"Thanks." It comes out bitter, and it's only half-acting.

Fine. Fine. He'll have to give this up and see what happens. If it goes south, then he'll come up with something else.

"Look, Tim, exactly what kind of favor did our Secret Santa pu--?" Something catches in his throat, and his efforts to suppress a cough fail miserably. He doubles over, dry coughs scraping across his disused throat.