Bishop burst into laughter, the sound echoing through the room and breaking the tension that had settled over them. He doubled over slightly, one hand pressed against his stomach while the other waved dismissively in Nero's direction.
"I'm joking, I'm joking!" he managed between chuckles, his eyes gleaming with amusement. "Gods, you should have seen your face just now!"
Nero's grip on the vial tightened, his knuckles turning white. He stared at Bishop, his jaw clenched, unsure whether to feel relieved and laugh bitterly, or to punch him in the face. The older man straightened up, wiping a tear from the corner of his eye as his laughter gradually subsided into quiet chuckles.
"If the elixir doesn't work," Bishop said, his tone still light but more controlled now, "then nothing will happen to you besides maybe a stomach upset. At worst, you'll spend a few hours feeling nauseous. Nothing you haven't already dealt with, I'm sure."
