Honkai Star Rail - Isekai'd With A Stellaron Within

*edited stuff, again, on the 5th of December 2024. Basically, I'm still alive and kicking. I suggest everyone go back and reread chapter 23, where I did add a little thing to make the timeline work well with the new rooming situation and extra info we have. I just switched up some stuff, and now Mark's room is basically the training room (was the simplest fix I could come up with without having to edit the whole fic, so yeah. I guess it works low key, so we should be fine for a while. Now, I also decided to backtrack from the OCs arc (sorry, everyone, I just buried myself in too much work) and I'll continue with the normal storyline, at least for now. Again, sorry for that, and I hope I can make up for it. Peace out and Deus Vult* 

There he was, in the shower, surrounded by steam, smoldering in Black Swan's embrace like embers in the gentle breeze, clinging to life. She held on to him, trying to mold herself to his being, each muscle on his back touched by the softness of her chest. Mark expected her hands to go below, to try and do what he shouldn't give in, but instead she just held him. One of her palms went for the shower gel, which she poured on him in small drops before sliding it all over his body. His mind stopped. 

"What? Were you expecting something else?" she teased, chuckling softly against his ear. "I might be flirty most of the time, but I'm aware of some limits and what shouldn't be done. For now, however, you need genuine care, Mark." 

She washed him up slowly, running her hands through his hair, while he stood there, frozen in place, trying to calm down and let go of his thoughts, all of them. The sound of water trickling all around was comforting, like a beautiful satin veil of pristine white. She kept herself molded to him, walking all around to get every possible spot, yet her touch was rather casual. 

She slid around until they were face-to-face, and his eyes were darting down while the redness in his cheeks increased. She smiled, amused by the sight, but commented nothing on it. She allowed his curiosity a moment to fulfill itself, to see and search for whatever he wanted, all while she kept true to her word and took care of him. 

"Close your eyes," she said calmly, washing his hair after he obeyed her words. Her fingers moved carefully, massaging his scalp, taking care to wash all the grime that had accumulated. He was in a pretty worn state, despite having rested in between. 

She hummed along, cleaning him up. Soon enough, the shower was over. She turned off the water and made sure to dry the both of them up with the towel. Her clothing was a different issue, since it was related to how she wished to appear, and thus she was instantly dressed up in her usual clothing. 

"That's rather useful," said Mark, still in his natural costume. 

"It sure is, but it comes at the price of giving up your physical form." 

He nodded, looking in the mirror. The eyes that stared back were bleak, his usual expression worse by miles compared to what he had gotten used to. He leaned on the sink, feeling the cool material under his palms. His gaze moved to his shoulder, the pieces of metal sunken inside his skin reminding him of scenes he'd rather forget, both good and bad. 

Black Swan made him snap back to reality by running her hand on his jawline, feeling the prickling hair that had grown over his face. 

"We need to take this off, you know? You look better without it." 

He sighed, looking around for a razor, snatching one from Welt's stack of unused stuff, grabbing his shaving foam as well. Black Swan took it from him, earning herself a sidelong glance from Mark, who just stood there with his lips pursed as she smeared it wherever needed. She took the blade as well, tilting his head on all sides as she carefully shaved his face. 

The experience itself was rather relaxing, since he loved being pampered, and so he stood there without moving. She was extremely attentive, going through the entire thing. 

"There we go," she beamed at him, shooting a warm smile at his now clean face. "The last thing needed is a haircut, since your hair is growing a little out of hand." 

He ran a hand through the still wet strands before washing his face clean of the remaining foam. He admired himself in the mirror for a bit, staring at his features, yet the hints of fatigue were visible and rather accentuated compared to his usual. 

She held his chin, nuzzling her cheek against his while staring in the mirror. 

"Yes, you're one handsome young man, alright?" 

He sighed, his gaze glued to itself, a silent challenge to none other than him. 

"It's fine. Go rest now, Mark. You'll be fine. I've seen plenty of things happen before, and you're on the good track, so don't worry. It will be fine." 

She slowly let go and made herself unseen, which prompted him to just move and go to his room, despite how strange the whole interaction had felt. It was wholesome, in a way, but at the same time he didn't know exactly what to make of it. She wanted his memories, that much he knew, so perhaps he could indulge her a little. 

His steps were quick and soft as he dashed to his room, covered by a towel. Inside, the door lock clicked before he put on some briefs. In one motion, he jumped on the bed, speaking out as if aware that a certain woman was watching over. 

"Black Swan, make yourself seen for a bit," he requested, fiddling with his thoughts. Of course, as expected, she simply appeared on the side of the bed, looking him over as her fingers traced his skin. 

"Yes, Mark. Is there something on your mind?" 

He closed his eyes, feeling how the air left his lungs in one heavy, drawn-out sigh that eased his being. 

"You know... I guess I could give you one of my memories, perhaps a little moment from my life, just something simple that became a building block, pun intended, in my life." 

Her face betrayed a hint of excitement and surprise, the offer unseen by her in the near future. Still, it was there, the tantalizing cheese piece of a mouse trap—without the trap in this case, yet she did think it a little fishy. 

"You won't try to scare me with something in your mind again, right?" 

A hearty chuckle left his lungs as he shook his head, focusing instead on the memory. 

"No, I won't. It's just a tiny moment that did play a huge role in my life. Come on, I'll try to bring it forth." 

No questions were asked, as she just settled down by his side, clinging to him for no practical reason other than wanting to. She pressed her forehead to his, despite the gesture being unnecessary, and thus she found herself within the constraints of his mind. The burning being that represented his mental image tossed something her way, and it was exactly the thing she wanted. 

Her vision was blinded before the scene appeared in front of her. The scene was unexpectedly tame, just a little boy sitting on a chair, staring at a screen while sitting at his desk. She circled around, looking at the tiny features on his face. Joyous eyes sparkling with life were fixed on the screen, his short hair and little stature making the boy adorable. She turned her gaze to the screen, watching the game play out, looking at the cubes that he was so eagerly placing around, building something that perhaps even he had no proper plan for. Indeed, it just kept going, with more and more blocks stacking together. 

The simple scene, however, ignited something inside of her. There was something strangely addicting about his memories themselves, like a flavor nonexistent in the entire universe. She couldn't explain it, but she found herself wanting more, and so, after taking in the memory he had willingly given up, she chose to dive deeper, to try and slip through his defenses in that moment. 

She slipped out from that memory, leaving behind the joyous kid to his devices. Driven by the mad desire for more, she kept moving to the deeper parts of his mind, the ones that weren't protected, seeking something not even she knew of. There, thought lingered, and she latched on to the first interesting one she'd found, a mix of grief and pain that was rather inexplicable if not for the death of someone dear. 

Mark did realize what was going on, and so he quickly moved to push her out of his mind by increasing the heat of the Fire of Will inside of him, flaring it up to insane levels. Still, she did manage to sneak a peek, catching sight of a battle, one with flames that stretched out like limbs, twisting and curling against one another as a woman clad in red armor fell to the ground, broadsword held high, while a white-haired girl watched it unfold. 

She opened her eyes to an annoyed Mark by her side, cold sweat trickling down her forehead, a sign that his way of pushing her out had worked, and she retreated at once, fueled by pure instinct. 

"So, you did want to sneak a peek, right?" he asked blankly, to which she simply stared into his eyes, licking her lips subtly, a gesture she didn't even notice. 

"I must admit that, while simple, the memory was... addictive. I find myself wanting more, so how about you spoil a beautiful lady for a chance?" 

Mark shook his head, not really on the same page as her. He did cling heavily to his memories, and unraveling himself, even if in tiny bits, was just something that he disliked doing with people that weren't close to him to the utmost degree. 

"Maybe, but not today. You got your share; make do with it," he mumbled, trying to relax once more. Still, restless, she clung to him more, rubbing slightly against him. 

"Come on, you can't do this to me, Mark. Your memories are even better than I thought, like they're out of this world. It's unlike anything I've come across. Please, just one more taste." 

He found himself stuck in a rather weird predicament, where part of him wished to lie there while another part was close to kicking her off the bed and dashing out. Still, he let out a heavy sigh, speaking bluntly. 

"No means no. Learn some restraint, lady. Got it?" 

She pouted slightly, straddling him, trying to just get a reaction out of him—other than a physical one that was already visible. 

"Mark, you can't do this to me. Come on, one more, just for the taste. I did catch another one, but I couldn't enjoy it properly since you so coldly decided to threaten my existence." 

He was partially flustered and borderline annoyed, berating himself for even having offered that one memory, since he'd found himself with an addict on his hands, ready to do whatever to get the object of her desire. 

"Get off... now. I just want to sleep in peace, alright?" 

Black Swan was nowhere near accepting that answer, but she did cling to what reason was left inside and got off him, settling herself down by his side. Quietly, in that flicker of soberness, she once again took note of the fatigue in his eyes, of the weight that he silently carried by himself. 

"I'm sorry," she whispered softly, clinging to him again, only this time to provide some comfort. His memories could wait; her desires could wait; it was simply time for him to rest, to find solace. What good would it be if he broke on the go? Perhaps for herself, and for the entire world, she had to try and ensure that, in the brief moment that their paths interlocked, he would be pushed back on the right path, supported on the treacherous journey that he's chosen for himself. 

"It's fine, just... I want to sleep," he whispered back, and with a gentle move, she pulled his head against her chest, making sure to cover them both with the blanket. 

"Where did that joy you had back then go?" she asked softly, running her fingers through his hair. 

The cogs in his mind spun, attempting for the millionth time to get the answer that he himself had sought over and over on the loneliest nights. At least, in that moment, loneliness was a faraway thought. 

"I don't know..." he admitted, the words familiar, a simple answer he'd offered himself time and time again. "It left me long ago, before I could even notice. Now, I'm here..." 

The words, albeit not what she'd liked, were a brief mirror into the actual person underneath the stoic mask, a brief look at the man that was covered in a coarse, hard surface. It was no more than a mask; that much anyone could tell. 

"It'll be alright. Step by step, you will find yourself anew. It's a part of life, to lose and gain. Nothing is forever, but that applies to both good and bad. It's a matter of time and effort. Keep going, alright?" 

Heavy like never before, his eyelids collapsed, pulling him with each passing beat of his heart into a deep, fulfilling slumber. The words were familiar, a lie he'd told himself so many times, and yet... a lie could become truth if enough effort goes into it. The path wasn't as bleak as he thought, with issues being solved in due time. Hatred, anger, frustration—all of them emotions bottled deep within his heart... they would fade. It's about letting go truly, about striking them head-on and sending them flying. Yet, it remained a matter for another day. 

His breath evened out, falling close to silence as Black Swan kept him close, fighting back every fiber of her being that wanted to pounce on him and rummage through his memories. It was difficult, especially thanks to their strange addictive nature. She could only imagine what chaos he could cause in the midst of one too many Memokeepers. 

"What a silly boy," she mused with a silky smile on her lips. "He's young, thinking himself a man already, yet he's not even out of his teens properly."