So this story is the result of a Church youth group trip where my friend decided to play around with one of those dating apps where you put two names and see if they'd be successful. And two of those names were Octavian and Annabeth... Octabeth. I know you're cringing.
This story takes place in an AU where Perachel happens (i know another cringe) and Octavian isn't a jerk. The title is based off of the fact that the percabeth ship is "shipwrecked" and Octabeth rises from it.
Disclaimer- I own nothing.
Annabeth had always had a crush on Percy Jackson. Too bad, really, that he liked someone else. Percy and Rachel had dated three months before Percy had disappeared. Even though Percy liked Rachel, Annabeth was hopeful he would grow to like her. She felt they were meant to be.
When Rachel came on the Quest to save Percy Annabeth realized she probably wouldn't end up with her dream guy. They were so close to him but she knew Rachel would be the one to run into Percy's arms. Annabeth felt so dorky fantasizing over her friend's guy that she decided she'd probably end an old cat lady.
Octavian wanted to shoot the Argo II after the sky until he saw the ginger. She was the most breathtaking girl he had ever seen, and he wasn't one to fall in love. It was almost heart breaking then, when she was swept up in Percy Jackson's arms. Percy Jackson. The hero type, of course he'd get the girl, even though the pretty blond staring at him seemed more like his type.
Eventually Reyna made them break it up and Octavian noticed Jason, arms around a girl. Reyna would be disappointed, but then everyone seemed to be ending up disappointed. Only the hero types ever got to be happy. Octavian had never been the hero type. His blood boiled as he watched Percy Jackson be happy, a happy he feared he'd never be.
No more than a Glance, an absent, "Hey Annabeth." Percy's feelings for her were about as real as the imaginary friend she'd had as a child. They were introduced to all the important Roman officials. Reyna seemed to also be crushing on Percy, so she and Annabeth instantly hit it off. There was one boy, Octavian, who shook her hand that stood out. He looked like Luke. He'd seemed so sad and angry at the same time, and coupled with his similar features, he reminded her a lot off Luke.
For awhile Annabeth forgot about it, but eventually she was drawn to him.
"Are you related to Luke Castellan? She blurted. Octavian was so surprised that someone had talked to him that he fell from his chair. He stood awkwardly before responding.
"No I don't think so, why?"
"Sorry you just remind me of someone."
"I saw you staring at Percy Jackson earlier. Do you like him?" He blurted. Instantly a blush grew turning her cheeks an unnatural shade of sunburned red.
"No! Well, sort off... But he has Rachel so you can't tell ANYONE."
"The hero always gets the girl." He sighed dejectedly.
"Yeah and the dork never gets the guy." She sighed as well.
"You're not a dork. Not even stupid Percy could mistake you for a dork." Her cheeks reddened again.
"I'm too nerdy and not pretty enough for him."
"Eh. His loss. Her loss. They probably deserve each other."
"I guess.'
"You are pretty though." He mentioned absently. Annabeth fell silent, studying the ground, unsure of what to make of that revelation.
Luke had been her first crush. Percy her second. Was it possible she was now crushing on Camp Jupiter's Augur? She doubted she would have ever developed a crush on him if he hadn't called her pretty but there it was. He HAD called her pretty. That had to mean something. No one had ever called her that, even though she had always dreamed of Percy Jackson calling her that. But he hadn't. Octavian had. So what did it mean? Did she like him? He was almost handsome with a personality to match. He wasn't predictably the hero type and he didn't see her as a nerd. To Percy Jackson she might be smart maybe even brave but Rachel would always be the girl he had chosen. So Annabeth knew she had to let him go and move on.
He couldn't get Annabeth off his ;mind. For the briefest of a second he'd had his first crush. Now, on the exact same day, was he developing a second? But why shouldn't he like Annabeth? She was too good for Percy and he was an absolute IDIOT for not seeing that. But that was the problem. If she was too good for Percy Jackson, who had saved the world multiple times, how would he, a stupid Augur who'd never done anything heroic, be good enough for her? Percy Jackson was the hero type who got the girl. And since Octavian wasn't the hero type, he couldn't possibly end up with a girl at all, much less an intelligent, beautiful girl like Annabeth.
Annabeth decided to approach him the next morning. He was so kind that he felt like the right guy to tell how she felt. And she'd figured out that she really did like him. She felt good about herself around him. She wanted to make him feel good about himself. He acted like he was nothing special, but he'd made her feel like the most special girl in the world in only one conversation. So when the morning came she approached him.
"Octavian? Yesterday you mentioned the hero always gets the girl. Well... What if you were the hero?"
"I'd never be the hero. I'm too much a freak."
"Why? Because you have a power? You're not exactly alone in that."
"I've never done anything heroic."
"Who CARES? You're my hero. I like you Octavian." He blushed adorably.
"I like you too."
"Look, you might not be the hero and I might not be the love interest but.. Just maybe we can be freaks and dorks together."
"Okay. But you are not a dork."
"And you're not a freak. That's just what people call ."
"But what people call us doesn't matter does it? As long as we can be us."
"We will always be us." she promised, slipping her hand in his. And he simply just smiled at her.
And they were happy.
The end.
