Tagged by girlwithaweirdname and are-are-k - thank you, sweeties! <3
The Rules: In a text post, list ten FICS that have stayed with you in some way. Don’t take but a few minutes, and don’t think too hard — they don’t have to be the “right” works, or even all the same pairing or fandom, just the fics that have touched you or that stuck with you somehow. Tag ten friends, including me, so I’ll see your list. Make sure you let your friends know you’ve tagged them.
Mine all involve Thomas Barrow, in one pairing or another, naturally. :) And let it be known that these ten are a mere fraction of all the fics that have stayed with me, because I've read so very many that have evoked incredible feels. I'm leaving out WIPs, but I can tell you that there are a few of those that are going to go on this list in future (Cause and Celeste, I'm looking at you!) These are listed in no particular order:
Thommy. Jimmy realises his love for Thomas when he fears it may be too late. To this day, I remember feeling just as scared as poor Jimmy does in this fic.
2. The Book of Secrets, by Are-are-K.
Thommy. I love the way the narrative begins around the book of the title, the tentative dance between Thomas and Jimmy as their friendship evolves into something new, the bursts of emotion, the POETRY, the imagery - I will forever see oranges and blue earrings with I think of this story - I just love it all.
3. The Diary of Jimmy Kent, by Velvetoscar.
Thommy. Hilarious, simply. The characterisations are all brilliant. Everyone should read this. Period.
4. No Place for Me/Another Chance/The Waning Day - series of three stories by Pookiestheone.
Thomas/OC. This beautiful series deals with three points in Thomas' life - when he's a teenager still living with his dad, when he's in is late thirties and working at Downton, and when he's in his eighties - and his first love. The last chapter is particularly poignant, sweet and achingly sad at once. Bonus points for a Thomas/little Sybbie scene (George too).
5. you took my soul, wiped it clean by HowCleverofYou (on AO3).
Thomas/OC. Thomas finds love with a new chaffeur at Downton. The OC is very endearing, temperamentally the opposite of Thomas but gentle and a quiet listener when Thomas needs it. And the ending is just really everything I want for Thomas.
6. Leaving Downton, by Alex51324.
Thomas/OC. Thomas' prospects improve in every way after he loses everything in his black market scheme when a war comrade visits Downton. The OC is a doctor he worked under - ahem - during the war. I love this fic because 1) Alex gets Thomas - he's his sneaky self in her stories, but the insecurity and anger that drive him and the vulnerability beneath are woven into her characterisation of him. And the OC knows all of Thomas' flaws and loves him anyway, without cutting him too much slack for his more outrageous behaviour. This story has a lot of wonderful stuff - hilarious Team O'B moments, wrenching war memories, Thomas family backstory, and a good dose of schmoop.
7. Family Secret, by Gigitrek.
Thommy. Thomas has a secret daughter. This is told from Jimmy's narrative POV, which is great because we get to observe Thomas interacting with his daughter alongside Jimmy. Slyly funny, really well done.
8. Keeper of Time, by Kindsokind.
Thomas backstory. Kind was inspired to write this by a meta I wrote about Thomas' relationship with his dad, and I'm so honoured to be able to say that, because it is absolutely beautiful. My review was this: "This fic has filled my heart and broken it at the same time." Still true.
9. Love, Handled, by Tara-duchess-of-nil.
Thommy. Thomas masturbates. Hnnnnnnghhguh. Tara writes the most beautiful, complete smut, because her stories are not only smutty, but funny as hell and with just the right amount of tenderness.
10. In Color, by Gillasue345.
Thommy. John Singer Sargent is commissioned to paint the children's portraits, and he decides to take a break with some landscape painting on the same day that Thomas and Jimmy have a languid, sensuous day by the pond. Nice switching between their POV and Sargent's, some lovely smut, a fabulous scene involving a painting, male nudes, and Violet, and a lovely ending. Best of all, Sargent did indeed paint a water-colour of a Thommy-like couple! It's called "Tommies Bathing", and if I was less tired and more savvy, I would link to it.
As I said, this is a tiny fraction of the fics I would have named had the list been unlimited. Most of the authors I've named would be on this list several times over, and there are many who are not named here who would be as well.
I think many people have been tagged already, but here goes: catthetamedshrew, causeimdifferent, pookiestheone, tara-duchess-of-nil, booksandinternet, the-gwidhiw-papers.
