Adult Content Warning
This work could have adult content. If you continue, you have agreed that you are willing to see such content.
-
Standing Order by nuggetdinosaur
Fandoms: Marvel Cinematic Universe, The Avengers (Marvel Movies)
16 Sep 2026
Tags
Summary
Natasha has never once been assigned a honeypot mission at SHIELD.
Not declined. Never asked. Because unlike the Red Room, SHIELD draws a line, and when Maria Hill first read the defection file, she bolded that line for one agent in particular and never told her it existed.
Four years is a long time. Somewhere in it, protecting her agent turned into wanting her, and both of them have been carrying it in silence — Maria because she signs the deployment orders, Natasha because she's never trusted her own read on what a room wants.
Then a target comes along who can't be reached any other way, the line has to move, and Maria has to be the one to move it.