A Queen, A Knight, A Dragon by: CaptainMabe
Summary: He grew up into this world reading Shakespeare and fairy tales, and he left it disenchanted and in love with Nietzsche. His life was a long one.
A/N: A long ass one shot from my tumblr that I've decided to post here. Please note that I wrote this before season 2 aired, so I still thought Jim was human. I'll make a new fic, but the meantime, this AU stays. Follows the fandom headcanon that Forge and Molly are siblings.
Warning: This fic involves non-graphic violence and abuse against children as well as alcoholism. If this disturbs you skip ages 2 through 16 1/2 please. Also the fic is sad. V sad. And gay.
Disclaimer: No
Forge was the first born to a mechanic and a school teacher, and it was from his mother that he learned his love for literature. If it had words in it, he wanted his mother to read it to him.
When he was two and a half (already forming sentences in coherent forms and learning the colors and shapes) his sister Molly was born and his mother died. That's when Forge learned that alcohol could change his quiet father to in an angry and loud man that made him want to curl under the cupboards while he held onto his sister to dear life, whispering and praying that she didn't cry.
When he was 4 and a half and Molly was two, she wanted him to read her his favorite fairy tale about St. George and the Dragon. And when she innocently asked him why the dragon took the princess away, he was honestly stumped. So he told her the only logical conclusion that occurred to him at the time. That Princesses where the strongest beings in the world, rivaled only by dragons, and that's why St. George has to save her. Because everyone knows dragons can do magic and stop the princesses from saving herself. And instead of reading her his favorite fairy tale, he ends up enthralling her with a whole world where an epic war between queens and princesses versus dragons. Where the women in the kingdoms were so powerful they didn't even need to leave their throne to enact change upon the land. So when Forge was 4 and a half years old, he found his talent with words and stories.
When he was 5 years old and in the 1st grade, Forge met Jim McGrath, and he became best friends with him in no time. Jim liked robots while Forge loved dragons, and the two would endlessly play together, with Forge describing epic battles that always ended with the dragon and the robot being friends. Still, when Jim always suggested that he comes over to Forge's house, he would quickly shake his head, saying that his dad was working or his sister was sick, or some quick believable lie because he never knew when he walked home if his dad was drunk or not.
When he was 6 years old, Forge went to Jim's house for the first time, and was wholly shocked that someone could live in such a big house. Jim had more toys than Forge had of clothes, and his parents were alive and didn't smell like booze at all. And when it was snack time, there was enough food for him to fill his belly twice over. He made sure to sneak some snacks for Molly though, because he was more than sure that his father would forget to feed her again.
At the age of 8, Forge was more than aware that he was poor and that Jim was not, and that his father was a mean and angry man. So whenever he was in of his moods, Forge would take Molly into the woods and he would pretend to be a dragon while she was a mighty princess ready to conquer the lands. And while the leaves would glimmer with the sunlight and the cicadas buzzed around them and they danced and played and told stories, Forge would secretly be counting the hours till his father would've exhausted himself and they can go back inside so he can feed his sister and hope that maybe Jim would be able to feed him tomorrow when they hanged out.
He was 9, and he got in his first fight with Jim when the boy had made a passing remark on how girls were gross. Molly was a girl and to Forge she was a princess, thus she could never be gross. When he steely told his friend to take it back, Jim got defensive and they ended up in a scuffle. He didn't talk to him the whole summer and ended up giving Molly the sandwiches that was meant for him because his father spent all the money on booze again.
He was 10 now, and Jim apologized, and now he spent his weekends at the library with Jim and Molly, reading every book he could get his hands on while Molly and Jim stuck to the science and nature books. When he tried to check out a book on Shakespearean sonnets, the librarian told him that wasn't he too young for Shakespeare? He responded coolly back that Mozart was only 5 when he mastered the harpsichord, and he would be no different when it came to books. She stared at him and quietly told him that when he finished the sonnets that there were other poets she could recommend.
He was 11 when he found out that he didn't like girls the way boys were supposed to. So while Jim and the rest of his peers sent valentines to the pretty girls in class, he crumpled the red heart for his friend and ended up laughing when he lied and said he forgot to bring valentine cards to school. When he got home, he would stare at himself in the mirror, trying to figure out what was wrong with him when he heard his father coming home and immediately took Molly out to the nearby 7/11 so that he could buy her some chocolates. And while she squealed happily over the Snickers and Reese's cups, he realized that the only girl he would love would be his sister.
He was 12 when he accidentally told Jim that he loved him. He was sleeping over at Jim's house, on the condition that Molly would come over as well (he could never leave his sister alone with his father. The last time that happened she got a black eye and he ended up with a beating when he yelled at his father) and to his surprise, Jim just laughed and said that he loved him too. So while his sister slept no more than a few feet away from them, Forge had his first kiss in near darkness.
He was 13 when they broke up. Jim was tired of all the lies on how he got a bruise or a black eye, and when Forge yelled at him that it was none of his business Jim yelled back at him that they shouldn't be together then. They didn't talk for a month, and Molly was always asking why Jim wouldn't play with them anymore. He yelled at her, and immediately regretted it when she looked like he slapped her, and he ended up running out of the house and jumping on a bike and pedalling towards the woods where he fell down and cried. He spent nearly all of his free time at the library, reading Shakespeare, Lord Byron, Homer, Jane Austen, Dante, and all the classics. He needed to believe that he could make it. That good would prevail. The librarian, the same one from three years ago, would sometimes feed him on the days he stayed till closing time, and eventually he ended up spilling all of his secrets and despairs to her. She just held onto him while he cried.
He was 13 and a half when Jim came up to him, with red rimmed eyes from tears and sleepless nights, and asked if they could still be friends. Forge instantly tackled hugged him, thanking God that he had his friend back. Because even if he couldn't have Jim like that, he would always be by his side.
He was 14 going on 15 and he was finally entering high school. Molly was entering 6th grade, and he joked that she was still a princess so there was no need to be worried. She punched his shoulder and told him that he wasn't allowed to embarrass her in front of her friends like that. He chuckled and said that she was right, she wasn't a princess anymore. She was a queen. She only blushed and told him he was dumb, but he knew she was glad that he still called her that. He knew that it gave her strength and courage. Because princesses and queens fought dragons and were fierce and strong. And she was a queen.
He was 15 finally, and freshman year was ending when he met Miles Dredd in the library reading a book on robots, and Forge's first instinct was to spout Shakespeare and compare him to a summers day. He ignored him and Forge eventually gave up and ended up going to McDonalds because Jim lost a bet and was paying.
He's 16 and he's on the football team while Jim was on the robotics team. Molly started high school with them, and his the first thing he was show her around and make sure no one messed with his baby sister. She ended up joining judo club with him, and promptly beat his ass black and blue. He would end up laughing it off, because queens were fierce and strong, and he just but a dumb knight. She threw a towel at him and told him he was a dork.
He's 16 and a half, and his father's yelling and beating him. Molly's screaming at him to stop, and when he looks away, Forge grabs Molly's arm and runs out the house at top speed while his father screams at them, calling them filth and scum. Forge is 16 and a half and is homeless because he told his father he was gay. He ends up texting Jim, begging him to let them stay at his place, even if it's just for the night. His parents end up taking both him and Molly in permanently.
He's 17, and for once in his life, Forge is happy. Jim and Molly have started dating, and Forge is more than happy for them. Of course that doesn't stop him from telling Jim that if he made Molly cry, he would cut his dick off with his switchblade he had since he was ten. Jim laughs and says he'll never make Molly cry on purpose. Forge believes him. Between studying and playing football, Forge makes time to go back to the library and tell the librarian from oh so long ago that his life is finally getting better. She smiles in relief and offers him some new books to read. Afterwards, when he meets Jim and Molly at the McDonald's, Jim introduces Miles as his teammate from robotics, and Forge falls in love all over again.
He's 18, trying to get scholarships so he can become an English teacher, and he's been dating Miles for nearly a year, when the time travel fiasco happens. When he comes back, he puts away Shakespeare and begins to read Nietzsche. He saw into the abyss and it saw into him, and he could no longer believe that world was fundamentally good.
He's 19 and World War Three erupts, and somehow he's enlisted. It doesn't matter to him though if Molly's safe. She'll go to college unlike him, because she's a queen and he's just a dumb knight. But that doesn't mean he won't try to save her and everyone else or die trying. He picks up all the languages from his tours, and when the war's over and he comes back, he ends up throwing out Shakespeare and St. George and the Dragon and instead begins reading Marx. Forge no longer believed in fairy tales.
He's 23 and he's building N-Tek with Miles and Jim. They're trying to make a new sustainable energy source and are trying to save the world. They make him believe in fairy tales again.
He's 25 and Molly and Jim are getting married. Before he leads her down the aisle to give her away, he turns to her and says she looks like a queen, fierce and beautiful. She almost cries and hugs him.
He's 28 and it's legal for him and Miles to get married now, so they do. His father didn't attend and died alone in a hospital two weeks later.
He's 30 and holding onto Molly as she cries because she's had her 4th miscarriage, so in no uncertain terms does he tell her that just because she and Jim can't have a child doesn't mean she's not a whole woman. Because she's a queen, and no man can stop her. She cries harder, thankful that he's always in her life.
He's 34 now and he survived Makino's invasion. Molly gave birth to a child which she named Max. Their mother was named Maxine and Forge tries not to cry as he holds his nephew in his hands. He's tiny and looks just like Jim and Molly in a beautiful combination. She turns to Molly and jokingly calls her son a dragon. But she understands. He means that because she is a queen, her son will be strong just like her.
He's 34 and a half and he attends the funeral of his best friend and husband, holding onto his sister as she breaks down and cries. Max is squirming in his arms, not understanding why there were so many crying people around him, so he begins to cry as well. Forge just holds onto his family.
He's 35 and he finds a young scientist in Germany by the name of Roberto Martinez to take over Jim's place. He's young, naive, and full of hope. Forge gave up on fairy tales a long time ago, but Berto, as he likes to be called, seems determined to help and make the world a better place.
He's 38, and Berto's lips felt so soft on his own that he almost forgot the pain of losing the two men he loved the most.
He's 45, and he watches his nephew from the distance and only visits during birthdays and major holidays. Berto tells him that he should be closer to his family, but it's not a knight's place to encroach a queen and a dragon, so he doesn't.
He's 50 and even though he's not as young he used to be, that doesn't stop him from sweeping Berto up in his arms and dancing with him in the lab. Then the time travel fiasco happens and he's sent to 2014 once more, and he see's Jim and Miles, and he remembered what it was like to be happy and to believe. When he returns, he holds Berto closer and tells Molly and Max "I love you" more often than he used to.
He's 60, and they've defeated Makino not too long ago. Molly took over N-Tek with Berto and Max, who lead it to the direction Jim, Miles, and him first envisioned. Berto still laughs at his jokes and he thinks maybe it's time to marry him.
He's 65 and Max bought him a book of Shakespearean sonnets. He tries not cry, he really does, but does so anyways.
He's 70, and when he lays in bed with Berto, he asks what he sees in him. His scientist just laughs and says "Everything."
He's 80 and he knows he's not going to live much longer. He knows he can with the aid of science, but Forge was always a romantic, and he knew it was time for the knight to hang up his sword.
He's 90 now and he's surrounded by his family. And when he speaks, his voice is dusty and old, but they don't mind. He puts his grandniece in his lap and begins to tell them the story about St. George and the Dragon. When his niece innocently asks him why the princess was kidnapped, he tells her how princesses and queens where the strongest, fiercest warriors of the land, and how only dragons can defeat them. When he looks up to his sister, he doesn't see an aging old woman. He sees a queen, fierce and beautiful. And when he tells her so, she cries.
He died the next day, peacefully in his sleep. When they bury him, his tombstone held the inscription "For the Knight who, instead of defeating the Dragon, befriended him." Berto never remarried after that, and when Molly died soon after, she was laid to rest next to her brother and husband. A Queen with her Knight and her Dragon.
A/N: Yeah I wrote this in one go and it's sad, and the "Dragon" that's being referred to in the last paragraph is Jim. Ahaha sorry if I gave anyone feels in advanced it made me cry too when I first wrote it.