I own nothing pertaining to Marvel

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A/N: I have no excuse for being gone this long, I'm sorry.

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That being said, this chapter is using the quote: 'Imperfection is beauty, madness is genius, and it's better to be absolutely ridiculous than absolutely boring.'

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"What have you done?"

"Wasn't me Coulson." Clint Barton defended.

"Barton." Phil Coulson's voice spoke of frustration and having to deal with another one of his top marksman's practical jokes.

"Check the camera, I've been at the range since 8."

"I did check the camera, you were not at the range. In fact we couldn't find you on any camera today."

"What? Coulson, it wasn't me." Barton actually looked bewildered.

Phil narrowed his eyes at Barton and studied him for a moment.

"Okay."

Clint relaxed in relief, not even realizing how much he had been tensing up.

"I'm going to go see a tech about the camera systems, you stay here. Do not leave this room."

"Yes sir." Clint made his way over to his desk and went back to cleaning his bow.

He waited five minutes after he heard Coulson walk away from his door before he spoke.

"I'm going to kill you."

"No you're not." Natasha Romanoff said dropping from the vent.

"Only because I'd hate to have to break in a new partner."

"You think I'm broken in? Really?"

"Broken in enough for me." He put his bow back in its case and turned to look at her. "I do like a challenge." He grinned.

"I just issued a big one, you think you're up for it."

Clint dropped his head with a groan, "I cannot believe you did that. And messing with the cameras to not show my movements, not cool Romanoff."

"I try." She shrugged. "Makes it more interesting."

"They aren't questioning you about it though." He pointed out.

"Why would they, I was in the gym all morning."

Clint chuckled, "Fury will probably send us to Antarctica when he finds out."

"If he finds out."

"With our luck?"

"True, you do have some rotten luck Barton."

"Guess it's good that you're around to save me."

"Agent's Barton and Romanoff, report to Director Fury's office now, Agent's Barton and Romanoff, report to Director Fury's office."

Clint let out another groan, "Now you've done it."

"Just play dumb, shouldn't be too hard, you've had plenty of practice at it."

"Ouch, just for that, I'm telling them it was you."

She narrowed her eyes at him and lifted an eyebrow.

"Or not." He muttered walking out the door.

She paused a moment to let a smile twitch on her lips before joining her partner for the trip to Fury's office.

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"Which one of you wants to explain this?" Fury asked when the two Agents were standing at attention in front of him, with Coulson and Deputy Director Maria Hill watching from the sideline.

Both agents stayed silent.

"One of you better explain yourselves before I send you both to Antarctica." He demanded.

They stayed silent.

"Okay, let me tell you what I know." Fury said.

"Barton didn't show up on any cameras today, even though eyewitness accounts place him on the range this morning. Romanoff was in the gym all morning, training alone. An as yet, unnamed, person broke into my office and did this." He looked at both of them through his one narrowed eye. "Take a look at your handiwork." He said waving an arm around.

Neither agent took the bait.

"I don't care which one actually did it, you're both out of here."

"How long sir?" Coulson spoke up.

"Until I say otherwise; you two, go pack a bag, you're on the next transport out." He gave them both a hard look. "Dismissed Agents."

They turned and made their way out of the office, neither having uttered a single word.

"Sir." Maria started.

"I know." He said to her before turning to Phil, "I hope they did their paperwork this time."

"You still think, they think you have no idea?" Phil asked.

Fury grinned, "I hope so. I want to see how far they'll take this scheme of theirs."

"Always good to see you haven't lost your since of humor sir." Phil said leaving the office as well.

"This is madness, you do realize that right?" Maria asked her boss.

"Madness is genius." Fury responded. "Set up transport for them." He said going to sit down behind his desk.

"Yes sir." She said, closing his door behind her as she left.

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"See, it's better to be absolutely ridiculous that absolutely boring." Clint was explaining once again. "We got a laugh and a vacation."

Natasha shook her head and laid back on Clint's bed as they waited for their handler to show up, knowing by now that it wouldn't be but a few minutes. Their bags were already packed and sitting on the floor by the door with Clint's bow case, completed paperwork on the desk waiting for Coulson's signature.

"You two beat all I've ever seen." Coulson said walking in the room. "You deserve to be sent to the cold, I hope freezing your butts off makes you think about what you did. He's the director of SHIELD, and whatever you personally think of the man, you should at least respect the position." Coulson chastised them, knowing there were agents out in the hall listening in.

"Yes, sir." They both responded.

"Going to the farm?" he asked Clint using sign language.

Barton grinned, "Of course." He signed back.

"You better be up to date on your paperwork, Agents."

"Yes sir." Clint said, picking it up from the desk and handing it to their handler.

"I'll try to talk Fury into brining you back soon, but no promises." Phil said taking the paperwork and walking out.

Clint turned and grinned at Natasha who just flopped back down on the bed.

She sat back up not even two minutes later when there was a knock on the open door frame.

"Agent Barton, Agent Romanoff, I was sent to tell you that your transport is ready, wheels up in ten."

"Thank you, Agent Dennen." Natasha said standing up to gather her bag.

They made their way to the waiting plane after Barton locked up his room. They stowed their gear and took seats next to each other on one of the benches, this was a supply run actually, so no regular seats were available.

The co-pilot came back to see them.

"Hey Frank, I guess this means Miller is flying today?" Clint asked.

"Yep, we drew the short straw this time."

There was a slight pause before Frank decided to man up and ask his question.

"So I heard a rumor about what you two did for Fury to punish you this way, how much of it is true?"

"Well that depends on what you heard." Natasha said after sharing a look with Clint.

"That you manipulated the security feed, Agent Romanoff, while Agent Barton here, attached little plastic pirate figures to every available surface of Fury's office and plaster the walls, floor and ceiling with pirate themed pictures." Frank said in a rush of words.

"You should know by now that you can't believe everything the rumor mill spits out at SHIELD." Clint said.

"Yes, sir." Frank said with a small smile, "Wheels up in just a few."

"Are we still stopping at the usual place to refuel?" Clint asked.

"Of course." Frank said as he walked up to the cockpit.

"You know, for a secret organization, SHIELD has several routines." Natasha said.

"At least this one means we get time off, together."

"How long do you think it will last?"

"At least three weeks."

"That's ambitious."

"We'll see." Clint said.

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It was actually a month later when they reported back to base and upon opening Barton's room they found everything was covered in pictures of the animated Disney character, Robin Hood.

"Seriously?" Clint raged, while Natasha actually let out a laugh.

"Serves you right." She said.

"Wonder what he did to your room."

That sobered Natasha up and she turned on her heel to make her way to her room. Clint caught up to her just as she reached her door.

She took a deep breath before opening the door and flipping on the light.

She had to call on her training to keep herself from yelling out in rage. She planted her feet firmly on the ground to stop from marching to Fury's room to demand answers.

"Serves you right." Clint said walking past her into the room.

She reached out and punched him in the shoulder.

"Ow, Nat." he rubbed his sore shoulder. "At least you don't have a cartoon fox staring at you from every surface of your room."

"It's pink. Everything is pink."

"More accurately, everything is about a dozen shades of pink." Barton said.

"Not helping."

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The three people gathered in the cleared out security room all had similar smiles on their faces as they watched the drama unfolding on the monitor.

"No offense sir, but you can be as ridiculous as those two sometimes."

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A/N: Again, sorry I was gone for so long. Please leave me a note if you still want me to continue these little stories.