Annabeth needed Percy to hurry up or she would be doomed, the outcome of this situation could be highly disastrous if not handled correctly.
The monster's big eyes were trying to infiltrate her mind but she knew better, she wasn't a total beginner.
To be honest, it looked like it was going to devour her, so hungry did it seem but Annabeth had gotten used to this kind of stuff long ago, had enough experience.
She made the closest thing to her the weapon with which she would propitiate it, a spoon.
"Okay, I will now ram the spoon in your mouth, hopefully you likes carrot flavour", she said, ready to attack but Percy bursted into the flat just right then.
"Again, Annabeth?", he tilted his head a bit.
"Well actually, this is kind of adorable", he started to smile widely.
"Here, let me take over", he approached but Annabeth's face was like stone.
"I can do his, it's not the first time I'm doing this, you know that", she crossed her arms, the spoon was now on the table again.
"Well but it does seem to trouble you a lot, still", he was grinning now and also coming closer.
The thing started to cry out loud, making them both flinch but Percy caught himself quite fast and was soon at the kitchen counter.
"Also, stop saying 'it', Annabeth, you're talking about my sister here, not Arachne", her boyfriend took the spoon and smiled at the youngest person in the room.
"Hey Claire, lookie look, here is an airplaine. Brrrrrr", Percy imitated a plane, trying to feed her the baby food and other than when Annabeth had tried, Claire didn't scream but rather laughed before she ate her food.
"Good girl. You are such a cute little booger", Annabeth said in a wooden tone before huffing and turning around, ready to leave the room.
Children didn't like her at all, it seemed.
"Oh stop being all grumpy and blue, I mean blue is nice but not in this context. Seems like children aren't particularly your specialty, so what? You won't need to hold a toddler for your job", Percy looked at her all bewildered.
Annabeth was slowly loosing it. Percy just didn't understand what this was about. This wasn't just about babysitting or holding her boyfriend's sister, she had a lot of time to make the little one like her when she'd be a little bit older and easier to handle.
"I mean sure, maybe there will be the day where some colleague might ask if you could take care of their child but you are still in college, Annabeth, and you could just say no, it's no big deal, really", he carried on, feeding Claire, making faces at the unknowing child that gobbled down the porrdidge-like paste.
"Well one day I want this to be my job and I am scared I will be horrible at it", she said exasperated, her curls bouncing up and down as she spoke.
Her partner's face sobered and he took a bit before he responded to his love. "Annabeth... you will be an amazing mother, because when you truly love someone that someone is bound to love you back and whatever you set to your mind you can achieve and we still have so much time. I love you so much and I know you are going to be a great mother."
Claire was now silently eating from the spoon Percy was holding.
Annabeth was still upset. What would these years matter, if she couldn't do it now, how could she improve? This wasn't a weapon she could get accustomed to, this was a living thing, and having something so frail in her life, that she needed to take care of was so much harder than any studying and planning in the world.
"Percy, this is different. I don't know if I can do this and I mean it. I don't know how to work this out. I just... I just don't want to fail at holding my family together... again.", the girl let her head hang.
She heard Percy sigh and lay down the spoon.
"Annabeth, everything will be fine, I promise. And you won' have to do this alone. I might not be the most responsible person but I will always be there with you. I will always be there."
She forced herself to look at him, the person who had been making her feel alright all along. Her family.
"C'mere", he beckoned for her to come closer.
She did so and when she was close enough, Percy's arm snaked aorund her waist and he pecked her lips. He looked at her with a smile on his lips as his fingers explored her back.
"I love you, Wise Girl", he whispered against her cheek.
"And I love you, my Seaweed Brain", she smile, looking over Percy's shoulder, a big laugh in return from the little person behind them.
