First Date Weird Quirks

Wil a first date with Marcus, the neck sniffer, lead to a second date or is that weird quirk a red flag?

Karen paced in front of the little wooden café, glancing at her phone. The time was 2:58 p.m., and they’d agreed to meet at 3. She took a deep breath, half to steady her nerves and half to keep from rolling her eyes at herself. She hadn't felt this nervous since secondary school—back when meeting someone new still felt like the opening scene of a rom-com rather than a perilous adventure.

Marcus had seemed like a breath of fresh air on the app. Not only was he tall—6'5" according to his profile, which Karen could scarcely believe—but he also seemed intelligent, funny, a little edgy, but not in that trying-too-hard-to-be-edgy way. She'd swiped right because he mentioned being a fan of dark comedies and sent her a witty comment about the futility of small talk on dating apps. It had made her laugh, and laughing while staring at a screen was something she rarely did these days.

At exactly 3:00 p.m., a tall figure strode into view. Marcus. He was even taller in person, with dark hair slicked back in a style that was somewhere between 1920s mobster and modern-day bad boy - think Peaky Blinders. A faint shadow of stubble traced his jaw, which made him look both dashing and just a little dangerous. She felt her cheeks flush as he approached.

“Karen?” A wide grim beamed across his face.

“That’s me,” she hoped her voice didn’t betray her nerves.

They exchanged pleasantries as they entered the café, and after Marcus insisted on buying her a cappuccino, they settled at one of the little tables outside, where they could watch the steady stream of people browsing the craft shops. The autumn air was crisp, and Karen pulled her jacket a little tighter around herself, grateful for the warmth of her coffee cup.

They talked about the usual things at first—the trials of dating apps, the horror stories, the endless swiping that sometimes made it feel like they were all fishing in a small, overcrowded pond. He was easy to talk to, his voice smooth and assured. Karen was pleased to find that his humour translated well in person; he wasn’t trying too hard, and he didn’t seem overly self-absorbed.

“So, Karen,” he said after they’d been chatting for about an hour, his gaze shifting from playful to something more intense, “can I ask you something?”

Karen felt a flicker of apprehension. She forced herself to keep smiling and nodded. “Sure.”

Marcus leaned in, close enough that she could smell the faintest hint of cologne on him, something earthy and a little spicy, maybe Creed. “Would it be okay if I… sniffed your neck?”

Karen blinked, caught completely off guard. She let out a nervous laugh, thinking it was a joke, but his eyes remained steady, focused on her.

“I know, I know,” he said, holding up a hand as if to calm her. “It’s a weird request. But bear with me. I have this… thing. A sort of sixth sense for people. I can tell a lot about someone from their scent. Not in a creepy way,” he added quickly, his gaze softening with what looked like genuine sincerity. “It’s just a… personal quirk, I guess. But you can absolutely say no.”

Karen stared at him, her mind a whirlwind of questions. She’d heard of quirky date requests, but this? She didn’t know what to make of it. Part of her wanted to get up and leave, but another part—the curious part, the part that got her into this date in the first place—wanted to see where this would go.

“All right,” she said, surprising herself. She tilted her head slightly, exposing her neck to him, her heart pounding in her chest.

Marcus leaned in, closing his eyes as he gently brought his face close to her neck. His nose hovered near her skin, and he took a slow, deep breath, as though he were inhaling the bouquet of a fine wine. Karen felt a shiver run down her spine, and for reasons she couldn’t quite explain, she felt her cheeks warming. It was oddly intimate, more so than she would have anticipated.

After a moment, Marcus pulled back, his expression thoughtful.

“Well?” she asked, her voice barely above a whisper.

He smiled, almost wistfully. “You smell… complicated,” he said. “Like there’s a story that hasn’t been told yet. A little bit of sadness, maybe, but also strength. Resilience.”

Karen was stunned. Part of her wanted to laugh it off, to dismiss his words as melodramatic nonsense, but the way he said it, so quietly and sincerely, struck a chord. She’d been through a lot over the past year—her mother’s illness, a breakup that left her questioning her own judgment, a gnawing sense of loneliness that had finally driven her to try dating apps. She hadn’t shared any of that with him, but somehow, he seemed to know.

“Is that… a good thing?” she asked, feeling oddly vulnerable.

“It’s a beautiful thing,” he replied, his gaze softening.

They lapsed into silence, both sipping their coffees, the hum of the craft market filling the space between them. Marcus was the first to break the quiet.

“Karen, I hope you don’t think I’m completely insane. I know it’s an odd request, but it’s just something I’ve done for years. My friends think it’s strange, but I don’t know… I’ve always felt that people’s scents tell me more than their words.”

Karen nodded slowly, still processing. “It’s… unconventional,” she admitted. “But I guess that’s what makes you interesting.”

Marcus chuckled. “I’ll take that as a compliment.”

For the next hour, they drifted into deeper conversation, no longer skimming the surface of small talk. They talked about their families, their dreams, the things they feared the most. Karen found herself sharing more than she usually would on a first date, and it felt good. Cathartic, almost. And Marcus listened with a patience and attentiveness she wasn’t used to.

As they finished their coffees, Marcus gestured toward a path that wound through the woods beside the marketplace. “Want to take a walk? There’s a little hidden clearing up ahead with some old ruins. It’s beautiful this time of year.”

She hesitated, but only for a moment. Against her better judgment, she found herself trusting him. “Sure,” she said, standing up.

They walked side by side through the trees, the leaves crunching underfoot, their breaths visible in the cool autumn air. The silence between them felt comfortable, even as her mind raced with thoughts about him. Who was this man, this strange yet charming individual who wanted to smell her neck?

As they reached the clearing, the ruins came into view—a stone archway and a crumbling wall, remnants of an old manor house that had long since surrendered to nature. Moss covered the stones, and ivy crept along what was left of the walls. It felt like stepping back in time.

“It’s beautiful,” Karen whispered, taking it all in.

Marcus nodded, watching her more than the scenery. “I thought you’d appreciate it.”

She looked over at him, catching his gaze, and for a moment, she saw a flicker of something intense—almost haunted—in his eyes.

“Marcus,” she began, uncertain of how to phrase her question. “Why… why are you really here? Why ask me to meet you like this? And why the whole neck-sniffing thing?”

He sighed, looking away. “I knew you’d ask eventually.” He ran a hand through his hair, his confident demeanor giving way to something more vulnerable. “The truth is… I’m looking for someone who understands me. Really understands me. And most people… they think I’m strange. They don’t get it.”

“Get what?” Karen pressed, her curiosity overtaking her caution.

Marcus hesitated. “I have this… ability. To sense things about people, things that most people can’t see. It’s not psychic or anything, but I can pick up on their energy, their essence. Their scent is a part of it. And when I met you, I thought… I thought maybe you’d be someone who could understand.”

Karen looked at him, not quite sure what to say. “So… you’re saying you can smell people’s emotions?”

“More or less,” he said, his voice barely a whisper. “It’s not something I like to talk about. People think I’m nuts, but it’s true. And you… you have this strength about you, Karen. This depth. I can’t explain it, but I felt it the moment I met you.”

She felt a strange flutter in her chest. Part of her wanted to laugh it off, dismiss it as a bizarre pick-up line, but something about his sincerity held her back. She could see the vulnerability in his eyes, the quiet plea for acceptance, and it made her heart ache.

“Marcus,” she said softly, reaching out to touch his arm. “I don’t think you’re crazy. I don’t understand it, but… I believe you.”

He looked at her, a flicker of relief crossing his face. “Thank you,” he murmured. “You have no idea what that means to me.”

They stood there for a long moment, eyes locked, the world around them fading into the background. And in that quiet space, Karen felt a sense of connection she hadn’t felt in years—a feeling that maybe, just maybe, she’d found someone who saw her as she was, someone who wouldn’t run from the shadows she carried.

Eventually, they began walking back toward the market, their steps slow and unhurried. By the time they reached the café where they’d started

As they walked back toward the café, Karen’s mind was still racing. The whole experience had been… strange, to say the least. Marcus’s “sixth sense,” his claim that he could tell things about people by their scent—it was intriguing, sure, but also a little unsettling. Yet, she couldn’t deny that she’d enjoyed the afternoon with him. Despite the oddness, she found herself drawn to his intensity, his mystery.

“So,” Marcus said, breaking the silence as they neared the café’s wooden terrace, “what do you think? Would you want to meet again?”

Karen looked up at him, still a little unsure. Part of her wanted to walk away, chalk the whole thing up as a quirky first date story to tell her friends, but another part was undeniably curious. He’d made her feel… seen, somehow. And his earnestness, even in his eccentricity, was endearing.

“Yeah,” she surprised herself for the second time that day. “I’d like that.”

Marcus’s face lit up, his serious expression giving way to a boyish grin. “Great. How about Friday night?”

“Sounds good,” she replied, feeling a faint thrill in her chest. “Where should we meet?”

“Tell you what—I’ll pick a spot and text you the details,” he said. Then, almost as an afterthought, he added, “Would 9 p.m. work for you?”

Karen hesitated. 9 p.m.? That seemed a little late for a second date, especially when he didn’t seem like the type who’d be up for a wild night out.

“9 p.m.? Isn’t that a bit… late?” she asked, trying to keep her tone light. “Do you work late or something?”

Marcus shifted, looking a little uncomfortable. “No, actually, I’m off at 5. But I have some… personal stuff I need to take care of before I can meet up.”

“Personal stuff?” she echoed, eyebrows raised. “Like what?”

He hesitated, his eyes flickering with something she couldn’t quite read. “Just… sorting things out. It’s nothing to worry about. But 9 p.m. is the earliest I’d be able to meet.”

Karen nodded slowly, her mind snagging on the vague answer. Sorting things out? What exactly did he need four hours to sort out every evening? She could feel a small warning bell going off somewhere in the back of her mind, but she brushed it aside. After all, she barely knew him. Maybe he had an intense workout routine or some kind of unusual hobby he was embarrassed to mention.

“Okay,” she said finally, giving him a small smile. “9 p.m. it is. Just don’t stand me up.”

He grinned, the tension easing from his face. “Wouldn’t dream of it.”

They exchanged numbers, and as they parted ways, Karen couldn’t help glancing back over her shoulder. Marcus stood watching her, hands in his pockets, his gaze steady and intense even from a distance. She felt a shiver run through her—a mix of excitement and a lingering sense of unease.

As she walked home, she replayed the day in her mind. His strange request, his vague explanations, his reluctance to meet any earlier than 9 p.m. None of it quite added up, but maybe she was overthinking things. Maybe he was just an eccentric guy who didn’t fit neatly into her usual dating expectations. And maybe that was exactly what she needed.

Still, as she unlocked her front door, she found herself glancing at her phone, her thumb hovering over his contact information. She’d agreed to a second date, but a small, nagging voice in her mind whispered that she’d be wise to keep her guard up.

Just in case.