Job Offer (Jamie, Cain) - Tuesday noonish.

[x-juggernaut.livejournal.com]

As promised, Cain meets with Jamie about a solution to his financial woes. Sandwiches are made.




With a jaunty rap on the doorframe, Jamie stuck his head inside the
boathouse. "Hey, Mr. Marko, you around? Hoping we could talk about
that idea you said you had, if you have time."

Cain looked up from the sandwich he'd been making, using the majority
of a side of roast beef and a loaf of bread. "Madrox!" he bellowed,
waving the young man over into his kitchen. "Come on in, pull up a
chair. Sandwich?"

"Always," Jamie laughed, taking a seat. "'Specially if it's roast
beef." He gave a low whistle at Cain's sandwich. "Y'know, I think I
made one that big once on a bet and got two meals out of it."

Pulling a few more slices of bread out, Cain began assembling a
smaller sandwich, nodding to himself. "You keep busy, you work up an
appetite. Way I hear it, you've been working enough for any four
people, paying those college bills." Slapping a slice of bread atop a
mound of roast beef, mustard, and cheese, Cain slid the plate over to
Jamie. "How you keeping up?"

Jamie nodded. "I'm doing okay. Covering tuition, been able to set
some money aside for--well, a couple things." He grinned sheepishly.
"But you're not wrong about the IRS stuff. I figured if they sent
somebody around to ask how I'm working more hours than there are in a
week I could just show them, like I did for my advisor, but the
more I think about it, I can't count on that working every time."

Musing over a bite of his sandwich, Cain wagged a finger at Jamie as
he swallowed. "Like I told you, I got an idea for a solution. You got
your college stuff to worry about, what if I told you that you could
make ends meet with one job?"

"I'd say cool, a chance to stop flipping burgers and stapling
insurance paperwork, tell me more," Jamie replied cheerfully, taking a
bite of his own sandwich. "I actually like delivering for Mr. Roth,
and the guys down at the warehouse are cool, but those are both
part-time, and if I can dump the brain-destroying scutwork I'll be
down in the neighborhood of a sane man's work week."

Cain's eyes fell on his kitchen counter where his small communicator
lay charging, take a moment. "You know I got stuff going on with the
team. Rumor says you're throwing your hand in as well, huh? Well,
between that and teaching the kids' class and everything else -
doesn't leave a whole lot of time to keep things going around here."

Wiping his hands on a towel, Cain focused his attention on Jamie.
"School's gonna need an assistant groundskeeper. Want the job?"

"Do I get to growl at people about the heating bill?" Jamie quipped
automatically, tilting his head slightly as he thought about the
offer. "Yeah--yeah, I think I'd like that, thanks. I've been
kinda--well, not worried, exactly, but even joining the team now it's
been feeling a little weird, staying here instead of getting an
apartment now I'm not actually a student anymore. This'll feel . . ."
He shrugged sheepishly. "Like I'm earning a place again, I guess.
Team's still too new to feel like that, and it's not really--well,
most of the X-Men do have another job here."

Face serious, Cain grabbed a pad of paper and a pencil. Scribbling a
figure quickly, he turned it around and slid it over to Jamie.
"There's the monthly pay, plus half that again per worker. You want to
put six of you on a project, I got no problem there. You'll be filing
your own taxes, basically subcontracting under me. All I ask is that
you don't half-ass nothing and you keep your priorities straight. And
this ain't for nothing when I say you're one of the few folks here -
kid or adult - I think has it together enough for that."

Jamie's eyebrows went up as he took in the salary, but he looked up at
Cain just as seriously as the other man was looking at him. "That
means a lot, sir. I'll try not to disappoint."

Keeping their eyes locked for a while, Cain finally slapped his hand
against the table as a grin split his face. "Settled, then. Take
however much time you need to give notice at your other jobs, and
we'll get you started here. Figure this'll give you a bit more
freetime for studying and... you got a girlfriend, right?"

"Couple weeks ought to do it, I can give notice tomorrow." Jamie
grinned back. "Free time's not the problem, I can always make more.
Attention, though, yeah, I doubt you'll hear Kitty complaining
if I can get back to giving her date nights on a regular basis where
the me she's with is the only one there is."

Standing up, Cain extended a hand to Jamie. "Since you're too young
yet for the celebratory beer down at Harry's, I suppose it's a rain
check. Welcome aboard, partner."

Jamie did his best to manage a credible handshake without being
swallowed up by Cain's massive palm. "Thanks again, and I'll
definitely take you up on that in a few years."