Ascending Argument

"Nils!" Aimee shouted up the stairwell, hearing the sound of her friend's footsteps rapidly ascending.

"Nils!" She screamed louder, her practiced voice echoing loudly up the stairs.

She stepped out into the open area, catching glimpses of Nils running several flights above her. Sighing, she braced and leaped, managing to cover a few sets of stairs, hauling herself over the railing. The chase lasted a few more flights, but Aimee's preternatural speed managed to eclipse Nils in short order. She reached out a hand to stop him, trying not to pull him off balance.

"Nils, stop. We've got to talk, and we're not done handling this."

Nils' heart was pounding as he climbed the stairs, but it wasn't from the exertion. All he could think about was the blinding pain of a hope that had been ripped away as swiftly as it had been found. He knew very well that he would be of no use to anyone now. They were right, saving the area was much more important, and yet...
He shook his head as he climbed. There was only one way he knew to deal with pain this intense. It would be a bit trickier now that Aimee had made sure he didn't have easy access, but if he could stomach it, he could at present walk right in to a store and take whatever he needed. He wasn't a thief, he'd leave payment on the counter.
His plans were interrupted by Aimee's sudden arrival. "I don't know that there's anything to talk about. You were right, I'm just not going to be able to deal with that and stay useful. You will do fine without me. Go, they need you down there." It was a perfectly reasonable point, and yet his hands shook and he couldn't quite meet her eyes. Despite his normal skill, he could not lie to Aimee, not after everything she'd done for him.

Aimee eyed Nils critically as he spoke, frowning in worry.

"Nils, who says you need to be useful? Maybe right now we just want you safe, and dealing. You don't have to do anything. There's a good chance you're right; maybe we can handle it without you. But I also know that you just took a big hit back there, and it'd be easy to backslide. I don't want to see you hurt yourself."

Nils sighed. "This... I can't deal with this." He wasn't sure whether he meant the dragon, or the loss of hope, or just existence in general. "Not right now. I don't want to get in the way. I should go home and check on Watson anyway. I can't imagine he's very happy with everyone-with this turn of events."
He swallowed. "Please just give me some time to... to compose myself."

Aimee leaned forward, ready to offer an instinctual hug, but, considering, she stopped herself. Instead, she raised her hand to touch Nils' shoulder, worried he'd shrug off even that.

"I know its hard. I do. And if you honestly cannot handle being here right now, I'll understand. But I need to know if you can be alone right now. We can call Ronnie if we have to, I know she won't mind."

Aimee paused, letting the statement hang for a moment before continuing.

"Nils, look me in the eye and tell me I can trust you not to drink after all of this."

Nils' shoulder twitched, as if to shrug her hand off. He sighed and shook his head, stopping the movement halfway through, instead placing his hand briefly on top of hers.
"I just don't know, Aimee." He admitted sheepishly. "I don't know what I'm going to do."

"Neither do we, roux, from moment to moment, usually. Well, maybe Constance."

Aimee squeezed Nils' shoulder, a half-smile playing across her lips.

"I'm not saying you have to deal with things right now. I'm just saying, don't be by yourself. Like I said, we can call Ronnie. Or ask Chad to go with. Hell, you can chill with the dwarves."

She paused again, as if it had taken her a moment to hear herself.

"Honestly, you can do whatever you want. I just want to make sure whatever it is is healthy for you. But health, and recovery, is ultimately your decision."

Nils shrugged. "I don't know. I really don't particularly want company right now. I need... I need to process. And maybe grieve?" He swallowed hard. "I'll go home, to Watson. You can have Esperanza check in on me, if you like. That might actually be a good idea."
He moved to continue up the stairs. "But right now, I need to be... not here."

"Ok, buddy. Be safe, that's all I ask."

She lowered her arm from his shoulder, pulling him into a quick, and somewhat bone-crunching, hug.

"You know I love you, right? We all do."

Nils returned the hug as warmly as he could manage while being squished. "I know, Aimee. And thank you."
He flashed her a tired smile. "I love you all too. Be safe out there."
With that, he proceeded up the stairs. His smile faded as soon as Aimee couldn't see his face, and when he was out of earshot as well as out of sight he paused and turned around. "I'm sorry." He added quietly before leaving.
He calmly mounted Solaris and took off, heading not for his apartment but for the nearest liquor store.