"Sounds fair," he says. The equivalency is easy enough, a coffee for a coffee. Even with Marius, maybe even especially with Marius, Rat doesn't like to have to owe. It's in no small part because of Marius that Rat is considering the role. Marius works long hours and Rat has been endlessly picky, waiting for theater work that has yet to materialize.

"More of a stereotype," Rat says, stirring cream into his coffee. "To provide witty commentary on the main character's love life. Then I'm briefly suspected of theft. Really deep stuff."

Rat scoffs and takes a long drink of his coffee. "It's honestly sort of disgraceful. Aside from the suspicion of crime, you could replace the role with an amusing dog and the plot wouldn't suffer." The implication leaves a bad taste in his mouth. Rat hasn't got much by way of capital-p Pride when it comes to his sexuality, finding it simply to be an aspect of himself, but having his orientation made into an amusing bit for the audience bothers him deeply.