[ walking does help, she realizes. a kind of movement that gives her body something to do as her mind tries to work through the processes and the problems currently spilling out from her. and while there is still that lingering feeling of wanting something more, it's also...manageable.

will is alright. they're all alright. she takes another breath as they walk, noticing the distant others moving about the part. she's reminded of their uni days, of the academy, of what she had completely given up on seeing again. the reality of that sits heavily on her chest, before shaking it off - almost literally, by the way her head shakes back and forth. ]

I don't even know what I would do to change it, to be honest. I haven't thought about that in... [ months, she almost says, but the reality of where she's been for those months is too heavy to simply toss out, so jemma swallows. glances back to him. ]

You also look different. This is different. [ she's teasing, her voice a bit lighter, as she reaches up with where their hands are joined to rub the back of her hand against his cheek, along the scruff. when he looks back to her, there's a grin on her face, the link passing through a fond, playful kind of feeling. ] It's not bad.

[ except there is the link, again, betraying just how handsome she might think it is. ] Though I don't know if I took you as a scruff kind of guy.