A/N: So I'm not happy with this, but I tried. Not sure how this really goes with "chores" but I guess if you think of it more as "responsibilities" it makes sense… maybe… whatever I don't care.

Rated: asdfghjkl;

Chores

He's been sitting in his office for hours, poring over the paperwork he didn't get through during the day. Hasn't even gone home yet to kiss his wife good night. Undoubtedly she'll be in bed by now. It's after twelve.

When he hears a knock on the door behind him he startles, nearly spills tea all over everything. He glances over his shoulder, spots his wife in the doorway. "What are you doing here?"

"Come home, you've gotta sleep at some point."

He goes back to his paperwork, frantically scanning over forms, signing off on reports, analyzing, organizing, researching… there's no end to the mountainous pile of paperwork on his desk. "I can't right now, Korra. Can't you see I'm in the middle of something?"

"Oh, I can see that," she says, rolling her eyes and crossing her arms over her chest. "What I'm saying is that it can wait."

"And you can't?" he snaps. Korra flinches, stunned into silence by the agitation in his voice. With an exasperated sigh, Bolin shoves the papers away from him. She's never known Bolin to have an outburst like this before, and doesn't know what to say. But already, the rigid expanse of his shoulders wilts as he bows his head in shame for letting his frustration get the better of him. "I'm sorry."

Korra approaches, slides her hand down his shoulder and wheels him away from his desk. He watches her with regretful eyes as she combs her fingers through his hair. It's sticking up at odd angles from all the times he's raked his own fingers through it.

He heaves a deep sigh and snakes his arms around her waist, rests his head atop her swollen middle. A fresh wave of guilt washes over him when he realizes his pregnant wife, ready to burst at any moment, is out so late at night trying to get him to come home.

"This was a mistake," he says, defeated. "I shouldn't have been promoted to Lieutenant. Not when they could have chosen Mako or anyone else over me. At least Mako would know what he's doing."

"Hey," Korra frowns, cups her husband's face. "They didn't choose Mako. They chose you. I don't want to hear you talking like that. I know this job means everything to you, and I'm proud of you for getting that promotion. Maybe it's a little more work than we expected, but you can do this. Okay?" Her lips descend on the top of his head, move down to his nose until they meet his lips.

"But what if I can't?" he says, pulling away before she can kiss him. "I've got all these people counting on me and I don't – I don't want to let anyone down."

"That's what you've got me for." This earns her a half-smile, and Korra strokes his stubbly cheek with her thumb. He's trying hard not to be cheered up, but it's impossible when Korra's mere presence is enough to set him at ease. Her faith in him is unbelievable, strengthening, empowering. He doesn't know how he'd get through the day without it.

"Come on, let's go home," she says, tugging him away from his desk, and away from his worries.