Demigod x Reader // PJO HOO Reader Inserts // PJO HOO Imagines And Preferences

L | Octavian x Reader

For @Bob_Says_Hello_Stars

Request: Can you do an Octavian one where, the reader gets pushed into the river by Percy and Octavian has to save the reader?

I'm sorry I kind of made Percy a bad guy here.

Your POV:

You walked along the river, trailing a stick along the surface. You had had yet another horrible day, with no news of where your best friend (A/N: or brother, depending on your GP) Jason had disappeared to. Not to mention the new kid Percy Jackson had totally demolished your Cohort in the War Games.

You kicked the gravel like some cliched kids, stabbing the river with your stick. You hated not being the best, and being bested. With a burst of strength, you hurled the stick across the water, all the way onto the opposite bank, before crouching by the bank, your mind whirling like the water beside you.

You were so absorbed in your thoughts that you didn't hear someone crunching the gravel as they strode towards you.

You gave a sharp cry as you felt a firm grip on your shoulder, then lifted you into the air. You twisted frantically, then froze in shock when you saw Percy Jackson.

"Look, new kid, I don't know what in the name of Rome is wrong with you, but don't you dare touch me," yoy snarled.

The newbie ignored you and lifted you higher in the air, gripping your collar. "I know you saw how Gwen got hurt. I know it was you or someone from your Cohort, so forgive me if I'm a little angry," Percy hissed back.

"Good gods, you idjit, did someone hit you on the head?" You said, trying to pry his hands from your collar. "No one sane would insinuate that a member of the legion would deliberately fatally injure one of their own!"

"Oh, shut up!" Percy shook you. "There's something wrong with you people in the First Cohort!"

With a glare, he threw you into the river and stormed off.

You struggled up to the surface, furious. How dare that piece of scum do that.

You tried to swim back to the shore, but this wasn't any river. It was the not so Little Tiber. Swimming in the Tiber was like climbing Everest without supplies.

You were swept under by the current, but you clawed your back to the surface and did the one thing you hated the most.

You screamed for help.

Octavian's POV
He was sitting in his barracks, arranging his knives and teddy bears, when he heard a faint scream. Not just any scream, but your scream.

Some might wonder how it was possible, but Octavian and Jason were both your best friends. To Octavian you were his only friend.

And he knew that you were in trouble.

Octavian dropped the teddy bear and slipped a knife into his toga. Following the sound of your scream, he ran to the edge of the river and saw you desperately struggling towards the shore.

Terror coursed through him, causing him to freeze momentarily. Not a second later, he was in action. He slipped his toga off, then yanked off his shirt and belt (the knives are a safety hazard).

He dove into the water, swimming with fast, powerful stroke. Many didn't know it, but Octavian was a brilliant swimmer. Which was how he managed to reach you before you began to sink.

He took hold of your shoulder, pulling you with him so that you drifted through the water as he swum.

With long, steady strokes, Octavian managed to pull you towards the shore.

You collapsed onto the gravel, lying on your back as you caught your breath. Octavian stood, bent over, hands on his knees as he panted.

"Thanks for saving me, Tav," you said when you managed to string your sentence together. Your teeth chattered with cold and shock, but the words managed to come out.

Octavian looked at you, noticing you shivering. He picked up his toga and wrapped it around you.

"You shouldn't have needed saving," Octavian said. "How'd you end up in there?"

You looked sourly at the rushing water. "The Jackson boy, piece of schist that he is, threw me in," you replied, anger evident.

Octavian basically radiated anger. "What should his punishment be? Weasels in a sack or cleaning out the stables?" He replied jokingly, anger lying under his comment, though he tried to make light of the situation.

You looked at him and he shook his head. "Right. Sorry. I'll shut up now," he said, causing you to laugh.

There was a silence. Not an awkward silence, but one of quiet companionship.

"I'm never going to let him get away with trying to kill you," Octavian said, breaking the silence.

You smiled. "That's my boy," you said, laughing gently. You scooted closer to him, then pulled him into a hug. "Thank you, Tav, for being my knight in shining armor," you said.

Octavian put a hand on the back of your head and hugged you tightly. "You would have done it for me," he said matter-of-factly.

He was smiling when you pulled away.

Octavian hardly smiled, but when he did, it completely transformed his face. Combined with the droplets of water on his lashes and the dampness of his hair, he looked like a carefully crafted statue.

Octavian's smile slipped slightly as he looked down at his hands. "Y/N, when I saw you in the water, I felt fear like I've never felt before. Seeing you in danger made me so scared, and so angry at myself that I wasn't there to prevent it from happening. And it made me realise that I care about you more than I should."

His blue eyes glistened as he looked at you, taking in your eyes, your lips, your face. Thinking about how if he had been slower, they might all be gone.

You bit your lip and twisted the ring on your finger. "When I was in the water, I was terrified. Not many things scare me, and I didn't understand why I was so scared at first, since dying happens all the time in the Legion. But then I realised that I would never be able to see you, or thank you, or say my farewell to you. And I was so close to giving up when you reached me. And I'm so glad it was you that got to me. Because in the water, I realised that I wouldn't want it to be anyone but you saving me."

You reached out and wiped a tear from Octavian's cheek, disregarding your own unshed tears blurring your vision.

He held your hand to his cheek before you could pull it away.

"You're the first person that's ever made me feel like this," he whispered.

His hand brushed across your cheek before tucking your hair behind your ear.

He leaned down, his mouth slanting over yours hesitantly. His lips settled over yours, and you let out a small gasp as his hand moved to your waist.

Your arms wrapped themselves around his neck on their own, pulling you towards him, closer.

He broke the kiss, gasping. "My heart is pounding," he whispered."

You put your hand on the skin above his heart. "I can feel it," you whispered back.

He shivered at your touch. He kissed you again, briefly, gently.

"Thank you," he said, his forehead pressed against yours, his breath on your lips.

"For what?" You asked.

"For letting my first kiss be the most beautiful thing I've ever felt," he replied.

Sorry for the writing this so late! This was super cheesy and I had no idea where I was going with this, and I ended it off really badly, but I hope you enjoyed it anyways!

I feel like this could explain why Octavian hates Percy so much.

NG