The Scent
The temperature had changed.
The thick, slow warmth that used to press against my forehead when I laid it on the hippopotamus's hip had now become a thin, fast warmth that wrapped around my entire body. Nuri's breasts pressed against my chest, her thighs brushed against mine, and our breaths mingled. It was a close breath, different from the distant sounds of the beasts outside.
I raised my hand. Hesitating, I stroked the long line on her back again. This time, not over her clothes, but over her skin. Starting from her shoulder, it went down in one stroke. As my fingers followed that line, Nuri's waist trembled slightly.
“Here.”
Nuri whispered.
“The one you carved.”
Instead of answering, I stroked the line deeper. My hand went past her waist to the curve of her hips. My calloused fingers pressed gently. Nuri took a small breath. The sound seeped out like from a charcoal fire. Between the beasts' breathing outside.
Nuri cupped my face with both hands. Her thumb stroked my lower lip. The rough texture of the calluses on her skin sent a chill down my spine. Then she slowly brought her face closer.
Our lips met.
At first, it was just a touch. Warm, slightly dry, and our breaths mixed. Then Nuri parted her lips a little. The tip of her tongue brushed mine. I froze in place. Thirty-something years of my previous life felt like nothing here. No alcohol, no lights, no songs to play. Just the charcoal fire, the stars, and the sounds of the beasts. Nuri was leading me.
My hand moved.
Nuri's hand slid down my waist and lower. Her fingers grazed my groin and gently cupped what had already hardened. I felt the calluses—rough yet careful. She stroked slowly up and down. I swallowed hard, biting my teeth to keep the sound from escaping.
“You can hear it all.”
I said again.
“I know.”
Nuri whispered against my ear.
“So be quiet.”
Nuri rose and straddled my thighs. The weight was clear as she settled. Her inner thighs were hot. She took me in one hand and slowly lowered her body. The tip touched, pushed in, deeper. The sensation of my whole body tightening came over me. Hot, wet, tight.
It was the first time. With this body. No, with this person. The moment I entered, her insides fluttered and swallowed me. I forced back the moan that threatened to escape. Outside, one of the beasts let out a low snort. In time with that sound, Nuri began to move her hips. Slowly, deeply. Up and down, up and down. My hand naturally wrapped around her waist, rubbing the long line on her back with my thumb.
The scent grew stronger.
Sweat, dirt, leather, and that unique scent of Nuri filled my nose. The one scent I had failed to adapt to for three years. Now I didn't want to avoid it. I buried my nose in her nape and breathed in deeply. Nuri's waist moved faster. The sounds of flesh slapping, breathing, and the charcoal fire popping mixed together. Everything was leaking out. I knew it and couldn't stop.
Nuri's body went limp and collapsed onto the leather. I climbed on top of her. I licked her nape as if biting it, then quickly moved up to bite her ear with my lips, tasting her lips, and quietly admired her face. Then I flipped her, who was panting weakly, climbed between her thighs, and thrust deep between her hips. The sounds grew louder, turning from flesh slapping into squelching and splashing.
The back that used to carry little Ur came to mind. The back then and now overlapped. The scent I smelled while being carried and the scent I was smelling now overlapped. That overlap strangely felt even more forbidden. The feeling of touching something prohibited. But here, the concept of prohibition barely existed. That was even more maddening.
The pace increased.
Her hips met mine, her breathing grew rough, and I gripped her lewd face and reaching hand harder as she looked back and called out. Soon Nuri hugged me while panting. Her calloused fingers dug into my back. I lifted my hips and thrust deeper. Nuri's insides tightened in spasms. Hot, slippery, endlessly sucking.
“Ur…”
Nuri called my name. Her voice was low and hoarse. The sound made my spine tremble. Instead of answering, I moved my hips harder. The beasts' breathing outside grew distant. It felt like a small world separated from everything else. Just the charcoal fire, the stars, Nuri's body heat, her scent, and her calluses.
When the first climax came, Nuri's body shook first. Her insides contracted strongly and squeezed me. I bit my teeth and thrust deeper one more time. Heat exploded out. Nuri's hips jerked and she let out a long breath. I shook with her. The feeling of my whole body releasing spread to my toes.
We stayed like that for a while.
Our breathing slowly calmed. Nuri slowly raised her body and lay beside me. The distance was about to touch shoulders again. A little closer than before.
I was still stroking the clothes draped over Nuri's shoulder. The long line on her back still felt in my hand.
“...You made it well.”
That line came out again.
Nuri smiled faintly. Her eyes curving down.
“I know.”
She leaned her head on my arm. Her breathing soon evened out. I thought she was asleep.
But before long, Nuri's hand moved again. She stroked my lower belly, then cupped what had already begun to harden halfway. Her calluses stroked slowly up and down.
“Again...?”
I asked.
“Yeah. It's two days.”
At those words, I hardened again. Nuri turned over and lay face down. She lifted her hips slightly and looked back. That smile with eyes curving down. I entered her again between her hips. This time, deeper from the start. Nuri swallowed her moan and buried her face in her arms. I saw her trying to keep the sound from leaking out. That sight was even lewder.
We did it all night.
Once, rest, then again, rest, then again. As the charcoal fire was almost out, Nuri climbed on top of me and shook her hips. I lay there and gripped her breasts, while Nuri's hands followed the long line on my back with her fingers. The hand that used to give me water as a child Ur was now holding my cock. Every time that contrast lingered in my mind, my hips rose harder. Even knowing the sounds were leaking out and our breathing mixed with the beasts', I couldn't stop.
It was only when dawn was breaking that we finally stopped.
Nuri buried her face in my chest, still sweaty. Her breathing was rough. Mine was the same. My legs were loose, my waist sore. Yet below was still half-hard. I didn't know if this body was like that originally or because of her.
“Ur.” Nuri murmured.
“Yeah.”
“Tomorrow... again.”
“Two days.”
Nuri let out a small laugh. Even that laugh was low, barely leaking outside.
***
The second night was different.
The first night was just pounding, pulling out, and pounding again. No room for rest. I was afraid the sounds would leak out, afraid it would end too soon, afraid of how this person would see me. My mind was complicated.
The second night was different.
When the sun set and the beasts circled again, I lay Nuri down and lay on top of her. This time, I moved first.
I pressed my lips to her nape. The scent was strong. That familiar yet never fully adapted scent. I smelled it and stuck out my tongue to lick it. It had a salty taste. Sweat and dirt mixed. Nuri's body trembled slightly.
“Ur...?”
Instead of answering, I went lower. I licked her collarbone, passed between her breasts, and took one nipple into my mouth. I circled it with the tip of my tongue and sucked lightly. Nuri's hand gripped my head. The calluses felt on my scalp. I did the same to the other side. The hardening of her nipples was felt on my tongue.
Lower still.
I licked her belly, pressed my tongue to her navel, and slowly stroked over her pubic bone. Nuri's thighs spread. I dove my face between them. First I licked the inner thighs. Left, right. Slowly, long strokes. I heard Nuri's breathing quicken. It mixed with the outside beasts' sounds and strangely became clear.
And then the center.
I raised the tip of my tongue and slowly swept up. From top to bottom, bottom to top. She was already wet. Slippery, hot, Nuri's scent directly stabbed my nose. That scent turned my mind white. I dug deeper. I spread my tongue wide to lick everything, then narrowed it to focus on the small buds. Nuri's hips rocked. Her hand pressed hard on my head.
“Haa... Ur... stop... no, more...”
The words didn't come out properly. I didn't stop. I slowly pushed one finger in while my tongue continued attacking the buds. I felt her insides tightening. I added a second finger. Nuri's thighs squeezed my head. Her breathing rose. It was leaking out. Even knowing that, I moved my tongue faster.
The hand that used to wash little Ur came to mind. Back then it was just warm. Now that hand was gripping my head and pushing my hips. That contrast strangely amplified my excitement. It wasn't the feeling of crossing a line. It was the feeling that this body had always been allowed for this person. That was even lewder.
Nuri's hips rocked once hard. Her insides contracted strongly and squeezed my fingers. Hot liquid stuck to my tongue. Nuri bit her teeth and swallowed her moan. Still, a thin sound leaked out. Outside. Between the beasts' breathing.
I pulled my fingers out and looked up. Nuri's face was red. Her eyes were wet at the edges, her lips half open. That usual mischievous smile was gone.
“Ur...”
Nuri said, panting.
“Please... put it in.”
At those words, my lower body throbbed as if about to burst.
I sat up and positioned myself between Nuri's legs. I pressed the tip and slowly pushed in. It was smoother and hotter than yesterday. When I was fully inside, Nuri let out a long breath. I began moving my hips. At first slowly, deeply. Pull out, then all the way in. Every time I entered, Nuri's insides still spasming tightened.
“More... harder.”
Nuri wrapped her legs around my waist. I sped up at her words. The sounds of flesh slapping created a rhythm. Wet sounds mixed in. It was all audible. The whole village, even the beasts. But now that made it even more stimulating. A sound I couldn't hide. A sound I didn't need to hide.
I grabbed Nuri's knees and spread them wider, then slammed my hips hard. Nuri couldn't hold back her moan and came. I covered her mouth with a kiss. I pushed my tongue in and kissed deeply as if swallowing her breath, continuing to move my hips. Nuri's hands scratched my back. The calluses scraped my skin. That pain mixed with pleasure.
I don't know how long I did it. Even after reaching one climax, I didn't stop. When Nuri shook for the second time, I thrust deeper and came with her. While heat poured out, Nuri's insides pulsed and tightened. I felt that tightness and continued moving my hips minutely. Until I was completely empty.
After that, I didn't pull out.
Nuri buried her face in my panting chest. I heard her heart beating fast. I listened to that heartbeat sound and slowly turned my hips while still buried inside her. Nuri's body trembled weakly.
“Again...?”
Nuri asked. Her voice was hoarse.
“Two days.”
Nuri let out a tired laugh. Then she stroked my head. Her calloused palm brushed my hair. That touch strangely felt tender.
We did it several more times that night. Changing positions, me from behind hugging her, Nuri climbing on top again. Every time the sounds leaked out. Every time they mixed with the beasts' breathing. Still, it didn't matter. We were those beasts.
***
When the sun rose, I knew.
The whole tribe had heard everything.
How did I know? No one had looked at me.
Normally, people passing by would glance once. Today, no one did. But when I passed, laughter burst out from behind. About three times. The pattern was clear.
Gat was the first to approach.
He said nothing. Just stood in front of me and grinned. With his crooked nose.
“...What.”
“I didn't say anything.”
“You smiled.”
“Smiling isn't allowed either.”
Then he slapped my back and left.
The next one was really the worst.
The kids.
Our tribe raises the children together. Where do the kids sleep? Anywhere in the adults' sleeping spot. So that meant the kids were there last night too.
The little ones rolling in the mud looked at me and started imitating each other.
They were holding their breath.
One guy covered his mouth with both hands and shook his shoulders. The other three rolled around.
Ya.
Ya, you bastards.
Is this the shittiest thing?
I turned around and left that spot. Laughter followed me from behind for a long time.
At the spot where food was given, the auntie looked at me.
This auntie always checked my forehead when she looked at me. She thought I was wandering looking at the sky and rubbing stones or doors, so she wondered if I was hurt somewhere.
Today she didn't check.
Instead, she doubled the meat she had rolled in her hands and put it on my plate.
And without saying a word, she patted my back.
Shit.
This is the most embarrassing.
Nuri was calm.
At the spot where she tanned leather, she came out at the usual time, sat as usual, and split the tendons as usual.
When she saw me, she just nodded her head.
I was the only one fidgeting.
While I stood there wondering what to say for about twenty seconds, Nuri split the thread into four, threaded the needle, and put the first stitch.
Then without looking up, she said.
“Tonight too, the same spot.”
I walked toward the pond after hearing those words. No reason. I just had to walk somewhere.
The beasts were completely unfazed.
Umba stood with his back to me as usual. His eyes half-closed. He had probably heard everything last night but showed no interest.
Yeah, that made sense.
They saw us as kids.
Probably just that the kids were noisy last night.
And then something strange happened in the afternoon.
One man came to me.
He was the one who had boldly asked three days ago in front of the tribe, “If you carve a stone finely, what does that do? Does that catch a beast?”
He was holding a stone in his hand.
“Ur.”
“...Yes.”
“How do you carve this?”
I looked at the stone. It was gray granite. It had a crack inside and would split in half in half a day.
Two more people stood behind him. Each holding a stone.
And another one behind them.
I sat by the pond and taught them how to choose stones all afternoon. You had to pick ones with smooth outsides and that break cleanly inside. You had to hit them with water poured on them. If you carved the neck too thin, it would break.
While teaching, I found it funny.
We all knew why these people wanted to carve stones now.
But no one talked about it.
Everyone had serious faces and only talked about the stones. Which river the stones came from, which kind of spirit made them break well.
The first artistic movement in human history had started here.
The motivation was that.
But a hundred years later, when someone dug up those stones, the motivation would be gone and only the stones would remain.
It was funny and scary at the same time.
The day passed in a daze and I sat by the pond.
My body ached. Especially my waist. Still, it strangely felt refreshing. Nuri was still asleep. In the middle of the tribe, where we had rolled around all night.
Elder Mar was already out. The stone was still on his knee.
This elder doesn't sleep.
“Ur.”
“...Yes.”
“One of these isn't enough.”
“...Yes?”
“The old man from the fur tribe sent someone yesterday. They already know what we're doing.”
Elder Mar brushed the stone on his palm.
“The other side will start too. The horn tribe. Then it won't be enough to compete inside the tribe. People are like that.”
I looked toward the hill. In the morning mist, that round navel rose.
“Then where do we compete?”
Elder Mar pointed with his chin.
“There at the top. A place that isn't any tribe's.”
My breath stopped.
“Back then, it wasn't this big.”
Elder Mar handed the stone to my hand.
“You have to stand something bigger than a person's height.”
“...How do I stand that?”
“Ask your beast.”
I looked at the stone in my hand.
In ten thousand years, when that hill was dug up, about twenty pillars as big as three times a person's height would come out.
Shit.
I think I have to stand that.