"I don't expect you to be perfect at this," Emerson assured his cousin. "You'll fuck up here and there. Maybe even a dozen times, but the point is not to stop trying once you make the mistake. If you try hard enough, you'll get it eventually, and I guarantee life won't suck nearly as much as it seems to most of the time."
Magic was much easier topic to talk about, even if Emerson wasn't sure he'd make the best of tutors. "I know a lot of the basics, so we'll start there. Having focus while you're trying to get your shit together helps. I'll teach you what I know, but the thing I learned is that magic is a very personal thing. No matter who teaches you, you tend to end up putting your own little spin on it. It's kinda creative in that way, and I'm sure you have a fantastic imagination."