Also like. There was that line where Jeff was like did you know you can make an ashtray using only a cigarette and a snitch's forehead and Andre was like yeah??? But then there's never any other information as to why he would know that. There's nothing else saying he's been in jail or is a criminal. Who is this man
(somebody else said this and i totally agree) ben should’ve been chang’s child, it made no sense with all the ramp up to have him be andre’s. would’ve loved to see that baby drama
https://archiveofourown.org/works/520555 by scioscribe
There are mature implications in this story if that makes you uncomfortable!
Where do I even begin with this short but remarkable fanfic? One Day She Will Swim with Dolphins focuses on Shirley and is an immaculate character study. The story’s pretty old and was actually written while the show was still on air so I’m not quite sure if the author is active on ao3 or any other social media platform for that matter. I picked this fic as my first review and recommendation because of how much I loved it and because of how rare Shirley fanfic is in the fandom. It’s literally everything I wanted from canon and I haven’t stopped thinking about it since I read it.
The writing style is beautiful and impactful. It’s one of those stories where you feel every gut-wrenching emotion through simple words laid out perfectly by the author and it lingers in your mind long after you’re done reading.
The writer effortlessly nailed Shirley’s passive-aggressive and judgmental attitude. There is a moment in the fic where Shirley says something off the wall about the stripper Andre cheated with which stays very true to her as a character. It demonstrated her flaws as a person brilliantly in my opinion.
One of the things I admired about the story is its point. Shirley is more than a wife and is more than a mom. Sure, she is both of those things, but she is so much more than them. Within this story, she’s finally given the depth and emotion that the actual show writers failed to give her. Everything from Shirley leaving Andre for herself (which felt so empowering and moving by the way) to Shirley slowly becoming her own and discovering her worth-- I just loved everything about it. I’m honestly speechless by how well thought out this one-shot was.
Another thing I was obsessed with was the dynamic between Shirley and Britta!!! They’re definitely one of my favorite duos on the show, so to see it being explored on a deeper level is lovely and satisfying. It hits the core as to why their friendship with one another works and why they’re good for each other. They give the other such an amazing balance and the author showed this well. And ending the story with Shirley hanging with Britta was the absolute best way to do it because it came full circle. We see Shirley finally doing something for herself and shifting from everything she’s “supposed to be” to what she really wants to be! I can’t even put into words how much I adore that conclusion.
This fic was beautifully and also at times painfully real. It was such a good read and I loved every second of it!
FAVORITE THING ABOUT THE FIC:
While I loved the whole thing and appreciated the fact that it focused on Shirley, my favorite part was definitely the exploration of Britta and Shirley’s dynamic! Their friendship was beautifully written. I also loved the title because it really shows what the story’s about; Shirley breaking free and becoming her own!
LINES THAT STOOD OUT:
1. There was a messiness to them that she loved because it seemed more honest than the way Andre had kept buying her scarves and pretty earrings right until he told her he was leaving.
2. She was going to go swimming with dolphins. She was going to scream when she wanted to, shout and holler, and she was going to dance to Chuck Berry in her nightgown, her hands warm around Britta’s, and she was going to keep rocket pops in the freezer. She was going to put up as many pictures of the Lord as she wanted and she was going to hold her head up in church even though she’d left her husband.
3. Britta didn’t understand why she had left Andre, Britta had never seen that part of Shirley coming, so Britta touched her shoulder with delicate fingers and said, “Did he break your heart, Shirley?”
“No,” Shirley said. “He just didn’t know what to do with it. I do, though.”
4. They were just so perfect she had to laugh.
DO I RECOMMEND THE STORY:
Absolutely!! In fact, I highly recommend it! Especially if you’re a Shirley lover like I am. It’s only 2,902 words long; the story makes its point and hits home with so little time to do so. This fic was so beautiful and powerful. It lives in my head rent-free and I will never forget it!
END NOTE:
Okay, guys! That was my first review!!! I finally had the nerve to post it. What did you guys think? I can’t wait to read more of your fics and review them- this fandom has such talented writers and I love you all sm. Thank you for reading this if you did! :)
Also, if you want me to review your fic (as long as it revolves around community), inbox me!!! I have a few I’m already doing but I would love more!
All my fic reviews and recs will be under the hashtag trobedficrecs!!! <3
Given their behaviour at the wedding rehearsal Andre probably thinks of Troy and Abed as Shirley's gay friends, and any insistence from her to the contrary is probably interpreted as just her being uncomfortable with it
