It's been a long while, like I don't even remember the last time I got all choked up over a fic but good Lord I am struggling to not cry right now. Your fics always have some sort of bittersweet element to them that tugs at my heartstrings but there's just something about Arthur watching over and protecting the Marstons that absolutely wrecks me. Where do I even start with this one?
First, thank you for not falling into the trap of "all the Klondike gold was gone and John was an idiot for going up there post-Gold Rush" like some people seem to believe. There's still gold up there TODAY lmao. I loved the mention about the pumps being used to clear out water from the flooded mines. How the mining company absolutely would've owned the house the Marstons resided in. Even the narrative voice you used for E. Reginald Pomeroy sounds straight out of turn-of-the-century non-fiction literature. I know these are little things but they just scream how much research and care you put into your work and it is so, so appreciated.
You write Jack so well. The whole "I'm practically an adult!" and "I'm not scared even though this lynx is looking at me like I'm on the menu." How he notices a lot more than his parents realize and the lasting impact of bullying (ex: from Pa to Sir). Writing from a kid's perspective is hard but you're so good at it. Then Abigail and John just (*#%&(*^(*. They love Jack so much. That bit about them giving him their food and how skinny they both were getting ahhhhhh my heart. I loved that you included happy moments (the whole thing with the syrup and kissing was so cute) in between the fighting and their fear for the future. How even though Abigail probably wants to throttle John sometimes, she loves and understands him enough to back off of certain things like speaking ill of Grimshaw.
John getting into trouble and eventually getting fired not because he couldn't stop being an outlaw but because he absolutely would stand up for someone getting beaten up/his Chronic Hero Syndrome is SO John. As is him being inspired by Arthur's example and giving Jack a journal....without a pencil haha. It's also very John to get nasty when he's stressed out and frustrated, hence lashing out at Jack. (I love that that's when Arthur showed up like, "You better not be disrespecting my nephew, John Marston, or you're gonna become really familiar with my 14 points.")
The stag doesn’t smell musty or dirty, though. Its golden fur is warm and thick, and for some reason its smell reminds Jack of being very little, and being home. He buries his face in its neck, and cries until he feels like he can breathe again.
“...Do you think he'd approve of this place?” he finally asks, and now his voice sounds strange.
Jack doesn't remember Arthur but the stag smells like home. John knowing the stag is Arthur and hoping he would be proud of John........Jesus Christ, Pip. I'm going to have to call the police because you are trying to kill me. Lmao I'm getting all choked up again writing this part of the comment. This was such a beautiful fic. Thank you so much for sharing it with us. <3
Would you believe me if I said this was originally meant to be a cutesy ‘boy and his unusual animal friend go on Adventures’ fic? (the angst just comes in uninvited, I swear!)
Seriously though, thank you so much! I’m so glad you enjoyed it (or at least, got something from it if ‘enjoyed’ isn’t the right word :p *passes you a tissue*) Writing nine (and a half!)-year-old Jack was lots of fun, but I’m never really sure when writing kids how old/young to make them seem, so it means a lot to hear you think I was on the mark. Likewise for the historical stuff – reading up on the Klondike goldrush was fascinating, but holy moly it sounds rough (like, apparently at one point miners had to take a year’s worth of supplies with them, and these had to be hiked over the mountains? Yikes.)
And I really really wanted to show the good parts of John and Abigail’s relationship too – they’re both under a lot of strain, but they still love each other, they deserve their happy moments :’) Also ‘Chronic Hero Syndrome’ that’s accurate lol – we don’t get to hear much about what happens in the intervening years and why they were always on the run, but I really doubt John would have actually gone looking for fights – he’d just finish them because he knew he could and it seemed like the right thing to do (even if it wound up getting him into trouble all the time).
"You better not be disrespecting my nephew, John Marston, or you're gonna become really familiar with my 14 points." ahahaha – I’d like to think stag!Arthur appears when he’s needed – whether to act as a friend, guardian, or just a reminder...
In any case, thank you so so much again for such a lovely comment as always <3
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