#dont worry one of these days daniel will share something interesting too...someday

[bitingdrivers]

bones au!! max tells daniel another new fact about himself - maxiel, 1.1k words - read on ao3

The Founding Fathers is busy tonight. The vintage interior of the bar is bathed in warm orange light, the chatter of people and soft music creates a gentle background to conversations. 

It's Friday evening, most people are here to relax after a stressful week of work, meet up with friends or celebrate. 

Max and Daniel aren't here to celebrate – their case isn't solved yet, but it hasn't been stressful either. Truth be told, Daniel is not sure why they're here. 

They were in the lab discussing the details of the case – the body was found on a demolition site, the victim turned out to be a stripper, who also worked in a financial firm. Max had said that he and Carlos found the cause of death – apparently someone punched the guy and he broke his neck on a corner of a bed frame when he fell. Daniel had decided that tomorrow he will talk to the victim's girlfriend. 

After that, they were both reluctant to end the evening, and instead decided to go have a bottle of beer at the bar. 

It's very noisy here so they have to sit close to hear each other. 

“You know, I don't understand why he was stripping,” Daniel says, taking a sip of his beer. 

“Well, a lot of young men become strippers because they need to pay for college,” Max explains before taking a sip too. 

Daniel cocks an eyebrow. “But he already had a job. He was a stock broker.”

“Then he simply liked doing it,” Max shrugs. “I understand it, the victim was handsome and he was probably doing it to feel powerful.”

“You think he was handsome?” Daniel smirks, taking another sip of his beer. He hopes it's not weird talking about a dead guy like that. 

“Yes,” Max hums. 

“I mean, you could be an exotic dancer too, with your alluring personality, muscular build and symmetrical features,” he adds, gesturing to Daniel. 

Daniel almost chokes on his beer. 

“Hah, thanks, Bones. But a good bod is not the only requirement to get into stripping,” he chuckles, rubbing his neck. “Оtherwise you'd be a stripper too,” Daniel ends, shaking his head at the ridiculous thought. 

As the evening marches on, the bar only gets busier, and louder, so it’s only natural for the two men to move in even closer to each other. Their shoulders are touching now, and Daniel can see the individual lashes on Max’s eyes as he studies Daniel before speaking. 

“I actually had once,” he admits.

“Had what?” Daniel asks, puzzled. 

“Stripped.”

Daniel almost chokes on his beer. Again. 

“Wh-For college?” Daniel falters. 

He doesn't expect Max to laugh. And it's not a chuckle either, it's his full-body laugh that makes him bend to the table. 

Daniel suddenly feels much drunker. Maybe this beer is stronger than he thought. 

Max wipes the corner of his eye, still shaking from laughter. “No, no, not for college. I wrote an anthropology paper on stripping in grad school,” he explains, grinning. 

“And you had to,” Daniel pauses, looking for the word, “participate for it?”

“Of course. I wouldn't be a scientist if I hadn't,” Max answers, taking a sip. His bottle is half empty. 

Daniel can see a slight blush on his cheeks. He decides it's safe to take a sip too. 

“What…what was your act?” Daniel finds himself asking. 

He feels a weird feeling rising in his chest, but he quickly pushes past it. There is nothing wrong with asking Max – his friend – about this. Daniel had had far more personal conversations with his mates. Maybe it's because Max is such a private person. 

Max raises an eyebrow. “My act?” 

“Yes, your stripping act. You know, a firefighter or a– a policeman…” Daniel trails off. 

“Oh. I didn't have an act,” Max replies, shrugging.

Daniel hums, picking up his beer – it's almost empty. It's getting late, but maybe they can have one more round. 

“I just used glitter,” Max drops. 

Daniel is starting to think that Max invited him here so he could kill him by making him choke. 

Max seems to take his silence as encouragement to continue. 

“One of the men there gave me this body glitter that you can put on your skin,” he says, rubbing his arms. 

“The next month I kept finding that glitter on all of my things,” Max frowns, shaking his head. 

The beer is definitely strong, Daniel thinks. He can't stop his mind from wandering – to pale skin covered in sparkly glitter, dotted with small freckles and soft hair. Max sits beside him in a simple white t-shirt and blue jeans. In his mind’s eye Daniel can see the way Max would peel off his shirt… 

He shakes his head to dispel the thoughts. No, they shouldn't do another round.

“Maybe if this anthropology gig doesn't work out you can pick it up again,” Daniel jokes, acting normal.

Max makes a face. “No, it was for the paper,” he pauses, “And I didn't like it.”

Daniel suddenly feels the need to stand up and do…something – shadow box or jump around or stand very closely to Max and growl at anyone who approaches them – but he's not sure why. He takes another sip instead. 

“The others of course loved it. But I don't think I was good at it. I am not used to acting like that,” Max says, looking away.

Like what, Daniel almost asks, but doesn't. His mind supplies an answer already. Jesus. 

Maybe he should go on a date or something. 

“I'm sure you looked great, Bones,” Daniel admits, trying to end this conversation. “But I think it's better for you to stay a scientist… less glitter,” he grins, wiggling his fingers. 

He can practically feel the mood lightening. 

Max groans, “Ugh, Daniel, don't even tell me. Sometimes I think I still find glitter in my apartment!” he exclaims and drinks his beer. The blush on his cheeks is even brighter now. 

They chat a little more, finishing their beers. When they get up and put on their jackets, Daniel reaches for his wallet to pay, but Max has already put a few bills on the counter. 

Daniel chuckles. Max grins at him. They somehow developed this game of who can pay the bill faster. Tonight Max seems to be the winner. 

Sometimes, very rarely, Daniel doesn't try to win because he wants to see Max’s pleased smile. And a few bucks wouldn't make a difference to him anyway – being a forensic anthropologist definitely pays more than being an FBI agent. 

As they say goodnight to each other and Max’s taxi drives off, Daniel pulls out his phone to look through his contacts – he needs to find a woman to go on a date with.