[Despite the terrible-sounding coughs, Kratos's pulse sounds strong, if quick. There's no indication of trouble there. He does stir at the cool touch, his eyes slitting open and glittering feverishly. He's breathing through his mouth, sounding as though he has a ton of cement in his sinuses.

[Then his eyes close again, and he goes back to lying there, semi-aware and just waiting out the seconds of misery.

[At some point or other, his breath catches in his throat and he goes suddenly from congested stillness to an eruption of wet-sounding coughs. He has to lift himself up on his elbows to find the air, bending inward on himself, his whole body wracking. By the time they ease he can't help but let out a little whimper of pain when he swallows, still half-raised, and trembling.]