Black King

He should be really getting back home to his daughter, but the man was too handsome to say no too. Gabriel sat down and looked at the other with a cocked head. “Now, for some reason I feel like you must have been confined three thousand feet below the sea. Because you radiate some nice power and energy.” Gabriel took a swig of the fireball split. “But not much, same ole, same ole. Annoyingly over powerful being or people get into it - no more Phoenix Force… yada yada… How was confinement.” He shrugged, repeating Wanda’s words ‘No More Phoenix.’

“Under sea, in Inhuman Maximum security. Doesn’t matter, what does matter is you’re an observant one aren’t you?” He replied confidently to his remark about him having power and energy. Whether it was because he was the Black King or because he was charged up enough to rip a tank in two, but it didn’t matter. But what did matter was the young man’s choice in drink. “Right, heard it all before. Confinement was... I’m sorry you’ve got to put that down. You’re drinking with the Black King, and his company doesn’t drink cheap whisky.” He said as he took out a fifteen year scotch. “We drink like men here.” He said pouring each of them a glass before handing him one. “Not boys.”

“Yeah, listening to you— not really on my to-do list.”

“Oh I do apologize, how inconsiderate. Please, return to your scheduled hour of sulking and being an absolute breath of fresh air to anyone and everyone who walks by.”

“Call me whatever you like, Shaw. I don’t like you. And I’m not sure I ever will. But you should be so eager to know, Fantomex is safe. He’s residing in the astral plane at the moment.”

“I’ll try not to lose sleep at night.” He replied with some amusement in his tone. “Oh wonderful, so you’ve ousted him right out of his body like some slumlord. Proud of you, Charles.”

“After all that time I spent with Reeva I’m really just supposed to smile and nod at the fact that Emma dragged your sorry ass in?”

“You understand that I was the Hellfire Club don’t you? That I brought it into its prime and kept it there. It was only after your little telepath friends tried to fake my death that the club began to suffer and fall into the sorry state of disrepair that you grew to know and love.”

“Too late, and now I’ll never be able to unhear it.” The mutant muttered. This was why she hadn’t messed with the Hellfire Club for so long. “Where’s my father, Shaw? I need to talk to him, not you.”

“I don’t know. Probably sulking and murdering the children of powerful mutants on island somewhere. You did hear about that, didn’t you? Such a hypocrite.”

“And I think it would do you well to remember that the reason you’re here is because I requested your presence on Krakoa.” Emma shot back. She swirled her glass lazily without raising it to her lips. “Convenience. Strategy. You’re deplorable, Shaw, but as a team we have  potential. You’re merely a supplement, so don’t feel too good about yourself.”

“Thank you.” Shaw replied as he raised his rye to his lips and inhaled deeply as he took it into his mouth. Expensive whisky always tasted better whenever someone you hated bought it. He knew why he was there. She addressed the least impressive parts but he knew where he stood. Krakoa likely wouldn’t be able to function without his business connections and tenacity. Perhaps they saw him as a necessary evil, but he’d cement a place for himself here. Perhaps even resurrect Shaw Industries. Rebrand it for mutants after his released genetic identity ruined its current image.

“Is that supposed to be an insult?”

“Not with those cheek bones and jawline it’s not.”

“Go fuck yourself, Shaw.”

“Already did I’ll be sure to call you the next time I do.”

“Oh will you shut up, Shaw.”

“Only if you promise to cease your melodramatic monologues.”

“Excuse me?”

“I’m sorry I should have phrased that more delicately. Keep looking at me like that and your pretty little face is going to get frown lines.

“Fuck you!”

“Oh my, aren’t you a big scary glob? If you’re going to bite me I suggest you get it over with.”

“What, is the beard not working for ya? Been thinkin’ about cutting my hair too.”

“Less that more your complexion. Skin care for men has come a long way since the 1940′s.”