Your hands shake as you finish putting away the last of the dishes, your eyes swivelling around the kitchen for the next task that will require your attention. It’s almost embarrassing how much work needs doing given that you’re a housewife. Okay there are three of you living here but it’s not like you even have a baby to blame the mess on. You start wiping down the sides, ignoring the exhaustion that’s starting to seep into your bones.

It’s cleaning a house for God’s sake. Your mind turns to your girlfriends’ who are probably doing something far more strenuous and mentally taxing. They work so hard and you can’t even keep the house clean for them. Your eyes burn with tears that you quickly swipe away, wincing at the strong chemical smell on your hands from the amount of different cleaning products you’ve already used today.

Last night Natasha and Wanda had come home, bringing Sharon and Steve around on a whim. You’d met them both before, Steve being one of their fellow Avengers and Sharon an ex-SHIELD agent who’d begun working at Stark Industries, so you weren’t too embarrassed at them finding you lounging around in your sweatpants.

“Sorry, let me get changed,” You’d laughed. “Make yourself comfortable. Sorry, let me just…”

You moved the books you’d been looking at that had been left haphazard all over the couch. There are also crumbs from where you’d eaten lunch in a rush, so you quickly brush them onto the floor. Neither of them says anything but you did catch a glimpse of Sharon’s face, the hint of disgust and the way she sat down right on the very edge of her seat.

Once you were changed you joined the others in the kitchen where Wanda had begun cooking. Everything she cooked always smelt so good and you wrapped your arms around her waist, kissing her cheek, “What are we having?”

“Paella,” Wanda confirmed, turning her head to kiss your cheek in return.

It wasn’t unusual for your girlfriends’ to randomly invite friends home for dinner and you never minded the intrusion. Especially because Wanda usually cooked something extra tasty on those nights and paella was one of your favourites. You leaned your head on her shoulder, watching as she cooked.

“Is there going to be enough cutlery for us to eat from?” Sharon asked, glancing towards the sink, which was admittedly overflowing with dirty dishes.

“Oh yeah, we have loads,” You’d said, not picking up on the hint of disdain in her voice.

“We don’t really have the time to clean up every day,” Natasha explained. “We do have plenty of cutlery though, honestly. You won’t be eating off dirty plates.”

Sharon had raised her eye-brows, “Oh… What do you do for a living Y/N?”

“I’m between jobs at the minute,” You’d said.

“Y/N was working as a clerk in a grocery store but she hated it. We both make enough money so we told her to quit.” Natasha said. “No use in her working if she hates it.”

“We like having a housewife anyway,” Wanda had teased.

Sharon subtly rolled her eyes but didn’t comment further. Steve had distracted you by telling a funny story about Natasha getting confused whilst they were training that day and you’d sat at the table, laughing. As far as you were aware the atmosphere was light and relaxed. Wanda’s paella was delicious as usual, and everyone was having a good time. You didn’t notice anything amiss until Sharon and Steve went to the bathroom just as they were about to leave. You were feeling cold so you’d gone to fetch Natasha’s cardigan, the oversized one that you loved to steal when you’d suddenly overheard them talking.

“Sharon, it’s not like-”

“No I’m sorry, but she should be embarrassed. I was shocked enough that the house was such a mess but to find out she doesn’t even work-”

“I’m sure she has plenty to occupy her in the day even if she doesn’t work. We have no idea what she gets up to, I'm sure she's busy though.”

“And why hadn’t she cooked something for dinner? You mean to tell me that Wanda and Natasha work all day then get home and have to cook and clean on top of that while she sits on her arse all day? I’d be furious if I was them, honestly.”

“It clearly works for them.”

“Well it certainly works for her. Getting to lounge around doing nothing while her girlfriends’ pay for everything. How cushy.”

You hadn’t wanted to listen anymore so you’d quickly grabbed the cardigan, and then gone back into the living room where you’d clung to Natasha like a koala for the rest of the night. Neither she nor Wanda had heard what Sharon said so they didn’t know what was wrong but Natasha teased you, calling you a little leech. For the rest of the evening your eyes had swivelled around the house, seeing it through your guests’ eyes for the first time and you felt embarrassed.

Today had been spent trying to make the house perfect before your girlfriends’ get home. You didn’t want Natasha and Wanda to have to worry about bringing friends around. Sharon had been right, they were paying for you not to work – they should get something out of it. A clean house and a hot, home-cooked meal by the time they get home shouldn’t be too much trouble.

Except it’s been hours and every time you think you’re on the last few tasks you find something else that needs doing. Your list keeps growing longer the more you tick off and everything takes a lot longer than you’d realised. The whole morning had been disappeared just from hoovering, dusting and changing the bed sheets. Because it had taken so long you hadn’t stopped for lunch. You’d gone straight to the store to get ingredients in for dinner then by the time you were home you’d noticed how much of a mess the kitchen was in. Just doing the backlog of the dishes by yourself had taken you nearly an hour.

By the time your girlfriends’ arrive home you think you’re going to fall apart from exhaustion. Dinner is cooking on the stove but it doesn’t look like the photos in the recipe, and you stare at it accusingly, trying to figure out where you’d got it wrong. Wanda dumps a bag of groceries on the kitchen counter “Hey baby. You’re cooking tonight?”

“Yeah, I figured you guys would be tired from work so I… Yeah.”

Natasha wraps her arms around your waist as Wanda unpacks the grocery bag “Are you okay sweetie? You didn’t answer your phone all day, we were worried about you.”

“I’m fine, I was just busy. Sorry.”

Natasha and Wanda exchange a glance. Wanda washes her hands then joins you at the stove “Do you want some help? You look done in.”

“No, it’s okay, I’ve got this. You two relax, put your feet up.”

“You’re acting really weird,” Natasha says.

“You look a little stressed. Besides, I like cooking. What are you making? I can-”

“I’ve got it! I don’t need you taking over!” You snap.

Natasha and Wanda exchange another glance, and Natasha holds you a little tighter. “Baby-”

“It’ll make me feel better if you guys just relax a little and let me serve you this dinner. Please.”

Natasha sighs but lets you go, going to get changed. A moment later Wanda reluctantly follows after her. You continue staring down at the food, feeling your frustration boil that it still looks wrong. It’s been so long since you cooked something. At lunch you either fix yourself a quick sandwich or go out somewhere whilst Wanda does the majority of cooking at home. She’s right; she does seem to enjoy it whereas you don’t. You’re gaining no joy from this, only stress.

You burst into tears, and Wanda and Natasha reappear in the kitchen in an instant. Wanda switches off the stove, looking down at the dish to see if there’s a way she can salvage it whilst Natasha pulls you into her arms, kissing the top of your head “Baby, tell us what’s going on. We’re really worried.”

“I’m sorry I’m so useless,” You sob into Natasha’s chest. “I can’t even have dinner on the table for you when you get home.”

“Hey, hey, wow, where did this come from?” Natasha asks, alarmed. “You’re not useless at all, what made you say that?”

You cry harder and Natasha rubs a hand up and down your back. Wanda abandons the food in the pot and joins you both, her fingers stroking over your hair “Talk to us baby. We don’t think you’re useless and we don’t need you to have dinner ready on the table. So tell us.”

“I- Yesterday- Sharon-”

“Sharon what? Did she say something to you?” Natasha asks fiercely.

“Not to me. To Steve. I don’t work, I should- I should do more around the house-”

“Hey, no, what are you talking about?” Wanda asks. “You don’t need to do anything.”

“But you guys earn all the money. I can’t even keep the house clean or make you dinner or do anything useful-”

“And you’re basing this on something you overheard Sharon say? Who fucking cares what she thinks?” Natasha huffs. “First of all, you don’t need to be useful. We love you, you don’t need to fucking earn it.”

“Besides, you are useful,” Wanda says. “You make us laugh. You always cheer us up when we get home from work no matter how stressed we are. We don’t need you to cook us dinner, I like cooking us all dinner. It helps me relax after a difficult day.”

“We don’t want this place to look like a show home; we want it to be an actual home. I like when you leave your books and your notebooks and whatever else around. You’re always doing something, going from one activity to the next. Who cares if you leave a little bit of mess in your wake?” Natasha asks.

“Besides, you do clean,” Wanda says. “I’ve noticed you’re the one who cleans the bathroom whenever it needs doing. And you always make the bed.”

“I should do more though,” You sniffle.

“You do plenty,” Natasha says firmly. “I like coming home and hearing that you’ve met up with friends or you’ve done something else fun.”

“You’re working on your blog, I bet that’ll really take off,” Wanda says positively. “Or you’re doing those online courses. It’s not like you’re lounging around doing absolutely nothing all day. Don’t worry about Sharon, who cares what she thinks?”

“We won’t be inviting her around again if that’s how she’s talking about you,” Natasha says, clearly annoyed. “You’re our precious girl, you do plenty for us. You don’t need to prove your worth to either of us. Or anyone else.”

“Besides my love… I don’t think you’re an amazing cook,” Wanda says gently. “Why don’t we have some takeout and just cuddle in bed? We can watch a movie if you want. Or start that TV series you keep talking about.”

“We’ll do whatever you wanna do,” Natasha says, kissing your forehead. “Please don’t cry baby. We love you so much.”

“You’re our favourite girl. We don’t need perfect, we just need you,” Wanda says, kissing the top of your head. “Though if you ask me… I think you’re perfect.”