Decline.

“If it’s drinking strange potions, I’m not so sure, sorry,” Dago said, staring at the bottle in Dom’s hand.

“It’s alright, I just need you to stick around while I take notes on the side effects,” he said, moving out from behind the cauldron.

“Take this a second,” he said, handing Dago the bottle.

Dom started to arrange papers with what seemed to have a checklist on it and put them on a clipboard. He then took the bottle back from Dago and swallowed the entire contents. He made a pleased noise and licked his lips, apparently it tasted good.

“Hopefully the side effects won’t take long to…,” he said, pausing for a moment, “Woah.”

“Are you okay?” Dago asked, raising an eyebrow.

Dom’s face was turning pink and his breathing started getting heavier. Dago couldn’t help but wonder if he had given himself an aphrodisiac or something else. That was a strange thing to ask Dago to stick around for, but Dom’s clearly aroused expression wasn’t inciting any complaints from Dago.

“T-that’s not good,” Dom said, picking up a pen. He immediately made a pitiful noise and dropped it.

Dago stooped to pick up Dom’s pen, confused at why he was acting so strange. Maybe it wasn’t an aphrodisiac, maybe it made his pain receptors go nuts. Dago placed the pen back on the clipboard and straightened himself up. Dom was nervously chewing on one of his lip rings, which was making his blush deepen.

“U-uhm, apparently the side-effects are still there,” Dom said nervously.

“What was that?” Dago asked, concerned.

“I was trying to make a Fruit of Life substitute, one that wouldn’t have all the weird side-effects!” Dom said, pulling at the sleeves of his hoodie, “It didn’t work, now… now…”

Dom looked like he was struggling with saying something else, but couldn’t spit it out. Dago didn’t know what the Fruit of Life was, but he had a pretty good guess at what the side-effects were.

“Do you just have to wait them out?” Dago asked, figuring it was a bad idea to lead Dom to a chair.

“No! I-I have to…,” Dom stuttered hopelessly, “Shit, I was so sure it would work, I didn’t think I’d have to ask this!”

Dom looked upset with himself, but Dago suddenly had a light bulb of an idea. He thought he understood, but wasn’t completely sure.