Jay hears Tim set the cup down and reaches blindly for it, eyes still on the food. He grabs it, pulls it to his lips, tries to breathe for a second before taking a sip--

--and gags, throat burning. He clenches his jaw through it, tries to breathe through his nose. His face is hot. Distantly, he wonders whether it's the nausea or the fact that he's being watched.

Failed step one.

He has to keep this down, though. Given the way this place looks, given what Tim's told him so far, he can't afford to waste food. Beyond that, it'd make him a pretty shitty guest. He likes to think his mom taught him a thing or two about hospitality.

He pulls the cup up to his lips, wrenches his jaw open, and tries to take a sip. It stays down.