He enjoys the celebrations, it is a relieving time for him to be with them all.
The day after, he finds Kafka just outside his residence to wait for him to come out. She approaches him with her usual attitude. "Bladie...I noticed you are making new friends."
"Kafka. What are you planning?" Blade says seriously, with a husky voice.
"Relax, I have met Jing Yuan...I admit, you have tried, but that thing is likely not going to work on me. I'll have to keep looking. Still, I want to give you a little treat." She lets out a smirk, crossing her arms. "I heard you lost control over the mara."
"..." Blade's favorite line.
"Would you like me to keep it at bait for you?"
Blade looks away at the question, tightening his grip.
Kafka takes a step closer. "I'll handle it while I'm still here, Bladie, but you continue to help me too."


Hours later, he returns to the residence after a little trip and a Spirit Whisper session. He sits on the couch and shuts his eyes, resting for a moment.

He opens a portal to Earth. On the other side, they find themselves in some kind of empty base. Blade doesn't bother to explain and just leads the way. They are in UK and that's a Stellaron Hunters old base. "You can see if there are clothes of your liking. No one will be coming here for them." He is already wearing sweater and jeans, he just adds a leather coat and ties his hair.
He checks his phone to see how is his bank account. He clenches his fist. "...Kafka..."

It is not that he doesn't try to control himself and his issue, he keeps training hard to be able to have more focus, but it is something very complicated, when it comes to strong, sudden feelings. He has good control on average, unless a fight or something else happens, and he has to move his focus elsewhere.
He is having some training in the garden of his residence, without self harm nor anything that could trigger the mara. His belly is bandaged roughly and on top of his clothes, as he stabbed himself the night before and it is not completely healed yet.

He and Jing Yuan go to the inn only to find out Kafka has never set a foot in there. Her look is too unusual to pass unnoticed to the owners of the place. Blade makes more attempts to contact her, that are ignored; at some point, he calls Silver Wolf to try getting to Kafka through her, but fails too.
Meanwhile Qi goes to Shangque explaining exactly what he needs to find, also giving him a proper box where to keep the fruits once he finds them. It will take some days to say the least.

Blade can only head back to the palace with Jing Yuan. Once in his residence, he finds Haitien there.
Haitien approaches Blade, aiming to give him a kiss, but the other turns his head. He doesn't take Blade's move so well. ''What gives you all the right to treat me like this.''
Blade looks at him, not sure exactly what he means. ''...haven't you seen what I did...''
''I did. It was me to stop you.''
His words surprise him. ''Even so...I don't want to do it. You are only going to get hurt around me.''
Haitien narrows his eyes. ''What if I'm willing to take the risk?''
Blade shuts his eyes. ''Please...leave...''
Haitien approaches and places his hand on his cheek. ''I don't want to...'' He presses his lips against Blade's. The other shuts his eyes, not fighting it; Blade is desperate for any kind of affection. He leans his forehead against Haitien's, breathing deeply.

It is late evening and he is outside regardless the cold and the falling snow. He is sat on the stairs, ignoring the cold, like immune to it. He is lost in his thoughts, overwhelmed by everything that has been happening lately.

He is moved from the cell to a more comfortable residence. There are a few guards around, keeping an eye on him just in case. Blade is no prisoner, but he was asked to stay there until they find a solution for him. He can still be visited by his friends...and indeed Haitien is heading there right away.