Mr. Piano Man

By Cypher

Delicate fingers. He has such delicate fingers, my Danny. Flexible, too. The way he can caress those ivory knobs so elegantly, the way they dance across the keyboard with only the lightest touch. It's amazing, and I could watch him play for hours and hours.

Hell, I do. For the past four months I've come into the same cocktail bar at the same time to order the same drink and watch the same man. I know all the people who work here, and they know me. Almost all of them. I can't bring himself to meet one person officially. The one I want to meet the most.

I hadn't meant for things to go this way, for my life to become such a mess. One night I had just walked in here, hoping to drown my frustration and anger at my now ex-wife Sarah with some beer. We'd been having marital difficulties. She said I couldn't communicate, and I countered by saying she expected too much. She knew I was career military when I married her. It wasn't my fault that work kept me busy. I was just lucky enough to end up with a cushy job at Cheyenne Mountain, with no sign of being transferred.

But it wasn't enough for her, oh no. We never talked, I didn't make enough, Charlie's growing up and I'm not even there to see it. Bitch, bitch, bitch. It's hard to believe that I ever loved the woman. And four months ago we had this fight, and I stormed out of my house--yeah, my house. God forbid she get a job and contribute to the monthly expenses.

So I was sitting at the bar, sulking and basically glaring at every person, when this man starts playing the piano. Hell, the mood I was in, I grabbed my beer bottle and was ready to hurl it at the little bastard. Then I looked at him, really looked at him, and I felt feelings I hadn't felt since Charlie was born. It scared the shit outta me, and I escaped almost immediately.

Afterward, I drove around aimlessly, just trying to sort out those…feelings. I finally shoved them aside and got home around one in the morning. I came home to an empty house. Sarah had taken Charlie and left. I got served with divorce papers the next morning. It was one torture after another getting away from her. It cost me three thousand bucks just to get to keep my kid on weekends.

But through it all, I returned every night to this little bar, drinking and watching the man play. The feelings crept me out for a little while longer, but after some time I just realized I was falling for him. Not exactly a good idea for a career military man to do, but I did. If it weren't for his melodies every evening after a grueling day of negotiations and work, I'd have probably gone off my rocker.

"The usual, Jack?"
"Yeah, thanks George." George Hammond, a good man. He owns this place, and I think he may even be Daniel's father. "Where's Janet?" She's the usual bartender, a petite single mom working her way through medical school.

"Home with Cassie. There's the flu going around school and the poor dear caught it. I told Janet to take the night off." He hands me a Jack Daniels and I sip it.

"Yeah, poor kid." He wanders off to help another customer and I take my customary Danny watching position. He doesn't know I'm watching. Hell, I don't even think he knows I exist. That's my other problem. I've been too cowardly to even say hi to him. Yeah, you heard me, cowardly. Big bad air force colonel is a chicken.

Wouldn't you be? He wears these contacts that bring out the striking quality of his blue eyes, and short hair that's just long enough to give him a look of innocence. He's always wearing a tuxedo or suit, black or navy. I've never seen him out of it, but even I can tell he doesn't need shoulder pads. He must work out, yet he has the grace and gentleness that contrasts so greatly with the idea he's in such great shape.

Not as great a shape as T. Had a tussle or two with him. A couple times things were really looking bad in the proceedings, and the big black man from Africa had to show me the door. And the parking lot. And his fist, the one time I put up a fight. Learned never to do that again real fast. He's George's bouncer, and has made it a point to keep an eye on me after those incidents.

Daniel stops playing and he pauses long enough to talk with the blond waitress that keeps flirting with me. Samantha Carter. She and Daniel are close friends, and there isn't a night I've been in here that they don't send secret looks between each other. Carter's a waiter, so she's always bringing Daniel water, but she seems to have another job of running interference should any of the female patrons get too interested in the piano player.

So, that's the whole shebang. Four months of watching, four months of yearning, four months of going home with a private little fantasy that I jerk off to each night. Tonight, though, tonight's different. The divorce is final and we've got the kinks worked out of Charlie swapping. And tonight is the one month anniversary of my retirement. Yeah, retirement. Hey, I'm old enough to deserve a break. Basically, my life is set for whatever course it's going to take.

And after a month of building up courage and practicing in front of a mirror, I'm going to take that fearful step into the abyss. I'm going to ask Daniel out. I already think of him as 'my' Danny, and I hope…pray that he will be mine. If not tonight, then soon. Real soon. Cause I'd forgotten how unsatisfying it is when all you have for companionship is your right hand. Not to mention lonely.

Thankfully, I already know he's gay. When I first got interested, I kinda snooped around his life. He was dating this politician's son, Paul Davis. Snooty rich kid that didn't even care enough to come see Danny play. They broke up about six weeks ago, when Davis went with his family to France or some other annoying European country. George would know. He's been keeping me updated on Danny's life. I guess he knows, on some level, that I'm interested.

So, dressed in what I hope is proper attire--it's not like I've ever tried to catch a guy's eye, after all--I'm going to corner the man during his thirty minute break. He takes one every night at exactly eight-fifty. He gets up, goes to the bathroom, and retreats to a corner booth, where T stands guard and intimidates anyone who goes to start up a conversation. I'm hoping to sneak in and speak to Daniel between the bathroom and the booth. It's only a two minute walk, but it's worth a shot.

"Colonel."

I sit up a little straighter. Daniel's gone back to playing the piano, and Carter's next to me. She's carrying a wine glass and--oh Christ. "I don't want a flower from you."

She gives me this look like she's insulted I would even be worth her time to buy a flower. Huh, maybe she isn't interested in me after all. Still, she hands me the rose. "It's from Mr. Jackson. He wants to talk with you during his break. The one you were going to try and barge in on."

I try not to blush, I really do, but I can feel the blood rushing to my cheeks. Damn. Am I that transparent? Well, this is the perfect way to get past the T-man without getting any bones broken. I trace the stem of the plant and finger a petal. "Thanks," I mumble, and she goes off shaking her head saying something about all the cute ones being gay. She should see the way Janet looks at her sometime.

Huh, so Danny boy's interested in me as well. Or maybe he just noticed me hanging out every night for the past four months. Either way, I'm not passing up the opportunity. Sniffing the rose, I risk a glance towards my pianist, and feel my heart beat faster as he meets my eyes…and smiles. A real smile, not the fake one he plasters on for every Tom, Dick, and Harriet that leave him a tip. Oh yeah, we're on the same page. Something tells me I won't be going home alone.

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Author's Prattle: Well, this just kinda came to me while listening to a Disney song. It took me a while to get it hammered out, and for those of you wondering, yes, there is a sequel in the works. I have a feeling this may turn into a small series. It'll be scattered, though, like "No Need for Daniel!" Not bad for an AU though, no?

By the by, sorry or the lack of updating recently, but between finals and moving (I have my own place now, so Wai!) I haven't been able to get much work done. Sadly, this will continue for a bit, as I have to get a second job to now pay for my apartment.

Disclaimers. I don't own the Stargate SG-1 cast or the show itself. That belongs to SciFi and Secret Productions. I also don't own the song "Mr. Piano Man," which is what inspired this AU world. It belongs to Disney.

Well, that's it for a while. I'll try and update my epics more, but I can't promise anything. As always, I hope you enjoyed, and as always, feedback is welcome.