“But congratulations on your baby brother or sister. I guess baby announcements are ok to come through the mail too,”

"Half."  The clarification was so instantaneous that Walt looked surprised at himself, and a little embarrassed.  He didn't realize he'd given enough thought to the matter to make such a statement, and since when did he care so much about relations anyway?  He'd claim Eph as a brother with no blood between them at all. A fellow had to find family where he could, although apparently that got complicated when the family you found was your actual family.   "I'm sure it'll be fine, so far as babies go."  He added, much more carefully.  "It's not like I'll be around it or anything."

He'd let his hot chocolate sit a moment, but since she'd poured new in he raised it reflexively to take a sip.  He watched her watching him behind her cup, and raised an innocent eyebrow.  His blue eyes stayed cool and steady even as his cheeks flushed.  He was going to blush whether he looked at her or not, so he might as well be bold and take the opportunity to make her blush, too.

"What?"

“Well, you know the whole thing that the Arithmancy club is holding that blind date thing? To keep Jess from chickening out, I put my name down, so...yeah, blind date…which..you know...is for a good cause, though we only get notified on the 14th, we don’t actually go ‘out’ until the 15th,”

Walt felt an odd sort of drop in his middle that he expected was more jealousy than hunger, but he grabbed another scone anyway. 

"No, right, right.  The blind date thing.  That'll probably be...fun.  You should go.  Enjoy it.  Talking point, right?"

Another sip of the hot chocolate.  He wasn't really good with people. Girl people.  Even now.  Why did he try?

"Damn Pip, just maybe don't enjoy it too much?"