ArchivedLogs:Persuasion

Persuasion
Dramatis Personae Jax, Steve
In Absentia	2017-05-27 "Tyin' him down might not be a bad approach really just corner him an' dump the money on him before he has a chance t'react."
Location <NYC> {Lighthaus} - Harbor Commons - Lower East Side
It's quite late, and the house has grown reasonably quiet if not silent, the nocturnal inhabitants still active downstairs. Steve is sprawled across Jax's bed, wearing jeans but nothing else, one arm tucked underneath his head. There's a frown slowly gathering between his brows as he swipes at the screen of his phone. Heaving a small sigh, he sets the phone down and closes his eyes. "We should do dinner at the Tessiers' Sunday night. If they're up for it." Jax is similarly sprawled. Shirtless and in an extremely baggy pair of black and red mesh jean shorts, he lies with his head pillowed on Steve's chest, his own phone in hand as he pages through his emails. "Sunday?" His brows furrow. "But they -- oh. /Right/. Is that already, where has time gone. Mngh. Is it going to be awful? Is it going to be the /most/ awful? -- Sunday dinner would be nice." Steve uncurls his arm to drape it around Jax's shoulder. "Going to be in D.C. most of the day and hopefully not punch anyone. I don't know if I can call it the /most/ awful, but I probably will not enjoy it very much." He turns his face to kiss Jax firmly on the temple. "But Sunday will be nice. I'm also going to try to pay Luci for doing all this PR stuff. Not quite sure /how./ Every time I've brought it up he just..." His lips press together tight. "...dodged." "I'd offer to go with you -- I mean I /will/ if you -- but I suspect that'd way increase your likelihood of wanting to. Punch." Jax lays his phone face-down on Steve's stomach, eye closing as he buries his face further against the other man's chest. His shoulders relax under Steve's arm, a soft flutter of light blossoming around him and vanishing just as soon. "He's /pretty/ slick at ducking outta any kinda thanks or credit ain't he. Been a while, though, ain't it? Kinda a load'a back pay if you wanted to start paying him now." "Oh, gosh, I'd love to have you with me, but that's hardly fair to you, either." Steve's hand strokes down Jax's side, slow and gentle. "Besides, it'd probably end up making even more work for Luci, and he's -- I realize he's /always/ overworked, but since Matt's been sick..." He lays his cheek against Jax's head. "Mm. Almost a year and half. I did some research and some math -- it's all very rough, the amount of time this takes him varies so much -- and I think fifty thousand dollars is a reasonable ballpark. I gather that's /a load/, even by current standards." He chuckles softly. "Everything in this time still sounds outlandishly expensive to me." "Been getting to a point where /even/ he's showing a little fray around his edges." Jax's voice is soft, but the concern in it shows through all the same. A small shiver passes up through him; his arm wraps around Steve's waist, fingers curling in against the other man's hip. "I think that'd go a long ways towards easing at least /some/ kindsa stresses for 'em right now. You know he's gonna say no though, right? Like maybe if you tie him down first he'll take it." "I can't say seeing him like this hasn't been a pointed reminder of how much work /managing/ me actually takes." Steve gathers Jax closer, tense but steady. "I was hoping you might have some idea how I might persuade him to accept. Though, when it comes to persuasion, that man's in a class of his own -- that whole family, really." He pauses, cranes his neck to assess the other man's expression. "You weren't /serious/ about tying him down." "Oh you /definitely/ ain't gonna outmatch him on persuasion." Jax is so reassuring; this assertion even comes with a bright glitter of amusement lightening his tone. "Gosh he'd slip away from that one a mile before you even got close to your point. Tyin' him down might not be a bad approach really just corner him an' dump the money on him before he has a chance t'react. Alternately," he suggests earnestly, "I'd advise doin' it through song. Over dinner where he'll be too polite to get away. You could take out your fat stack'a cash an' make it rain on him to the tune of 'Spread a Little Sunshine.', he wouldn't say no after that." Steve guffaws, scrubbing at his face. "I'm not sure that asking to tie him up is actually any /less/ awkward than trying to talk to him about pay. But you may be onto something with the singing. Not sure about 'making it rain', though." The wrinkle between his brows is less concerned than just thoughtful. "It seems messy, which I think he'd forgive if I put on a show, but I'm not confident in my ability to make it look good." Jax props himself up against Steve's chest, eyebrows waggling. "Look, if you need a demonstration of the proper form, I'm /more'n/ happy to sit here while you give me a lap dance an' /I'll/ show you how you make it rain good an' -- I guess not elegant," he concedes. "But showy. You won't forget." Steve raises himself on his elbows, too, bringing his face nearer to Jax's. "I would be ever so appreciative for your instruction." His voice is low and sultry. "And it happens that I dropped by the bank after New Leash today, /so/..." He reaches into the messenger bag leaning against the side of the bed beside his shield and presses a neat stack of bills into Jax's hand. Then he rises up to his knees and stretches luxuriously, gazing down at the other man with mischief in his eyes. A flush rises through Jax's cheeks as his mouth curls into a smile; he tips his head down to dot a light kiss to Steve's lips. He rolls off his partner to let the other man up, sitting up on the bed and taking the cash with a wider grin. "Good thing for you I'm a excellent teacher."