Teal'c lay back on his bed, frustrated and embarrassed.
It was a significant time since he'd been home, been anywhere where there were other Jaffa and his frustration was building to intolerable levels. He understood that the Tauri just didn't manage relationships the same way, but their level of informality about relationships made it massively complex to negotiate any sort of encounter which would be even remotely satisfying.
The ridiculous levels of subterfuge, body language, double meanings (in a language which was actually his fourth language) added to a significant amount of regulations applied by the Air Force and a significant amount of various prejudices applied by various people (and he wasn't entirely sure who approved of what or not) had just made it a topic he had not been willing to broach with anyone. His vocabulary related to sexual matters in English consisted of some medical terms picked up in the infirmary and a selection of curse words Samantha Carter had been good enough to explain once when very drunk. Added to that he really wasn't sure how the Tauri managed the simple act of bedding someone.
As a child and a young man he would have resorted to self pleasure, but that was inappropriate for a warrior, it was not done. As a warrior, a leader, as Daniel Jackson had once put it an alpha male, he should be able to either maintain a wife or partner, or find a willing one. It was expected. As First Prime there would be people of both genders seeking his bed, there had been.
He stood up, cringing at the damp feel of the cum from his wet dream in his pyjama pants, stripped naked and went to rinse off.
It was half past two in the morning, but the gym would still be open and he shrugged quickly into sweats and a tank top and padded barefoot through the corridors to work out some stress.
The gym was deserted which suited him just fine, this wasn't something he really wanted to share with the base at large, whilst he would have shared it with a fellow warrior, the relationships here were simply too impersonal, inappropriately ritualised in some ways and too open ended in others. He settled for beating on the heavy bag, bare fisted and footed, needing the tactile sensation to thrash the frustration out of him.
After twenty minutes his hands and feet were feeling warm and a little bruised and the sensation was beginning to drown the frustrations. As O'Neill would have put it, he kicked the crap out of the bag. The rhythmic thump thump of his hands, elbows, knees and feet on the bag was soothing so it was a while before he realised he was being watched from the doorway.
Daniel Jackson was standing in the doorway sipping a cup of what was almost certainly coffee, was watching him, a slightly curious expression. He turned fully to face him.
"Daniel Jackson." Teal'c acknowledged him politely with a nod.
"Hey Teal'c, you're up later than usual."
Teal'c considered his response carefully before replying. "I find myself restless." He said, a nicely ambiguous response.
"I can see." Daniel Jackson stepped further into the room. "Something bothering you?"
Teal'c considered his options for a response. He did not want to lie to his friend, but was not sure an honest response would be greeted as a warrior comrade would understand it. "I woke in the night." He said. Not a lie.
"Nightmares?" Daniel asked, concern on his face.
"No, simply a…disturbing dream." Teal'c hedged. It was extremely difficult carrying on these sorts of conversations in a language so bizarre and with so few hard rules.
Daniel did not seem convinced by his answer. Teal'c knew he had not let anything slip on his face, and gave Daniel his best flat, vaguely interested look. Daniel walked into the room.
"I am fine Daniel Jackson." Teal'c told him.
"Teal'c…" Daniel stood in front of him, looking up at him, "…I don't want to intrude, but you don't look entirely fine."
Daniel's eyes flicked down to his grazed feet, grazed knuckles and back up again, and Teal'c could have sworn for a moment the gaze stuttered slightly over his sweat soaked chest.
"They will heal soon Daniel Jackson." He said.
"I know Teal'c but it's more what they mean that concerns me." Daniel appeared deeply concerned. "You don't usually let anything allow you to lose control like that. Especially at two thirty in the morning."
Teal'c attempted to deflect the line of questioning. "Are you not awake yourself at two thirty in the morning Daniel Jackson?"
"Yes, but that's not unusual for me."
Teal'c frowned, his expression eliciting a look of confusion from Daniel. "I find myself…frustrated." He said. He searched his brain for the language he needed to express the concept further but came up a blank, this was just not a topic he had needed to learn the vocabulary for. He settled for raising an eyebrow with a slightly embarrassed look.
There was a look of dawning realisation on Daniel Jackson's face, and he blushed. Teal'c found it rather charming really and he gave Daniel a slight resigned smile.
"You can see why it is not a topic I find easy to discuss Daniel Jackson."
"Yeah." Daniel nodded.
"I am unsure how the Tauri manage these affairs." He shrugged. "Your customs seem…" he searched for a polite way of saying it, "…varied and your people seem to have a wide variety of opinions and taboos on what is seen to be appropriate."
Daniel nodded. "That's true."
"I also find I do not know the words in your language for various…activities."
Another nod and Daniel took a sip of coffee.
"I have learned much of my vocabulary of informal English from O'Neill, but I do not think this is a topic he would find it comfortable to discuss."
Teal'c was forced to smile as Daniel laughed, choked and sprayed coffee over the stomach of Teal'c tank top all at once. He reached out and carefully took the cup out of Daniel's hand as he coughed. When he had finally recovered he looked up and grinned at Teal'c.
"No, I think I can safely say that Jack would not find that conversation comfortable." Daniel said. He considered Teal'c. "Look, I guess I can talk you through some of the…customs and vocabulary here, I mean it's what I do."
Teal'c considered Daniel for a moment.
"You would not find this awkward Daniel Jackson?"
Daniel shrugged. "Probably a bit, but we're friends, and I'm not sure anyone else is going to be willing to have that sort of a conversation with you."
"You do not think I will find a willing partner here?"
Daniel looked mortified and blushed red again.
"No, that's not what I meant at all," he said raising his hands in front of him, "it's just that people don't find it easy to discuss that kind of thing out of context."
"Out of context?"
He watched as Daniel paused a moment then said. "When they are not specifically interested in negotiating a relationship or encounter with the person they are talking to."
"But you would be willing to have this conversation with me."
Daniel shrugged and nodded. "Sure, we're friends."
He excused himself for long enough to take a quick, and cold, shower and when he came out Daniel was waiting by his door.
"I'm pretty certain," Daniel said, "this is not a conversation I want to have on base."
Teal'c regarded him, then recalled the large number of rules, taboos and conventions that abounded before silently nodding and collecting his coat and hat. Outside was dark, and slightly chilly but they signed out and made for Daniel's car.
"You okay with my place?" Daniel asked him as they got in. "Probably a conversation best held in private."
Teal'c nodded. The drive was managed in a slightly tense silence, but they eventually reached Daniel's apartment and he let them both in. Daniel gestured him through to the lounge and Teal'c shed hat and coat and sat himself down on the sofa, waiting as Daniel busied himself in the kitchen before returning with a soda for Teal'c and a beer for himself. He sat down on the opposite end of the couch to Teal'c.
"Okay." Daniel said a little awkwardly. "I guess maybe I can start by asking you what taboos your people have about sex. What do your people absolutely not do?"
"My people consider it wrong to engage in sexual acts with children, animals, those unable to understand, those who do not consent and with dead bodies."
"Okay, well that's a win, because all of those are against the law here. How do Jaffa view relationships between people of the same gender?"
Teal'c shrugged.
"It is not the same on all planets but on my planet it is considered acceptable."
"Normal?"
Teal'c shrugged and nodded. "Although most will have a permanent partner of the opposite gender."
Daniel looked like he was going to ask a question but then stopped, looking at Teal'c. Teal'c took a guess.
"I myself have enjoyed partners of both genders."
It had obviously been the right question he was answering as Daniel nodded, but his eyes widened just a little, and there was a slight hitch in his breathing. Teal'c had the slightest suspicion that maybe there had been a little enlightened self interest in Daniel's offer. A "fishing expedition" which appeared had been more productive than most of the actual fishing expeditions Teal'c had been on.
"And yourself, Daniel Jackson?" he asked, feeling a little wicked, but face and voice earnest.
"I'm ah…I've ah…been with both." Daniel said.
"It is most gratifying to know that at least one of my friends is comfortable with my inner nature." Teal'c said, watching as Daniel blushed crimson.
"It's called bisexuality…" Daniel dropped into babbling about terminology, an evident cover for how flustered he was.
Teal'c pretended not to have noticed the blush, taking a long drink of the soda and asking a couple of pertinent questions to keep Daniel talking. The additional vocabulary was useful anyway. He let Daniel go on for a while about levels of prejudice, the long standing and now defunct DADA rule and how things were still rather difficult for non-heterosexual military personnel.
"And what names do your people have for various sexual acts?" Teal'c asked. "IF for instance I wished for a partner to perform a sexual act upon me with his mouth, what would I ask for?"
Daniel looked away and took a long gulp of beer before responding.
"The technical term is fellatio, from the Latin fellatus, or oral sex, but it's commonly referred to as a blow job or sucking cock."
Teal'c found this a little confusing. "I would hope that there was no blowing involved." He said.
"No, no, it's just a phrase, not an actual description." Daniel took another gulp of beer.
"So if I wished it, I could ask someone to suck my cock." Teal'c persisted, watching Daniel intently.
Daniel looked up suddenly, blinking behind his glasses and looking at Teal'c's face with a slightly confused expression. "Yes. Exactly."
"Indeed." Teal'c rumbled. "And what about if I was asking for a partner to use his hand upon my…cock?"
"Masturbation, hand job, wanking." Daniel said, following it with another gulp of beer.
"You appear to be thirsty Daniel Jackson." Teal'c said downing the last of his soda. He stood and walked into the kitchen retrieving another soda and another beer from the fridge. He walked back in and handed Daniel the beer, sitting down on the couch again. He put the soda on the coffee table, removed his shoes and drew his feet up onto the couch. Daniel gave him a quick surprised look but said nothing.
"I am aware that you use the terms having sex and fucking for sexual acts involving…insertion." Teal'c continued.
"Yes, if you were speaking medically or technically you could say penetrative sex, people also say making love, it's a more gentle term. Fucking is considered a somewhat cruder term, and a curse word."
"So a member of the Tauri would make love to a beloved partner?" Teal'c asked.
Daniel nodded, finishing the first beer and putting the bottle on the table.
Teal'c waited until Daniel was taking a mouthful of the second before continuing. "But it would also not be inappropriate to say to a potential partner I wish to bind you to your bed and fuck you into your mattress?"
For the second time that night Daniel sprayed his entire mouthful of drink over Teal'c's chest. Teal'c looked down at him with a slight grin. Daniel glared at him.
"How long have you been winding me up?" he asked.
"I have not been winding you up Daniel Jackson." Teal'c said. "I truly am not familiar with the words that your people use for negotiating these encounters."
Daniel looked at him a little suspiciously, before hazarding a question. "And is that something you're likely to want to say?"
"I believe it is something I would definitely want to say, Daniel Jackson."
Daniel's eyes widened a little. Teal'c watched him, his breath was coming a little faster, and his hips shifted on the couch. Teal'c leaned forward.
"Is it an appropriate phrase to ask?" he rumbled. "It is not grammatically incorrect or likely to give offence?"
Daniel gulped another mouthful of beer. "No." he said shifting his hips again. "It's not grammatically incorrect. It might give offence if the person you were saying it to thought you were being overly familiar, if you were not already acquainted."
Teal'c nodded. "I shall remember this advice Daniel Jackson." He took a mouthful of soda, and thought for a moment, looking away slightly but keeping an eye on Daniel out of the corner of his eye. Daniel shifted his hips on the couch again, tugged on the pocket of his jeans to rearrange the front of his pants. Teal'c carefully put the bottle of soda down.
He turned on the couch, spinning on one knee to land straddling Daniel, crowding him into the back of the sofa, deftly removing the beer bottle from Daniel's hand and depositing it on the table behind him without looking.
"It is good that we are friends Daniel Jackson, so you will take no offence when I tell you I wish to bind you to your bed and fuck you into your mattress."
Daniel's hips shifted up involuntarily against Teal'c. Teal'c ground his own cock into Daniel's burgeoning erection.
"Fuck!" Daniel gasped.
"I believe that was my intention." Teal'c said. "It is a good thing that we are friends and can ask these things."
"Oh yeah!" Daniel gasped. "Oh yeah…"