She wonders if she treats his lovers like he does his students, and were it not the case, if his lessons could be improved by turning it the other way around.

He's a horrible teacher - then she will be a better student. She's failed before but this will not be a failure.

Oh, Teyla! I love this.

devouring her own limitations is an great turn of phrase.

Sweat for tears - an image I really like, especially its significance in this context.

It's easy to hear Kate's jokingly almost-confidential tone as she refers to Rodney, making Teyla an intimate in Kate's joke if Teyla chooses to be.

Teyla chews for a moment, thinking, and finally decides on: "I can see why Dr. McKay is so fascinated by his work."

This, too, is neutral. Rodney is her friend, and people tend to view expressing any sort of strong emotion on the subject of Rodney as an invitation to share their own strong opinions of him, which are almost always decidedly less pleasant - but Kate just says thoughtfully, "Yes, that's why I like working with scientists - they're all so passionate, sometimes about the strangest things, but it's - refreshing, really," and she looks up at Teyla, eyes oddly serious, "to see someone love some little part of the world so much."

I like this extrapolation from Teyla and Kate's dynamic in canon, in just how this moment underscores Teyla's careful reticence and diplomacy, and how Kate shares something she enjoys about her job.

On rereading, my favorite scene is definitely Teyla and John at the shooting range - so many of the details are note perfect in their characterization for everyone.

Kate catches her palm and kisses it, tongue darting out to swipe over the creases and bantos-calluses. Not sexual, just - explorative. Like Teyla was a world beyond her gate. You're beautiful, Teyla thinks.

"You're beautiful," Teyla says.

What a beautiful, tiny moment of lovely characterization for both of them.