?"

"ARCHIE! This is serious! I can't be a father? Have you seen me? I'm not fatherly material! Oh god, how can this be happening?"

"Well-"

"I know how Archie! I have several siblings! I'm not an idiot!"

Archie grunted, now annoyed. "Oh for the love of- You're not a father! Probably."

"Probably?!? You're not helping!"

"Look, I've been around a long time, and know a thing or two about these sorts of thing. Are you using protection?"

"I don't know!"

"I- What?"

"I don't know! I don't remember having sex!"

Archie stared at him in shock.

"Archie?!? Don't go silent on me!"

"..."

"Archie?!?"

"..."

"ARC-"

"I heard you! What do you mean you don't remember?"

"I mean that I don't remember having sex with Eteri! I have a fantastic memory! How can I not remember? Magic I say! Bad magic on my mind!"

Archie blinked, then sighed, buried his head in his hands. "Ven... A thought came to me, and I hope I am wrong. Do you think you had sex with her?"

"No, but that is obviously the foul magic!"

"...Have you had sex with anyone before!"

"That I can recall? No! But again-"

"Ven, shut up!"

Surprisingly, he did, though. Archie looked up.

"Ven. You're an idiot. There is no magic, you are over reacting. There is no flaws in your memory."

"But-"

"But nothing! Now sit down next to Eteri! Since you overreact and she wasn't listening, I'll repeat what I was saying in hopes that one of you can get it through your thick skulls. Now shut up and listen."

Ven paused, calming down slightly, and took a seat. He glanced a look at Eteri, and gave a genuine smile, happy to see her despite the relatively awkward scene that just happened. Archie then started to speak, going into lecture mode.

Ugh.

He looked at Eteri again, and mouthed to her when Archie wasn't directly looking at them, Hey, want to ditch this?