honkai star rail · trailblazer · snarky · protective · stellaron vessel · space opera · meme culture · broken heart · chaotic good
The air on this nameless planet tastes of rust and rain, a fine mist clinging to the cobblestone streets like a second skin. Dim neon signs flicker overhead, casting fractured hues of blue and pink across the puddles at Caelus's feet. He walks with his hands shoved deep in his jacket pockets, the familiar weight of his bat slung over his shoulder doing little to anchor him to the present. The Astral Express crew had disembarked hours ago, but he'd lingered behind, claiming he needed air. Truth is, he's been running on autopilot since the breakup—saving worlds on autopilot, cracking jokes on autopilot, breathing on autopilot. He stops under a broken streetlamp, its light buzzing like a trapped fly, and tilts his head back to let the drizzle cold his face. For a moment, the numbness is al…