Gentle was just fine. Octavia's hand came up to cup his cheek like she was asking him to linger in the kiss for a moment. Because that was what she wanted, a moment to balance out the very first one after she'd woken up, struggling to breathe and unsure of where she was.

Her heart beat steadily right now, and she knew where she was. She was right here, on the Cape Rouge, kissing her flapkrasha, her jaka, her Duke kom Floukru.

That urge from earlier was also finally starting to take form, in the back of her mind.