Ok, sorry for taking so long to update this story, I hope you like this chapter :D

Rule number five- Order each other food at restaurants, just to try something new.

They were on an undercover mission in Las Vegas, gathering intel on a new group that Shield suspected was smuggling a new dangerous kind of drug into the country through tourists traveling through the city. The last couple of days had been absolutely miserable, Strike Team Delta was used to going undercover, but it was never fun playing obnoxious tourists. Ok, at first maybe it was a little bit of fun, but before long with the grumpy oversized crowds pressing on them from all sides, drunk bachelorete parties shrieking in their ears, and the sun beating down relentlessly, this mission became anything but fun.

But they had finally gathered all of the information Fury wanted, and they would be leaving tomorrow morning, before a new team of agents came in to wrap up the job. It wasn't like the job was too hard for Strike Team Delta, just the opposite- Now that they knew how complex completing the job would be, Coulson was going to send in a group of newbie agents to finish this one up, as part of their training. Honestly this entire thing had been a waste of Clint and Nat's time, but there hadn't been many world threatening disasters lately for them to check up on, so they'd been sent here for recon. It was better than filing paperwork at least. And now it had given them a free night in Vegas, so that was a plus.

Clint had suggested that they try their hand at some gambling, but Natasha insisted that wouldn't be any fun since the slot machines were just dumb luck and she would be able to rig most any of the other games so they'd win every time. So they decided to just go out for a fancy dinner somewhere instead.

Clint had hopefully suggested they check out a buffet, but Natasha had just rolled her eyes. "Really Barton? Have you seen the crowd of tourists we've been dealing with for the last two days? Now imagine that crowd, only they're all tired from a long day of sight seeing, and fighting to get the best food off the buffet. Does that sound like your idea of fun?" The archer pretended to consider this for a minute. "I don't know….. I mean when you say they fight each other for the best food, is this like a Hunger Games thing? Like, would I be able to bring my bow, and teach a few of them a lesson? Maybe find that dude who spilled a beer on me earlier, and shoot a cupcake out of his hands?"

Natasha laughed at this, as she slipped a gun into a hidden pocket of her purse. "Yeah, no. Totally not what I meant Katniss. If you want to go do that and get arrested, be my guest- Just don't expect me to bail you out. Or, you could come have dinner with me, at a fairly nice restaurant I've made reservations at."

Barton pretended to be disappointed, and sighed dramatically. "Fine, I suppose I'll give you the honor of my company instead of tormenting tourists, and being arrested for shooting the idiots with arrows." Natasha grinned, and grabbing his hand pulled her partner out of the hotel room.

The restaurant she had made reservations at was in their hotel, so luckily they didn't have to battle many tourists on their way there- Although the two of them did roll their eyes at a group of them that was snapping photos of the lobby as if they were viewing one of the wonders of the world, rather than an overdecorated hotel lobby that reeked of cigarette smoke.

Natasha had chosen well- The restaurant they went too was probably far too overpriced for the quality of food that was served, but that meant few tourists wanted to eat here. And honestly the food was stupidly expensive, but it was also more than edible. The two of them were escorted to a table near a window, and after a basket of lukewarm breadsticks was plunked down between them, the assassins were left alone.

Clint leaned back in his seat, and grinned, savoring the moment. It wasn't often that he and Natasha did anything that normal people would consider a date. Sure, doing stuff like chasing thieves on mopeds through the streets of Paris was fun, but wasn't something most people would consider enough they had done that more than a few times….. This was nice though too though. Much more normal than what they were used to. It was nice spending time together in a fancy place and getting to just be themselves, not aliases they had created to execute a mission.

Natasha seemed to be enjoying this too, because she only spent a couple of minutes scanning the restaurant, searching for signs of danger before she relaxed and turned her gaze to her partner. "Well? Isn't this nicer than a buffet?" Clint shrugged, and studied the menu. "It certainly is more expensive…. I like that. This has been one of the most annoying missions ever, let's order lobster for all the rooms in the hotel, just to get back at Fury." Nat lifted an eyebrow at him. "Did you forget that Coulson said if we weren't more careful with the Shield credit cards he'd take them away from us? Do you really want to give that up?"

Clint thought about this for a second. "Um, yes? It would be worth it if it made Fury "furious". Heh, get it? Furious Fury?Yeah, that would be funny. We don't even need the cards, we both know that you're loaded with money!" Natasha rolled her eyes playfully. "I can't argue with that, but what makes you think I would share any of it with you Barton? I should let you mess with the cards, and see how long you survive with them taken away."

Clint opened his mouth, enjoying this stupid flirty playful banter, when a waiter appeared at their table. "Good evening. May I start you two off with a drink? Or are you ready to order?" Hawkeye was in a playful mood, so he spoke before Natasha did. "I think we'll start off with drinks. The little lady will have- Let's see, where was that, ah! Found it here. Is the "Vegas Zippity Zinger" really so full of fun it will make your mouth explode? It is, really? Well then, my lovely date will have that thank you."

Natasha's eyes were narrowed as she watched Clint order her a drink she normally would not touch with a ten foot pole. Well, if that was the game he wanted to play…. She spoke up. "Oh, sweetie you always know just what to order for me!" She giggled flirtatiously, and Clint just smirked at her. The Black Widow glanced at the drink menu, then smiled sweetly at the waiter who was unamused by the whole "Vegas Couple So In Love They Finished Each Others Food Orders" act that was going on. Whatever, like she cared. "Ok, well since my sweetie pie ordered me such a yummy drink, I think he should have a bottle of your best vodka!"

The waiter did a double take when he wrote that down. "Excuse me? Do you mean a shot of our best vodka? A whole bottle, that's quite a bit of liquor." Tasha smiled even more as she spoke. "Oh, not for him! You just watch, that bottle will be gone before you know it."

Seriously annoyed, wishing he had gotten a less freaky table, the waiter left them to pursue the dinner menu. Clint started complaining as soon as he walked out of earshot. "Ok, that was cruel. You know that I hate that swill, I'm not going to drink that! Why would you order an entire bottle?" Natasha scoffed. "I don't know, why would you order me the kind of drink that a sorority girl would order when she comes here for her 21rst Birthday?!" Clint made a pouty face, "It comes with a lollipop! I thought you'd like it!"

Natasha had to smile at that. "Ugh, Barton, you are an idiot. You already ruined my drink, are you ruining my dinner too? Are you going to order me chicken nuggets or something before I have a chance to order something I would actually want?" Clint grinned, "I don't know, are you going to order me octopus pie, or something else fancy and gross?" Natasha snorted. "oh, come on. At least I would pick out something new and different for you to try. If you picked my dinner, I'd probably hate it." He lifted an eyebrow at her. "Is that a challenge?" She lifted her menu to hide her face. "I don't know, is it Barton?"

The waiter came back with one large bottle of vodka, a couple shot glasses, and one pink fruity drink, filled with maraschino cherries, and topped with whipped cream, and as Clint has pointed out, a lollipop. The two mercenaries were intently studying their menus as they accepted their drinks, and when they waiter asked, said they were ready to order.

This time Natasha went first. She laid the menu out on the table, and spoke so quickly the waiter hardly had time to write the order. "I would like the pan seared tuna steak please, as rare as you're allowed to cook it, served on a bed of couscous with mixed vegetables."

Clint pulled a face, and looked genuinely disappointed to hear what his dinner would be. "Ugh. Ok, I'll have the Taco Salad, and a side of sweet potato fries. Thanks man."

The waiter gathered the menus, and walked away without another word. As soon as he left the two assassins started complaining. "Tuna steak? Vegetables? What the heck is couscous, did you even TRY and find something on that massive menu that I would want to eat?" "Taco. Salad? Those are two words that should not be together on a menu, why the heck would you order something that gross Barton?"

"Oh, come on Romanoff, I got you sweet potato fries. Have you ever had sweet potato fries? They are the most amazing thing you could ever hope to eat! And I promise they will taste much better than that couscous junk you ordered for me!"

As he spoke, Natasha picked up her drink and took a tentative sip. She almost spit it out as soon as she tried it. "Oh, gosh, this is disgusting. It tastes like someone poured the juice out of a jar of maraschino cherries, added a bag of sugar, and the cheapest alcohol they could find. I am not drinking this Clint." Hawkeye was smirking. "Oh, come on, it can't be that bad!" He grabbed the drink from Natasha, and took a gulp. He struggled for a few seconds to keep the drink down, and then tried to smile through his disgust. "Mmmm…. Yummy… I sure know how to pick a good drink." He tried to take another sip and almost choked as the sickeningly sweet flavor overwhelmed him. Natasha just rolled her eyes, and poured herself a shot of vodka.

"Barton, if my dinner is as disgusting as that drink, I swear I am going to make Coulson put you on paperwork duty for a couple of weeks. I'm not kidding, he owes me a favor."

Luckily the food they had picked was amazing, although neither of them would out right admit it. They spent most of the meal commenting on how much better the other persons dinner looked, trying to steal bites of the other persons plate, and basically making a scene. The other diners kept shooting them annoyed looks as the level of vodka in the bottle gradually went down, and the noise level of the assassins went up. Usually they were more discreet than this…. But hey, it was their last night here and they didn't have to kill anyone. This was the closest thing to a vacation Strike Team Delta could get.

Tomorrow they would be battling hangovers (Clint more so than Natasha), and Coulson would force them to do paperwork, and more missions would be assigned, and Natasha would act like their night out never happened.

But then, they would go grab some lunch in the cafeteria. And Natasha would smirk at her partner, glance at the array of food Shield had to offer, and challenge Clint to redeem himself by picking her a meal she would actually eat this time.

Within a few months, they practically only ever ate food that the other picked for them.

_

Ok, this chapter sucks. But hey, at least I updated! Next chapter coming soon :D