Nocturne by Purpleshrub (G)

[duonoaikouka.livejournal.com]

Fandom: STARGATE SG-1
Pairing: none
Length: 2,509 words
Author on LJ: purpleshrub 
Author Website: StargateFan
Why this must be read:
Purpleshrub is one of those lovely surprises in Stargate fandom. An older writer in the fandom, her pieces still bring enjoyment to us later fans years after they've been written. Out of her four stories, Nocturne is a particular favorite of mine as it incorporates the friendship of two very different men, Daniel and Teal'c, and their growing relationship through the sharing of music. Purpleshrub takes us through Seasons 1-7 in three different instances, using music to illustrate how Teal'c and Daniel see each other and how they interact. Daniel teaches the piano to Teal'c, who then takes it into and makes it a part of himself, using it to remember his friend. That simple idea just grows into one of the most gentle and beautiful examinations of friendship I've read in SG1 fandom.

 

Daniel Jackson had once told him that music was a universal language. It did not require words to communicate images or feelings. Teal’c hadn’t understood then. Now, sitting in the darkened recreation room, he knew that language was communication, regardless of its form. It was in Major Carter’s beloved equations, in the power of O’Neill’s beloved Verdi.

Teal’c recalled the year during which Daniel was absent, a year in which he was capable of happiness or satisfaction, but never real contentment. A few weeks after Kelowna and what followed, Teal’c had traveled to O’Neill’s home, concerned that his team leader was refusing to accept the loss. O’Neill had remained collected and cold—until they listened to a recording of his favorite opera. As the songs grew in intensity, O’Neill grew increasingly agitated. At the climactic moment, his composure broke. He screamed and cursed and broke most of his kitchenware.

And he wept. Looking up at Teal’c through wet eyes, he gasped, "How—dare he—tell *me*--to let him go?"

"How could he do otherwise?" Teal’c responded. As they listened to the closing chords, O’Neill calmed. The next day he acted as though nothing had happened; but he wasn’t as remote.

Teal’c began playing the first notes of Chopin’s "Nocturne in E Minor," the song Daniel had played for him those years ago. He remembered his frustration when he realized the difficulty of the piece, and his pleasure as he mastered each note, guided by his friend.
Nocturne