Chapter 2: Picture Perfect

(This one is inspired by mediumrawr's "I Went To Art School For This" on... another site)

Angela warmly embraced Booth and Brennan at her front door. "Thanks so much for coming, guys. I really need your help."

Bones smiled warmly. "Anything for you, Angie. And again, congratulations – this exhibit is quite an honor."

Angela giggled. "It really is. And as great an honor as it is, it's killing me that I can only bring ten pieces."

Booth grimaced. "This is great, Ange, but I don't know why you asked me. I don't know anything about art."

Angela gave him her most reassuring smile. "That's precisely why I want your opinion, Studly. Bren is my technical expert, but you bring the common perspective. That, and you're a highly-trained observer of people. Plus, you two almost never agree on anything. So if you two agree on which pieces I should submit, then I know they're the best."

Booth nodded. "Yeah, I see that." He noted that Angela had set out almost exclusively drawings and paintings of people, which played to his and Bones' strengths. "I can't tell you anything about the technical stuff, but I do know what I like." He stepped up to one of them, a painting of a nude woman. "And I like this one." He looked more closely. The model's face was turned away, but her figure was depicted in loving detail. "I really like this one. I really, really like..." he looked more carefully. "...Bones?"

Bones was perplexed. "Booth, I really, really like you, too, but I don't think that is particularly germane at this..."

Booth spun around. "Bones. This painting – it's you!"

Bones stepped up to the painting and looked carefully. "Oh, this one. I recall that session. Yes, that is me."

Booth was almost dumbstruck. "But... but... you're naked!"

"The term is 'nude,' and yes, I am."

"But... how?"

"Obviously, I posed for Angela. I have been for years, as she asks me." She frowned. "Did we never mention that to you?"

Booth stared, shocked, at both women. "No, you didn't."

Bones and Angela exchanged a glance and shrugged. "Sorry. Must've forgotten."

Booth was still stuck. "But... you're naked!"

Bones frowned. "I told you, the term is 'nude,' and and yes, I am. Why does that bother you? You've often said you'd actually prefer me nude all the time. So I happen to occasionally get nude for Angela, too. But for her it's not for sex, it's for art."

Angela stepped up. "And she isn't always nude, Booth. You really never looked at the covers of her fourth and seventh Kathy Reichs books?"

He shook his head. "I never really looked at the cover illustrations that closely, but..." he looked closely at Bones. "That really is you, isn't it?"

"Not really, but it is based on me. And Angela got those covers legitimately – I submitted them to my publisher, and he accepted them both."

Angela scowled. "I still think I was robbed on number 5."

Booth found his way to a chair. "How... how did this start, anyway?"

BB BB BB BB BB BB BB BB BB

"Thanks, Angela. I really was having trouble with that sex scene. I really owe you."

"No problem, sweetie. Any time."

"Now I really should be going."

"Actually, Bren, before you go, I could use a little favor myself.."

"Anything."

"Would you mind posing for me some time?"

Bones paused and frowned. "Angela, I don't think I can. I've invested a tremendous amount of time and effort into being recognized for my intellect, and not letting me be objectified as merely a body. I'm sorry, but I don't think I can."

Angela looked away. "It's OK, Bren. I get it. You're world-renowned for your mind, and you can't risk compromising that by letting anyone reduce you to just a body."

Bones smiled in relief. "So you do understand."

"Sure I understand. Just like I want to be taken seriously as an artist, as someone with my own creative vision, and don't want to be seen as just a sex expert who's everyone's go-to person for smut."

"Exactly, Ange. And..." light began to dawn. "You... you're talking about our relationship, aren't you?"

Angela smiled wistfully. "Kinda."

"And... and you raise a very good point. I've used you for your sexual expertise, and let myself think of you solely in that context. I have, in a very real way, objectified you in precisely the same way I feared being objectified myself. And when you ask me to reciprocate in a very fair and balanced fashion, I not only summarily rejected you, but denigrated all the favors you've done me."

Angela slowly nodded. "Yeah, that's about it."

Brennan scowled. "You've given me a great deal to think about, Angela, and forced me to see things about myself I... find I do not like. Most importantly, you've exposed a blind spot in my thinking that I was heretofore unaware of. May I have some time to think about your request?"

Angela turned and picked up her purse. "Totally, Bren. Take as long as you like. I just have a couple of ideas that I really think would be fantastic with you, and..." she turned back and dropped her purse. "Eep."

Temperance Brennan was standing there, completely, gloriously, and unabashedly nude. "How would you like me to pose?"

Angela blushed and scrabbled for her purse, trying to look elsewhere – anywhere – but at her best friend. "Well, for starters, I was thinking in my studio."