"We should if you're serious about taking me out to a fancy dinner," Clint points out. A romantic dinner. "And straying unusually close to flirty in public." Well. Inside of a little shop in front of a friend of sorts. Which is still more public than they have been, traditionally. Phil has always been very sternly serious about separating work and play, and to not let his feelings be known or to interfere with the work. There's no flirting or commentary or undue touching when they're at work. And in public they are friends and coworkers.

It does mean Clint has to think of if he really is serious about a vacation. Together. Somewhere alone and secluded and romantic. It's entirely possible with some fun intervention from Phil that they could stagger certain dates and forge flights and rentals and all else so that it doesn't look like they're going somewhere together. But it would still be suspect. And that's also just...a step even further from a dinner date.

There's that word again. Date.

Alter the course, then. "You just want to see me strip down in front of a horny little old lady and then watch me stay perfectly still while she pins a bunch of fabric to me and makes her little tutting noises while she makes alterations. What a devious trap. No weapons and nowhere to go."