Note: I seriously screwed up the chronology a LOT, so you can bust me for that, but before you do, let me just apologize. It was a just quick oneshot that I wrote late at night. This is a Brutus/Octavia oneshot and it was inspired by the-red-robyn's profile, where it says, "Wouldn't-it-be-funny-if-it-happened-ship: Octavia/Brutus." Oh, and sadly, I'm ignoring Porcia for this story as the series has ignored her for…well, forever. This is more of a "What if?" oneshot…more than something really serious. I could continue it, though, if popular demand…demanded it. XD

Something Unexpected

Brutus sighed. He had been waiting for his mother to come out for what seemed like ages. She told him that they would have lunch together that day; apparently she forgot, or else had better things to do. Whatever it was, Brutus was starting to become more and more annoyed. He didn't like waiting, especially for something that was promised to him, such as this lunch.

He got up from his place on the recliner and went to the table; he would have lunch anyway. Waiting for the slaves to serve the meal, he looked around the room, bored, and spotted someone at the door. It was a very beautiful looking Octavia. Her light brown hair was done up along with her makeup, and she was wearing fine red silk. He couldn't remember ever seeing her this gorgeous. As soon as he pushed that lingering thought from his mind, he started to wonder why she was there, in the middle of the day, dressed like that.

"Oh…hello, Brutus," Octavia timidly greeted him, a slight smile on her face.

He smiled. "Hello," he replied.

She just nodded and looked around the room, as if she were expecting something. He raised an eyebrow.

"Any particular reason why you're here?" he asked.

Octavia looked confused for a moment, and then understood what he was asking. "Oh, yes. I'm waiting for Servilia…"

Brutus nodded. "Well, I'm sorry to say that she seems to be gone for the moment…" he trailed off as the slaves brought in the food. "Care to join me?" he asked her.

Octavia smiled. "Oh, no, I'm sure that she'll be out in a slight moment," she answered, and then avoided his gaze.

He laughed. "If a slight moment means tomorrow," he told her sarcastically. "Come on, sit down," he motioned to the seat next to him. "I have plenty of food. "

Brutus himself didn't understand why he was pushing for this; he didn't know Octavia all that well. He told himself that it would be awkward if she just stood there for the next hour.

She sighed, leaned a little bit down to peek through the long corridor, and then straightened herself up. She nodded and smiled. "Thank you, I think I'll accept your offer."

She walked toward the table and took her seat next to Brutus. He smiled at her and she smiled back. They then started to eat.

Octavia took a bite of the food and then grinned. "This is delicious!"

Brutus laughed. "That's good. We have the best cooks in Rome as I always tell mother."

She smiled at him and then continued to eat quickly. "This is much better than the slop my mother insists we eat," she told him.

He stopped eating for a moment to look at her, and then said, "I'm glad you think so."

She stopped eating too to answer his stare. She smiled awkwardly at him, and then looked back at her food.

He kept watching her, smiling. "So, Octavia…" he started, but then didn't really know what he was going to ask.

"So, Brutus…" she answered, looking at him. A smile came to both their faces.

"How is your dear mother?" he asked, and her smile lessened.

"She's…fine…" Octavia trailed off. "The same as always, I'm afraid to say."

"Your mother always did seem a bit harsh on you," he answered, and she shook her head.

"No, it's not that, exactly…it's more…well, you're probably right. She likes to fool around with my life," Octavia grumbled.

Brutus smiled sympathetically. "I know how that is," he told her, and went back to eating.

"And with my brother, also. He just wants to read and study and she keeps pestering him to go out and 'become a man.' I swear, it's enough to drive you insane," she shook her head in disapproval. "She even hired a tutor in the 'manly arts' for him."

Brutus gave a small laugh. "Now if only I had one of those, I probably wouldn't have turned out the way I am."

Octavia shook her head. "I think you turned out perfectly fine. You're intelligent and handsome, and if my brother becomes like you he'll be better off than he already is." She blushed after realizing what she said.

Brutus smiled. "So you think I'm handsome?" he asked.

Octavia laughed nervously. "I didn't mean…you know…" she sighed.

"Of course I know what you meant," he smiled. "Don't worry about it. I was just teasing you."

She started to feel slightly more comfortable. "Well, you shouldn't. Tease me, I mean. I always take everything too seriously. At least, that's what my mother says."

He shrugged. "It's a virtue to be serious," he told her.

"If only my mother could see that," she smiled, glancing from Brutus to her food. "She wants me to remarry soon, you see. She says that I'm not taking life seriously enough and that only a well-rounded husband will fix that." She finished her statement with a long sigh.

"And you don't want to get married?" he asked.

She nodded. "Well…I'm not sure. I don't want to do it just because she tells me to."

"Didn't she arrange for your first marriage?" he asked unthinkingly.

Octavia didn't speak for a moment. "…Yes…" she said quietly. "Yes, she did indeed."

He didn't understand the tone in her voice. "Whatever happened to him?" he absentmindedly questioned her.

She didn't answer. Instead, she looked down to her lap, one hand on her arm, stroking it slowly.

Brutus started to have a nervous feeling that he said something wrong. "Octavia? Are you feeling well?"

She still didn't answer, and after she looked up. "I'm…I'm fine," she sniffed, and he noticed her wipe her eyes. "My first husband died," she said in a quick breath.

He could feel his stomach fall. "Oh. I'm so sorry to hear that."

She started to cry harder. "It's not your fault. I don't even know why I'm crying; it's been so long since I've last talked of him. I just…" A few tears streamed down her cheeks, and then she gave a small laugh. "I'm sorry, Brutus. I didn't mean to come in here and just start flooding all over the place."

He shook his head. "It's no problem. If there's anything I can do for you, tell me."

She couldn't stop crying. "Thank you…thank you very much, you're very kind."

He started to feel even worse. It was his fault she was even crying in the first place, and now she was thanking him for trying (and failing) to make it better.

For the next few minutes, they sat there and she cried. He sighed, and then turned to smile at her. She looked up at him and smiled back. He took her hand in his and started to speak.

"Octavia, everything will be alright. I know it. You're welcome here anytime, and if you ever need me, I'll be here for you," he said. He had no clue as to why he was saying all of this, but when she smiled, it made him feel better.

Her tears stopped coming down, and she gripped his hand. "Thank you."

There was a moment of silence before he leaned down and gave her a quick kiss. She looked back up at him, a surprised look on her face, and he had a horrified feeling. What had he done?

But before another thought like that could cross his mind, she took him into another kiss. This time they didn't stop as the kiss became deeper. He wrapped his arms around her and brought her to him as they continued their embrace.

It was minutes before they even considered taking a break, because both were breathing heavily by then.

They didn't have a chance to take a break. "Octavia?" they heard Servilia call from down the hall.

They quickly broke apart and looked away from each other. Octavia put her hand on her forehead, looking down at the floor and Brutus stood up from his chair, staring in the opposite direction.

"Octavia?" Servilia came into the room. Octavia looked up, smiling.

Servilia took one look at them and instantly a knowing look came to her eyes. "Hello, Octavia," she looked at Octavia, and then to Brutus. "Brutus," she smiled.

Octavia stood up, breathing heavily, and went over to Servilia. "Hello, Servilia," she greeted her, and then took one look back at Brutus. They quickly made eye contact, and then blushing, she looked away.

Brutus cleared his throat. "Mother, when we were waiting for you I invited Octavia to sit down for lunch," explained.

Servilia smiled, about to say something, but then simply nodded. "That was nice of you," she said.

"It was. It was very nice of him," Octavia speedily told her. "He was…very kind," she finished.

"I'm sure he was," Servilia said, looking between the two of them. "Well, Octavia, do you wish to start our weaving now?" she asked.

Octavia nodded, and then followed Servilia out of the room, taking one quick glance back at Brutus before leaving.

Brutus took a gigantic sigh before sitting back down in the chair. He ran his fingers through his hair, looking around the room again. Well, that meeting was something unexpected.