04-28-2023, 11:27 PM
She laughed at his offer. “Nah tastes like chicken. Not that i would know!” She added after the fact, eyes wide. Then a chuckle to break the spell that strung together this strange little role play of cannibalism. But hey, Rune would do what she had to do to survive if it came down to it. Luckily, it wasn’t.
The wonder in Mik’s voice made her nod emphatically. Yep, she grinned big and broad, lips drawn thin over her teeth. She was about to keep teasing him when he started admitting a few things that should probably make her worried, but Rune didn’t judge. She grew up rough and if she could smell herself (it didn’t work on yourself), she might smell it too.
When he stopped to look at her, she paused. When he looked at her like that, something stuck in her chest like a rock, and she saw an opening. When he asked if he smelled, and she’d already established that he did, just not that way, she decided to be brave. She stepped into his shadow, leaned her nose in close to his neck, and drew a long, deep sniff. When she pulled away and looked in his eyes, she deadpan nodded. “Yep. Stuh-eenk.” But a wink followed because she was a bad player at this game. She suddenly feeling that weight in her chest again, and shrugged as she hurriedly stepped away.
She went on to explain. “Nah, not really. It’s more like a general aggression rather than violent. Maybe you’ve been bored for a few days? The smell fades after a while. All except the worst stuff. Like serial killer horror movie stuff. That smell will stay for months, like rotten eggs.” She fake-gagged. “Sometimes the whole undercity reeks of it. Other times it’s not so bad.”
She hitched her belt up on her hips. The nylon was old. The buckle worn down from years of use without replacement. Then she walking again sniffing periodically as she went to test the path ahead. She honestly didn't really have a destination in mind.
The wonder in Mik’s voice made her nod emphatically. Yep, she grinned big and broad, lips drawn thin over her teeth. She was about to keep teasing him when he started admitting a few things that should probably make her worried, but Rune didn’t judge. She grew up rough and if she could smell herself (it didn’t work on yourself), she might smell it too.
When he stopped to look at her, she paused. When he looked at her like that, something stuck in her chest like a rock, and she saw an opening. When he asked if he smelled, and she’d already established that he did, just not that way, she decided to be brave. She stepped into his shadow, leaned her nose in close to his neck, and drew a long, deep sniff. When she pulled away and looked in his eyes, she deadpan nodded. “Yep. Stuh-eenk.” But a wink followed because she was a bad player at this game. She suddenly feeling that weight in her chest again, and shrugged as she hurriedly stepped away.
She went on to explain. “Nah, not really. It’s more like a general aggression rather than violent. Maybe you’ve been bored for a few days? The smell fades after a while. All except the worst stuff. Like serial killer horror movie stuff. That smell will stay for months, like rotten eggs.” She fake-gagged. “Sometimes the whole undercity reeks of it. Other times it’s not so bad.”
She hitched her belt up on her hips. The nylon was old. The buckle worn down from years of use without replacement. Then she walking again sniffing periodically as she went to test the path ahead. She honestly didn't really have a destination in mind.