Heroes and Dragons - An Avengers/PJO crossover

XIII - Clubbing is apparently pretty dangerous now

Avengers Tower, Saturday night

Dragon and the Avengers were gathering in the lobby of Stark Towers. Tony had suggested a small but excellent nightclub near the tower, to which the team had enthusiastic ally agreed.

Bruce looked scandalised. “You’re seventeen! You can’t go out drinking!

She smirked at him; her scar was once again erased, and she slipped the biro into her clutch bag. She was wearing a black cocktail dress glamoured after the style of Natasha’s, and dark makeup. She drew another glyph onto her skin, which Steve glared at but made no comment.

“With all due respect, sir, I’m in my nineties. I’ll be okay. I don’t even need a fake ID.”

Dragon fished out an identity card. The face was clearly hers, the age twenty one, but the date of issue was blurred. She focused hard, and the date of issue now read three years ago. Giggling, she stated, “I haven’t been drunk for almost three years now. I think I deserve a break.”

Steve frowned and looked at her eyes, touching the strange glyph that had earned his disapproval, but she spun away. “Can anyone give me a lift?”

Tony jingled his keys. “Sure, sweetheart, in exchange for a dance.”

She nodded exuberantly, giggling again. “Who could refuse a handsome man like you?”

Steve glared at him. “You be careful with my sister now, Tony.” They left the building almost together, Natasha in the lead. She knew a small, new place that was reputed to be excellent, although she had only been once. It was called Starlight and the owner knew someone who knew Dragon.

As they arrived, the noise and the heat hit them like a wall. It was Karaoke night, and it was already in full swing. Tony caught Dragon’s hand and yanked her onto the dance floor for the fast music, and was amazed by her balance and grace. Then again, glyphs probably did that for you.

Three dances, six shots of vodka and a Long Island Iced Tea later, Dragon took to the stage. She was normally chronically afraid of performing on stage, but Steve and Bucky just assumed it was the combination of the alcohol and the reckless courage glyph.

She announced her song as Wreak Havoc by Skylar Grey, and began to perform.

They call me a menace
They say that I’m cursed
But something' about me is making them jealous
So listen and learn
I herd them like cattle
Cause I’m surrounded by cowards
And I don’t give a fuck when I walk into battle
And that’s why I got all the power

I’m where you wanna be
Ain’t no one ahead of me
All of my enemies made a decision
It's better to follow me
I make no apologies
All of my sins I would repeat and I repeat
Cause I'mma be me 'til the death of me, oh yeah

I can smell your fear
The only reason that I’m here
Is to wreak havoc
Everybody praying that I’ll change, yeah
Maybe one day but tomorrow I’ll be back at it
Cause bad habits they die hard
We live fast we die hard
Go against me you’ll die hard
Die hard

I dine with the blood on my hands
Thrive when I’m beating the man
All I learned in the pen
Is never get caught
Just get out and hit it again
Straight outta context
Ain't see me come like its phone sex
Ain't hear me tick like a Rolex
Cause I’m keeping a nuclear conscience
I fly like an atom bomb
In a world riddled with conflict
Hate that you need me
Wanna destroy me but you can’t
You're gonna deploy me in the end
Better believe that I’mma be me 'til the death of me, oh yeah

I can smell your fear
The only reason that I’m here
Is to wreak havoc
Everybody praying that I’ll change, yeah
Maybe one day but tomorrow I’ll be back at it
Cause bad habits they die hard
We live fast we die hard
Go against me you’ll die hard
Die hard

Everyone applauded loudly, and Tony turned to Bucky. “Did you know she could sing like that?”

“Oh, yeah, I did. You can’t make yourself talented with a glyph. That’s all her.”

Tony wolf-whistled long and slow. “And you’re certain she’s ace?”

“Yeah. Doesn’t stop her flirting though.”

She leapt lightly off the stage, swinging into the seat next to Tony. “Another Long Island Iced Tea please.”

Tony caught her hand as she fumbled for change. “On my tab. It’s the least I can do.”

She grinned, brown eyes sparkling. Tony wondered briefly if she was wearing coloured contacts. “For what?”

“Last night. It really helped.”

She snorted. “That’s just what I- Hey! Luke!”

She tugged Tony over to the corner, where a tall young man was hunched over a glass of something. He was clearly inebriated.

“Luke? How’ve you been?”

The man looked at them with bloodshot blue eyes. He had a scar running down one cheek form the bottom of his eye to his chin, and his sandy blond hair was tousled. Dragon frowned, placing a hand over his heart and drawing the same variation of the healing glyph she had used on Tony.

He looked at her, and then his eyes focused on someone over her shoulder. Annabeth was approaching, probably to see why they had left the bar so suddenly. He stood, turning away. “I have to go. Now.”

Dragon pouted, scribbling a number across his hand. “Call me, or drop round, something.” He nodded, handing her some money.

“Pay my tab, okay?”

She handed the money back to him. “I’ve got it. Go.”

He fled out into the night, and moments later she heard the purr of a motorbike, gliding away.

Annabeth finally reached them through the throng. “Who was that?” Dragon smirked. “Just a friend. Let’s dance!”

***

In a shadowy corner of the club, Steve and Bucky were catching up. Dragon’s glyph had had the unintended effect of making them both susceptible to alcohol, seemingly counteracting their super soldier physiologies, or at least taking up enough of their enhanced energy that they could be normal for once. Bucky gazed at Steve, who was lost in his own thoughts.  “I like you, Stevie.” He blurted, and then covered his mouth sharply.

Steve gave him a slightly lopsided grin. “I like you too, Bucks. You’re my best friend – until the end of the line. Right?”

Bucky quietly sighed in relief.