as-many-times-as-it-takes:

dent-de-leon:

To be honest I think a part of is that the others just…don’t seem to know how to define it?? A lot of Shiro and Keith’s closest moments were in private, though the others do see glimpses of what’s between them here and there. For instance, after Lance calls out Keith because he’s not willing to risk rescuing Allura, Lance is the only one that sees Keith going back for Shiro even though it means putting the mission and everyone else at risk. This despite how clear he’s already made it that he doesn’t put everything on the line for rescue missions. Before that, Hunk asked, “What if it was one of us?” and in a sense, Lance kinda gets the answer to that. So he’s seen that Shiro at least means more to Keith than the rest of the team:

There are other things here and there. Keith is adamant about Shiro being the head. They do that exercise where they all fight the castleship droid, and everyone else is there to see Keith run in and save Shiro. They fight Haggar’s robeast of Miyzax, and again, Shiro has a flashback and Keith snaps him out of it. And it’s a very small detail but, Hunk’s battle plan just assumes Keith and Shiro would be fighting together, like them teaming up is the most natural thing

The whole team was there to hear Keith yell that they have to protect Shiro in the season 2 finale, and he makes that their top priority. He’s also the one running out to the Black lion first screaming Shiro’s name, and they’re all there to witness that. Not to mention how they saw him grieve Shiro for who knows how long. I think it’s also important to note that there’s this definite distance from Keith and the rest of the team after BOM–but its probably pretty obvious to the other paladins that, despite how aloof they’re being around Keith, Shiro is acting even closer and more overtly affectionate. No one else even says goodbye, but Shiro holds him in a tender embrace 

But even still, all that being said–regardless of what hints they’ve seen here and there, I don’t think anyone really understands the full extent of Keith’s attachment to Shiro. The scene where the team consoles Keith at the start of season 3 is really telling, because all the other paladins talk about their connections with Shiro. And I think the way they express that is…kinda presumptuous and insensitive. 

Lance says they all miss Shiro just as much, but we as the audience can see this sure isn’t the case. Everyone else has moved on, they’re all going right back to work. Keith is the only one still searching for Shiro, the only one adamant about not replace him 

Lance also says “I remember what a thrill it was to meet him for the first time when the two of us carried him out of that garrison hospital.” I’m sorry, but if the most important thing about meeting Shiro was that it was just a “thrill” to him, then he obviously doesn’t feel the same way about Shiro that Keith does. I mean, compare that line to Keith’s heartfelt, “If it wasn’t for you, my life would’ve been a lot different,” and “Shiro was the only person who never gave up on me, I won’t give up on him!”  

I don’t mean that in the sense that Lance doesn’t genuinely care about Shiro either. Lance is obviously someone who looks up to and highly respects Shiro the star garrison pilot. But he hardly knows Takashi the person. This isn’t unexpected, as we know Shiro often puts on his leader persona in front of others and distances himself from close relationships. The other paladins just don’t have the same connection with him. 

Pidge moves on to say “He was a legend at our house,” and, like Lance, first heard of him secondhand through these stories about what a hero he was. And Hunk chimes in with, “The guy taught me everything I know about being a pilot.” Referring to Shiro as his flight instructor also sounds impersonal in that he knows Shiro the pilot, the paladin, but really isn’t saying anything about him as his own person. Now, of course, they mean well. The thing is, it’s okay to try and relate to the person who’s grieving. But when you make it entirely about yourself and your feelings instead, particularly when you don’t know the other person very well, I really don’t think that helps. An important thing to note is–none of them are defining Keith’s relationship with Shiro here, they’re just describing their own. 

The only one who I feel really understood where Keith was coming from and took the time to try and grasp what Shiro really meant to him. She describes Shiro as someone “completely irreplaceable,” and that is who he is to Keith. Not his hero. Not a legend. Not a mentor. He’s Keith’s one constant, his anchor, his brother-in-arms, the one person who’s never abandoned him, who’s still loved and supported him all this time. He’s just an indisputable part of Keith’s life. Irreplaceable. 

So honestly, I don’t think many of the paladins really understand what Keith meant to Shiro in the first place?? For Lance especially I think any interest in Shiro at this point is almost superficial? Simply because they aren’t as close. Lance doesn’t want Keith rescuing Shiro because he doesn’t want his rival “one-upping” him. He wants to save the day, so he does. He later calls meeting Shiro a “thrill.” 

He’s annoyed when Shiro chooses Keith for a mission over him despite his very logical, well thought out reason as to why Keith was objectively the better choice. And it’s not because he’s jealous of Shiro really, I think it’s more to do with how he’s angry he was passed up for Keith, as if he’s an inferior pilot. They’re just two very different paladins with very different skill sets, and Keith’s were more suited for the job. But Lance takes it as a personal offense; it’s not so much about Shiro as it is about him. 

Don’t get me wrong, Lance definitely cares about Shiro. He looks really genuinely touched when he reaches out to shake Shiro’s hand, and when Shiro compliments him he immediately cheers up. But I just don’t think he’s as infatuated with Shiro as he is with Allura, and he’s more likely to get upset about Shiro choosing Keith over Lance for missions than he is about the two of them just spending time together. I mean, one is just Keith and Shiro bonding with the person they’re closest to, and the other makes Lance feel singled out and second-rate, which is why that’s what really gets a reaction 

Beautifully said @dent-de-leon . I think you hit it right on the nose!