Jimmy was tired and aching after a long day of silently taking orders, pretending to be a piece of furniture, being compared to Alfred by a certain butler who hated him, and dodging Ivy.

It was a bearable life when he shared it with Thomas, when they could make fun of everyone together, when they could step outside and steal kisses and laugh and talk and smoke and…

But Thomas was in America at the moment, on trip with Lord Grantham as his valet. Jimmy shuddered at the unfairness of it all. He missed Thomas so much, it was like a lump in his chest.

"James, I missed handing this to you this morning," Mr. Carson said, handing an envelope with no return address to Jimmy. His heart leapt. Who else could it be from but Thomas? Despite, however, the burning desire to tear it open right then and there over dinner, everyone else was just too damned nosy to bear someone having something private.

"Thank you, Mr. Carson," Jimmy replied, his voice not as tired or monotonous as before. A letter from Thomas…

He waited as long as he could stand it, before slipping out the back door under guise of needing a smoke. He opened the envelope carefully, to find two folded pieces of paper.

One, on the outside said "Jimmy." He opened this one first and read an account of how things were going in America, with all of the under butler's usual snark. If he closed his eyes and breathed in his cigarette, he could almost imagine Thomas right here with him, saying the words. There were also questions about life at Downton, making Jimmy think about how boring the answers were and sigh a depressed sigh. The letter ended with "I miss you, James Kent. I'll see you soon. — Thomas."

"Oh Thomas," he whispered. "What am I going to do?"

The other letter, said "My love" on the front. Jimmy smiled, and unfolded it.

My love, it read.

I always wondered what it felt like to have someone smile at me sleepily in the morning, pull the sheets to one side and kiss me.

I always wondered what it felt like to not have to worry about lies and schemes and blackmail and secrets when dealing with love.

I always wondered what it felt like to not be miserable when a couple in the hall kissed.

I always wondered what it felt like to argue over stupid things like who's turn it was to buy cigarettes and kiss afterward, both of us jittery from lack of nicotine and sudden excess of lips we didn't realize we needed until right then.

I always wondered what it felt like to have someone to share smiles with over breakfast, both thinking the same snarky comment.

I always wondered what it felt like to love and be loved in return; to be with someone in a way that means everything. Not clumsy one-off sex. Not a "few weeks of madness." Not an unrequited love.

And now I know.

Yours forever.

Jimmy's heart swelled and he smiled at Thomas's incredible soppiness. It was all he needed in the world.

He could wait for Thomas to come back, now that he had a piece of his lover's quiet strength in his hand.