Thomas kissing Jimmy
I didn't find creepy the behavior of Thomas regarding asleep Jimmy in 3x07 because it was obvious that he expected Jimmy to wake up and reciprocate. How romantic, really - to awake your love with a kiss, like the Prince the Sleeping Beauty! Thomas, convinced by O'Brien that Jimmy was like him, and infatuated with him just like he was infatuated with Jimmy, could never consider the possibility that he didn't have the green light to go ahead, that his advances would be anything else than most welcome. I suppose the viewers who see that behavior as "creepy" judge it by modern standards - but at the time, there wasn't an easier solution to such carnal desires than entering secretly the other's bedroom to lie in bed together.
Thomas' behavior was similar to Alec's behavior with asleep Maurice, when he slipped into Maurice's room in the middle of the night expecting to have sex with him without Maurice having EVER expressed a romantic interest in him. (and Thomas was convinced Jimmy HAD expressed a romantic interest in him!) If Forster wrote such an intrusion, Fellowes could too.
Besides, when it came to his sexual desire for men, Thomas was always a man of actions, not words - it was shown both in his scene with the Duke in 1x01 (kissing him repeatedly, while the Duke was talking and talking) and with Pamuk in 1x03. Especially Pamuk, who had NEVER shown a romantic interest in Thomas, yet Thomas thought he read the signs correctly, and he proceeded to try kissing him. (an easy mistake to make because Pamuk wasn't British and "the signs" could be misread by Thomas) People like Thomas ACTED on it, not SPOKE about it. He said as much to Carson: "no-one dares speak". And this wasn't Fellowes' idea first, because Forster also had Alec not speaking about it to Maurice before he proceeded to touch him! ("I know, sir, I know" isn't an expression of feelings, nor asking for permission)
Thomas' behavior was similar to Alec's behavior with asleep Maurice, when he slipped into Maurice's room in the middle of the night expecting to have sex with him without Maurice having EVER expressed a romantic interest in him. (and Thomas was convinced Jimmy HAD expressed a romantic interest in him!) If Forster wrote such an intrusion, Fellowes could too.
Besides, when it came to his sexual desire for men, Thomas was always a man of actions, not words - it was shown both in his scene with the Duke in 1x01 (kissing him repeatedly, while the Duke was talking and talking) and with Pamuk in 1x03. Especially Pamuk, who had NEVER shown a romantic interest in Thomas, yet Thomas thought he read the signs correctly, and he proceeded to try kissing him. (an easy mistake to make because Pamuk wasn't British and "the signs" could be misread by Thomas) People like Thomas ACTED on it, not SPOKE about it. He said as much to Carson: "no-one dares speak". And this wasn't Fellowes' idea first, because Forster also had Alec not speaking about it to Maurice before he proceeded to touch him! ("I know, sir, I know" isn't an expression of feelings, nor asking for permission)