Work Text:
“Tavy, have you eaten anything today?” Percy shouted distantly from the kitchen.
“I don’t think so,” Octavian called back. “Why, what time is it?”
Percy appeared at the doorway to his boyfriend’s study, clicking his tongue softly. “It’s 2pm, love. You told me you were going to have lunch today.”
“Is that the time? Sorry dear, I got caught up with paperwork.”
Percy smiled wryly. “I thought you might, which is why I brought you something to eat. Catch.”
An apple came sailing through the air, which Octavian reached up to catch. It was shiny and looked ever so delicious. And then, like magic, a recent memory came to the forefront of his mind.
“Hey, Tavy?”
“Yes, Percy?”
“Does Ancient Rome have any proposal traditions?”
Octavian thought for a moment and waved a hand. “None that you’d be interested in. Far too formal and archaic for your tastes. Why?”
Percy shrugged, a light smile touching his lips. “Just curious. I was googling the ancient traditions the other day, and I actually saw somewhere that throwing an apple at someone in Ancient Greece was considered a marriage proposal. Isn’t that interesting?”
Octavian smiled back at his boyfriend, happy to indulge his arbitrary rambles the same way the son of Poseidon so often did for him. “That is quite interesting, dear. Is there any particular reason you were looking into this?”
Percy shrugged. “Nah, I was bored.”
“Fair enough.”
Octavian gaped at his boyfriend. “Did you just—you sneaky little—I knew there was a reason you told me about the tradition.”
Percy smirked, reaching into the top drawer of Octavian’s filing cabinet and pulling out a little box. “Yep. See, I can keep secrets if I need to.”
Percy walked closer to Octavian, using the moisture in the air to pull his chair out and turn it around until he faced Percy, who got to one knee in front of him.
“Lucius Octavius Bonifacio Vervecarianus,” he started. “When we first met, I didn’t leave the best impression. I was a stupid kid, who didn’t have any memories, and I bitched at you because you reminded me of someone I hated. But, as I got to know you, I saw past the asshole facade you like to put up, and what I saw was a pretty great guy. And, at some point, I fell for him. I don’t know why you deigned to spend any time with me after our rocky beginning, but I am so, so glad you did. So that being said, I think you know what I’m about to ask, but to make it official, visne me in matrimonium ducere, pulchra?” (i used google translate, so i’m not sure how accurate it is, but this apparently means “do you want to marry me, beautiful?)
Octavian let a grin spread across his face and he pulled Percy up from the floor to kiss him. “Sic.” (yes)
Percy smiled into the kiss and slid the ring onto Octavian’s finger.