Seeing the blush creep over Ernie's face confused Theo a little; he wasn't sure if it was a good thing or not and he didn't know what he'd done to put it there, but he was pleased in the end that it didn't seem to be a bad reaction. He was relieved that his gift had been taken at all.
He supposed that Ernie had a point about the function of this part of the pub, but he sitll felt uncomfortable at the idea that he might be putting anyone else out for his own needs. He'd never looked out for them himself, largely because some part of him felt that he wasn't important enough to do so, and it was strange that someone else was doing so for him now. Mention of what had happened though dampened his mood a little, still concerned about the rats despite the fact that they seemed to be doing okay, turned a corner maybe.
"My employer is a very understanding man and I like working with animals." he said thoughtfully, the former more important than the latter in his case. "I was really lucky to get that position. I don't think I could do better, really, but then I don't really have any other plans." It didn't bode well that he could only live in the present, because it meant that he didn't have the strength yet to think about the future. "How about you? Did you find your niche at Janus Thickey or do you have other roads to travel?"