Author note: I don't own Heart no Kuni no Alice (aka Alice in the Country of Hearts). Nor do I own the song 'Piano Man' by Billy Joel, which Colton Dixon performed on American Idol (that version performed by him was the one that inspired me to write this fic).
This is my first Heart no Kuni no Alice fic, so...no flames, please?
Warning: AU, mentions of alcohol use, and possibly implied pairings, completely up for interpretation by you readers.
Constructive Criticism would be great, and I hope you guys read, review and enjoy! Thanks! :)
Piano Man
It's nine o' clock in the evening on Saturday. There's not many people in the bar, just the regular folks, really.
A young man with hair of reddish-pinkish colour, probably in his early, early twenties at the oldest and late teens at the youngest, sits beside an older looking man, who is downing the tonic and gin, savouring every last drop of the alcohol in his cup and not caring if some of it is dripping down his stubble-covered chin.
The older man wiped his chin with his sleeve and spoke to him. "Son, how about you play me a memory?"
The younger one looks at him carefully, quietly and attentively as the older man continues.
"I'm not really sure how it goes, but it's sad and sweet." The older man sighed as he pushed a few strands of light brown hair out of his face, the rest of it tied back in a short braid. "Oh, I knew it completely, at least when I wore a younger man's clothes..."
"Well..." The younger one paused before standing up. "I could try."
The older man gave a somewhat goofy-looking grin, holding up his empty glass of beer as some sort of salute. "Go ahead."
The red-haired teen walked over to the grand piano, covered with a small layer of dust. He took out a handkerchief, opened the lid of the piano, and wiped the keys quickly before putting the cloth back in his jeans pocket and sitting on the bench beside the piano. He checked quickly to make sure he was comfortable enough and in a good enough sitting position, and then he put his hands to the white and black keys, the sound of music trailing from the instrument and his voice and into the night.
Da da da...de de da...da da...de de da...da da...
He became known as the Piano Man after that night. He would sing a song for all the people at the bar, because they were all in the mood for a melody, and whenever he performed for them, they felt at peace from the life they were going through.
Ace used to be a bartender. In the past, he always got the Piano Man drinks for free. Great with jokes, quick with lighting up cigarettes for the customers, and with that pleasant smile on his face, he seems like a really happy guy.
On the inside, though, Boris knew that there was some place that Ace would rather be.
"It's killing me, Boris." Ace told him once, with no smile on his face to be seen. "I could be a movie star, something, just anything-if only I could get the heck out of this place! I don't want to be a bartender forever!"
Now, Ace is a real estate novelist. He's got no time for a wife, but he's got time to talk with Julius Monrey, who's overseas in the Navy. He probably will be talking with him over the phone for life, never being able to see him face to face.
Boris knows the two are close. They won't let distance separate them, they won't let anything get in the way. They're just so happy to be talking with each other, so satisfied with just that.
And all the while, Boris is playing on the piano and singing his heart out, and everyone else can forget life a bit because of the wonderful music that he, the Piano Man, brings to them.
The waitress Vivaldi is practicing politics in her head while the other businessmen slowly get stoned. She often occupies herself with everything involving politics whenever she's not working, since she doesn't have time for a social life, and is glad to share that with Blood Dupre, one of the regular customers.
Blood is a lonely guy. Despite being a girl magnet, he can never have a woman on his arm for more than a day. It doesn't help that a girl he's somewhat truly interested in, that girl in the dress with the bow in her hair, doesn't like him back.
They're both sharing a drink called loneliness, that's what Boris notices between the two of them. At least it's better than drinking alone.
And all the while, Boris is playing on the piano and singing his heart out, and everyone else can forget life a bit because of the wonderful music that he, the Piano Man, brings to them.
It's a pretty good crowd for Saturday. Boris finds that noticeable as he looks at the larger-than-usual amount of people. He grinned as the manager, Elliot March, gives him a grin.
Boris knows that Elliot knows that it's the Piano Man, Boris, that the people have been coming to see; just so they can forget about life for a while. To them, the piano sounds like a carnival, bursting to life with good tidings and cheer. To Boris, the microphone smells like a beer.
All the people sit at the bar and listen to his music. Some of them put bread in the jar beside the piano (the jar he uses to collect any cash that people are willing to spare) and say to him, "Man, what are you doin' here?"
Boris just smiles back and tells them, "I'm the Piano Man. I just want to help you guys forget about life through the music I can play for you. That's all."
Smiles, laughter, and the clinking of glasses of alcohol combine with the singing and plinking of the piano, and fade away into the night. And Boris, Boris is really happy that he can make people happy through what he can do.
Da da da...de de da...da da...de de da...da da...
Fin.