Cox sighed, a whimper as the other might hear it as he rolled onto his back and lifted his hands to his eyes, rubbing his palms over them. After a few passes he stopped, hands still glued to his face as he lay unmoving.

Maybe, just maybe if he pretended himself to be broken then happy-go-goosey would react similar to another idiot Cox knew and get so confused that he'd shut off again. There was just enough of a chance for that to happen that Cox was willing to part with a few of his precious breaths by holding them in.