He froze mid-gasp. He couldn't let Lucrecia worry, especially not when she already had enough to worry about. He put on the biggest grin he could muster, pushed himself off the ground, and sat up with one hand grasping the clothes on his chest.

"Nothin', must have swallowed my food before properly chewin' on it. You know how bad that is for you, right? Well, guess I forgot all about that and--" He flinched and doubled over. "Sorry, still in my pipe."

The heavy sweating was an instant indicator of his lies.