“This tastes awful,” Kaiser grimaced, swirling the alcoholic beverage in his wine glass. The sharp tang of the liquid stung his senses, and with a flick of his wrist, he splashed it in Ness's direction, droplets hitting his face.

Ness flinched, wiping away the droplets with a small towel that was draped over his arm. “Sorry, we can stick to wine then,” he muttered, a nervous smile playing on his lips as he wiped his cheek. Despite the playful cruelty of Kaiser’s actions, he didn’t want to anger him. Not ever.

Kaiser leaned back in his chair, his expression unreadable. “You’re too soft, Ness,” he shot back, the corners of his mouth twitching into a smirk. “Always trying to please everyone. It’s pathetic.”