"Are they serious?" Rodney's voice climbed an octave in three words.

"I believe that they are," Teyla said, her brow wrinkled in confusion. "They want thirty-nine kisses as a show of harmony and caring among the expedition."

John looked up from where he'd been studying his hands. "Can we spread 'em around, or does it just have to be two people for the whole thirty-nine?"

Teyla conferred with the delegation of Hanturans gathered in the conference room. Rodney, Zelenka, Lorne, McKay, and Elizabeth all sat on the edges of their seats. John looked at his left thumbnail.

"One pair must kiss thirty-nine times," Teyla said. The delegates behind her smiled and nodded, as if she'd just introduced then to Ho-Hos or something.

Zelenka looked at Elizabeth, Elizabeth looked at Lorne, Lorne looked at Teyla, Ronon looked at Teyla, Teyla looked at the ceiling, Rodney looked at the floor and John looked at his right thumbnail. The Hanturans moved restlessly.

John looked up from his lap and looked straight at Rodney. Everyone else looked straight at Rodney. Rodney continued to look at the floor.

"Rodney," John said. Rodney looked up blinked about seven times, then looked around the room at everyone staring at him. He looked from face to face, saving John for last. When John's eyes met his, he smiled and blushed.

John stood up before sitting on the edge of the table, spreading his knees. He looked at Rodney, then looked at the piece of floor between his knees. Rodney. Floor. Rodney. Floor. Rodney for ten seconds. Floor for one second. Rodney.

Rodney blushed harder, but he got up from his chair and moved to John slowly. When he was standing between John's knees, he lifted his hands, not sure what to do with them. John took Rodney's wrists in his hands and pressed his hands downward. Rodney caught on and placed his palms on John's thighs, cupping the strong muscles.

John's hands came up to bracket Rodney's face, and Rodney leaned forward. John's lips were soft, and Rodney couldn't stop himself from opening John's mouth with his own and sliding his tongue along the inside of John's lower lip.

Rodney's fingers tightened on John's thighs and ran his thumbs up the inseam of John's pants. John deepened the kiss, his own hot, slick tongue touching Rodney's, sliding against it and into Rodney's mouth.

John moaned, and after a second, Rodney did, too. John started to pull back, but Rodney reached up with one hand and grasped the back of John's neck, keeping him close. John's thumbs stroked the hair over Rodney's ears. Rodney traced his tongue against John's own for one more second, then eased back, sucking on John's bottom lip.

John stared at him, eyes wide and dark, and Rodney stared back. Behind them, several people cleared their throats, and Lorne said in a strangled voice, "One."