hii, never read any doctor who fics. do you have any twelveclara must reads? thank u!!
a theory about us and the universe by explosivesky
“Call it a paradigm shift,” he responds finally, low and delicate. “The Cybermen and their upgrades, the Time Lords and their time machines; you, alive and standing in front of me.” He stops being able to separate idealism and reality, allowing himself a world in which time watches the way he touches her and thinks, finally, you’ve done enough.
^ this is my ultimate, probably. It truly captures the power of their dynamic, the aching, sublime, incomprehensible depth and singularity of their love for each other. This is the required level of romanticism for writing about them, imo, and I love how the author manages to make it so romantic and yet so matter of fact. Just, yeah, these people are towering unfathomable titans who reshaped the universe because of how they feel about each other, we know this, what's for tea. That's pure whouffaldi.
And here is the same author doing that again but in an AU with an outsider pov, which I love:
but we're so happy by explosivesky
“I knew them both,” Jack says quietly. “I watched them fall in love. I watched them change.” She's young and beautiful and right for him; or, alternatively, she's the devil herself and he never stood a chance. All across space - the back alley of a pub in Blackpool, the basement of a Wahaca in Soho, a hotel room overlooking the Venetian Grand Canal - he turns her into music.
The Thief by Antenna
The Doctor just smashed up the TARDIS console, but he needs to get away from there. He shoves his fingers into the telepathic matrix and goes… somewhere. He doesn't care where. The TARDIS cares, however. This is what happened in between the visit to Gallifrey and the meeting in the cafe.
Another Girl Another Planet by alex144
One moment, Clara Oswald’s a young journalist trying to catch a scoop, or catch a break, or just not to get drenched by the persistent London November rain. The next, she’s being chased by impossible, but somehow familiar monsters, and rescued – or dragged further into danger – by a mysterious gruff Scotsman with a ridiculous velvet jacket and attack eyebrows. They must both be going mad. Otherwise, what’s causing the monsters, the impossible coincidences, and the memories just out of reach on the edge of their minds? And why are they being watched over by a scruffy blue police box?
^one of the very few longer form adventure/slow burn whouffaldi fics, making it priceless. Not an AU! Warning that it does have mention of/implied Doctor/Master, which I personally really really dislike, but it's minor enough you shouldn't let that stop you from reading it if you feel the same.
The author also has two huge collections of one-shots or short multi-chapter pieces containing many gems.
postscript by jontinf
“You should play hard to get.”
“That only confuses her.”
The Politics of Passing Out by FernDavant
The Doctor and Clara share a bed. The results are predictable but endearing.
also, here is mine:
Eventide
It wasn't until their stolen moment in the Cloisters, after all her time was up, that Clara finally understood.
Minced Oath
The Doctor and Clara are going to a couple's retreat, undercover as a couple, naturally. On the way they almost talk about it, dance provocatively around why Danny might have feelings on the subject, and accidentally get distracted into bickering like the old married couple they're pretending (not) to be.