#the jack->quincey moment is one i haven't seen anyone else comment on and it may be just me. it's later anyways

[vickyvicarious]

I don't know a lot about Victorian name conventions but Seward being caled Jack (not even John) and persumably also saying Art instead of the last name and not even Arthur strikes me as big familiarity, so far.

This is a rather belated response but I agree with you, anon. The backstory hints are too entwined and for the most part the suitor squad seem to be quite close... but at the same time there are a couple odd moments like this where there's a possible element of clarifying who one of them is. Quincey for Jack, so far, but if I remember correctly a slightly similar moment with Jack for Quincey later on (though less pronounced).

If anything, I'd suspect that those two have been mostly out of touch for a while despite previously being close. But they both definitely seem to still be in contact with Arthur throughout. Maybe it's been a while since all three hung out together, and Jack and Quincey both respectively weren't fully sure that Arthur still remembered the other one super well/was spending time with them currently.

I could see a scenario where Quincey runs into Jack unexpectedly after proposing to Lucy and invites him to come drown his sorrows together and try to cheer themselves up/have a reunion party/congratulate Arthur. In this version I think both Jack and Quincey would know that Art also proposed successfully to Lucy, but maybe not about one another also trying to propose to the same woman until they start getting deeper into campfire storytime. Perhaps they hadn't been in contact at all for quite some time.

All that said though, I personally prefer them all to have remained in touch. I do personally think Arthur may have the closer relationships with each of them, but that's not to say Quincey and Jack don't get along or aren't familiar with one another just fine as well. I mean, I've also heard the Korea line speculated to be an in-joke, or maybe it could be just another facet of the 'good old days' Quincey is trying to remind Arthur about, who knows. As you say, they've got nicknames and everything, which certain feels more casual.