Humans are encountered by a race who has cyclical breeding seasons rather than humanlike sex-at-anytime urges. Both are baffled by the other’s views on sexuality.
I imagine the human idea of sex being something that is always a possibility, a low level cultural background radiation, would be insane for a race that had naturally-regimented behavior where such urges are only really a noteworthy thing for a few weeks a year (though during that time, it’s a BIG deal).
It’d make gender discussions across species interesting if they did have actual, honest to god, biologically-preset responses around sex and gender. “No, I’m not being vulgar, she will literally lose her mind and have sex with anyone. So will I, eventually, it’s just something we deal with now and then. How your kind can handle the constant wanting for it, I can’t even imagine.”
(#00818-B087)
“Pear-mer!” The human held her hands up in a gesture of peace and welcoming. “I haven’t seen you in a whille. All is well?”
“Of course all is well,” Piar’mir. “It was not travel season.”
“Oh…” Ri’ki put her arms down. “This is a culture thing? You go home for the gods?”
“No,” said Piar’mir. “Biology. We need to be at home.” She lowered her voice to a whisper, “Mating season.”
“Aw. I wish you’d warned me,” sighed Ri’ki. “I got three month’s shipments of Kor’exxi gone to seed, now.”
“Three… months…” Piar’mir boggled. “You did not have mating season?”
The human displayed her teeth. “Human mating season is whenever, wherever.” Ri’ki shrugged. “Most of pairing up is finding out if the other person is into you.”
“Sounds… needlessly complicated,” Piar’mir confessed. “But I shall do you a favour, my friend. That rotted Kor’exxi has its uses in the fields. If you ferment it with a special yeast, not only do you get a powerful liquor, but the spent mash is an excellent fertiliser.”
“Way ahead of you on the fermenting part,” Ri’ki grinned. “I got local yeast because I know the Terran varieties are -ah- aggressive.”
It was then that Piar’mir had to wonder exactly what this creature had been up to during those three months.
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