My mates: The God, The Soldier, and The Captain

All is calm

The guys walk back in an hour later to find their mate cuddled on the sofa watching a movie with her other friends sitting in the two armchairs. Nat looks up when they walk in.

"You guys have a nice break?" Nat asked

They look a bit flushed from the cold and possible other activity they may have engaged in while they were gone. Nat's eyebrow raised when she caught a hickey mark on one of them. She gets up and grabs all three by an ear dragging them into the kitchen.

"How could you? I get it you need a release every once in a while, but when your soulmate is ill? That's it I'm taking her to my place where at least I won't be aching to fuck my roommates and take care of her like she deserves," Nat hissed, "And I won't be bringing her back till you can treat her the way she deserves."

"But.." Steve tried to say, and he looks over to their mate seeing tears glimmering in her eyes.

"I may be sick, but I'm not dumb," she croaks, "I can't give you what you want right now and probably never will. Thank you for taking care of me, Nat will take me to her place. Don't come loo..." she begins to cough again.

Loki rushes over to help and she lifts a hand. He stops in his tracks and all three watch as Nat helps their soulmate out of the house to get into her car. Beth and Michelle shake their heads as they walk out before they follow Nat to her place.

Steve runs his fingers through his hair and sighs "We really screwed up this time."

"Yes, we did and now she doesn't even want us to touch her," Loki sighed.

A few weeks later...

"Open up Jules. I need to take your temperature and don't look at me like that I just want to be sure your fever is really gone," Nat cajoled.

She opened her mouth and let Nat put a thermometer in her mouth. Soon the instrument was out of her mouth then Nat looked at it with a smile.

"Good news?" she asked

"Your fever is gone, and you sound a whole lot better, but don't overdo it alright?" Nat replied

She nods and cuddles under the blanket she brought with her from the guys' place. It still smelled like them, and it comforted her late at night when she was lonely.

"Jules, you, ok?" Nat asks then sees the tears, "I know you miss them, I'm sorry for pulling you from their care, but they needed to put your needs first for once instead of their own."

"Yeah, I know. Sometimes I think I overreacted like I always do. I mean they were together first, so it makes sense that...but why can't they come to me for comfort instead?" she sighs and looks out the window

"It's because they've only had each other for so long and now you're the final piece to their puzzle. They don't know how to ask you when they need something, so they keep doing what is comfortable for them." Nat explains, "It doesn't mean they don't love you. Just give them time."

"Sure, feels like they don't need me. I liked having their attention, but I guess I wasn't giving them the attention they needed," she sighs and looks down.

"Hey little one, look at me," Nat lifts her chin up with a finger, "those three would fight a war to keep you safe. Just because they slipped up this time doesn't mean they won't slip up again. But the next time you can use your feminine wiles to bring them back to your side. I saw the way they looked when you wouldn't let them comfort you when we left, trust me they'll be pounding on the door soon enough to come get you."

"Thanks Nat. Sorry for being a bother all this time," she apologizes.

"Jules you weren't a bother to me or to those morons who are your mates. I already saw that you had them wrapped around your little finger," Nat says with a grin.

"What do you mean?" she asked

"I've never seen Loki or Steve spoon feed tea to someone who is too sick to lift a cup. Same with Bucky; that man is so impatient with things, yet he took his time wiping you down when you had a fever," Nat explained, "When they called in saying that you were ill, I started watching through a camera and Beth told me when she called. Those three probably haven't slept in three weeks besides my front door will more than likely be knocked on with flower deliveries for you."

As if on cue there was a knock at the door and Nat smiled before getting up. She opened the door and a trio of delivery men carrying bouquets walked in followed by yet another man carrying a box of candy.

"I hope the young lady who's to get these is feeling better. Those men of hers seemed liked they really screwed up to send this many flowers," the delivery guy chuckles then hands over a card to Nat before leaving.

Nat closes the door and chuckles. Julia walks out of the bedroom in a comfy pair of pjs her eyes widened as she saw the flowers.

"Umm what is all this?" she wonders out loud

"I told you. Those three men of yours waste no time," Nat says and hands over the card.

She takes the card and reads the inscription. Tears well up in her eyes "Now you see why I love them all so much. Even though they slipped, they feel terrible for letting their libidos getting the better of them and next time..."

"I know Jules, I know. But they also know they need to take their time with you. I feel like you've been hurt, haven't you?" Nat remarks

She nods and sits on the sofa. Soon she spills her life story to Nat whose eyes widen, and she shakes her head.

"Trust me those three will wipe your past from your memory in one night and I'll make sure no one bothers you alright?" Nat promises