I really enjoyed this fic. You've definitely captured the feel and tone of that age group. (I actually correctly guessed Wilson's age and even so young you've kept him completely in character.)
I love how even at that young of an age, Wilson feels responsible for Danny. You've really illustrated what their childhood relationship must have been like in a believable way for how Wilson acts about it later on.
There's a deep, affectionate care, a need to protect that is partially born out of what seems to be Wilson's caring, nurturing nature, and also out of an obligation to his parents. Even at that young of an age there is the foundation for multiple layers of guilt.
I also like that you mentioned Wilson's preference for ducks.
You've also really appropriately captured the fear of such a game for that age group, making it believable so that the reader can regress a little back to that age with the characters and empathize. (At least that was the case when I read it.)
I love the fact that it's Wilson's right wrist that was injured because it offers so much more significance to it in the finale. And I love the way you've described his mother's reaction, furious with him for being selfish, for not caring for his brother, then doting on him later, merely reassuring him with the words "Good little boys don't die."
Then afterward he feels sick, perhaps still guilty over not looking after Danny like his mother wanted...and then he feels too filled with guilt to even release that anxiety because his mother would be angry. You've definitely painted a very complicated family dynamic and somehow done so in a way that is both obvious (in terms of Wilson and Danny) and more subtle (in terms of Wilson's mother.) It makes sense though because as a child Wilson would likely only be partially aware, knowing that he needed to do whatever his mother wanted and knowing he felt sick when he didn't but not entirely understanding the significance of that.
(I apologize if this comment is a bit incoherent lol)
I do hope you'll write more child!Wilson fics in the future.
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I really enjoyed this fic. You've definitely captured the feel and tone of that age group. (I actually correctly guessed Wilson's age and even so young you've kept him completely in character.)
I love how even at that young of an age, Wilson feels responsible for Danny. You've really illustrated what their childhood relationship must have been like in a believable way for how Wilson acts about it later on.
There's a deep, affectionate care, a need to protect that is partially born out of what seems to be Wilson's caring, nurturing nature, and also out of an obligation to his parents. Even at that young of an age there is the foundation for multiple layers of guilt.
I also like that you mentioned Wilson's preference for ducks.
You've also really appropriately captured the fear of such a game for that age group, making it believable so that the reader can regress a little back to that age with the characters and empathize. (At least that was the case when I read it.)
I love the fact that it's Wilson's right wrist that was injured because it offers so much more significance to it in the finale. And I love the way you've described his mother's reaction, furious with him for being selfish, for not caring for his brother, then doting on him later, merely reassuring him with the words "Good little boys don't die."
Then afterward he feels sick, perhaps still guilty over not looking after Danny like his mother wanted...and then he feels too filled with guilt to even release that anxiety because his mother would be angry. You've definitely painted a very complicated family dynamic and somehow done so in a way that is both obvious (in terms of Wilson and Danny) and more subtle (in terms of Wilson's mother.) It makes sense though because as a child Wilson would likely only be partially aware, knowing that he needed to do whatever his mother wanted and knowing he felt sick when he didn't but not entirely understanding the significance of that.
(I apologize if this comment is a bit incoherent lol)
I do hope you'll write more child!Wilson fics in the future.