The space between Koichi's departure and the full realization of what just happened couldn't have been more than a couple seconds. Yet the stunned stillness seemed to last a great deal longer than that to those caught in its thrall. An eternity, almost. It wasn't the fight that rattled them. It wasn't that Koji had been harsh nor that Koichi had kept secrets. These things happened all the time… weekly, if they thought about it. That was the nature of the beast, the nature of their elements. Light reveals and darkness conceals. Neither kindness nor morality factored into those behaviors, that was just what they did. Yes, the twins both had minds and intentions and a solid moral compass, but they also had instincts. And in the chaotic storm of uncertainty, it was inevitably those instincts that took the helm. For better or, in perhaps in this case, for worse, reason had very little to do with it. No, it wasn't the fight that had rattled them; it was the break. For the first time in there albeit rather limited experience, Koji had gone off the rail and Koichi hadn't just taken it. Their two paragons of self-control had faltered and that, more than anything, was reason for concern.

"Nice," said Takuya, breaking the moment by blowing air through his lips and putting his hands in his pockets. "Misdirected anger much?"

"Nobody asked you," snapped Koji, his balled fists tightening by his sides. Truthfully, he agreed with Takuya, and now that Koichi was gone, was starting to feel rather ashamed of the way he'd yelled at his brother. He did understand, in his way, his twin's need for privacy. He knew what it was like to have his life, his deepest flaws and most humiliating secrets, on display. Perhaps better than anyone else ever could, he empathized with that feeling of defenselessness. Of course, there was no way in hell he'd let the goggle-head know that.

"I hate to butt in on what is clearly a family issue," said Dorian gingerly, standing up to fix his shirt. "However, we all know that one shouldn't be alone right now. Regardless of what he may think, he's vulnerable."

"Tch," scoffed Koji, not really meaning it. "Like I care. If he wants to go get himself lobotomized by Tache's henchmen, that's his problem."

Izumi's jaw clenched, her back straightening and her heart chilling. Wordlessly, she took four long steps, coming around to face Koji straight on, cocked back one hand, and slapped him across his left cheek. The light twin was taken completely off guard and stumbled back at the force of the blow. His incredulous gaze swung up to meet hers, one hand cradling his stinging flesh.

"You're a real piece of work, you know that?" Izumi gave him the harshest, most disapproving look he'd ever received and, though her voice trembled, it left no room for argument. Koji wilted under her gaze, looking away and scowling. For a moment, she considered going on, but then decided against it. If he didn't know what she meant then he'd just have to figure it out, because she certainly wasn't telling him. She gave Koji one more glare, then turned and marched towards the door.

"Zumi," asked Takuya, trying to make himself small. He'd been the object of this particular fury before and really, really didn't want to do so again. "Where are you going?"

"Where do you think I'm going," she shot back, not looking at him. "I'm going after Koichi. And when I find him I'm gonna slap him too!"

"Wait." Somehow, without appearing to move at all, Dorian was between Izumi and the door, one hand extended as if that alone could stop her. The mocking grin was gone from his lips and there was nothing about his demeanor that suggested any arguments would be tolerated. "I don't mean to cause any offense, but do you really think that's a good idea?"

"Get out of my way," she snapped, unmoved. Her cheeks were flushed and her shoulders tight, like an angry cat preparing for the kill. And the more Dorian annoyed her, the less specific she felt about who that kill was going to be. He stood his ground, a frozen boulder against her raging gale.

"The more stressed that boy is, the more helpless he becomes to Tache, and right now he seems to be in the middle of a rather potent meltdown. You are very upset, and with good reason, but I think you can see how confronting him might be bad."

"Oh, and I suppose you're just the person to calm him down," scoffed Koji, staring pointedly at the wall right in front of him.

"I'm the calmest person in this building. Moreover, I'm not the direct cause of his anxieties; that honor rests solely with you, his friends. This is all clearly a personal matter and, in any other situation- well, in any other situation I wouldn't be involved in the first place. But I am involved, and ideally positions so that I don't have to care about his feelings. I have no problems keeping him in this building, by force if necessary, can you say the same?"

"He's right," Takuya interjected in a defeated voice. He maneuvered cautiously to Izumi's side, placing a calming hand on her shoulder as if with a little pressure he could balance out her passions. "We're too close to this. Dorian may not be the nicest guy around, but he's also not the one Koichi's running away from. If one of us goes after him now it'll be like we're chasing him and he'll just run faster."

"Typical," hissed Izumi, shrugging Takuya's hand off her shoulder and rounding on him. "So you're saying we should just pretend nothing's wrong, is that it?!"

"I'm saying," said Takuya in a very calm, very even voice. "That confronting him won't work. I'm saying we should give him a little space and let him come to us. Koichi's like a cat, you know? He's gotta do things his own way or he just shuts down."

Izumi snorted in disapproval, looking down at the ground. Her head jerked so fast that, for a moment, her golden hair seemed to float before settling around her shoulders. Takuya tilted his chin, trying to catch her eye, or maybe just her attention, but she skillfully avoided him, biting her lower lip. Dorian watched the exchange with keen interest and… a sort of sadness that escaped everyone's notice. His hand fell to his side and the tension went out of his shoulders, his blue eyes soft but unblinking.

"You guys really care about him, don't you?" It was a rhetorical question, which no one dignified with a response. "I remember what that was like…" he said, turning towards the door, his voice so low they might not have even caught his words. "You're going to wish you didn't."