And Octavia followed along, quietly for the most part, content to gently swing their joined hands as they walked.

They were nearly there when she spoke again. "You know, I really didn't mean to make you feel like you weren't... using the right words, earlier," she said, her voice mild but more in a thoughtful way than anything else. "I was just thinking out loud about... choices."

She paused, just for a little bit.

"There's things about being here that make me do that."