Candlelight, Moonlight, No Light

I mean Shiro was totally willing to tell everybody off for Keith’s sake in “Blade of Marmora”, from Lance all the way to the whole Blade organization and screw this whole alliance thing if you’re not going to let Keith keep his knife.

…And he completely failed to grasp that, yanno, telling Keith ‘if anything happens to me, I want you to lead the team’ wasn’t an honor, or a kindness, and that it was entirely possible Keith would be grieving far too much to cope with his own life never mind looking after everyone else’s. (People who rag on Keith for being a bad leader often don’t seem to realize we only get one episode where he’s both unequivocally in charge and not overtly grieving, and most of the stupidshit that went on in that ep was actually Allura’s doing. The kid was grieving for a fair chunk of S3. Like…utterly-not-coping-with-existing levels of grieving. Bet you anything, Shiro had no idea Keith would take it that hard.)

But the reverse is true too. Keith will immediately spring to Shiro’s aid, whether it’s Shiro freezing in a PTSD flashback or holed up in a cave with chunks ripped out of his hide, and he’ll pull stunts that would have trained ninja stuntmen demanding danger pay to do it. 

But he honestly thinks he’s got to prove his worth to Shiro all the time, that Shiro’s only a breath away from ripping him a new one for being selfish, or angry, or generally Not Good Enough, and that Shiro doesn’t notice or concern himself with little things like whether Keith is injured. It took only two episodes of butting heads before Keith decided he needed to leave the team so Shiro could lead it properly, and all of one episode before Keith was withdrawing like mad. And Keith is probably going to kick himself hard to find out that Shiro (or Kuron, or mindwarped!Shiro or whoever it is we have right now) is losing time, and feeling off, and having a hard time confiding in anyone.

@the-wenzel​ and @arahir​ made really perfect comments about this as well. You can read that post here.

So—I’m fed up. And I know that’s an entitled thing for me to say as a fan of a series, because if I don’t like the way a story’s going I can always hop ship. Note that the Voltron showrunners and writers can do whatever they want, and I respect their creative freedom; I believe the crew shouldn’t have to cater to the whims of their fanbase. 

That being said, I’m going to go ahead and bitch about Keith’s treatment as a character, and the way it punishes fans for empathizing with him. Understand that this isn’t me yelling into a bullhorn, “GET YOUR SHIT TOGETHER, VOLTRON CREATORS!” It’s me yelling into my blog-pillow, “DEAR GOD, I HOPE THE VOLTRON CREATORS MAKE A TURN-AROUND WITH KEITH’S CHARACTER!” There’s a difference. At least, I hope there is. 

1. Keith’s not perfect, but he’s definitely kind

I should begin with another disclaimer: I know Keith’s not a perfect person. I’m not standing on a soap box proclaiming him a precious cinnamon roll who’s done nothing wrong. Remember this moment? “You’re putting the lives of two people over the lives of everyone else in the entire galaxy!” He gets right up in Pidge’s face, and follows her when she tries to move away. 

Keith’s right, here. In the grand scheme of things, they need to put the galaxy first. But he lets his anger get the better of him, and it results in a cruel delivery. And Keith never apologizes for raising his voice like this, even after he goes through a similar arc in season 3 where he loses Shiro and the team tries to force him to move on (and, like Pidge, he eventually decides to put the team first).

Out of everyone on the team—besides Shiro—I feel like Keith should relate to Pidge the most. There are a lot of parallels between how they deal with the loss of their loved ones. It would’ve been very poignant to show Keith and Pidge talk about these things, rather than present parallels like this and never actually…explore them?

I mean, both those clips came from the same episode—the Voltron crew want us to see the parallel here. Yet Keith and Pidge rarely exchange a word outside of battle.

So that’s all to say there’s been at least one time when Keith was brash and came off as cruel to me. I do wish Keith and Pidge had settled this canonically. The rest of the time, though—? Keith’s not given to callousness. 

You’ll notice that Keith’s more likely to accept others’ mistreatment than defend himself, as @ilovelocust​ points out with this painful post. It’s not like he means to make trouble with people. Actually, while the team labels him coldhearted, KEITH IS AN EXTREMELY KIND PERSON. Please read this post by @dent-de-leon​ about Keith’s kindness. There’s this idea amongst fans that Keith and Lance’s rivalry is mutual, but you can tell by season two that Keith wants no part in it:

Lance thinks Keith wants to steal his Lion, and Keith does his best to politely apologize and try to explain rather than fighting back. Lance doesn’t like that he has to share the pool with someone, but Keith tries to mediate the situation and work out a reasonable solution. Lance angrily yells that Keith’s a hothead, yet he says nothing in his own defense. Keith could have easily let himself continue to be baited by Lance, but it’s obvious he doesn’t like having a temper and does his best to keep those kinds of emotions in check. You can tell he really wants to bridge that gap, and makes a conscious effort to do so. He didn’t have to do that. 

—Dent-de-leon

Keith doesn’t bully Lance like Lance bullies Keith. He fights back at first, and then he does his best to put the whole rivalry thing to rest. But, like Arahir said, the team…doesn’t ever seem to see Keith’s kindness. There’s this great moment where Hunk stands up to Allura on Keith’s behalf, and I’m so grateful for that—but that’s all we get, as far as I can recall. Keith and the others aren’t friends like Pidge and Lance and Hunk are…like Coran and Allura are. 

It really feels like most of Team Voltron are just… not Keith’s friends. Like, they tolerate him as a Paladin and because he’s close to Shiro? But Lance’s attitude towards Keith has really poisoned relations with most of the others.

—The-wenzel

To conclude: the concept of Keith as the fiery, emo bully does not actually reflect the canon story. And once you realize how kind he is—how desperately he cares about Shiro in particular—the more you start to empathize with him. Which is unfortunate, because the show…tends to treat him like shit.

YES,, THIS,, Listen there’s so much I could talk about with this, I could go on and on. So I’ll try to keep this brief, but–our very first intro to Keith is him saving Shiro. He’s not just rescuing someone either, he clearly cares so much for Takashi, looks down at him like he means the world and softens up completely, tenderly reaches out to turn his head a little closer. Right off the bat, our first impression isn’t cocky or cold or aloof. Its seeing Keith fiercely protect someone he loves and then just melt. You know within the boy’s first scene that he’s got a big heart:

And even though he’s not thrilled to have the other paladins along for the ride at first, he still drives them to safety and lets them crash at his place. Contrary to popular belief, he didn’t impulsively hate or antagonize Lance either. Quite the contrary, he didn’t have any problem with Lance until Lance made it a problem and continually instigated everything. Even still, rather than continue pushing his buttons, Keith ends up being the first to let the “rivalry” fizzle out. 

And he does so as early as season 2. Lance thinks Keith wants to steal his Lion, and Keith does his best to politely apologize and try to explain rather than fighting back. Lance doesn’t like that he has to share the pool with someone, but Keith tries to mediate the situation and work out a reasonable solution. Lance angrily yells that Keith’s a hothead, yet he says nothing in his own defense. Keith could have easily let himself continue to be baited by Lance, but it’s obvious he doesn’t like having a temper and does his best to keep those kinds of emotions in check. You can tell he really wants to bridge that gap, and makes a conscious effort to do so. He didn’t have to do that. 

We also have the way Keith is very understanding when Allura distances herself from him. Is he hurt by this? Yes, that much is clear. Like the rivalry with Lance, is any of this his fault? No. Unlike Lance however, Allura’s feelings aren’t completely unfounded–they stem from deeply rooted trauma, and he understands that. “Allura, it’s okay.” He never asks for an apology, nor does he ever expect one. He could have felt entirely betrayed by Allura’s behavior, but he doesn’t. Again, his compassion and concern for others wins out over his own emotional needs. 

Going back to first impressions for a minute, because this is incredibly important–when Keith only knew everyone for about a day, when they were all veritable strangers with the exception of Shiro–when he thought he was dying, his last words were literally, “It’s been an honor flying with you boys.” Keith is incredibly selfless and always puts others’ needs above his own. Instead of lamenting that he might die, he instead tries to comfort his fellow paladins. That was his first instinct and it’s very indicative of the kind of person he is. 

When left alone on a mission with Hunk, Keith could have easily been dismissive about his friend’s fears and stress. Instead, he tries to alleviate some of that anxiety by joking around with Hunk to cheer him up, as well as offering physical affirmations of reassurance (cue the signature shoulder touch). Ironically, even though Keith is often depicted as an excessively violent, aggressive harbinger of war, he’s actually very nurturing. And I’d argue that’s more in tune with his nature, and any hostility is more so a side effect of his fiercely protective instincts. See: Keith attacking Lubos for enslaving his own people, Keith immediately rushing to defend the Arusians when they’re “invaded,” Keith taking on Zarkon solo to defend Shiro, ect. 

He also takes his duty as a paladin very seriously–when everyone but Shiro wanted to leave, Keith was the most intent on staying. He was harsh on Pidge, but that was because he was looking at the bigger picture. “Everyone in the universe has families.” Everyone but him, but he’s still willing to lay his life on the line and see this through to the end so that everyone else can return safely to their families. That’s commitment. He truly cares about others, and it always gets me. 

And don’t even get me started on Keith’s galra arc, because he shows so much remorse for simply existing. He thinks he’s the reason Zarkon’s tracking them, so he packs his things and leaves. Despite how much he loves his newfound family, he cares about their safety too much to selfishly stay. And when Allura tries to convince him that all galra are innately evil? Keith’s trying so hard to rationalize this with his own feelings and his intentions. Because he doesn’t want to be a monster, because he desperately wants to believe he’s still him. Because he cares enough to ask, “But at the same time, couldn’t at least a few of them be fighting for good?” He wants so badly to be a good person, to do what’s “right.” It’s both incredibly endearing and upsetting.

And then there’s how, aside from Shiro, Keith is the only one actually upset by Ulaz’s sacrifice. Everyone else cheers when a man literally blows up saving all their lives, and Keith is the only other person who’s distraught. For everyone else, Ulaz’s sacrifice was a rather fortunate convenience. The fact that everyone else viewed the value of his life as lesser simply by virtue of being galra, that’s incredibly alienating in ways I can’t even begin to explain. Even more telling, rather than ruminating on his own demons, Keith’s first impulse is to comfort Shiro instead. Again, Keith’s compassion for others–and Shiro especially–eclipses his own pain. He sets aside his personal dilemma to stand by Shiro’s side and speak up on his behalf against Allura’s claims. 

Then you have all of season 3, where Keith is the only one unable to move on. Where he’s the one person still burdened by their grief, still frantically searching for Shiro day after day because he’d never just leave him. And he can’t understand how the others can just go on with their lives, erupts into grief laden outbursts that boil down to None of you care about him like I do. “We don’t have Shiro either. Everyone seems to have forgotten that.” “Shiro’s the Black Lion.” “No! I’m gonna find him.” We as the audience feel Shiro’s loss entirely through Keith, and that’s very purposeful. His heart is the one that’s breaking the most, his life was the one thrown into chaos. Shiro was the literal manifestation of his greatest hopes and dreams. 

If there’s one that that indicates Keith’s gentle heart, it’s his unparalleled bond with Shiro. And the fact that Keith can care so much for others at all after having been burnt at every turn–“Shiro is the one person who never gave up on me, I won’t give up on him.” Abandonment is a big part of his life, and it stemmed from the fact that even his own mother left him behind. The fact that he could still keep an open heart to others after so much loss and rejection, the simple fact that he will lay his life on the line for a bunch of strangers when he has no real reason to do so, the fact that he’d defend even a “home planet” where there’s no home there waiting for him–it’s incredibly humbling. 

Even so obviously depressed and scarred by grief, Keith willingly puts his own feelings aside and takes up the mantle of the Black Paladin. For the sake of the rest of his team, as well as in honor of Shiro’s last wish. “This one’s for you, Shiro.” Keith puts everything else on hold and takes on a role he neither wants nor feels he can properly fulfill. And when “Shiro” returns, Keith does everything in his power to return Black to her “original” paladin–in his mind, that’s setting things right. Even if it means leaving the team again. Keith obviously cares about the other paladins very much, but he’s willingly to make sacrifices for the greater good. That’s just the kind of person he is. 

All his life, the universe seems to just take and take when it comes to Keith. So the fact that he’d still be willing to sacrifice himself after all that, the sheer notion that he’d still care so much about others when all his life he’s been ostracized and abandoned–it’s heartbreaking. The universe really doesn’t deserve someone as kind and gentle hearted as him. 

I think it was meant to show how younger Keith was a kid that was really struggling–he has no one in his corner. It’s more than just “acting out” too. Because, he dealt the blow to Shiro very deliberately–he wanted Shiro to notice his skill, to take him under his wing, to sign him on for the garrison. He pilots that sim with deaft control and total command. When Shiro shows Keith an old spaceship, Keith knows the whole history behind it. He’s interested in this stuff, wants to build a life around it. 

When Shiro first arrives, he catches Shiro’s eye–because he’s so blatantly withdrawn and closed off, and you can see that Shiro wants to kind of reach out to him. Keith very deliberately has his walls up here, is trying so hard not to get his hopes up. 

And you just have to look at how Keith’s entire mood lifts when Shiro asks him if he wants to give the sim a try. No one’s ever been like Shiro before, no one’s ever really given him a chance. 

And you know what?? Shiro’s so impressed!! Keith can do every one of these drills in his sleep, and Shiro knows a pilot when he sees one. When the teacher gives Shiro the list, Shiro makes a point of asking about Keith and doesn’t even mention anyone else, “Is this guy on there? Looks like he’s just about ready to fly the real thing.”

Keith stealing Shiro’s car isn’t payback. It’s a confused and cornered kid desperately attempting to take control of a situation that was always out of his hands. He’s not mad at Shiro, he’s mad at himself for believing that he actually had a chance, for “falling” for Shiro’s nice guy routine and thinking he could reach for the stars. When the teacher says his name’s not on the list, given how everyone else has treated him in the past, he feels like Shiro’s just going to turn on him too. And he doesn’t want to wait for that. He doesn’t want Shiro to see him as just some troubled kid and write him off. 

It’s the confirmation that–yeah, this is too good to be true, time to wake up. Stealing Shiro’s car puts an end to that fantasy, but at least it’s an end he decided for himself rather than one that was dictated outside his control. 

So he turns on Shiro first. He makes him leave. If they’re gonna say he has a discipline problem, why not at least give them what they asked for? Keith outright admits in his vlog that he pushes other people away before they can reject him. And that’s exactly what he’s doing. But of course, Shiro isn’t like everyone else. When he hears Keith’s name has been omitted from the list, that he’s just a discipline case that would never make it at the Garrison–his previous enthusiasm is completely gone. He can’t believe that they’re literally going to just count Keith out like that. 

And it’s obvious from the way that Shiro treats Keith afterwards that he can tell there’s so much going on beneath the surface there, that Keith’s dealing with a whole lot and he needs some sort of support or else he’ll just keep punishing himself until he starts to crash and burn. Keith’s act of defiance is a pretty clear warning sign, and Shiro’s not about to let him just fall through the cracks. 

This is a common misconception I think so let’s get into why Keith is just as important and beloved to Shiro, because he really is. First things first, I’m going back to the beginning here, becuase we already know there’s this hidden past that’s intrinsic to their bond in the present. Shiro brought Keith to the Kerberos launch. Not his parents, not any other semblence of family or friends, just Keith. To emphasize the importance of that fact, my understanding is, astronouts typically only bring their immediate family right to the site of the launch (as in, they’re the ones that get talked through what’s happening by NASA and have a private sendoff and such). 

Which also explains why we only see Matt and Sam with Colleen and Pidge–again, it’s limited to just their immediate family. The fact that Shiro was even allowed to bring Keith is huge, and it absolutely speaks volumes as to the depth of their intimacy–even before everything with Voltron. I’ve also said many times before I think it’s heavily implied that Shiro was either estranged from his family or never really had one. So in leiu of that, it’s Keith he takes to the mission launch. No matter how you interpret their relationship, the fact remains that Keith is the person Shiro wanted to spend his last day on Earth with. No one else but Keith. And in fact, that little glimpse into their time at the garrison is something the show runners got very excited about:

Lauren: “I think that’s a storyline that we’ve always wanted to explore, and that we have every intention of learning a little bit more of what that relationship is between Keith and Shiro. How much does Shiro mean to Keith and vice versa. And so, to see that they were friends before this is something we want to just lay in there in little ways, until we eventually get to tell that story.”

Joaquim: “I mean, we knew right? We knew that Shiro meant a lot to Keith, or else Keith wouldn’t have attempted to break him out when he landed and all that. We were stoked when people saw that. We thought it’d be an Easter egg that would be around for a while. Day one, somebody was doing screen grabs all blown up and enhanced. It was supper cool.” (source)

Going by what Keith said–“Shiro is the one person who never gave up on me, I’m not giving up on him”–we also know that he did a lot for Keith. I think it wouldn’t be a stretch to say that he quite literally turned Keith’s life around, since we hear it directly from Keith himself, “My life would be a whole lot different without you.” I think it’s likely Keith was in a very bad place, and Shiro was his support through a lot of it. Shiro gave him coping mechanisms like, “Patience yields focus,” and did his best to be a grounding influence. Whenever Keith was struggling, it’s implied that Shiro was there to help him through it, that he never left Keith’s side. 

We knew he was the one person really able to anchor Keith when he was overwhelmed by his emotions–he’s the only person that can be tactile with Keith right from the beginning without Keith freezing up. And Keith very readily nestles closer when they initiate that contact. He trusts Shiro wholeheartedly, implicitly. Shiro was the only person that never abandoned him. Clearly, Keith matters quite a lot for Shiro to invest in his wellbeing to such an extent:

Joaquim: “He latches onto Shiro at times because Shiro’s sort of the only thing that can really calm him down and keep him in check.” (source).

Joaquim: “[Keith’s] got this emotional side to him.”

Lauren: “It’s kind of exasperated by the fact that Shiro’s gone. Like he’s having a hard time dealing with it, he doesn’t really know how to feel. And I think he just goes back to that inner part of himself where it’s just—he can’t control his emotions. And that comes from the galra side.” (source).

Lauren: “Shiro was still his guiding light. It was good.” (source).

There are notes of their intimacy scattered throughout the series. When they’re standing outside the shack, Shiro’s question is, “How did you know to come save me?” How not why, because of course Shiro knows Keith would come running in an instant as soon as he could. In Shiro’s Story he makes a clear distinction between Keith and the other cadets, “Then an old friend of mine named Keith came to my rescue,” he very clearly credits Keith for his safety here, and confirms that Keith is someone he’s known for a fairly longtime. 

In Across the Universe, Shiro is constantly trying to reassure Keith that he’s alright–tries to get to higher ground even as he’s struggling to stand because contacting Keith is his first priority, is incredibly relieved just to hear his voice, “Keith, Keith. I’m here.” And when Keith promises to save him? Shiro goes from gritting his teeth in pain to visibly emotional over those words. Just like the look on his face when he realizes Keith remembered his words of comfort–that’s incredibly touching to him, and it shows. “That really stayed with you, didn’t it?” Even delerious with pain he can’t help but be delighted by that. The fact that he really was able to make a difference to Keith, that Keith cared enough to remember? It struck a cord with him. Shiro’s clearly invested in this relationship as well. And these are only just a few instances of it.

Moving on to The Blade of Marmora, I’m going to really stress the fact the trial was just as much a test for Shiro as it was for Keith. Here, we also see Shiro’s loyalties tested–to the team, to his cause. And to Keith. Because ultimately, it’s Keith he cares about above all else. He readily throws away the only possible ally they have–an alliance they can’t afford to lose–and he does it in an instant for Keith’s sake. For a connection to a past that he didn’t even know Keith had. But instead of asking questions or trying to talk him down into giving up the knife, he’s immediately at Keith’s side and goes on the offensive. He knows Keith can’t fight this battle because he’s been hurt so much already, so Shiro does it for him. This is not his fight, but he growls and goes after the BOM, galra tech blazing, because he knows how much this means to Keith and he won’t let him sacrifice it. When Keith’s restrained by Antok earlier in the episode, he says, “Shiro, you know me.” And that’s cemented by the fact that Shiro would give up Voltron’s best chance for him. 

Even before that, we see how heavily all this weighs on Shiro. He tries to talk Keith out of accepting the trial at first, but reluctantly allows him to proceed when he realizes how deeply personal this is to him. Even still, he’s tense the entire time. We see him fixated on the monitor and saying, “Come on, Keith”–he says the same thing when he’s nervous about Keith taking too long to shut down Central Command with Thace. In both instances, Shiro is singled out as the character most attached to Keith and concerned for his wellbeing, and I think that’s a very deliberate choice. It’s something I’ve mentioned before, but Keith carries out a lot of tropes associated with the romantic knight archetype, including an instance where he must choose between either his partner or his duty, being faced with his loved one as the greatest temptation to lead him astray (which is the point of holo Shiro–“Your friend desperately wants to see you.”) The fact that Shiro was chosen to fulfill this role typically reserved for a love interest says a lot. And going by how fiercly Shiro protects Keith afterwards, I’d say the feeling is mutual–though Keith clearly fears otherwise. 

This is abundlty clear when we compare holo Shiro to the real deal. The first thing holo Shiro does is congratulate Keith on his victory in battle–helps him stand up but then immediately moves aside. The real Shiro’s first words are, “Keith, are you okay?” he rushes over to Keith’s fallen form and stands there petriefied a moment before immediately seizing him and cradling him close. He clings to Keith because he absolutely can’t bare the thought of losing him, and he makes Keith’s safety his utmost concern. Whereas the hologram’s love for Keith is on his own terms–provided Keith does what he says–Shiro’s love for him is unconditional. As soon as he sees that the BOM have used his image to hurt Keith, he steps in immediately. Again, the thought of losing Keith is unbarable, and it’s when he’s faced by this very harsh reality that he can’t stand aside any longer, trial and alliance be damned, “You’re messing with his mind, you’re going to kill him!” 

Time and again, we see just how fiercely protective Shiro is of Keith. When they’re fighting a robeast that critically damages the Lion Hunk and Keith are in, we see Shiro look visibly upset before glaring and attacking headon. When Keith volunteers for what is classified as a suicide mission, Shiro is clearly torn. He says Keith’s name while clenching his teeth, then needs to close his eyes and take a moment to compose himself before he agrees. But you can tell how much that ached, how badly he wanted to tell Keith to just stay. Ultimately, he only agrees because he trusts Keith to return–a fact that’s verified when he tells Pidge there is no plan B and if Keith fails then they’re done. He’s only willing to let Keith go because he has faith he’ll return home safe. And I mean, we’ve seen before that Shiro struggled with letting go of Keith–when he finds out Keith and Allura are missing, he orders for someone to contact the pod immediately and demands they both come home. When Shiro saw Keith was fighting a losing battle with the BOM, he charged in and fought for him. Shiro just can’t risk losing him. 

Let’s also not forget that when Shiro finds out Keith is galra, his initial reaction isn’t rejection or disgust. He has no disdain for Keith, harbors no ill will towards him despite his galran blood. These are the aliens that have imprisoned and tortured him for over a year, and Shiro’s clearly suffering from PTSD. It would be understandable if he felt uncomfortable around Keith. But when that blade activates? He stares on in awe. Keith’s galra reveal isn’t horrible or monstrous in Shiro’s eyes, it’s ethereal and beautiful. It’s nothing like how Shiro reacts to Sendak insisting he’s part of the empire. He doesn’t subject Keith to the same hatred he inflicts on himself–Keith is still good and pure in Shiro’s eyes, still something precious to behold. And again, the fact that Shiro of all people is the one to bare witness to such a paramount moment for Keith’s character? That’s all very deliberate.

While everyone else is keeping their distance from Keith, Shiro walks right over and embraces him. Just the fact that Shiro and Keith are so tactile with one another is incredibly intimate, but it’s especially telling after everything that went down in BOM. It’s a short, but very charged way of affirming just how much Keith means to Shiro onscreen. And on that matter, Joaquim has literally stated that Shiro loves Keith, and I’m not about to let that go unnoticed here, because it puts so much into perspective:

So we know how Allura and Shiro reacted to Keith’s galra reveal. What about the other paladins?

Lauren: “I think the rest knew Keith well enough to know it’s not a big issue. And they don’t know much about galra–do you grow purple fur at some point? But Allura has that history, so…”Joaquim: “And with Shiro, we have that history. But he loves Keith, so he sees the good in him.” (source).

Shiro’s entire character arc with relearning how much he matters is also intrinsically linked to Keith, as is his growth as the Black Paladin. Much of why Shiro kept insisting Keith become his successor was because he lived in fear that he wouldn’t survive, and he wanted to know Voltron would be able to go on without him–that Keith would be able to. And he was preparing him for that “inevitability.” Keith’s refusal to lead is also a rejection of the possiblity that he must give up on Shiro. 

But we know Shiro doesn’t really want all that, becuase he’s so clearly touched when Keith tells him he’ll make it. He wants so badly to believe it. Time and again, Keith is the force that propels Shiro forward, the one that convinces him to keep fighting, the person who reaffirms his place as the Black Paladin at every turn. “You mean your bayard.” Keith won’t let Shiro give up, won’t let him succumb to his demons. And the fact that Shiro finds the strength to keep fighting because of that shows an immeasurable depth to their bond.

To quote one of my other meta real quick:

Blazing Sword is the culmination of Shiro and Keith’s intimate bond, and it’s something both the episode and their respective character arcs build up toward. It’s Keith compelling Shiro to keep fighting, that he can do this, “You’re gonna make it.” “It was always meant to be yours.” It’s the sheer power and might you only get when both of them are piloting a Lion side by side.

Now, let’s try and conclude this with some mention of “Shiro” post season 2, because regardless of Kuron’s existance or not, that’s all very important as well. Real quick, from another meta, I’m just going over why Black chose Keith–because it was absolutely a result of how much he meant to Shiro: 

I’ll go back to why Black chose Keith in Shiro’s absence–namely, the very intimate bond between them:

Joaquim: “[Shiro] and Keith have the closest relationship.”

Lauren: “The Black Lion probably got from Shiro what Shiro saw in Keith.” (source)

At the end, that’s what it comes down to. The Black Lion was able to trust Keith because of Shiro’s own thoughts and feelings. Shiro and Allura just weren’t as close. Whenever people make suggestions like Allura and Lance piloting instead, I’m always confused–because for Shiro, it was never even a question. “Keith, If I don’t make it out of here, I want you to lead Voltron.”

That was literally Shiro’s one request, and the Lion cared about him enough to respect that. Ultimately, it’s Keith’s love for Shiro, his devotion and loyalty to him, that lets him sync so easily with the Lion. The fist time he tries, it’s to save Shiro’s life. And the second, it’s because he wants to lead the team for Shiro’s sake. “I know this is what you wanted for me, Shiro. I’m not you. I can’t lead them like you.” “This one’s for you, Shiro.” That’s what called to the Lion.

Now, let’s talk about Kuron going through his memories while dying. Because the very first one he cycles through is Shiro’s reunion with Keith. That memory was at the forefront of Keith’s mind, it showed the person that mattered the most, the very first place his mind went to. And this also can read as a clear callback to when Shiro is doing the mindmeld with all the paladins, and we see he’s thinking of the Kerberos launch–you know, that same launch where he brought Keith? It’s just interesting how we would get two powerful memories, one where Shiro is leaving Keith, and the other where they reunite. 

Returning to Kuron, I also want to mention that he really does seem to try and reciprocate how much Shiro cares about Keith. They both try and reach out when they see Keith appears anxious and lost, albeit with varrying results. And when Kuron sees it’s Keith that’s come to rescue him, he couldn’t look more relieved. The way they both look so tender as they drift into each other’s orbit honestly resonates with some of the most romantic tension in this show. 

 Then there’s the whole bedroom scene, which I’ve analyzed in full, but just to try and keep it breif–we see that Kuron is laid bare and vulnerable before Keith. He cuts his hair and shaves before meeting the other paladins, tries to play it off like everything’s fine in front of the others. He wears his strong leader mask and smiles. Not so in front of Keith–he’s incredibly vulnerable and stripped bare (both physically in terms of being dressed down to his underclothes, but obviously also metaphorically–again, visual cues are huge here though). “Shiro” is able to be painfully honest with Keith, admitting that he might not feel up to moving around just yet, and clearly worrying that his Lion has abandoned him to the galra. Once again, he’s been imprisoned and tortured. 

But he won’t let anyone else see him like this. Keith is the only one he trusts to bare witness to his moment of weakness, Keith is the one tending to Shiro’s bedside. And again, it’s a role typically reserved for a character’s love interest. This is even more emphasized when Kuron calls back to Keith and jokingly asks, “How many times are you gonna have to save me before this is over?” Becuase, whether this is the real Shiro or not–he’s seen Shiro’s memories, and he knows. He knows that it’s always Keith who comes running to the rescue, knows that Keith has been his knight in shining armor. And the fact that he’s able to express his gratitude for that, the fact that he and Keith are both so unabashed and sweet about it? It really does show how much they mean to each other. Shiro’s fully aware how much he means to Keith, and the feeling’s very mutual. 

“as many times as it takes” trailer // if there was a sheith movie

insp (x) | music (x)(x)

Or an Analysis of what Season Seven was Meant to be before They Rewrote it to Accommodate Black Paladin Keith 

At one point, the EPs mentioned a version of s7 where Shiro went back to being Black Paladin. I hypothesize that was the original version. When they got the go ahead to make Keith Black Paladin, rather than rewrite the entire story, they rewrote parts of the script they already had to fit that. 

This would explain why there’s no mention in the script as to why Shiro isn’t Black Paladin anymore. Because in the original script, he was. 

So, here’s a few things I think ended up being changed, added, moved around or cut from the original to make this new vision “work.”

First Start by Realizing the Truth: There was no Wolf

Let’s go back to s6 and assume everything happened exactly the same way it did… only minus the wolf. Does this change anything in the plot? No. The wolf appears in s6, but does nothing but stand around in the background and presumably provide extra moral support for Keith during their long journey. You could remove the wolf entirely and it would change nothing. 

Kind of like Shiro in the first half of s7. 

several anons, and pulling out three to represent: 

I saw that Tim Hedrick was Voltron’s lead writer and story editor. Not to single him out or anything but does this mean that he is likely the reason for VLD’s plot being as disjointed as it is?

What do you think of Tim Hedrick and Joshua Hamilton?

Hamilton said in the podcast that Hendrik had worked out pretty much the whole storyline…. [If] he wrote S1-2 and laid down consistent facts (five teens, Shiro is hero not mentor, strong lion bonds, Keith’s issues etc) that were later changed [did that cause] the delays?

From what Hedrick has said about his writing, I think we would’ve had a very different story had he mapped it out. I wouldn’t say better or worse, simply a different tone/feel to it. 

several anons, and pulling out three to represent: 

I saw that Tim Hedrick was Voltron’s lead writer and story editor. Not to single him out or anything but does this mean that he is likely the reason for VLD’s plot being as disjointed as it is?

What do you think of Tim Hedrick and Joshua Hamilton?

Hamilton said in the podcast that Hendrik had worked out pretty much the whole storyline…. [If] he wrote S1-2 and laid down consistent facts (five teens, Shiro is hero not mentor, strong lion bonds, Keith’s issues etc) that were later changed [did that cause] the delays?

From what Hedrick has said about his writing, I think we would’ve had a very different story had he mapped it out. I wouldn’t say better or worse, simply a different tone/feel to it. 

After S7, the asks have been piling up. A few examples:

I was so confused in ep4 when Acxa disappeared, I thought she’d stuck with the team after ep3 and maybe I just missed the scene where she left, but others have brought that up, too.

Funny how the majority of the problems in s7 are because they tried to force BP Keith to the detriment of the story, and ironically, Keith’s story, too.

I thought Lance’s family reunion would be much more emotional and be a part of his arc, since he was the most homesick, but then they gave that to Hunk?

Shiro got tossed aside in the most ableist, racist, and homophobic way, and Allura could have had a cool storyline mixing her paladinship and her castle storyline with a new altean mecha, instead of Shiro becoming a bad Allura 2.0 and Keith becoming a bad Shiro 2.0.

Srsly tho, am I the only one who finds it extremely bothering that in writing Allura and Lance they don’t bother to show Allura coming to view Lance in a romantic light after her breakup?

Why even bother in S6 to make such a big deal of Shiro/Kuron saying his dream is to be a paladin over and over? Until he was revealed a clone some of us thought he was Shiro, so it’s even harder to accept Shiro not being BP anymore.

The EPs seem to be so stuck in their initial idea and salty they couldn’t do it exactly as they want that they just ignore the story itself?

The EPs have spoken of being determined to get the VLD gig out of fear it’d be given to someone who’d wreck the story. That’s understandable, but we’re talking about a 78-episode, six-season, space opera mecha series. This genre practically demands a sprawling world and a massive cast, and it’s far beyond the scope of anything either JDS or LM have ever helmed on their own. 

My guess is that JDS and LM didn’t realize the enormity of what they were taking on, or they (and their bosses) seriously underestimated the degree to which they were wholly unprepared.

Behind the cut: what I meant when I said these EPs are not storytellers.

Sooo…remember the last post s8 fix-it post I made? I wrote a little something for it (I’ll upload it on ao3, too, but I still have to make an account there).

It’s not beta read and I suck at writing stuff in English since it’s not my mother tongue. Please bear with me. :)

(Fic’s under the cut)

Our room is dark, the blinds are shut tight

And everything is still too much outside

When he left it hurt like hell. It felt like Shiro had finally run out of time. He should’ve said something sooner.

There had always been tomorrow, another time, next week, after this mission,when this meeting’s over, promise, I’ll tell him then!

The war had finally, officially ended. But not for them. The universe was in disarray – all the Galra Empire had left in its wake were ruins and ashes of whole worlds burnt to nothing. The war had never stopped and so their duties as Paladins and diplomats of planet Earth continued to tear them apart. Silently. For no one to see. Not even Shiro.

He only felt the sensation of something finally ripping, when it was too late. Keith was gone. By the time they noticed, he was already on the other end of the known universe, fighting off war criminals and rebuilding what was left of civilizations that had taken the brunt of the Empire’s wrath over thousands of years. Somebody had to do it, Shiro told himself again and again. And of course it had to be Keith. This was what he was born for. The stars. If he was completely honest with himself he had always known that the younger man was never meant to stay on the ground with both his feet. The moment he had seen him so many years ago, he had known. Keith was meant to fly and reach for the stars or go crashing down with them.

But it still hurt so much. Because in spite of knowing that this day would come, he still wasn’t prepared to let him go. He wasn’t prepared to lose the man that meant everything to him.

Maybe it had taken him too long to realize what Keith really meant to him. That he couldn’t live without him by his side. There had always been tomorrow, another time, next week… The possibility that there would be a tomorrow without Keith by his side seemed so impossible after all they went through. But maybe that’s what went wrong in the end. Shiro had taken Keith for granted – a constant in his life that would always be there, no matter what. And now it was too late.

It may be over but not tonight

I may be older but I still cry

I can’t stop sleeping in your clothes

You can’t stop calling on the phone

Keith never reacted to any of his text messages. Whether it was because he was busy… or for a whole different reason Shiro didn’t even want to think of, he didn’t know. Silence was all there was between them now. With every unanswered message the hurt sunk deeper into his heart. It festered there and turned into bitterness with every passing month. He felt hollow inside. As Admiral and part of the Terran Delegation there was quite enough work on his hands to keep him busy for most of the day. But every time he’d come back home to a dark apartment and cold sheets he felt like sinking deeper into an all consuming emptiness. He should’ve given up trying to contact Keith by now. He knew that. In fact he should’ve stopped thinking about the other man every waking hour. The only problem was… he didn’t know how. It was all he’d ever done.

Can’t you see I’m in recovery?

Just let it be, I’m in recovery

I’m holding on, I know I’m almost there

Storm reach out and tell me that you care

It stung like a knife to the chest when he found out that he seemed to be the only one who hadn’t heard of Keith for almost a year. He’d met up with Pidge at one point, visited Lance and Allura on New Altea merely two months ago. He’d even made it to congratulate Hunk on his family’s new house in person… The only one who hadn’t seen him ever since he left… was Shiro.

Later he’d wonder if that had been the last straw. If that was what finally broke him. When he found out Keith was back on earth for a few days without telling him, he snapped. He packed all his stuff and left his office like a raging storm. He knew he shouldn’t corner Keith like that. He knew deep down, that it was wrong. Patience yields focus, remember? But he didn’t care for one second. His whole body felt numb, yet at the same time so full of cold anger. He needed answers. Nobody stopped him when he mounted one of the hoverbikes and sped off into the desert. He knew exactly where to find Keith.

When he reached the shack he knew Keith was there, even before he saw the younger man’s pale face in the door frame. He was hurting them. Both of them and Shiro knew. But there was no turning back from this conversation now. There was no way this could go on for any longer. Shiro already felt like crumbling to pieces, he couldn’t stand the silence anymore. At this point he really believed that he couldn’t hurt much more. He’d been through torture and war. He’d survived the pits. He’d survived experimentation and losing his arm. He died and came back… But there was no way he could withstand this.

The moment they started talking Shiro could already tell Keith was closing in on himself, building up walls even he couldn’t tear down anymore. The telltale twitching of his hands, the way his shoulders hunched… Keith was unreadable to most people. Anyone else would’ve thought of him as indifferent to what was going on. Shiro, on the other hand, knew what to look for. He could read Keith like a book. And that’s where the fighting began.

Being shut out felt like a slap in the face. It burnt right down to his very core.

“It’s better this way”, Keith told him. “I’m sorry…”

They screamed at each other. They cried. Two thrashing animals caught in a trap, neither of them ready to go down. Ultimately, it was all in vain. Keith had made his decision, for reasons unknown. He’d take this secret to the grave if he had to. Shiro would never know what drove the former Red Paladin away from him. But his choice was final.

Tears burnt in his eyes, when he turned to leave. He never wanted to do this… But the words bubbled up unbidden, nonetheless.

“Fine… If that’s what you want. I won’t stop you”, he looked back at Keith and saw the exact moment the words registered and hit home. “But don’t expect me to be there when you decide to come back one day.”

That day he had hurt Keith in a way, he’d never forgive himself for. There was no going back from this. The damage had been done. He left without looking back, not expecting Keith to reach out and keep him from leaving. He never did, anyway.

I’m finally sober, I see the light

The worst is over, nobody died

I’m still trying to let you go

Oh baby, please, leave me alone

A brand new war began. One that Shiro wasn’t sure he’d survive – a silent war. No one else could see it, but they could feel it. There was tension wherever Shiro went, hanging in the air around him like thick rain clouds. None of his friends dared saying anything – they all knew. They had to know. Because Keith never showed up to any of their anniversaries on New Altea, again. It was a silent war and this… this was Keith’s way of opening fire. Shiro embraced it. Swallowed it. And then cried it out into the darkness of his empty bedroom, when no one else would hear.

Can’t you see I’m in recovery?

Just let it be, I’m in recovery

I know you wanna say you’re sorry

But I don’t wanna hear that story

Days bled into weeks, weeks bled into months. His heartache wouldn’t fade. Shiro’s chest had become an open wound refusing to heal. When was the last time he had laughed? He didn’t know. All he did these days was work himself into the ground, working overtime for hours on end until he was either too tired to think or fell asleep in his office. That was until he fainted during a meeting. There’s only so much sleep deprivation a human-Galra-hybrid clone body can endure.

When he came to himself again there was a man hovering over him. He remembered him from the Atlas. One of the bridge staff. What was his name again? Carl? Curtis? Curtis.

“Are you alright, Sir?”, he asked.

It’s weird… how things change so fast.

Turned out Curtis was what Shiro needed. For the moment. Talking to him was easy… kissing him was easier. Easy was good for now.

They moved in together after dating for a few months. Shiro proposed after another two or three. Of course Curtis said yes. Everything was easy with him. So why did Shiro feel like he was drowning? Sending the invitations to their wedding earned him a few rounds of interrogation from his friends, especially Allura and Pidge. They’d picked up on what had occurred between him and Keith – mainly because Keith had quite regular meetings with Allura and Lance on New Altea, since he became a senior member of the Blades… At least that’s what Shiro heard. Both of them knew how much Shiro was hurting, but all they could do was give him sympathetic glances. They knew why Keith did what he did. That maybe protecting his own poor heart from potential hurt was what led to them silently tearing each other apart. It hurt to watch.

Of course they sent an invitation to Daibazaal, too. Since none of them knew Keith’s current location, they’d chosen to send it to Krolia instead, knowing Keith would get it, sooner or later. That was Shiro’s counterblow in this cold war between them.

Always thought you’d be the one

Who always needed me

My home, you’d be my home

After the wedding, the silence only grew. As did the emptiness in Shiro’s life. His marriage lasted for a whole 2 years. The time it took them to get divorced included. There were no “I told you so”s from his friends – only support and a lot of hugs. Shiro didn’t know what was worse. Because he himself had known this relationship was meant to crash and burn the moment he had proposed. Maybe before.

He felt terrible. Throwing his own heart in the line of fire because he couldn’t let go of someone who clearly didn’t want him was one thing… Pulling Curtis into this and putting his heart on the line as well, was a whole different thing. Has he always been such a terrible human being? Could this be the reason why Keith left? Because he’d seen how Shiro hurts the people around him on purpose? There was no way of knowing now. Keith was long gone… and yet, he was still everything Shiro ever knew.

Suddenly, your memory

In time is like an enemy, so cold

Five years. It had been five years since the last time they saw each other. Back in Keith’s shack. Shiro’s last words still rang in his ears, loud and clear. It had taken him a year or so, until he realized he’d used the same words Adam had thrown at him, before he’d left for the Kerberos mission. It felt like a lifetime ago. Another thing in a long line of things he regretted voicing or not voicing in front of Keith. It seemed like he never told Keith the most important things. But if he did tell him anything, only the wrong things came out. Things he never wanted anyone to hear. Unfair things.

The universe, as Shiro had known it, was in shambles.

A soft ping was all it took to tilt the universe back into the right direction. It was 3:00 am. An unusual time to get notifications nowadays. Shiro had stepped back from a few positions in the past year, slowly letting others take the reins. It was time for him to go back and teach at the Garrison… Or maybe… Maybe one day he’d see the stars again. He could hear them calling already.

Another ping and he was fully awake. With half lidded eyes a grabbed his phone. The bright orange light was nearly blinding in the darkness of his bedroom. He took one look at the display and nearly dropped the device into his own face. Wha-… Was he dreaming?!

There were two messages glaring back at him, taunting him. This had to be a dream. It had to.

Keith (03:02):

Dear Shiro…. I know I fucked up royally. Fuck, I’m not good at this. I’m sorry. I’m so sorry. It’s been a while….. But can we maybe talk?

Keith (03:03):

I understand if you don’t want to. I’ll leave you alone if you don’t want to see me. But I… I can’t do this any longer.

Shiro’s heartbeat was deafening. Blood rushed in his ears. He had to pinch himself to make sure this wasn’t another cruel dream.

This was happening. This was really happening. It had been five years. Five years of silence.

His fingers moved before he could even register what was happening and pressed “send”.

Shiro (03:05):

Don’t be. We both did a lot of fucking up. We can talk whenever you want.

It took about ten minutes and Shiro was ready to dose off again, when his phone went off. It wasn’t a text message this time. But a video call.

“Hey.”

A single word. It only took a single word… His voice was tinny and rougher than he remembered. His hair had gotten longer. Long enough to be braided actually. There was an edge to his face that hadn’t been there when Shiro last saw him. But it was Keith. Sweet, beautiful Keith.

“Hey”, Shiro replied, his voice raspy and thick with emotions.

They talked. They actually talked. At 3:00 am. Not about what happened between them, not about the reason why Keith left, not about Shiro’s marriage or divorce. But they talked about small things, like Keith’s latest mission or that annoying woman from the canteen who didn’t get the message Shiro was into men. But who could blame her? Ever since Curtis Shiro had never tried dating again.

When they finally hung up it was with the promise of meeting up when Keith got back to earth next month. It was almost 5:00 am. Neither him nor Keith had said it out loud, but it hung between them, so thick it was almost palpable.

“I miss you.”

Can’t you see I’m in recovery?

Meeting Keith after all this time was like finally, finally putting the shards of his universe back together. Like finally laying their weapons down and calling off the war they had started on that fateful day in the shack.

It was awkward at first… until it wasn’t.

One touch, a simple hand on a shoulder kind of touch, was all it took to open the gates to a flood. There were tears. Lots of tears. Tears of joy and sorrow, of forgiveness and apology. Years worth of silence were shattered by a flood of words. Once they started they couldn’t stop. Hugging each other and holding on tight, never wanting to let go ever again.

“I’m so sorry”, whispered Keith in between ugly sobs. “I’m so, so sorry. I thought-… I thought-”

“Shhh”, Shiro tried to calm him, tightening his hold on Keith. But the younger man wasn’t having it.

“No-… No, you have to hear this.”

He leaned back a little until he could look into Shiro’s eyes. His eyes were red and still full of unshed tears.

“I’m sorry I ran”, Keith tried again. This time his voice was steadier. “I didn’t know what to do. I thought… After the war you… You deserved better.”

“Better?”, Shiro frowned. “Better than what?”

“Me.”

At that moment it felt like Shiro’s heart would burst out of his chest.

Before he could say anything Keith continued: “I… I thought after all you’ve been through, you deserved a life far away from war and fights and-… I knew I couldn’t give you this.”

Another sob rocked Keith’s lean body. He’d bulked up a little over the past few years, but he still felt so small and fragile in Shiro’s arms.

“I never wanted to hurt you. But… I was afraid… Of hurting myself.”

There was a moment of silence. But a different kind of silence – a pleasant one. Finally, finally Shiro understood.

“You were trying to protect your heart”, he whispered.

Keith’s eyes went wide for a second. But he nodded nonetheless. There was nothing left for him to lose. He’d lived five years without Shiro by his side… He’d been through hell already. All because he couldn’t just tell Shiro how he felt.

“Well”, the corners of Shiro’s mouth turned up into a soft smile. “there’s no need to. Never was.”

Again Keith’s eyes went wide, his brows rising almost comically high. Slowly, to give him enough time to pull back if that wasn’t what he wanted, Shiro leaned down, until their lips were almost touching.

“I never told you this. I never found the right moment… and then you were gone”, with every word their lips brushed against each other. Keith closed his eyes. “Maybe I can tell you now.”

And with that he closed the distance between them.

Kissing Keith was everything he ever imagined it would be… and still so much more. The soft, warm feeling of his lips, the slow drag of his tongue against Shiro’s bottom lip were intoxicating. He was done for. He knew that the moment he had to lean back and take a breath. He already missed the warmth of Keith’s lips on his.

“I love you.”

The confession left his lips and he couldn’t stop. “I love you. I love you. I love you.”

Tears filled the younger man’s eyes again.

“I love you, too.”

For the first time in years it felt like there was a silver lining at the horizon.

They could to this. They could make this right. It had taken them five years, but finally, finally the universe seemed whole again.

The war of silence was finally over.

I want to see Keith become happy.

1. It makes no fucking sense to sketch out a bouquet before you make it.  Every individual flower is different in a way that cannot really be adjusted the way other building materials can be adjusted, and each individual bouquet is unique.  Just put the fucking flowers together.

2. No one — in months and months of working at the flower shop — has ever cared what the flower/color of the flower means.  No one’s ever asked.  It’s just not something people tend to care about outside of fiction and it’s certainly not something most florists know.  You know what florists know?  What looks good and is thematically appropriate.

Here’s an actual list of the symbology of flowers, as professionals use it:

Yellow – for friends, hospitals Pink – girls, girlfriends, babies, bridesmaids Red – love Purple – queens White – marriage and death (DO NOT SEND TO HOSPITALS) Pink and purple – ur mum Red, orange, and yellow – ur mum if she’s stylish Red, yellow, blue – dudes and small children Blue and white – rare, probably a wedding Red and white – love for fancy bitches

Here are what the flowers actually mean to a florist:

The Fill It Out flowers:

Carnations – fuck u these are meaningless filler-flowers, not even your administrative assistant likes them, show some creativity Alstroemeria – by and large very similar to carnations but I like them better Tea roses – cute and lil and come several to a stalk, a classy filler flower Moluccella laevis – filler flower but CHOICE Delphinium – not as interesting as moluccella but purple so okay I guess Blue thistle – FUCK YEAH, some fucking textural variety at last!  you’re getting this for a dude, aren’t you? Chrysanthemums – barely better than carnations but better is still better Gladiolus – ooh, risky business, someone understands the use of the Y-axis, very good

Focal points:

Long-stem roses – yeah whatever Lilies – LBD, looks good with everything, get used as often as possible Hydrangeas – thirsty fuckers, divas of the flower world and rightly so, treat them right and they make you look good Gerbera daisies – the rose’s hippie cousin, hotter but no one admits it Peonies – CHA-CHING, everybody’s absolute favorite but you need guap Orchids – if this isn’t for a wedding you’re probably trying too hard but they’re expensive so keep ordering them

You know what matters?  THE CUSTOMER’S BUDGET.  THAT’S TELLING.

-$20 – if you’re not under 12, fuck off, get your sugar something else $30 – good for bouquets but an arrangement will be lame $40 – getting there, there’s something that can be done with that.  you can get some gerbs or roses with that and not have them look stupidly solo. $50 to $70 – tolerable $80 – FINALLY.  It sounds elitist but this really is the basic amount of money you should expect to spend on an arrangement that matters.  That’s your Mother’s Day arrangement.  You’re probably not going to spend $80 on a bouquet. $90 to $130 – THE GOOD SHIT, you’re likely to get some orchids $130+  – Weddings and death.  This amount of money gets you a memorial arrangement or a handmade bridal bouquet.  Don’t spend this on a Mother’s Day or a Babe I Love You arrangement, buy whosits a massage or something.

Miscellaneous:

Everything needs greening and if you don’t think that you’re an idiot. 

As a new employee, when you start making arrangements, you can’t see the mistakes you’re making because you’re brand new and you’re learning an art form from the ground up.

With a few exceptions customers don’t have a clear plan in mind.  They want you to develop the bouquet for them.  They want something that will delight their little sweetbread but you’re lucky if they know that person’s favorite color, let alone flower.

Flower shops don’t typically have every kind of flower in every kind of color.  Customers generally aren’t assed about that.  Most people don’t care about the precise shade of the rose or having daffodils in July, because they’re not boning up on flower language before they buy.  That would imply that they’ve got a clear bouquet in mind and, again, they don’t.

Being a florist is essentially a lot like what I imagine being a mortician is about.  You’re basically keeping dead things looking good for as long as possible.  You keep the product in the fridge so it doesn’t rot and look horrible by the time the family gets a whack at it, and in the meanwhile you put it in a nice container.