Fic: No Translation Needed (Dex/Zelenka)

[sgasesa-admin.livejournal.com]

Title: No Translation Needed
Author: sirkate
Pairing: Radek Zelenka/ Ronon Dex
Rating: R
Recipient: seticat
Spoilers: nothing specific
Summary: Language as a barrier or a bonding tool.

*

After several decades, he no longer really thinks in Czech. He speaks, and swears, and he can think easily in his first language. But he finds his thoughts run more smoothly when he thinks the language in which his colleagues speak. He stopped dreaming in Czech when he was twenty-five.

When they came to Atlantis, and the wonder of it opened before him and began to yield its secrets-- grudgingly, not freely. He fights for every insight, never quite able to artificially make the connection genetic inheritance has refused him-- when this happened, he began again to dream his mother tongue. It was glorious and free and his mind worked faster, even if he was frustrated when having to translate his thoughts into English words for others.

When the Wraith came, his dreams changed to wordless screaming. It is just as well they, he and Rodney both, stopped sleeping.

After, in the intervening months, he has found himself detached from a language he has fluently spoken since childhood, and equally detached from the one he has known since the cradle. Which is why it is so shocking when Ronon Dex comes up to him in the lab and asks, "Your people speak different languages."

Radek, mind still entangled in his work, merely nods. Ronon nods back. "You're different than McKay and Sheppard. Your language is different."

"Yes," Radek agrees, frowning at him.

Ronon stares at him impassively until Radek makes and annoyed questioning sound. "Speak it," the taller man says. Radek ignores him. "Please," Ronon adds, "tell me what you're doing. In your language." So Radek shrugs and does. When he stops a few moments later, Ronon nods and starts to walk away.

"Wait," Radek says. "Why this? You want to learn?"

Ronon grins at him, and says, "Nah," and leaves.

"Most unusual," Radek comments to himself, and turns back to his work.

~~~~~

Words have different meanings in different languages. English is a bastard hybrid of that which preceded it. It can be beautifully logical, frustratingly redundant, or obscenely divorced from its roots by turn. It is not that he had been unaware of this previously, of course. It is that, somehow, knowing that Ronon had listened to him made him strangely aware of the inefficiency of his English whenever the other man was around. Staff meetings and reports became a trial.

Radek hadn't worried about pronunciation, carefully choosing words, or forming complete sentences so much since he had passed the English proficiency exam at his first university. He had been sixteen, and had stumbled over the word 'seminary'. He finds himself choosing not to talk, rather than risk the same nerves, even to interrupt Rodney's babbling.

Afterwards, once they return to the lab, Rodney rolls his eyes and calls him names. He replies without thought and returns to work. When Ronon comes, it is to fetch Rodney for a team night. On the way out, he calls out a strange phrase, and waits until Radek meets his eyes to translate, "Good night." He grins again, and is gone.
~~~~~

Ronon continues this way. Frustratingly unpredictable in whether he will ask the Czech word for something, demand Radek talk to him when they are paired to explore the city, or point and give what Radek assumes is the Satedan word for something. He doesn't seem to want to know how to speak Czech, nor to expect Radek to repeat or memorize the Satedan he presents.

It is illogical. It is no way to learn, and it makes no sense. It is a poorly constructed experiment that measures nothing, other than perhaps Radek's frustration. Radek finally tells Ronon so, in a calm rush of Czech words. Ronon ignores him and moves into the next room, though by now he knows enough to tell when Radek is angry. Radek follows. What else is there to do?

Three days later, he eats lunch with the Colonel and Rodney. The Colonel mentions that Ronon's reports have improved, and Rodney makes a scathing comment, as usual.

"It's not that, Rodney," the Colonel says. "It's that English isn't his first language. Even with the gate translating, some of the things we say strike him as odd."

"Hmm," Rodney replies, mouth full of noodles. "Proficiency versus conversancy."

Radek shouldn't be disappointed to have the solution to his mystery.
~~~~~

"You speak with me to improve your English," Radek notes. It has been a week, and they stand looking out over the ocean beyond the labs they have just finished surveying. "Because it is not my native language, either, and I sound like I struggle with it, but they accept me. I am outside, like you are. As your reports must be accepted."

Radek doesn't expect an answer. Ronon often doesn't give a verbal response, though his meaning is usually clear. He lifts his face up to the sky briefly before turning to reenter the labs.

"No," Ronon replies, and Radek is surprised to feel himself hope for a less pragmatic answer. "You're not outside. You're one of them."

It is not what he had wanted to hear, though he's not sure what answer would be. "Ah. You have been here many months. You are also one of us," Radek notes as he passes.

Ronon follows, a looming but safe presence at his back. "Yeah," he murmurs. "Guess so."

~~~~~

Radek expects it to stop after that, but it does not. It alters, rather. Ronon no longer asks the Czech for things, but still says things in Satedan to him. He still partners with Radek when they explore the city. He still stops in the lab for no reason.

It makes little sense, but Radek is coming to understand that the logic of Ronon's actions is hidden from him and likely to remain so until the end. Looking back, Ronon makes perfect sense. It is only trying to look ahead that is impossible. He is both frustrated and accepting of this backwards-only logic. Physics has not managed to look into the future yet, either.

He is annoyed with Ronon's presence, and yet he sometimes finds himself missing something when the other man is not there. He finds also that he does not mind when Ronon brings him aspirin or lunch, delivering things with a silent shrug. It is odd, when he and Rodney and the Colonel meet to watch horror movies, to find Ronon there, but nice to be passed the popcorn just when he wants it, or to see Ronon's silent laughter at the old special effects in some of the movies.

They work together to drive Rodney to wordless frustration. Ronon is truly the best straight man one could wish for, and the supposed innocence of the Satedan couples with Radek's unspoken cues on what question to ask next soon leave Rodney red-faced and frustrated, and the Colonel laughing helplessly into a couch cushion. He smiles in triumph. Ronon does not smile back, but his wide, faux-innocent eyes show he's in on the victory all the same.

Rodney is prepared the next time they gather for movies, and has brought both Teyla and Elizabeth. They both worry Rodney's head will explode and they will be forced to clean up the brains, and so do not allow Radek and the Colonel to tease him into such agitation. It is nice to have the women there, though it makes the lounge more crowded.

Radek scoots closer to Ronon and away from Rodney's flailing arms halfway through the first movie. He thinks nothing of it until their sides press together with Ronon's stifled laughter. Then there is a brief flash of awareness of touch before the sensation fades back into the background of a friendly group gathering. This time it is he who refills the popcorn bowl he and Ronon shares, and fetches them drinks when Ronon looks about for the cooler. It is his turn, as Ronon provided last time.

Besides, Ronon looks at ease in the corner of the couch, and he so often looks tense that it would be a shame to spoil.

Ronon also looks at ease at Radek's birthday party a week later. He arrives late, but does not seem as if he was forced to come. The gathering is nice. Much of the physics and mechanical engineering departments are there, and Radek smugly accepts simple gifts and toasts and descriptions of his brilliance as his due. There is wine-- American, but not bad-- and something harder that is distilled on the mainland and sent specifically to him. Which makes sense, since he built this distillery.

He drinks more than he maybe ought, but not as much as he used to be able to handle at a party, and ends up a bit tipsy as people begin to drift away. He's smiling and relaxed. He hugs Rodney and Carson, at the end of the party. It is nothing, it is habit and custom and he feels homesick for the culture that raised him. He hugs Ronon, too. It's the same, except that it is not. Ronon laughs and ruffles his hair, and he's too drunk to do more than scowl a reply and happily carry his gifts back to his room.

~~~~~

After that, it seems Ronon is always in his lab, watching him or saying thing softly in Satedan while standing close or watching even more closely. Radek bears it until it is late late late and he is tired of the silent tension stretching across the room.

"What! What is this that you do, with watching and saying these words I do not know? What is it that you want?" he finally explodes, waving at their darkened surroundings. "Tell me, so I can go back to work without you distracting me!"

Ronon slumps lower in his chair and shrugs. "I like watching."

Radek rolls his eyes, "Then find someone else to watch! I myself will find you something to watch, if this is needed to get you to stop interrupting my work." Ronon shakes his head and Radek glares at him.

"Like to watch you," Ronon replies, "because you talk without words."

Frowning, he turns to face the other man. "What does this mean, talking without words? I use words all the time."

"Yeah, but you don't, though. You speak Czech, and we don't understand, so it's like not using words at all. But we still know what you mean. I know what you mean." Ronon says the last with great meaning.

Radek shakes his head. "I don't understand."

"You do," Ronon argues, and stands to move over to him. "You understand me," he insists, moving too close. Close enough to kiss or kill. He does neither, but stares intently at Radek and murmurs again in Satedan before moving away.

He doesn't look back, but Radek already knows he's been asked to follow. It's his choice.

He follows.

~~~~~

He speaks without words. They both do.

There is a pressure to sex. A tension built of expectations, desires, standards to meet, goals to achieve. Arousal. It's a pressure that is conveyed with words-- sexy, harder, more, please, there... no, not yet-- and with bodies straining together and apart, jointly reaching for separate goals. Each person, when faced with the situation, chooses the goal most important to them and strives to achieve it. Those with talent, skill, or control, have secondary goals.

The tension builds to a release. Orgasm, or completion. Conveyed through cries and words and bodily response.

The door closes behind them and the tension begins to build, filling up Radek's room as he moves toward Ronon's still form. The taller man stands in the clear space near the desk, waiting for Radek to join him. Radek begins to, hands already busy with removing and folding his lab coat. When he arrives, Ronon's hand comes up to take the cloth and set it aside. Radek breathes deeply and feels himself begin to harden as he runs lazy eyes up Ronon's body. Pressure. He thinks of how he will give the other man pleasure-- what would pleasure Ronon most and still be within his out-of-practice abilities without too much strain on his knees. Perhaps he can ask Ronon to lay on the bed while he...

When Radek's eyes reach Ronon's face, he feels the tension release. Ronon is smiling at him, and they're not here to have sex. At least not tonight.

The move to the bed is smooth and requires no thought. They remove shoes and belts and slide under the blankets to settle near each other. Radek lifts his left hand to trace gently down the edge of Ronon's jaw, shadowing the line of his beard. Ronon smiles and his hand comes up to tentatively touch Radek's glasses. Closing his eyes, Radek feels Ronon pull the metal frames away and hears him set them aside.

Ronon's lips on his are dry and a little rough-- it has been dry here, lately-- and they are not hesitant. Radek is not hesitant either. They talk without words, and, after a time, they stop talking and sleep.

~~~~~

Radek likes to sleep curled into Ronon's back with his lips against the scars where the tracking device used to be. He likes to feel Ronon's warm back against his cold forehead and he likes the pocket of humid air that builds between his face and Ronon's back. He likes the blankets pulled up to his shoulders and his ankle caught between Ronon's calves when he wakes. He likes the way Ronon arches when he wants to be touched and the way he cocks his head to ask when he wants Radek to rub his shoulders. He likes kissing the bruise Sheppard's training leaves on Ronon's ribs and the way Ronon smiles at him when he does.

But nothing really changes, and he likes that, too.

Radek wakes and Ronon shifts to let him out of the bed. He pisses and then brushes his teeth before showering. Ronon comes in while he's still jerking off. He watches the younger man's blurred figure through the shower's door and comes with a soft groan. Ronon chuckles and brushes his teeth. Radek drops a kiss on Ronon's shoulderblade as he leaves the bathroom to dress and go to work.

The day is full of waiting for simulations to rerun after the changes input this morning. Radek finds himself thinking of the blurred image from this morning and of Ronon's knowing chuckle. But things between them are comfortable and he doesn't want to change that, so he doesn't say anything. He makes sure not to say anything without words, either, when Ronon eats with him that evening.

Days and weeks turn to months, and he still says nothing, but he thinks of it. Ronon, he knows, thinks of it, too. They still don't need words to say what they mean.

And yet, it doesn't happen, and Radek begins to feel the tension of that first night again. Growing more slowly than ever before, but winding inevitably tighter all the same. He would, if this were any other relationship, begin to physically show his interest while keeping his words non-committal and deferent. He would not force or try to coerce a partner, but he would make his interest clear, without words.

And, ah, that is the problem. He and Ronon, they have no words. The shows he would usually engage in to display interest-- flaunting his body, using proximity, demonstrating visual appreciation-- they would be to this man as shouting his fantasies to any other lover. It would be crude and blatant and aggressive. There is a time for crude and blatant and aggressive, but it is not here and now. Radek does not know what to do, and so he watches and hopes that where he lacks the silent words, Ronon will provide them and allow him to simply agree.

Ronon does not, and Radek finds himself uncomfortable any time Ronon is away. As if their ability to speak without words will fade if they are separated too long. Or, more likely, as if he fears Ronon will find someone more to his liking, someone with both words and the ability to not use them.

He is fretting on this concept as he tries to sleep alone, when the message comes. The Colonel's team is trapped and in need of technical assistance. Radek provides it, but not enough and not in time. When they come through the stargate, they are all injured and Ronon is unconscious. He does not wake.

The doctors, they tell him that he should talk. That those in a coma can still hear what is said to them. Radek is helpless to explain that words and talking are not the same for them. Still, he puts his hand on Ronon's arm and slowly traces the lines of muscle and bone, the tendons of his hands and fingers. He frowns while watching his fingers on Ronon's skin, and stays silent. It is a long time before he turns to go. The nurse gives him a pitying look, and urges him to talk.

"I have," he replies, and returns to his bed and his work.

~~~~~

It is four days, and his fingertips rest lightly against the heel of Ronon's hand as he reads reports on his laptop. The fingers under his twitch, as they do from time to time. An unconscious response, they tell him. Radek makes no sound, but gently rubs his fingers into the muscle in a gentle circle-- reassuring and calming. Ronon's hand closes around his, tight and certain, and he casts a startled look up to Ronon's face.

Ronon is looking back. Radek stands and moves close, unmindful of the computer sliding carelessly to the floor. He stands at the side of Ronon's bed and studies his tired, lost eyes for a long time before he smiles. Ronon's eyes close but his lips twitch in response, and Radek kisses them because it's what they both want.

Later, after the tests and the explanations, the doctor cheerfully welcomes Ronon back to the land of the living. "Couldn't stay asleep," Ronon rumbles, near sleep again. "Radek wouldn't shut up."

Radek just laughs.

~~~~~

This time, it is he who stands alone and waits for his lover to come to him. Ronon does not disappoint, drifting near as the tension between them increases. His hands are sure and efficient as he removes his own clothing, watching Ronon do the same. Once nude, they look at each other. He can feel himself shifting, chest puffing out and shoulders going back and hips canting forward instinctively. He gives Ronon a wry smile and receives a joyful grin in return.

Ronon is big and lovely and trying to look like he has all the patience in the world, but his ribs give him away. They are tight as he carefully controls his breathing and keeps it from speeding up. Radek has no such pretense. He wants Ronon, and it is not shameful that he should say so, nor that his body should do so. He leads the way to the bed, and does not care about looking too eager.

Once they are there, and they settle against each other, they kiss as they have many times before. The tension winds tighter, and pulls them in. He pants against Ronon's skin, all of the sex things, "harder, more, please, there... no, not yet," and, "anything, anything you want." But his words lie, and Ronon knows what he really wants, as he knows what Ronon wants.

He likes the way Ronon's back moves as he curls against Radek when something feels good. He likes to feel Ronon's sweaty chest against his own as they pant and moan together, and the way Ronon's breath strokes his cheek. He likes the blankets pushed to the floor and the cool air on their heated skin and the way it makes Ronon's nipples tighten for his lips. And he still likes the way Ronon arches when he wants to be caressed and the way he presses back when he wants a firm touch against his skin. He likes that Ronon touches him back and makes the tension release at last.

He likes that, afterward, Ronon knows he needs to press soft kisses along the line of stitches at his hairline, and bends down to let his lips reach.

"Hey," Ronon murmurs, when they're settled for sleep. Radek shifts, rubbing his nose against the scars on Ronon's back and tightening his arm around his lover's waist. He hums a questioning sound in response. "Hey... you, uh," Ronon repeats, and his body is tensing against Radek's.

Radek leans up on his elbow to look into Ronon's face. "Yes. And I you as well."

After all, they've never needed the words to say the things that matter.

Comments

[joran.livejournal.com]

I am outside, like you are.

Very nice. A great way to give these guys something in common. As is the exchange that follows. Poor Ronon.


They work together to drive Rodney to wordless frustration. Ronon is truly the best straight man one could wish for, and the supposed innocence of the Satedan couples with Radek's unspoken cues on what question to ask next soon leave Rodney red-faced and frustrated, and the Colonel laughing helplessly into a couch cushion. He smiles in triumph. Ronon does not smile back, but his wide, faux-innocent eyes show he's in on the victory all the same.

That's brilliant! I can picture them both perfectly.

I love how this has the slightly lyrical, slightly halting prose of Radek's thoughts. Like this: Rodney is prepared the next time they gather for movies, and has brought both Teyla and Elizabeth. They both worry Rodney's head will explode and they will be forced to clean up the brains, and so do not allow Radek and the Colonel to tease him into such agitation.

something harder that is distilled on the mainland and sent specifically to him. Which makes sense, since he built this distillery.

Fantastic. :)

I love the sex scene. You talk about the pressure it creates, and then you build it yourself, and in me.

Oh, and the rest. The rest just makes me breathless. From first night to the end.

[sirkate.livejournal.com]

I'm glad that you enjoyed the story. Writing Radek's accent into his thoughts was something I really wanted to come out right. I know that, when learning and speaking foreign languages, I find myself thinking in fractured sentences.

Breathless? Really? *is tickled pink* Thank you so much for commenting.

[kassrachel.livejournal.com]

Oh, this is WONDERFUL.

There's so much great insight in this -- how Ronon and Radek are alike, questions of outsider / insider, Czech and Satedan, the language of touch. This makes me incredibly happy.

[sirkate.livejournal.com]

Your icon makes me giggle, so we're even. :) I just was trying to think of what to do with the prompt I was given and thought about language and feeling isolated by it, and, well, there you go.

[darkrosetiger.livejournal.com]

This is really beautiful, I love the idea of Ronon and Radek understanding each other without words and the two of them as outsiders because English isn't their first language. Definitely getting bookmarked.

[sirkate.livejournal.com]

:) Yay! Thank you. I appreciate your comment.

[busaikko]

Lovely! Fantastic use of language, and meaning, and communication as a bridge between the two. (I live in Japan, and my husband is Japanese, and I think you caught a lot of the wistfulness of holding on to one's language.)

[sirkate.livejournal.com]

I've never spoken a foreign language long enough to lose English (probably because it's English, and so many people speak it), but when I was in Italy, I definitely remember the sort of semi-desperation of using a language I wasn't quite fluent in because there was no other choice.

Which is a long-winded way of saying that I really appreciate your comment as it's from a unique perspective. :) Thank you.

[goddess47]

So very nice..... You've taken what we know of them and fleshed it out in a very lovely way!

[sirkate.livejournal.com]

Thank you!

[burntcopper.livejournal.com]

ooo, fascinating and rather good.

Also, other languages are just *jealous* that they're not able to use seven different words with slightly differing meanings but the same basic concept that may or may not be horribly wrong for that social context.

[sirkate.livejournal.com]

Personally, I'm jealous of people who live in places where you can find a class to teach you Czech. *pouts* Because, really, it'd be awesome.

[tielan]

Brilliant. Just...wow.

[sirkate.livejournal.com]

Thank you!

[partners4life.livejournal.com]

Lovely.

[sirkate.livejournal.com]

Thank you!

[gritkitty.livejournal.com]

So well-written, and gently urgent. I liked it a lot.

[sirkate.livejournal.com]

Thank you! It's so slow-building I was afraid it might lose the urgency.

[panisdead.livejournal.com]

Very nice.

[sirkate.livejournal.com]

Thank you. :)

[briar_pipe]

This is so lovely! A great take on both characters, something they share that makes their coming together feel natural. The language was beautiful, too, pulling gently right through to the end. *hugs fic*

[sirkate.livejournal.com]

Thank you. :) That's such a nice comment, but all I can think is that Teyla is so SHINY in your icon. LOL

[sometimes-annie.livejournal.com]

Thoughtful and slow, very pretty. Thanks for sharing :)

[sirkate.livejournal.com]

You're most welcome! Thank you for commenting.

[mirabile-dictu.livejournal.com]

Oh, I love Ronon and Radek together, and this is so true to their characters -- just lovely and sweet and so insightful. Thank you!

[sirkate.livejournal.com]

Holy cow. :) It's always incredible to get positive comments on your writing from an author you recognize, so it was quite an ego boost to see your comment. Thank you so much!

[tijmetje.livejournal.com]

This is simply lovely. I'd not considered this paring before, but this story has left me wanting more.

[sirkate.livejournal.com]

LOL That's me, converting the fandom one person at a time. :-p

[kronette.livejournal.com]

I would flail, but my poor brain fried from the non-verbal tension. Oh, my sekrit OTP isn't so secret any more, and I love how you use language and non-language to tell their story. Plus? Still managed to be hot and loving at the same time :)

[sirkate.livejournal.com]

Thank you! The tension was my goal in the story, and language a way to do it. I'm glad that a fan of the pairing felt the story achieved that goal. :) Thanks again for commenting.

[icarusancalion.livejournal.com]

1) Wonderful Zelenka voice.

2) How on earth did you manage to convince me of this pairing?

Brilliant job, and such a peaceful story, too.

[sirkate.livejournal.com]

*runs in little circles of joy* Icarus! Liked my fic! Ahem. By which I mean, of course, that it is quite flattering to receive positive feedback from such a talented author. Thank you so much for commenting. I am glad you enjoyed the fic, and especially that you found it believable in tone and building of the pairing.

[the-wanlorn.livejournal.com]

Oh wow, I really love this. I wish I had something more to say that didn't consist of a lot of grinning foolishly and flailing like an idiot.

[sirkate.livejournal.com]

Thanks! :) I tried to make it what I thought the recipient wanted, and yet something lots of people would like, so I appreciate comments. They tell me I got at least 1 out of 2. :-p

[dragonladyk.livejournal.com]

That was awesome -- your Ronon and your Radek are practically canon.

Actually, they're better than canon because your Ronon would not pine after Keller like a love-sick dog. *twitch*

"Couldn't stay asleep," Ronon rumbles, near sleep again. "Radek wouldn't shut up."

That was awesome -- very sweet, and telling of their relationship.

DragonLady

[the-summoning-d.livejournal.com]

Oh this is wonderful :) I love that you've used language to draw a parallel between them, and that they don't need words to talk. And I love that your writing is a little *flails around for the right words* uh, stilted? That's so not what I want to say but... *shrug* English, eh? Not the most expressive language in the world.

And the image of Radek and Ronon teaming up to drive Rodney to distraction is brilliant XD

[omg-wtf-yeah.livejournal.com]

I am very late on this but I wanted to say anyway that I really enjoyed this story. I really love stories like this, about nonverbal or nontraditional means of communication, and the graceful kind of language in this really complemented that theme.