So, what did I get out of this experience compared to other fics of mine? Shirley's very different from other protagonists I've written; she's been married, she's got kids. I enjoyed writing somebody with more of these adult experiences and concerns. She also has a very different approach to sexuality and gender compared to some of my blorbos, but I found that surprisingly easy to work with.

I've still got no clue how I'd write from Jeff's POV, but I had fun writing about him and not just when it came to describing his tits. Jeff it is my solemn pledge to you that you will experience nipple play in every fic I write you in (unless it's Hanahaki and you're too busy administering CPR).

I also rarely write pure romance over so many words. I've had plenty of ideas for fics that were romances (ask me about my Xicheng high school Frog AU or my Qingya coworkers BDSM AU) but I just generally find I don't quite have the interest to get them written. I feel like romance is a rambling rose: it can in fact be the main feature of a story, but it needs a plot-trellis to grow up. So when I'm new to a fandom I usually start off with a few romantic and/or smutty oneshots, THEN end up thwacking out a long fic for my favourite ship that also has some kind of adventure plot. But the JeffShirley is a romance from beginning to end, with a romance plot. Maybe because I deadass did not expect it to be anything like this length. I thought we were talking beefy oneshot. Maybe because the other fandoms I'm talking about are adventure fandoms, whereas Community (high-concept episodes not withstanding) is mostly focussed on interpersonal drama, so I'm just sticking to the source material?

Anyway!

yes I love you, accepted*

will try for consistent grammar under the cut but I am pressed for time, so forgive any lack of linearity 

*let us proceed from here on as though Shirley is hypothetically unmarried, because if we don't proceed as though she is unmarried I would be supporting adultery with this ship, nothankyou-