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nicsalazar · 11 months

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Haunted languages || Lil & Nicole

TIMING: End of June LOCATION: Fully Booked PARTIES: @the-lil-exorcist & @nicsalazar SUMMARY: Lil stops by Fully booked, Nicole is there to help. CONTENT WARNING: Nerds

As an occasional worker at Fully booked, Nicole’s approach was certainly more laid-back than her girlfriend’s, the owner of the store. It was her own introverted experience, which made it impossible to enjoy any sort of shopping interaction pulling her back from subjecting others to the same fake, unsettling politeness.

Leah and Fabian had their hands busy with other people, so it was up to her to keep an eye on the first person to walk through the door. She had her own set of rules. Rules she was ready to follow when the doorbell jingled and a new customer entered. Firstly, Nicole never approached anyone in the first minute of roaming around the aisles. Tons of people came and went in that first minute. By her own logic, if they left so soon after entering, it was unlikely she’d ever be able to sell them on anything anyway. Which led to rule number two. If the customer stayed, then Nicole began a subtle stalk. Paying attention to where their eyes kept drifting to, the sections they strolled.

Only when she was positive the customer needed help— usually in the form of a furrowed brow, or a raised gaze— then Nicole felt free to move into their space. Less subtly, she didn’t want anyone to jump scared at her. She stood in the woman’s peripheral vision, waiting one final beat before taking a gentle step forward. “When in doubt, you definitely judge by the cover. I won’t tell anyone” she nodded, keeping her voice low. “Or... I can be the one judging, if you need a second opinion” do you need any help? Was implied. “Interest topic, though,” she pointed at the shelf she had been looking at.

Lil liked little bookstores, especially - and probably ironically- in Wicked’s Rest. After all, most of the books Lil wanted to buy were weird ones. The ones that she could theoretically learn something new, as she had been cut off by the Ghostbusters from learning anything more by their society. She used to be bitter about it - having to glean new knowledge lopsidedly by picking up a book here and there - but now she couldn’t help but love the feeling of finding something new now. So, as a bit of a reprieve from the chaos her life currently was Lil decided it was a good day to get a new book to translate and read. Maybe something in Sumarian this time - if they had any.

She hadn’t heard the other approach until a moment before she spoke, looking at the books about languages intently, excited to see something like that here. She hadn’t been expecting it exactly, but figured that the bookshop might have it. Her eyes were practically glittering as she was looking through the books, not touching them yet. Hearing the words Lil stilled herself not to jump and instead looked at the other and couldn’t help the chuckle speaking in a soft tone matching the other figuring she must be one of the workers here if not the owner. “ Fair enough. I’m actually trying to decide between a few of these - I’m afraid my bank account wouldn’t be too happy if I got too many, you know?” Lil said looking back at the books, “ I - just didn’t expect so many language books here. Do you guys have any books about Sumarian? I’ve been wanting to brush up on it, and well you guys look well stocked.”

“I’m sure we could find you a discount somewhere. Have you signed up for the rewards program?” Leah would never forgive her if she forgot to plug that in. “Think it’s… 10% off on the first book if you are. Would have to check with the boss” Nicole pressed her lips together, concealing a grin as her gaze drifted the adult fiction section, where Leah was currently immersed in a deep conversation with a couple.

She almost wished they would have swapped places, had her help this woman instead. Not because Nicole didn’t know her way around the store by now— granted, she could still improve— but because she knew her girlfriend would find a way to make this conversation a lot richer than she could for the client. She was just finding out Sumerian was a language. It rang a bell, but barely. As if it was something she should’ve known. Where do they speak it? “Okay. Ye— I can look that up for you” from the top shelf, she pulled up a clipboard filled with a bunch of colorful lists and graphics. Leah’s guide. It would’ve been faster with the computer inventory, sure. But the colors were a lot easier to for her to navigate. She was just lucky Leah was passionate about organization to keep physical and virtual inventory. “But yeah… Leah’s got a pretty wide variety of topics— you know, to cater to…” She flipped it to the foreign language section, index finger tracing along the page. “The town’s… unique interests. Oh!” found it. She left the board tucked at the end of the section,taking a few steps before crouching by the bottom shelf.

“Is this… like a school thing?” It used to be a lot more intimidating, interacting with customers. Nicole still feared she’d be rendered useless, but had managed to losen up when it came to casual conversation. Most times, people were eager to speak about their passions. “How do you get interested in…” she grabbed a spine and pulled up the first book, handing it to the woman above her, diving back to the shelft. She knew Leah kept a solid collection on ancient languages mostly because the population’s tendency to age past what was normal. She grabbed a second book and stood up. “Sumerian? What’s the story there, are you translator or something?”

“Oh no I haven’t. I would be interested in signing up,” Lil said thinking that 10% off would be at least a little helpful. She figured a book like the ones she was interested in were probably expensive. Mostly she borrowed and bartered for her books, but now that she finally had a room again she figured maybe she could actually own some now. She also knew that no exorcist here would lend her any books anymore. It was something that had stung in the beginning, to be so rejected from her own society, but Lil had decided a long time ago she just had to acknowledge the pain and leave be.

“Oh it’s no worries if ya’ll don’t have any either - It’s just I can see you have a good range here,” Lil said a little embarrassed now that the other was having to search for it, but fascinated by the bits of colored text that she had. They must have been helpful because the other lady seemed to be able to find the text and Lil eagerly opened up the text to look at the book. She hadn’t expected the question, and for a moment she wondered if she should lie and say it was for school. It would make it easier than the truth.

Still, Lil figured if she wanted to come back she probably shouldn’t lie. “No, not a school thing - well not like a college thing,” Lil said at the question. “I’m just pretty interested in translating and it’s helpful for my job to be able to translate different ancient languages. I haven’t had much luck with Sumarian and I’ve wanted to see if a new book would make it more fun for me to do.” Lil gave a little shrug and said, “I guess I’m a bit of a language nerd. This book looks awesome by the way. This store is really special.”

“Great. We’ll do that at the check out. It’s pretty short, anyway… an email will do”. Nicole flashed her most professional smile, which felt so fake the muscles on her cheek began hurting in protest. The things she did for the business.

Nicole wiped her hands on her jeans after standing up, giving the woman some time to get familiar with the text in her hands. She tapped the cover of the second book, letting out some of her anxious energy. “Oh, I see. What do you do?” What job required her to translate ancient languages? Besides the obvious one of translator, but that didn’t seem to be this woman’s thing. Whatever it was, it was definitely something nerdy and smart. She was once again struck with the idea that Leah would’ve loved to pick this customer’s mind. Her gaze flickered back to her and the two people she was talking to. She could tell, by the very small twist of Leah’s mouth, that something about her current interaction was bothering her.

Nicole returned her attention to what mattered, genuinely touched by the compliment. She hadn’t been there when Leah built this passion project of hers from scratch (though there were pictures of her tiny self holding a sledgehammer, which Nicole loved) but she knew how important it was for her. Still, she didn’t exactly know how to reply to it, so she settled for a laugh and pointed at the shelves to deflect. “Might be one more down there. But if you wanna decide between those two…” she narrowed her eyes, expression turning serious. She had covers to judge, after all. Pointing at the one in the woman’s hand she tried, “I like how brown this cover is. Gives me… the idea of... a serious book” as if some old, bald guy with the thickest glasses ever made sat down to write it. A beat later, she waved the one in her hand. “But the golden letters on this one… feel more… ancient?” solid professional advice from a wildland firefighter turned makeshift bookstore clerk. “Unless you recognize any of the authors, maybe? Could help you narrow it down”.

Lil nodded at the thought, glad she’d made a gmail that wasn’t her old email, and instead just her name. Maybe Jude had been right to make her do that after all. “Sounds good.”

At the question Lil rubbed the back of her neck, thinking about exactly what she did. “Oh - I work as a cashier at my family's bakery. I - uh also ghost hunt I guess.” Lil wasn’t exactly embarrassed about being an exorcist - and it would go a long way to explain why she needed the books- however it seemed odd to admit to the bookseller. After all, there were plenty of fraudsters, and Lil wasn’t about to prove that she wasn’t. It did occur to her that she could lie, that she could have made up that she was a translator, but Lil had done a lot in her life to not have to lie and she wasn’t going to start now.

Lil smiled at the other, glad to have made her laugh and looked carefully at the two books. She had to admit she liked the casualness the other had in talking, even at Lil’s strange requests in books. Part of her wanted both of them -they would provide hours of entertainment for her at the very least - but most of her recognized that she shouldn’t do that. After all, she might not be the only person looking for books on ancient sumarian languages - and even if she was she couldn’t justify it. “Huh. I don’t know either author, but - this one looks like one of those professor types would have right? I wonder if that’ll make it easier to understand,” Lil said, picking the brown book, flipping it in her hand and nodding. “I think this one would be good. I appreciate your help. Would you be able to help me check out? I think it’ll be too dangerous for me to look at other sections.”

“Oh”. Nicole blinked slowly, like an idiot. She wasn’t following. Instead of clarifying things, the woman’s answer had invited more questions. How did Sumerian and baking correlated? Was it all a hobby? Or was the interest in the language related to the ghost business? Which— She had recently met another baker who dealt with ghosts. Was that… a requirement?

More importantly, it was that final tidbit of information that had Nicole’s smile dropping from her face. She felt safer here than when she met the other baker/ghost hunter. At least Leah was around, her smaller counterpart the most dangerous of the two. In case she had to step in. Not that she had to worry about where Leah was… because— nothing was going to happen in the middle of a bookstore. Still, fear grew beneath her sternum. Fear that —she knew now— wasn’t her own, per se. I’m good, she thought, hoping the message would be delivered to the beast within.

Besides, what were the chances of two bakers being actual ghost hunters? One had to be a fraud. “Ghost hunting, huh? pretty interesting… hobby, I’d say” she nodded, eyes flickering to the woman, wondering if she was going to expand on it or drop it. Nicole wanted to know, but she wasn’t dumb enough to push and risk… being exposed. Or worse, kill the friendly dynamic they had going on. If her priorities made sense, that was neither here nor there.

Nicole rubbed her chin, in mock consideration as the woman supplied her own judgment. “I see it, yeah— Harold Hinchliffe, don’t know a more… professor sounding name” her lips curved into a smile. She waved the other book in her hand, the name ‘Kyle’ flashing in gold, despite having lost the battle for this woman’s attention. “See you Kyle, you don’t sound…smart enough” she crouched and placed the book right where it was, before standing up with a firm nod. “Can do that, sure. But you know… there’s nothing wrong with looking around?” she retrieved the book from the woman’s hand, tucking it against her chest. “I’ll talk you out of any impulsive buys, promise. So— besides ancient languages, what books are you into?”

“Yeah kinda weird,” Lil said with a red in her face that wasn’t all that common anymore. Normally she didn’t really care what people thought of her - well that wasn’t exactly true. After years of being odd, it was more so that she just accepted it as she would be moving on soon enough. Right now though, she was stuck here and meant that she should care more about what other people think about her.

Lil hadn’t really noticed the shift in the other, more focused on the prize that she had in her hands and somewhat hopeful that she might have found a nice bookstore. It was a relaxing place, and it seemed to have books that Lil wouldn’t be able to get anywhere else. All in all she’d have to tell Jonas about the good day. At the question Lil shrugged and said, “Ah - it’s not exactly a hobby but I guess I wouldn’t call it a job. Mostly I just help people who have problems with spirits and help spirits move on. Hobby feels more like I go out just to do it I guess, and I don’t.” She figured other people found it more interesting than she did but wanted to be vague enough to not disturb people. “I doubt you’ll have any problems here though - I know that’s a common question people ask.” Lil said with a smile looking at the other now realizing that her face had dropped. “Even here most ghosts are perfectly fine so I wouldn’t worry at all. If you ever see one though, I can help them move on if they are ready. Sorry, it probably sounds pretty spooky.” After all, poltergeists were still rare enough even here that Lil never led with that. She’d much rather Jonas come and talk to them and have something positive happen.

Lil laughed at the other’s astute observation and waved a little at the book that was put back. Maybe next month she’d be back for it. She also let Nicole take her book easily enough. “I mean I think you’re also right. I really like science fiction, especially about other worlds, so I wouldn’t mind looking there.”

“Uh huh” Nicole offered, dumbly. Because what else was she supposed to say to someone who admitted hunting ghosts? In the middle of a bookstore? She could almost feel her grandmother grabbing her by the ear and pulling her away from the very thing that could destroy her species. But her grandma wasn’t here (and wasn’t that an awful reminder?) so she could talk to an exorcist, or whatever. She was 28, not 15 anymore. She tapped the spine of the book in her hand, mouth opening and closing a few times before she schooled herself into being a normal person again. She nodded, “ well that’s a… uh, that’s— good that you…do that for spirits. Not spooky, no. When did you— how do you end up becoming…that?” No, Nicole chastised herself internally. She shouldn’t be asking more questions. Poking the metaphorical (figurative? Nicole forgot which was which) beast. Instinctively she pulled the book tighter to her chest. Though, actually, in the guise of a friendly conversation… wouldn’t it be better to know about her enemies?

Alleged enemies, her family did a number on her.

“Right, let’s do that” Still reeling from the spirits conversation, Nicole took advantage of the silence as they wandered to the Science fiction shelves to gather her thoughts, vowing to be better and normal (again) once they got there. “Science fiction. Leah’s got a thing going this month about showcasing…uh,” she clenched her jaw, testing the word in her mouth before speaking, “queer writers in general, so— in case that’s of your… interest?” that had to be the weirdest way to ask someone if they were gay. Her brow was furrowed, ashamed of herself as she stepped aside to let the woman roam. “I’ll let you look, there’s no rush” and she meant that, opening the sumerian book in her hands instead of staring at the other woman.

“Do you speak a lot of languages?” she mumbled absently two minutes later, squinting at the scribbles in front of her.

Lil tilted her head a little at how the other seemed - to find her odd now. It wasn’t the first time that people found Lil herself spooky after talking about ghosts. Even with the new ghost hunting shows being more popular - she was still off putting. Still, she hoped the other wasn’t to put off by her. She rather liked talking to her, and it would be sad to find a bookstore with a fun person to not be able to come back here. “I was born seeing ghosts and - I guess trained at it like a job. Sort of something I had to do,” Lil said slightly vaguely. She didn’t mind being an exorcist, but it certainly wasn’t her choice to make. Her dad had made it very clear that she was going to do it.

Lil nodded, a little more wary now wondering when the other was going to ban her. Usually it happened because a ghost was there - wanting her attention and causing chaos, but she wasn’t sure it wouldn’t happen anyway. Still she tried not to look like she had noticed and walked behind the other to the book shelves carefully - at the question though Lil glanced and couldn’t help but laugh, tapping a pin on her bag of the Lesbian flag. “That’s awesome. I might end up with another book anyway.”

With that Lil did carefully look at the books, letting Nicole glance over her book as she noticed titles here and there. Maybe it was calmer now, as the other didn’t seem to want to run her out of the bookstore yet. Perhaps she was just a little spooked about ghosts which was natural. At the question, Lil glanced over and said softly, “Yes. I apparently have a knack for them, but only six of them are still spoken. Mostly with the others it's a ‘ I just know how to translate a lot of languages and say phrases and things in them’ kind of thing. I wouldn’t actually be able to hold a conversation with them.”

It was something Lil was somewhat proud of. She had always wanted to know as many languages as possible so she could talk to people and calm them down during exorcisms - that and the fact she needed to know some for exorcisms. While most exorcists probably wouldn’t have to diversify that much, Lil often had to use weird rituals because of the supernatural individuals she helped so she learned how to translate them.

“Ah” So eloquent. Riveting commentary, Nicole scolded herself internally. “It sounds…” lonely, scary? Had she found herself empathizing with this woman? After all, she had been born with this — she shouldn’t, wouldn’t call it a gift (at the risk of sounding like her parents)— burden, much like Nicole was born with an ancient spirit or whatever the fucking legend was. Her eyebrows twitched into the faintest frown, uncertain. “It sounds kinda heavy,” her lips twisted into a frown, and maybe she shouldn’t have been so honest, but in spite the beliefs she was supposed to support, she felt confused. Just unsettled enough to bypass her usual filter. “But uh,” she winced, giving the spine another tap, “well, I— I hope you’re enjoying all… that” she finished with a nod.

Her ears grew hot as the woman signaled her bag, the colors on her pin all too familiar to her now. Yeah, Nicole knew that one pretty well. She let out a nervous laugh, but hoped the tentative smile was enough for the woman not to think she was a bigot or anything. Like that one little troll on the internet. She let her pace around, grab and flip through some copies, all while keeping her promise to leave her be.

Nicole did look up after she realized a question had left her lips and the woman was replying to her. She really had to stop thinking out loud. “Only six? You’re…” her eyes widened, “that’s—” insane, really, but as much as it sounded like a compliment in her head, this woman might see it differently. “I don’t know how I’d keep my mind straight. I struggle with English and Spanish in my head at all times” she shared, amazement written all over her face. For a third —fourth?— time she wished she would have offered a better service to this clearly brilliant woman. She nodded at her, “so which ones?”

Lil shrugged slightly at the others' observations on her own life. It wasn’t the first time she’d ever heard of exorcists having a heavy life and she doubted that Nicole would be the last one to suggest it. It wasn’t even a wrong observation, Lil wouldn’t have chosen to be an exorcist if she hadn’t been made to be one. However it never really did much good to think about all of that. After all, she wasn’t sure what else she could be. She spent so much time learning to be one, that the idea of learning some other way of life had slowly faded away before she knew it. Her soul was tied to it now, and like a shadow it was going to loom over her. She might as well accept that and make the best of it. So instead she gave her a smile and said, “ It is what it is you know?”

Lil couldn’t help the small chuckle and the hopefully assured nodding that she wasn’t offended as she went back to the books.With the questioning with her knowing languages Lil blinked a little, realizing that it was probably abnormal. The only thing she had ever grown up liking was learning languages though. She’d begged her dad to let her learn more - uh alive ones. He’d only relented because she had a knack for translating - something that was more important for demonologists at least according to him.

“Ah - I mean, I don’t think I’m as great at them as you might think. You’re probably much more fluent but - I speak English, ASL, Korean, Mandarin Chinese, Italian, and French.” Lil knew more than that - but it didn’t seem right to say she was fluent in them. Knowing enough to know death rituals and translate them wasn’t really the same as communicating or understanding. She couldn’t understand Ancient Greek like the people that had spoken it to each other. “I’d say the only one I don’t have to think anything about is ASL. I’m trying to learn Spanish, but we’ll see how far I can get on that one.” Lil offered a smile and continued, “I should probably check out now, before I end up with Spanish workbooks too.”

Nicole tilted her head, unsure whether to agree or disagree with the woman’s statement. These days, she was a lot less resistant to the ‘it is what it is’ mentality, in fact she might have said it herself at some point, but still, hearing it come out of someone else hurt her chest. A mix of anger and sadness and a whole lot she couldn’t verbalize. Not while chatting with a customer. Life shouldn’t be like that. “Right,” she chuckled dryly, moving on from a potentially hard discussion.

She quirked an eyebrow, listening to the other list her many spoken languages. “Don’t think you can say you speak six languages and expect me not to think you’re great” she argued, tapping the back of the book to punctuate her argument. Nicole smiled softly, fixing the woman with a look of admiration. “It’s impressive”. She did notice the lack of Spanish among said languages, but any question she might have had about it died in her tongue when the woman revealed she was trying to learn it.

“Oh, got something better than books” she breathed in, realizing what she had said, and where she had said it. With her girlfriend within earshot. It was nearly blasphemy. “I can help with Spanish” she corrected herself, shooting the back of Leah’s head a look. She was safe. Turning back to the woman, Nicole tried to ignore every alarm going off in her head as she prepared to double down in her offer. Her ancestors were probably having a fit wherever they were. But century old legends couldn’t dictate what she could or couldn’t do in the present. Fuck them. (Respectfully). “I mean it. I’m sure books will help you with the…uh, vocabulary and stuff. But— they get a lot wrong too. None of that vosotros shit flies in America” she explained, letting out a scoff.

When the woman was ready to check out, Nicole nodded silently toward the register and motioned for her to follow. “Yeah, c’mon. Will sign you up for that rewards program too… gotta make sure you come back” she smiled, quick and easy (surprising herself in the process) before walking behind the counter to wrap things up.

#something about a pretty girl who likes books gets nicole going #w #w: lil #w: haunted languages #wickedswriting

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