Unexpectedly Expecting (Previously Known As Unexpected)

12 - Percy

"Percy!" Annabeth calls from the nusery. "Can you come help me decide on a color?"

I get up off the couch and poke my head in. Annabeth stares at the far wall, paint samples painted all over it, varying in color from light pink to dark red.

I step up to the wall and stare at a light blue color. Not the greatest shade, (I should know) but perfect for the nursery. I point at it. "That one."

She stares at it. "Are you sure?"

"Yeah. It's a light calming color which should help when they sleep, and it's bright, and kids love bright colors."

She smiles. "I'll pick it up tomorrow."

I put a hand on her shoulder. "I think you mean I will pick it up tomorrow."

"Please, Percy, just let me do something for once. I'm not broken. I'm capable of running a few errands."

"But it's better for you to stay home. I don't want anything to happen to you, or the kids."

"At least let me go with you."

I sigh. I think for a moment, then bend down and kiss her forehead. "Okay."

She smiles. "Thank you, Percy."

"Sure."

I let go of her hand and let her figure out what else to do with the nursery. Magnus left yesterday, so that makes it a little easier for her. Good. She needs to go easy. She keeps pushing herself, trying to see how far she'll go, but I don't want her to hurt herself. It would break my heart.

I make myself a sandwich for lunch and Annabeth steps out of the nursery, a hand on her growing stomach. She grabs my sandwich out of my hand and takes a bite. "Feed the hungry."

I sigh. Not like I had much of a choice.

She leans against me from behind. "You okay?"

"What?"

"You seemed distant. I was just making sure you're okay."

I put my hand on top of hers, which is resting on my shoulder. "I'm okay."

She lays her chin on my shoulder, over our hands. She has to stand on her toes, even more now that her stomach gets in the way.

"I feel like I doubled in size over night," she says.

"You might've."

She closes her eyes. "I'm tired. I'm gonna take a nap."

"Call me if you need anything, okay?"

She nods and steps away from me. I hold onto her hand until she's too far away for me to reach and watch her dissappear into our bedroom.

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I put the paint cans on the carpet of the nursery and Annabeth hands me a brush. She's wearing a crappy old tank top so she doesn't ruin any of her nice clothes and I don't even have a shirt on. Just some old shorts.

She takes a can to her side of the nursery and I keep one at mine and we start painting.

"You're not getting on a ladder," I instruct.

"Don't need to. I got a 5 foot roller."

I smile. "Good."

She paints by the window on the far wall and I paint by the door. We both go to our rights and do the walls on those sides and have it done in an hour, us occasionally splashing each other with paint.

After we're done, she sits in the rocking chair in the center of the room. I built it early because her ADHD acts up really bad with her pregnancy, so now she can relax and sort of be moving and pushing herself at the same time.

"This is hard work," she says.

"Painting," I ask, "or carrying children?"

"How about both."

I chuckle and she smiles. "How would you feel if one day you woke up with a monstrous lump sticking out of your ribcage?"

I think. "Can't imagine it."

"Exactly."

I sigh. "I don't want this all to be on you. It's not fair."

"Hey," she stands up and stands in front of me. "It's not your fault."

I raise an eyebrow. "It's not?"

She laughs. "Okay, bad phrasing. I mean you didn't try to make me suffer, and that's what matters."

"You feel like you're suffering?" I ask, worriedly.

"When I'm hungry, yeah. And when I get morning sickness."

I smile. "Are you trying to tell me that you're hungry?"

"No. I'm trying to tell you that I want ice cream."

I turn and walk out of the room. "You could have just said that."

I open the freezer and take the ice cream out. I scoop some into a bowl and take it back to her in the nursery, but she fell asleep in the rocking chair. I smile and get her blanket off the couch and cover her with it before kissing her head and letting her sleep.