"That's...part of it." Oh, lord. It'd be rude to laugh, particularly since he's not sure if the sound would be emerging based on some stunted obligation or simply out of pity. The latter would probably be worse. Jay's trying, he'll give him that. He always does try.

Keep talking. Keep talking, and maybe he can swallow that awful impulse to mock Jay for daring to engage in conversation. The guy finally sticks out his neck; Tim doesn't need to burn it for him.

"I mean, that's part of why I didn't really finish." No need to explain the other part. "I got kinda good at picking stuff up by ear, but a lot of theory got...complicated."