Moving a sleeping baby was more stressful than defusing a bomb or negotiating a hostage situation.
At least, Shouta felt the pressure more in this instance than he would have if he were on the job. In the field, he'd have some support and someone working in the background to protect and evacuate the bystanders while he risked his neck.
Now his only backup was also the bystander, his sleeping wife draped over the sofa after a long and exhausting shift at the hospital. Mei was still dressed in the street clothes she always changed into before leaving the hospital, showering in the barracks there to help keep from bringing home anything from a patient she had attended. She would be comfortable enough in them for the night once Shouta had the baby taken care of, Mei's leggings and oversized T-shirt a common enough choice of sleepwear as well, but first he had to get Nami settled in her crib.
The baby had been sleeping soundly on her mother's chest, an unusual occurrence given Mei's strict no-co sleeping policy. It razzled the woman's nerves after all the things she'd seen in the hospital and the childcare classes she had taken in preparation for parenthood. Knowing that she had broken her own rules would grate on her if she woke up early and realized what was happening.
Personally, Shouta thought it was alright to let the baby sleep with them on occasion, but bowed to the logical reasoning behind Mei's requests. Besides, arguing with his wife and making her more stressed wasn't something he found pleasure in.
So Mei got her way with little comment on his part.
Hizashi would probably say something about 'happy wife, happy life' if he knew Shouta's reasoning, but the loudmouth was still single. What would he know about the real truth in that statement?
It really should have been 'spouse feels safe and secure, safe and secure relationship'.
(It just didn't have the same ring to it.)
Shouta leaned over his little family, slipping his hands under Nami's head and bottom and rolling her gently into his arms.
The baby stirred a little, little arms jerking in surprise at the sudden change and a furrow developing between the faint eyebrows she was growing in, but settled against Shouta's chest with a sleepy huff.
He froze, trying not to hold his breath, and waited until he was sure Nami wouldn't start crying before checking on Mei.
Like her daughter, the woman noticed the change, eyelids fluttering and a pout forming on her full lips. Shouta's own mouth quirked up into a faint smile and he leaned forward to give her a gentle kiss.
"Shh," he murmured against her cheek, sighing at the subtle scent of her floral perfume. "Sleep."
Mei opened her eyes briefly, just long enough to register the sight of Shouta with the baby, and leaned back with a hum. She slipped back to sleep quickly, more deeply this time, and he allowed himself to relax.
One down. One to go.
The nursery was dark and warm when he slipped in, smelling of baby powder and lavender laundry detergent. It was a soothing scent, for Nami and her parents.
This was the hard part, Shouta thought as he stared at the crib with trepidation. Nami was a fairly easy baby, but falling asleep in her parents' warm embrace made the transition to the crib harder than it needed to be.
He shifted her slowly, in increments, moving her from his chest to the crook of his arm and then the cradle of his hands. The baby was lowered steadily into the crib, where Shouta kept her propped up on his hands until the firm mattress warmed a bit and he felt he could let her go.
Nami laid there, on her back and in a warm onesie, little chest rising and falling steadily. He was nearly free.
Shouta lifted his hands slowly, hovering cautiously over the crib to make sure his sudden absence wouldn't register with the baby before silently creeping out of the nursery.
He shut the door with a sigh of relief and promptly stumbled and tripped over a cat on his way back to the living room.
"Shit," he breathed, wincing at the loud thud he'd made when he fell against the wall. Blearily, he glared down at the culprit, the fat white cat staring back at him unashamedly where he lay on the floor.
"Baekseolgi-ah," Mei sighed, squinting as she rounded the corner to see what the fuss was about. She squatted down and gathered the oversized fluff ball into her arms. "Why are you trying to kill my husband this time?"
The cat just purred and pushed his head against Mei's chin, wiggling in her grasp until he could drape himself over her shoulder like a heated stole.
Shouta just sighed, grateful that the baby hadn't noticed the commotion and remained asleep in her room.
Mei eyed him with weary sympathy, her own eyes mirroring his exhaustion. She drew near, pushing up on her toes to close the distance between them, and kissed him softly. Again. Once more for luck.
Shouta slipped an arm around her waist, pulling her closer and causing their cat to squirm.
"Come to bed?" he asked quietly.
The corners of Mei's eyes crinkled slightly as she smiled.
"I was just waiting on you."