[Compared to the almost monochrome colors of Bete Noire, this city was practically exploding in lights and sounds and colors. It was too much for someone who'd avoided most civilization for so long. At least until recently, and even then, he'd kept to himself and a choice few.
Here, there was so much life, it almost hurt to be so thoroughly surrounded in it. But he stayed. It hurt, but he needed it, needed to see people being people and going about there lives, most so different than the one he knew. It was comforting, even while it was too much.]
[He wandered through the market, curious about the various things that supposedly had magical and spiritual properties. One of them professed to ward off evil and he considered it long enough, he wouldn't have been surprised if the shop-owner thought he was going to steal it. It wasn't as though he looked like the most upstanding person, he still had the rough appearance he'd shown up with. He could probably very easily be mistaken for his counterpart who'd spent years in Azkaban at this point.
His heart panged at the thought, the loss of that comforting presence of 'himself' still sharp at the edges. He shouldn't have come to lean so heavily on him. Sirius dropped the trinket and turned away quickly, barely noticing in time as someone had walked right behind him.
Whether they made contact or not, Sirius still flinched away violently and ducked his head as though it was important the person didn't see him well enough.]
Sorry..
---Dog!---
[From then on, he changed tactics. An overly large black dog made it's way through the city streets a lot easier than the man had done. This was more comfortable, no one paid much attention to a stray wandering around.
Which also meant tracking down the source of those lovely food smells was easier. There was food on the ships, sure, but not stuff this rich. And sometimes dogs just needed a treat. He crept up tot he stall, low to the ground, and lay in wait for the perfect opportunity to stretch up and snatch one of the strips of cooked meat near the edge.]
Zip...lining? [He could practically feel the adrenaline just watching as people strapped themselves in and careened down what looked to be a flimsy line. There was no way this was a hundred percent safe...and an old, nearly lost, part of him wanted to try it just for that reason. Oh, a younger Sirius would have been there in a second! He'd be so ready for the rush the experience would give.
Older and changed, this Sirius had second thoughts. But it didn't stop him from watching every single person, toeing perhaps a bit too close to the ravine than might be considered safe just to be able to catch sight of the rider's face as they took that step into the abyss.]
Planetarium [Despite the excitement and activity he surrounded himself in, Sirius still preferred the quite and safety of solitude. No one around meant no one could sneak up on him, hunt him down, threaten the precious secret he would keep to his dying day. He was better off alone, even in this world where, reasonably, no one was or ever would be after him. Not for that. But half a decade of paranoia and caution wasn't easy to break, so he sought those places with calm and solitude.
What better than among the stars?
He stood, staring up at the projected lights in the chilly planetarium. He couldn't find the dog or lion constellations he'd memorized a lifetime ago, further proof he was nowhere near home. But after a while, he found himself drawing pictures between the stars nonetheless, making variations of the ones he knew from what he saw with a tiny smile pulling at his lips. What he wouldn't give to have one of his friends there right now to help make ridiculous stories and creatures from the pinpoints of light. Merlin, he missed them.
Sirius Black (AU) + CRAU
---Person!---
[Compared to the almost monochrome colors of Bete Noire, this city was practically exploding in lights and sounds and colors. It was too much for someone who'd avoided most civilization for so long. At least until recently, and even then, he'd kept to himself and a choice few.
Here, there was so much life, it almost hurt to be so thoroughly surrounded in it. But he stayed. It hurt, but he needed it, needed to see people being people and going about there lives, most so different than the one he knew. It was comforting, even while it was too much.]
[He wandered through the market, curious about the various things that supposedly had magical and spiritual properties. One of them professed to ward off evil and he considered it long enough, he wouldn't have been surprised if the shop-owner thought he was going to steal it. It wasn't as though he looked like the most upstanding person, he still had the rough appearance he'd shown up with. He could probably very easily be mistaken for his counterpart who'd spent years in Azkaban at this point.
His heart panged at the thought, the loss of that comforting presence of 'himself' still sharp at the edges. He shouldn't have come to lean so heavily on him. Sirius dropped the trinket and turned away quickly, barely noticing in time as someone had walked right behind him.
Whether they made contact or not, Sirius still flinched away violently and ducked his head as though it was important the person didn't see him well enough.]
Sorry..
---Dog!---
[From then on, he changed tactics. An overly large black dog made it's way through the city streets a lot easier than the man had done. This was more comfortable, no one paid much attention to a stray wandering around.
Which also meant tracking down the source of those lovely food smells was easier. There was food on the ships, sure, but not stuff this rich. And sometimes dogs just needed a treat. He crept up tot he stall, low to the ground, and lay in wait for the perfect opportunity to stretch up and snatch one of the strips of cooked meat near the edge.]
Zip...lining?
[He could practically feel the adrenaline just watching as people strapped themselves in and careened down what looked to be a flimsy line. There was no way this was a hundred percent safe...and an old, nearly lost, part of him wanted to try it just for that reason. Oh, a younger Sirius would have been there in a second! He'd be so ready for the rush the experience would give.
Older and changed, this Sirius had second thoughts. But it didn't stop him from watching every single person, toeing perhaps a bit too close to the ravine than might be considered safe just to be able to catch sight of the rider's face as they took that step into the abyss.]
Planetarium
[Despite the excitement and activity he surrounded himself in, Sirius still preferred the quite and safety of solitude. No one around meant no one could sneak up on him, hunt him down, threaten the precious secret he would keep to his dying day. He was better off alone, even in this world where, reasonably, no one was or ever would be after him. Not for that. But half a decade of paranoia and caution wasn't easy to break, so he sought those places with calm and solitude.
What better than among the stars?
He stood, staring up at the projected lights in the chilly planetarium. He couldn't find the dog or lion constellations he'd memorized a lifetime ago, further proof he was nowhere near home. But after a while, he found himself drawing pictures between the stars nonetheless, making variations of the ones he knew from what he saw with a tiny smile pulling at his lips. What he wouldn't give to have one of his friends there right now to help make ridiculous stories and creatures from the pinpoints of light. Merlin, he missed them.