Kotoko winces at the sharp pain that radiates throughout her skull at the high, piercing scream her daughter lets out right next to her ear. The past twenty or so minutes have been spent trying to get the tiny, writhing girl in her arms to calm down, but nothing has worked. She's tried a bottle, different toys, a pacifier, a diaper change, rocking, bouncing, and swinging to no avail. Now, she's on the verge of tears herself. Both out of frustration and because she feels helpless to soothe whatever is ailing her daughter. She's pacing across the nursery, shushing Kotomi's cries and patting her back in a soft steady, rhythm, hoping she'll tire herself out soon. Judging by the way the baby arches her back and lets out another shrill wail she seriously doubts that.

After a few more minutes, Kotoko's head snaps up at the sound of the door opening as her husband slips in. Naoki opens the door just wide enough to allow himself room to slide inside in hopes of keeping the noise filtering into the hallway to a minimum before closing it gently and meeting his wife's eyes over the shoulder of the sobbing infant she has cradled against her chest. She raises her eyebrows at him and shakes her head in defeat. Quickly, he moves over to her and motions for her to hand him the baby. She does so readily and without argument, relieved that someone else is ready to give it a go.

Naoki pulls the baby up to his chest in the same position Kotoko had been holding her and resumes the same gentle patting motion on his daughter's back. At first, Kotomi is resistant, a few dissatisfied whimpers and cries leaving her tiny lips, but after a moment she settles, nestling her tiny head against his chest and letting out a soft, contented sigh. Kotoko rubs at her temples with the base of her palms and gives a sigh of her own.

"Seriously?" she whispers incredulously. "Why does it work when you do it?"

Naoki shrugs one shoulder without answering, continuing to pat the now mollified infant.

"She hates me," Kotoko says, frowning at the scene in front of her, hands on her hips.

"Don't be dramatic," Naoki chides with a shake of his head.

"She likes you better," Kotoko amends.

"Well." A tiny, prideful smirk pulls at his lips and he shrugs his shoulder again. He doesn't argue.

At the sight of his small smile Kotoko softens and lets out a gentle, amused breath. They're really cute. She watches in silence as her husband soothes their daughter, muttering between humming quietly to her, still patting and pacing. Kotoko thinks she hears something about "just feeding off mama's energy." She can't tell if it's meant to be an insult or a compliment but, knowing Naoki, it's probably a little bit of both.

Eventually, Naoki reaches over the the side of the crib and places a nearly sleeping Kotomi in the center, holding his breath as he slips his hands from underneath her. She stirs slightly, opening her eyes. Both Naoki and Kotoko tense, ready for another round of screaming, but she just blinks up blearily at them a few times and closes them again, wiggling slightly to a more comfortable position before stilling. They both watch until the only movement from her is an occasional twitch of her tiny fingers and the rise and fall of her chest. Kotoko places her hands on the railing of the crib and smiles down, gazing lovingly at her now sleeping baby.

"She's pretty great, huh?" she whispers.

Naoki places one hand on the railing as well, standing slightly behind his wife. He looks down at Kotomi. She looks peaceful, her little features completely relaxed, eyes closed, long lashes brushing against her chubby cheeks, small, round lips parted. He glances back up at his wife who is still staring at their daughter with the same slightly too big for her face eyes, the same round lips and long lashes. She looks full of wonder at miniaturized version of herself and Naoki finds that he's mesmerized too.

"Yeah," he says, smiling and placing his hand over Kotoko's on the railing and looking back down at their daughter. "She is."