Jack's House of Buggery

I try to avoid using 'the N word' and similar slurs whenever possible (see?), myself. I could see leaving it in in the context you describe, for much the same reason that it would be acceptable, if not comfortable, to use that word in dialogue or internal monologue in fanfic based on The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn -- I'm only passingly familiar with either the book or the film versions of Gone With the Wind. On the other hand, I certainly applaud your decision to leave it out of a story where it felt unnecessary. Thanks for sharing your experience, and your perspective on the story I brought up, despite your disinterest in Holmes fandom.