It wasn't like Theo to be so unobservant as to not notice Ernie had already arrived, but then he was tired and his mind was on both the anxiety of this meeting and the significance of the day itself. He hated his birthday; it had never been a particularly good day for him when he'd been a child as his dad had been particularly vicious on holidays and birthdays. His turning 24 went quietly and unmentioned and as far as he was concerned it was just another day, regardless of what his therapist tried to say.
"Hey." He responded and smiled when Ernie sat beside him though, seeing the blond somehow lifting his spirits. "I've not lost any of the animals yet, and the rats are still holding on even though I had to separate them." he shrugged. "So far so good? How was your day?" He asked, passing the book he'd brought over with no fanfare.