𝐀𝐕𝐀𝐓𝐀𝐑 - MCU

V. NO STRINGS ATTACHED

They walked out into the lab, where Barton was being treated by doctor Helen Cho. Natasha and Tony were already there and it seemed that Barton was finally awake and upright.

Bruce walked into the room. "How's he doing?"
  
"Unfortunately, he's still Barton," Tony replied.

"That's terrible," Bruce joked as Tony walked away towards his holographic computer station.

"You sure he's gonna be okay?" Natasha asked dr. Cho.

Meanwhile, Luna got distracted by the medical device dr. Cho was using to heal up Clint.

"Pretending to need this guy is really bringing the team together."

Luna opened a door into the machine and her eyes widened at the wires, a mischievous chuckle escaping her lips.

"Carter, I swear, if you do something to this weird-ass machine and it kills me, I'm coming back to haunt you., Clint said.

Luna ignored him and looked up at dr. Cho and Bruce.

"This thing is amazing." She pointed at where Barton's wound was restoring before her eyes,."I mean, it creates tissue. It heals instantly, without any ancient voodoo-spirit magic. What does it use. Some sort of DNA reprogramming? Or does it copy Clint's molecular structure using his DNA and RNA? But how does that transfer the healthy tissue to the wound?"

Helen Cho laughed, "I can show you at the party tonight."

At that moment, Tony walked back into the room, "Oh, he's flat-lining. Call it. Time?"

"No, no, no," Clint protested, "I'm gonna live forever."

"With today's technology, living forever would be medically impossible," Luna pointed out.

"Buzzkill." He pouted.
  
"I mean," Luna continued. "I could ask my buddy Bill the vampire to turn you, but then you wouldn't be able to go on you chick-flick early-morning walks anymore."

Clint chuckled, but was cut off by his own pained groan. "I'd rather be made out of plastic than miss my early-morning walks."

"You'll be made of you, Mr. Barton," Helen Cho interceded. "Your own girlfriend won't be able to tell the difference."

"Well," He sipped a smoothie Tony handed him, "I don't have a girlfriend."

Helen nodded thoughtfully. "That I can't fix."

"Love is overrated." Luna held up a peace-sign. "Stay single, y'all."

• • •

After finally finding an outfit, buried deep down in her closet (simple black dress pants, a silky black blouse and her low heels), that was appropriate for a 'revel,' as Thor put it, Luna grabbed her phone, keys and jacket and once again made her way over to the Avenger's tower.

Parties normally weren't her thing, but seeing as the last one she went to was a birthday party when she was eight, she thought she'd give it a shot. And after the slump she'd been in for the past two years, it was good for her to get out there again and do... social stuff.

As Luna arrived, late as usual, at the tower, the party was already in full swing. People she'd never even heard of were mingling along the people she did know.

"Luna!" Someone called her name. Luna searched for the voice until she found Steve waving her over to the pool table where he stood with another guy. She smiled as real as she could muster and walked up to them. "You made it." Steve said.

"Don't sound too surprised. Besides, there's still time for me to bail." Luna responded.

"Sure." Steve shrugged and gestured to the guy next to him, "Here I want you to meet Sam. He's helping us in tracking... The Winter Soldier."

"Right," Luna shook Sam's hand, "Sam Wilson, Natasha mentioned you. I'm Luna."

Sam Wilson's eyes narrowed, "You're the Avatar?"

"What about it?" Luna asked defensively.
  
His eyes widened, "Oh, no, nothing. It's just, I thought you were... older?"
  
Luna couldn't help but chuckle at his expression, "It's fine, Sam. Some might say I'm mature for my age."

"Nobody has said that, ever."

"Stay out of it, Steve." She clapped his shoulder before making her way over to Thor, James Rhodes and some of the others. She was determined to mingle tonight, with as many people as she could. Be social, Luna. It's what Derek would've wanted.