My moe levels are filled with buttercream

The world wasn't a kind and pleasant place in the slightest. He knew that without a shred of doubt. It was grimy, ugly, and he needed to protect those it threatened to eat alive with all of his being. Someone had to. The horrors out there, they only further motivated him, made the little happy things shine brighter. He held them close to his heart, and at his core, he was soft. Bitter armor, soft, soft insides.

"I mean, hey, we could do things later today if you want," Milo answered with a shrug. "I'll just need to go back to my dorm room to grab things… and maybe buy ingredients? Where are we going to work on this, by the way?" He gave her another hair ruffle. "Just an apron for you, probably, little one."

There was a kitchenette in Milo's dorm room, but that was small and only had so many uses. He'd always been good at making things work with limited options, but this wasn't just him here, it was a collaborative effort as well as a teaching one, he expected.

"Home economics sounds like the best bet," Milo decided easily. "Cafeteria as well as the dorm kitchens both seem too public and crowded."

"Nah. I've got more than enough of my allowance to spare, so I'll take care of it," the young man said with continued certainty. He was fairly conservative with his spending, which usually paid off in cases like this. He did stop to listen and raise an eyebrow at the weird cousin thing, though, curiosity getting the better of him.

He leaned in very slightly after looking to each side, going along with the childish faux-secrecy. Then, both eyebrows were up. "Well, that just seems… irrationally stubborn. What does he think this is, if not magic? Costume party? Hallucinations? A grand illusion by very skilled stage magicians? Or is it the 'it's actually science' argument, which really, who cares at this point about making that wording difference-"

He cut himself off and waved a hand. "I don't know why I'm offended. If he wants to be weird, well, his choice I s'pose. Long as he isn't going around insulting people."

"Are you free tomorrow, kiddo?"

Milo hummed, and dug his phone out of his pants pocket, which was cat paw cased as well as heavy with stickers and charms. He opened the school website, proceeding to check the class schedule in order to find a room that would be open long enough for them to work on things properly. And luckily, there was something after all. He gave a small sigh of relief and shared the details with Anh Sang- then moving back into random cousin gossip.

"Wow. That doesn't sound fun at all," Milo said, frowning. "But even if you couldn't see it, wouldn't everyone around you talking about magic all the time, as well as having family members who are so invested in it… that'd count for something, right? Maybe it's a curse."

He resisted the urge to further ramble, as, well. He didn't want to put too many ideas in his new baby sister's head that could be later repeated back to this weird person in question. Awkward situation all around. It was pretty rude, too, but Milo wasn't as concerned with that part.

"It's pretty weird," Milo agreed. "We probably shouldn't talk about him behind his back too much, though."

Milo, of course, took a moment to simply fawn over their mutually adorable phones before he could even attempt to calm himself down and move on. He lightly touched at the decorations, having seen things like this online, but never in person.

"I know, and it's okay, I'm not going to think bad of you for anything. You're a good kid, I can tell." A little angel, perfect for snuggles, sugar, and everything nice. "Magic things, you mean, or just in general? Since I'm sure the two of you could find something outside magic to bond over, especially with how charming you are. It can be made to work." He paused. "Did you grow up aware of all this?"