So, um. Since we're discussing this fic, my reading (once I went back to read it, armed with my New Knowledge, and leave another comment :) ) was that it wasn't actually (AU)Maximian who wrote that line, but Theodora and Fausta writing it for Maximian as their conspiratorial plot to get them together. (which I thought was AMAZING, btw.) I got the impression from your comment that this wasn't your reading?

But of course I suppose they were only writing what he was thinking anyway, which is why it worked! And it's a GREAT line either way, possibly my favorite too <3333