Avengers' Adventures

Tears Of A Piano Man

Thank you to my friend Colleen for giving me this prompt. I cried.

_____

Sing us a song, you're the Piano Man. Sing us a song tonight. Well we're all in the mood for a melody, and you've got us feeling alright.

 Steve feels himself swaying to the music, closing his eyes. "I like this one, what is it?" "Piano Man, Billy Joel. He's a classic, he did a lot more than this, but..." Tony faded out as he realized Steve was crying. "You okay there bud?" Steve opened his eyes, unaware of what was going on. "Huh? Oh, yeah, I'm fine." he said, wiping away the tear. Tony looked him over, seeing through the lie. "Hey, you think you could find me the sheet music for this? I'd like to try it." Steve asked, and Tony nodded. "Yeah, I'll get JARVIS on it right now," Tony said, placing a hand on Steve's shoulder. "Thanks Tony." Steve gave him a small smile, and continued to listen.

 The ivory keys felt smooth under his fingers as he slipped onto the seat, playing a few notes, getting the hang of the keys once more. Steve used to play when he was smaller, before the super soldier serum. It seemed like a good way to impress the women at the time, and it was easy for him. He spent hours at a time just playing, letting his fingers take over and his mind and body just dissolving into the music. It was a beautiful thing for him.

 He looked over the music in front of him once more, and began to play the opening melody for Piano Man. And almost in an instant, he was no longer Captain America, he was just plain old, small fry Steve Rogers. He hummed out the words, he wasn't much of a singer. But Bucky was, he and Bucky used to get together and Steve would play and Bucky would sing, but never in public. He was a bit embarrassed by his talent, thought it was too womanly. Steve smiled to himself. Somehow, Peggy slipped into his mind, and he remembered when they had first met, how he was a bit scared of her. She seemed sweet, but that woman was terrifying. And that's what he liked about her. She had a fire in her, one that he hadn't seen in any of the other girls from home.

 He continued to play, and he settled into the music, into the nostalgia. Peggy sat beside him on the chair, her cherry red lipstick shining, and her brown curls framing her beautiful face. And Bucky stood behind him, singing, ignoring the fact that Peggy was sitting right there, and they were all enjoying themselves until they were all singing, swaying to the music, and as the music died down, Peggy placed a quick peck on Steve's cheek, and Bucky placed a hand on his smaller friend's shoulder. Steve opened his eyes, half expecting to see Peggy sitting right next to him, and Bucky still behind him. But he realized they weren't, and the smile faded from his face as he remembered where he was.

 He looked down at the keys, and felt tears fall. They landed, spreading over them, going into the cracks.  And he let them. He let the tears of his memories fall, the tears of the piano man.