Heart-to-Heart (for colonelinblack)

[athoslantean]

There seemed to much more going on under the surface of daily life on Atlantis than Teyla was aware of. Usually she had always had a bead on the finer workings of the politics that governed the Earth-people's relations with each other, but her being away so frequently in the last months, and the side-effects of her budding relationship had clouded

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[colonelinblack]

He shrugged, shooting her a wry smile.

"Not much more." Taking a deep breath, he looked at his boots, his throat feeling suddenly dry and useless as he opened his mouth to answer her question. "It's.. well, it's McKay."

[athoslantean]

If the look on her face was any indication, John's answer was the last thing Teyla had expected. As it was, it took several moments for the information to really hit her, and her lips curved in a wry sort of smile.

"Well, that is...unexpected. I...how?"

[colonelinblack]

Chuckling lightly, he shook his head.

"It was actually some.. alien device we encountered a few months back. Forced us to be in... close quarters, for a while.." He shrugged, brave enough to look at her now. "It was kind of a silly way to get together, but.. we're getting pretty serious now."

[athoslantean]

"I see...dare I ask to read the mission report on that particular incident?" she asked, managing to sound amused by the whole thing. "And are you happy with this odd turn of events in your life?"

[colonelinblack]

"You're free to, I left out quite a few.. details..." Shaking his head, he went on.

"I am. But... what about you? Who's your mystery man?"

[athoslantean]

She gave him another rueful smile. "I'm afraid that you will not like what I am about to say. And please," she said, holding up a hand to forestall any protestation on his part, "do not try and reassure me, or try to tell me that there is no possible way that my news can be anything less than joyful."

[colonelinblack]

"Okayy...." He bit his lip, regarding her curiously. "Well, just lay it on me then."

He crossed his arms across his chest and waited for the worst. Though... how it could be worse than him dating McKay he still couldn't figure out.

[athoslantean]

She let out a deep sigh and nodded.

"It's Michael."

[colonelinblack]

John couldn't even process that. What was this - some kind of joke?

"That's not funny, Teyla."

[athoslantean]

She looked at him in all seriousness. "And I am not laughing."

[colonelinblack]

"Oh.. no. No, Teyla, don't do this. What are..." He wanted to scream and yell and tell her she couldn't do that, but he lost his voice - all coherence.

"Okay, I'm sleeping with.. McKay. That's weird. Haha, almost funny. Whatever. But he's not... you're sleeping with a Wraith??" he managed, looking up at her in pure unadulterated terror.

And not just any Wraith. One they had been chasing around the Pegasus Galaxy since his escape from Atlantis. The fuck, Teyla had known where he was the entire time?

[athoslantean]

"He is more human than any of us realize, John," she started, before shaking her head and turning away, realizing that it didn't matter, really.

There was no satisfactory answer, not one that she could give to Sheppard, at any rate.

[colonelinblack]

"More human than we realize?" He snorted humorlessly. "Yeah, that's rich."

[athoslantean]

She peered at him, trying not to get angry.

"And how many times have you encountered someone or something that appeared one way and ended up being another? This is no different, Colonel," she snapped, dropping his name for the honorific. "Things have changed, as have people."

[colonelinblack]

"Yeah," he said softly. "And I guess we both have."

He shook his head, not at all sure.. of anything just now. Teyla used to be his best friend; when did they grow so distant? Start keeping things from each other?

"I don't know what to say, Teyla."

[athoslantean]

She had no answers for his unspoken questions, as she pondered them herself.

Her face softened at his words and she implored him silently with her eyes.

"I would like you to say that you support me in this," she replied softly. "Though I know it is not possible for you to do so at this time."