The warm steam wafted up and licked at Max's face, eliciting a small smile of appreciation to overtake the wanderer's lips. When Maximus did acquire the coin needed to bathe in a city's public bath houses, his washing was typically hurried and only mildly enjoyable. He never lingered long, not wanting to attract the eyes of the curious or judgmental when he wasn't spouting philosophies on marble steps. His head was kept bowed as the servant girls rushed from the bath, leaving Maximus and his host entirely alone.<br/><br/>"The construction is lovely, such artistry in the tiling," Maximus complimented, waving a loose hand toward the hot bath. While most bath houses contained some amount of beauty etched or painted along the floors, walls, and pillars, there was something even more pleasing about letting his eyes roam around this private little spring hidden away inside of the home of one of Athens' most valuable citizens. He followed Ajax to the edge of the bath, placing their wine cups down next to the bottle of alcohol, watching with interested eyes as Ajax began to disrobe.<br/><br/>"A good wash would be most welcome," he confirmed, lips parted as folds of fabric fell from Ajax's shoulders, down his chest and hips. The fabric continued to unfurl until the young Athenian stood there naked, his hardened body sculpted like one of Greece's famous marble statues. There seemed to be no flaws at all about this young man, though Maximus found he couldn't stare long without feeling his eyes burn. "My friend, forgive me," he said bashfully as he began to follow in Ajax's steps, unwinding fabric from his lean body. "You are unlike anyone I have ever met. It confounds me that you are still here among us, not whisked away by a covetous god to take Ganymedes' place. It must be a great blessing to be allowed by the gods to stay here as you are; you would make a stunning cup bearer, surely."<br/><br/>Maximus laughed, amused by his own joke, though he had not jested lightly. Ajax truly was stunning, and this truth was brought into sharp contrast with Maximus' own marred form as his dirt-encrusted clothes were shoved into the basket atop Ajax's. The wanderer's body made his lifestyle all too obvious. Ribbons of lean, taut muscle flexed beneath skin worn by sun, exertion, and time. Along Maximus' malnourished torso were dozens upon dozens of small scars, tiny white lines littering his flesh and failing to hide a past filled with pain. He made no mention of this, and figured Ajax was a polite enough man to not bring it up, instead choosing to focus on the heat emanating from the waters as he slipped his feet inside, sighing happily as the dirt began to leach from his skin.<br/><br/>"Ajax, I cannot tell you how sublime this feels. There are no words." The philosopher smiled happily, grasping the wine cups as he continued to descend into the water, handing one over to his companion and sitting close. He took a long drink before setting the cup aside, briefly descending below the water to scrub the debris from his beard and hair. A few seconds later he breached the surface, returning to his seat next to Ajax, water dripping from the tip of his sharp nose.<br/><br/>"Your servant girls, they were quick to leave here," he commented, his voice soft and musing. "Do you often spend time alone here in the baths?"