Percabeth One-Shots

Good Like You

Prompt: Where Percy has doubts about being a father and picks up tips with the best in the business.
Third Person POV

Percy was on the floor, crying.
He sat against the living room wall, knees against his chest, hands pulling at his own hair in frustration as he waited for the phone to be answered.
"Hello?"
Percy sobbed.
"Percy? Is everything okay?" Paul's voice sounded slightly metallic due to the phone.
"Dad..." Percy's voice trembled. "What do I do? What do I do, Dad?"
"What do you mean? What do you do in what way, son?"
Percy let his head fall back, slamming it into the wall. "She wouldn't stop crying, I didn't know what to do. I feel like I never know what to do, it feels like I... I don't know, what if I can't do it? How do you always know what to do?"
There was a pause before the answer. "Percy, son, nobody always knows what they're doing, not even me. This parenting thing is hard. I made so many mistakes with you until I got it right, with Estelle I won't even comment." He laughed lightly. "I was a disaster at first, you need to learn, like I did, like your mother did, like Annabeth is."
"I feel that I will never be as good a father as you." The boy admitted. "I love her so much, Dad ... So much... I'm scared to death that I can't give her what you gave me, I'm scared that my daughter will grow up and feel for me everything I feel for Poseidon."
Paul sighed with a heart impossibly full of love. "Champ, you will never be Poseidon. That's a fact. You're doing so well. I..." The elder swallowed hard. "I'm so proud of you, my boy. For everything you do, every little thing.
It's not easy, buddy, I won't lie. But you can do it, and when you can't... that's when I do my part as your father. I will always be here to help you, son. Always, always.
You're a great dad, and you'll get better with time. You are caring, nurturing, loving, and absurdly in love with this baby. You are an amazing father."
Percy smiled for what seemed like the first time in months.
"I learned from the best."