Conversation

"One loyal friend is worth ten thousand relatives."
-- Euripides (408 B.C.)

He sits with his back against the wall and his feet flat on the floor.  His arms gently circle his knees.  It's as comfortable as he's likely to get in the small stone room.  Teyla sits beside him with her legs stretched out in front of her, feet crossed at the ankles.  Their shoulders touch as she leans against him slightly whether to reassure or to be reassured, he isn't certain.  Rodney lets out a sigh.

"How much longer do you think we'll have to wait?" he asks.

"I am uncertain.  I have never encountered these people before and their ways are strange to me," she replies, giving him a calm look that somehow manages to convey her annoyance with telling him something he already knows.

"What do you want to bet it's going to be a while?"

"That is a wager I doubt I would win."

"If I knew I was going to get shoved in a Stone Age waiting room, I would have brought some work with me."

"At least we are not alone.  There are ways of passing the time."

Rodney thinks about that for a moment before raising an eyebrow at her.

"Did you just hit on me?"

Teyla's eyebrows crinkle a bit in confusion.  Rodney frowns at himself.

"No, of course you didn't.  That would be ridiculous," he says, looking away.

"I have heard your people use this term before, but what does it mean?"

"What?  To hit on?  Oh, it's an expression.  It means to flirt with...make advances towards."

Her lips quirk into a small smile and Rodney flushes.  He's embarrassed with himself for even thinking that Teyla would be interested in him that way.  It's a small favor that Sheppard isn't around to make fun of him for it.

"And you believe that I was 'hitting on you' by saying that we could talk to pass the time?" she asks.

"No, no!" Rodney protests.  "It's just the choice of words was kind of..."

Teyla reaches across and touches his arm.  "It is all right.  I understand," she says and there is amusement in her tone.

"So you want to talk?" Rodney asks, quickly changing the subject.

"Yes, very rarely have we had a chance to talk.  I wish to know more of you."

"Well, there's not much to tell.  My life revolves around my work and it is very complicated."

"Do you have no family?  No one back on Earth?"

"I have a sister, but we aren't close.  I've always been the odd man out when it comes to my family."

Teyla is quiet for a moment.  Rodney wonders what she's thinking.  From what he has gathered about the Athosians, family is very important to them.  They are never sure if their lives or loved ones are going to be taken away from them by the Wraith.  They hold on tightly to what have.  He realizes he must seem so alien to her.

"Was it hard for you being an outcast?" she asks.

Rodney looks over at her, and he's sure she's thinking about being part Wraith.  "I never really thought of myself as an outcast, but yes it's always been difficult being smarter than everyone else.  It's hard to relate sometimes."

Her expression changes to a soft smile and she looks at him warmly.

"But now you have friends," she says.

He likes that warm look in her eyes, and he knows that Teyla counts herself as one of those friends.  It's an odd feeling, one Rodney isn't used to.

"Yes, but it's kind of scary," he says before he can stop himself.

"How?" she asks.

"I've never really had this..."

Teyla nods, knowingly. "You are afraid you will lose it now that it is found."

Rodney looks away.  He feels his hand being pulled from where it rests on his shin.  Fingers entwine with his own.  Teyla leans more of her weight against his shoulder, and this time he knows it's to reassure.  Before he can look over at her, the wooden door to the room opens.  Sheppard steps in with a smirk.

"Hey, sorry about the wait.  Next time, we'll know that they only take two people per trade negotiation.  Did you guys get bored?" he asks.

Teyla rises to her feet in one fluid motion.  She still holds Rodney's hand and uses it to help him up.

"No," she says, "the time was well spent."

John gives her a teasing look.  "Well, if you had so much fun, I suppose Ronon and I could leave you two here a bit longer if you like."

"No, Colonel.  I believe I am finished hitting on Rodney.  We should check back in with Atlantis."

The two of them watch her sweep out of the room regally.  Sheppard blinks for a moment before giving Rodney a curious look.  He opens his mouth to ask, but Rodney quickly cuts him off.

"What?  You think it's impossible for a beautiful woman to find me attractive?  I'll have you know that Teyla and I have a lot in common."  He walks to the door and pauses to look John in the eye.  "Plus, she doesn't have to hit me with sticks."

Rodney marches out the door at a quick clip.  The look on Sheppard's face is priceless, and he can't wait to get home and tell Radek and Carson all about it.


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