Swiss went on a much needed walk after that cool down from his rut. Even so, that feeling didn't go away. He needed to have her. He wanted to please her. He wanted to take her on dates, he wanted her to cheer for him while he's on stage.

Mari ended up escaping from her room. She needed to be away from where she knew Rain was. She couldn't deny that she had been suppressing an urge for a long time. And it all almost came undone because of an accident. Even though she respected Rain's decision, she was still wanting.

And behold, they manage to bump into each other with thoughts of intimacy in their heads.

"Sorry-" Mari went to keep moving, but Swiss started talking.

"No, it's fine. Actually, I've been wanting to talk to you." Swiss touched her arm very lightly. And then he could smell her. He could smell Rain on her. He eyed her up and down, the clamped legs, flushed face, exposed horns. Rain had cracked her facade somehow.

He wanted to respect her space, but she was so tempting.

Swiss had her between the wall and his body, and she was looking soft and delectable.

"I've been feeling a certain way about you. Not just sexual I mean." He touched the wall by her hip, leaning in over her.

"What are you-"

"I'm not finished. I think I love you. And seeing how you're in need... I want to help take care of you. We could do it right here, in my room, your room, anywhere you want." Swiss was nearly panting at the thought. He was so close to having her.

"Mari-" Rain turned the corner and found her cornered by Swiss. He walked over and stared him down with a possessive glare. Swiss wanted so badly to challenge him. Swiss could win for her. Rain would kill for her.

"Rain!" Mari's scent, the one Swiss could drown in, either of the boys could, fluctuated when seeing Rain. She wanted him. And that was very clear to Swiss now. It was all in her face, her voice. Her whole demeanor changed, her shoulders, hell, her whole body relaxed when she caught sight of him.

Swiss withdrew from her space, not surprised anymore. Merely, staring at Mari, and then at Rain in a jealous way. His eyes squinted and his brows pinched together. Through the eyes of the mask, Rain could see his obvious contempt.

Mari moved quickly between them, not bothering to choose either side. In some way, she felt estranged from them both. Hesitant to confide in Rain because of her feelings and Swiss is clearly on the tail end of his cycle, which still means they all could be in real trouble.

And trouble it looked like.

Rain's demeanor changed, a presence and pressure turned him from the average ghoul, to a being of vigilant safeguarding. In this single change of the casual to the possessive, all senses were on high alert.

To Rain, Mari was in deep shit right then. A lustful ghoul cornered her. It doesn't matter who. Mari was in danger whether she knew it or not.

Swiss eyed his fellow ghoul. Tracing up his figure with a single flick of his eye, he quickly understood what and how he set Rain off. He knew how to do it again, how to get under his skin. Part of him wanted to provoke him. To see just how much he was willing to do for Mari. Was it more than Swiss could handle? Would he kill for her just like he would?

And Rain was tempted.

Swiss wasn't afraid of Rain. Not in the slightest. He wanted Rain to get him. He wanted Rain to try.

It felt like hours, just staring each other down. Waiting for the other to move.

Mari was definitely confused and upset.

That feeling of need only dialed up a few levels, call it excitement, adrenaline, or whatever, something about seeing two ghouls square each other up was very entertaining to say the least.

And then it set them off.
—————————————

Swiss was the first to move, at first he lunged for Mari, just to test the waters. He had no plan for what he'd do when he had her. Luckily, Rain was an unmovable force when defending that which he loves. He ended up pushing him hard enough to cave in a humans chest. And to Mari, it certainly sounded like something had broken.

Swiss scowled as he assessed his damage before blindly throwing a punch, a fairly solid punch, at Rain. The punch was direct to the ribs. Rain would've doubled over if he wasn't so pumped full of determination, hormones, and adrenaline.

Rain's returning blow was a little more forceful. And it almost broke Swiss's mask.

It was almost too far gone. This could go only a few ways. They beat each other to death, they cut the sexual tension and kiss, threeway, Swiss apologizes, Rain apologizes, or Mari breaks them up.

It definitely won't be the kiss or threeway option.

Swiss stared down Rain for a while before looking at Mari. He immediately regretted going out on a walk.

"Look, Rain, we've definitely had it rough the past few days. You're on edge, I'm on edge, let's call it here. I'll go to my room, you go to yours." Swiss dropped his defenses.

"You know you're still not allowed near Mari. I don't want it to be this way, but you've picked the wrong person to want during a cycle." Rain hissed back at Swiss.

"You finally staking a claim to her?" Swiss ran his fingers over his mask, checking its integrity.

Rain's breath faltered. He briefly looked to her, would she feel the same?

"Something like that." He said dryly.

"Then that's my cue to leave. I'll keep my distance."

Swiss pushed past the still shocked and upset ghoul with contemptuous thoughts brewing. And Rain sighed heavily and dropped the tough facade as soon as he was out of earshot.