Great Expectations was required reading for me in school, and as a young queer kid, I couldn't help but feel like Herbert and Pip's relationship was something to be coveted, and held close to my heart. I think that reading them as either not-quite-lovers in this era, is very lovely. I'm very glad to see I'm not the only one! Thank you for sharing this, the way you write Herbert's inner dialogue is really in character, and I enjoyed the endings a lot :) !!!