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The room spun as Jounouchi pulled him into a vertical position, but he stayed up, leaning most of his weight into his shorter companion. 'K,' he responded absentmindedly, slowing shuffling along.

They had made it down two more flights of stairs, at an agonising pace, when suddenly they were confronted with a brick wall. 'Huh?' Seto sputtered in confusion. There had never been a wall in the middle of this staircase. Turning around he found another wall had magically materalised behind them, leaving them with little choice but to enter the eleventh floor door. A second staircase, that was going on the list too. This building was large enough to have two staircases. Although, that probably wouldn't halt magical walls. He had a feeling they were being forced into the elevator, and at this height he'd almost rather just hide on the eleventh floor until morning. 'What now?' he asked, afraid to make a decision. When terrible things befell them he at least wanted the consolation that he hadn't been the one to decide on their course of action.

((It's always hard pulling away from close friends, even if it's just a growing apart type deal. I actually have several friends going through that now which is a bit odd, maybe there is something in the water. And you also kind of expect the growing apart in the high school/university transition years, it really creeps up unexpectedly when it's after that though. And Nineteen is young but still an adult. Heck I'm 27 and my boyfriend is 21 so I hardly could say I wouldn't consider such a gap. He was 18 and I was 24 when we met. He's younger, but we just fit better than I do with most guys who are 'my' age. Because I had extended educational goals I'm not exactly in the same place as a lot of my peer group who kind of finished their undergrad and then went on to marriage and babies. He's pretty mature and we have a lot of the same life goals, so while if I think about it I feel old, generally I've never fit with anyone better. So I wouldn't let age stand in the way of at least meeting, if it never goes much further from there. Some of my friends in the most stable relationships are in age gaps of anywhere from 3 - 25 years. I probably wouldn't date a 25 year age difference, it's morbid, but I'd like to imagine I can spend most of my life with one persona, and obviously that's really unlikely. Outside of that though no reason not to give it a go if you really like someone. She's someone you know on a dating site rather than an old friend, so you aren't risking losing a friendship if a romantic relationship doesn't work out.))

Seto sighed, his headache significantly agitated by Jounouchi's jumbled tirade. 'Look, let's just try the elevator. If this thing wants to kill us it is going to kill us. The faster we get out of here the fewer opportunities it will have to do so,' he instructed decisively.

((Yea, I've had a few years where I felt really drifted from my good friends. We were still on great terms, and the few times we would hang out would always be great, it's just it really was a very few times. I still feel like that with some people, but my closest friends really are still people from high school. I've gotten closer with some again over the years. I think it's more settling into our different lives. So sometimes those transitional stages are just temporary.

Yea it was weird when he stopped 'being a teen', and also that he only just started growing facial hair a year ago. It's like 'ahh, noticeable aging into adulthood', but I guess we age all the time. Plus it's kind of nice that Tom and I were both pretty late bloomers, just six years apart. A lot of my friends when I met him were the same age as him as well (though he just had to go and be one of the youngest by being a summer birthday), because with only one class a week it was really hard to make friends with my peers on my masters at first (which was about 90% female as well), so I made friends with people around campus and at social groups. Being international meant I just lived in dorms as that was easiest when being new to a country. Most of the people on my postgrad course are older, not international, and thus lived with husbands, back home, or just generally not really near the university. So they only ever came in for there 1-2 lectures a week. But yea, I definitely approve of being friends first, and I was friends with Tom for about 6 months before either of us made any move in a romantic direction. But I also became friends with him knowing he was a guy I was attracted to and could be interested in pretty much from when I met him. So while I really liked him as a friend, I also didn't have this huge worry about messing up the friendship. I just wouldn't want to give up a really good friend if for some reason a romantic relationship went sour quick. However, the only good male friend I've had is gay (though I did like him for about 5 years before he realised he was gay, but never did anything about it for that whole not wanting to loose him as a friend thing), so I've never really personally been in a position to choose between 'keep them as a best friend' or 'try for something more.' But I always think about it because of the experiences of friends. As you said though, can't get ahead of yourself. Maybe you'll meet and right away decide that actually I'm just feeling a friendship, and maybe it will be a great friendship. No point in worrying about the age gap issue or anything else until you actually work up the nerve to say let's hang out offline.

Oh, was Jou the character you were afraid they'd never make? Either way he does look pretty cool, especially with his scape goat. Splurging once and awhile isn't so bad, especially for cool figures. razz ))

Seto did not feel reassured by Jounouchi simply accepting his decision. Just because they were possibly likely to die didn't mean crashing 11 flights to his death was the way he wanted to go. Still he let Jounouchi lead the way, and tried to remember to breathe as they waited for the elevator to slowly make it's way up from the ground floor when they hit the call button.

((Hopefully, never know where life will go.

Haha, I had the same, a lot of Mexicans in HS. One of the guys in my year all the parents thought was one of the teachers, obviously in his late 30s/early 40s - he looked like a clone of his father, so he probably still looks the same today. I've been quite attracted to people without knowing them, but haven't had much inclination to talk to them or get to know them. Usually too nervous when it's just attraction with nothing else. You can't really talk to someone about how you think they are sexually appealing. xd I've been pretty lucky to have no bad feelings break ups either. Haven't stayed in touch with all my exes, but have ended on good terms. Although Tom is the only go I've been in love with, so can't imagine it ending obviously, but that one might be hard to just 'be friendly' after. But again, not hoping for an after. I've had a lot of friends who've had very ugly relationships though, so I'm always aware of the possibility. Even when you know yourself well you can't always predict the actions and reactions of the other person.

I remember you were sure they wouldn't make Jounouchi, but he seemed a likely character to me so I'm glad that did prove to be the case. I guess keep a healthy amount of time between splurges and it should be okay. You have to get a Jounouchi though, Kaiba needs him. wink ))

Seto followed Jounouchi nervously into the elevator. The door closed and the confined box began it's journey at its normal slow pace. There was just one small problem, despite the fact that Jounouchi had clearly pressed the ground floor button the elevator was most definitely moving up.

((Glad you've met someone you are hitting it off with, hope that goes well either as just a friendship or as a romantic relationship. Glad the other figures aren't too tempting, and that you like the old Kaiba better than the new one as that'd be frustrating to feel, 'no, I should have waited for this one!' And of course that has to be the first thing you do. razz ))

Seto leaned back against the wall as Jounouchi began an intense battle with the floor buttons, after giving up on the ground floor he tried for the second, even the third. Anything to make the elevator move downward. The elevator, however, determinedly continued it's upward climb. The pace seemed unusually slow, they were being played with, tortured. It wasn't rational, but if Seto was going to die he was determined not to show fear. He donned a hard look, challenging the spirit, challenging death itself.

The elevator steadied on by the 17th floor, the cables suspending them creaked unnaturally and Seto was certain he heard one snap. Still the elevator maintained its slow climb as their carriage began to shake.

((Yea, especially if they haven't even bothered to make all of the characters (save for maybe the ultra minor) in a series.))

Seto was surprised Jounouchi had the presence of mind to try the call button, and out of business hours the phone was designed to dial out to authorities. Unsurprisingly the phone had been tampered with as well, as a clearly out of order static was all that could be heard. Still, he didn't stop Jounouchi trying to call for help. Perhaps there was still a chance they'd be heard, even if they were unable to hear a reply.

'Yes,' Seto answered hesitantly, looking up at the hatch, 'but what will we do once up there?'