Work Text:
The apartment was warm and quiet when Annabeth got home, she could smell the fruity pout pourri in the bowl under the tv..and feel the nausea rise with the sweet fragrance. After putting a pin on throwing the whole thing out, she kicked away her flats on the doorway and made her way to the kitchen table, where she found Percy absorbed into grading papers, with what she assumed was a now cold coffee next to his computer, humming a random song to himself. When she planted a lazy kiss on his head, his gaze widened and he smiled “Hi” he turned to face her, and hugged her waist while still sitting.
“Hi” she mumbled back, her face still buried in his hair, that scent could’ve never made her nauseous. “how was work.?” he carefully asked her, Annabeth sighed “apart from the constant urge to puke and drowsiness..it wasn't that bad” he waited, so she went on “am I a bad person if I consider these the grossest three months of my life so far?” she used the word person, and he noticed.
“‘Beth, you're not a bad mom” she felt that crippling mix of fear and excitement that crept under every inch of her skin whenever he called her that. A mom.
The baby hadn't been exactly unexpected, but less planned than what she would've liked. They had talked about kids before, they had both stable jobs and were grown adults..so they decided she would stop taking the pill. They both wanted it and if it had to happen, it would've happened,if it didn't..they would've found another solution. So you couldn't exactly say they were trying, but Annabeth had to remind herself a child can’t be neatly planned as a date or a work presentation, a kid just happened and..when a month ago they discovered she was 2 months pregnant it hadn't been exactly shocking, considering everything.
Percy pressed his lips on the fabric over her stomach, sensing the little bump that was beginning to feel a little too tight in her work pants.
“you’re loving, responsible, caring, prevented, gentle-“
“yeah I get it but-“
“-but what? you're everything a mother needs to be and more,and if there’s something you're good at is become perfect at everything you do”
Annabeth smiled at that, wondering what she did to deserve this, her anxieties melting away for a second “thank you” he pushed a strand of hair away from her face and felt her muscles relax at his touch, she took a deep breath and in a moment she was out of his arms, rummaging through the kitchen drawers.
“what about your work?” she asked him, stuffing a spoon into a cup of vanilla ice cream, leaning on the kitchen counter.
“Well, one of my colleagues called me Peete” he sighed, she made a face “Still that art teacher?” he nodded, “but she called me kid last time, so I think we're making progress”
Annabeth scoffed “I doubt it, knowing the cunt she is, she did it on purpose” she took a mouthful of ice cream. Percy fought back a laugh, getting up from his chair and walking up to her.
”we might need to cut off on the cursing once the baby is here” Annabeth eyed him, then swallowed her bite “and that isn't until another 6 months, let me enjoy it while I still can-”
Percy suddenly kissed her, for the first time since she came home, her lips still being vanilla flavored, when he pulled away she let out a little sigh.
“should've warned me, as I mentioned before I'm a little gross at the moment” she recalled, wiping bits of ice cream off her mouth with her fingers.
“Nothing worse than monster dust and goo” he whispered, making her eyes roll.
Annabeth set the cup next to them on the marbled counter, then took a shallow breath and looked down at her hands, slightly fidgeting with her fingers.
“Perce” she called him, now looking at his eyes; he was holding her gaze..waiting patiently, his features soft with adoration for her.
“you really think we’re gonna be ok as parents?”
Percy chewed on his bottom lip, then whispered
“I think we’re gonna do the best we can and hope for the best” he weakly smiled at her, trying to cheer her up. Annabeth sighed again, then pressed her palms to her eyes, trying to push away her tears.
“I'm just so overwhelmed, and- and everyone-” a single tear fell from her left eye, she quickly wiped it away.
“-expects me to..to do more, to be more excited, more ready and I'm too vulnerable for all of this right now” tears were falling freely now, Percy wrapped his arms around her, and she let him do it, sinking in his shirt. “Hades! I want this, I just- I didn't expect the baggage of insecurity and self-doubt to be this heavy”
He kissed her hair “I know” he mumbled “I feel it too…gods, I didn't have a father until I was 14, me being one feels like playing dress up”
Annabeth looked up at him “You should've told me you felt like that” she wasn't crying anymore, but her voice was small, he shrugged “yeah probably, I didn't want to worry you”, she pulled away “I havent been easy to talk to either..I don't know why I feel like this."
Silence fell between them, until he locked eyes with her again “we knew this wasnt gonna be easy” he told her “and dont you dare feel guilty for not being your true emotional self, you're three months pregnant, that's normal”
“I don’t expect us to be the best at this from the beginning, we- you need to accept that” he went on “and if someone’s wants us to do more than our best they can go fuck themselves”
“-we need to cut off on the cursing” she reminded him, he fought back a laugh, easing the tension in his voice “yeah, well..we still have six months to work on that” he sighed, and took her hands in his “The point is: you are enough. Don't let anyone tell you otherwise”
She hugged him and inhaled his scent once again, “I love you” she whispered in his ear, “love you both too” he shot back without missing a beat, Annabeth stiffened “both who- oh” she let out a breathy laugh “right” “still gotta get used to it” he hugged her tighter, feeling her swollen middle press into his, Annabeth buried he face in his neck..knowing that no matter what she would always have him to return to.