#but i just had to share these with the sheith community☆

[edenfire]

♡ SHIRO ♡

show off your passion as shiro's number one fan with these cute lil fans~💞

>> in my shop <<

[monstersinthecosmos]

💫 for the fanfic ask meme!

(writing asks!)

💫what is your favorite kind of comment/feedback?

I answered this one yesterday here but I will add to it!

Any feedback is good! Like I personally enjoy keyboard smashes as much as I love book reports and I worry sometimes when we talk about this that it maybe makes people shy? But I can't emphasize enough that you do not need to be shy about leaving comments. Writers post for comments. They're sharing something for free, and you're saying thank you. And there's a point at which tbh it becomes selfish to never comment, and stuff like this is what drives writers away from fandoms.

Like someone recently told me that their discord was discussing all my fics and I really appreciate that one person telling me, but like ?? None of the fics they mentioned had any new comments. None of these folks commented to tell ME that they liked the story. so idk. Like you're from Sheith fandom and one of the reasons I started writing Sheith was because the writing community was so much more supportive and there was so much more engagement.

Cause like I could just as easily share my fics in my own discord with 10 people LOL. Sometimes when I hear stuff like that I don't know why I bother. :) Feels bad, man!!

So anyway, writers appreciates all types of comments, don't be shy, please leave comments so that they know their hard work was appreciated. The same people who consume fics and never comment will be the ones complaining that their ship has no fics in a few months from now.

:)

[avidbeader]

New Sheith Fic

Probably rated T, but we’ll see.

VLD post-S8, but Allura lives and the endcards are thrown on a trash heap where they belong

This is the fic thread I’ve been posting to Twitter for the last few days. Thought I’d share here as well. It’s between 1/3 and 1/2 done at this point. It will get to AO3 eventually once it’s finished and beta’ed.

I just got this idea of something that the Atlas might do in a given situation and ran with it.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

The first couple of requests were reasonable. A real-time updated roster of the Atlas crew made sense for both organizational and security purposes. A record of the ship’s known offensive and defensive capabilities was necessary as the admirals and generals developed strategies for any potential threats, minimal though they might be after Voltron’s defeat of Honerva.

The order to have a Garrison official installed as their liaison made Shiro pause, but only for a moment. On the one hand, there were already several crew members on board who performed that role: Sam, Mitch, Veronica, himself. On the other hand, it was not unwarranted for the Garrison to have a point person for communication purposes so as not to add an extra burden to the duties of any one crew member. If Shiro had tried to keep up with every Garrison inquiry or notification on top of his own duties as captain, he probably would have gone to the Black Lion and begged to be taken back to the astral plane. This would take one thing off his plate without pushing more responsibility on any member of the command staff.

But when a General Stone reported to him, demanding both quarters in the same section as the senior bridge crew and an office next to Shiro’s ready room, his hackles rose instinctively. Atlas’ presence in the back of his head, usually a quiet and cheerful sensation, grew wary like a wild animal sensing a predator.

“Given that this was only communicated to us today, you’ll have to make do in guest quarters until we are able to make arrangements, General. I didn’t expect anyone to be appointed, much less arrive so soon.”

Which meant that someone in the Garrison hadn’t wanted to give them time to ask questions or protest the decision. And the fact that a general was assigned to a position that should have gone to a lieutenant at most was unsettling.

Stone growled at him. “This lack of preparedness is the kind of thing that I’m here for. As one of the Garrison’s most valuable assets, the Atlas must be primed and ready for action at any given time.”

It took Atlas a moment to identify what the general meant, but Shiro knew immediately when she understood. There was now an angry cat hissing and spitting in his mind and it was taking everything Shiro had to maintain a polite expression.

“It’s not a lack of preparedness when information is not provided in a timely manner,” he retorted. The general reared back slightly, taken aback that Shiro had not immediately accepted the criticism.

Shiro pressed a button on a small console in his desk for show, but Atlas had already found the ship’s senior steward and asked him through his datapad to report to Shiro’s ready room. Before the general could form a response, he continued. “I’m sure you remember this from your protocol training, General, but bear in mind that aboard a ship, the captain is the ranking officer. You are welcome to observe and advise, but you are not part of the chain of command.”

Stone’s eyes narrowed and he entered something on the datapad in his hand. It beeped and he frowned. “What’s the matter with the connectivity here? My message didn’t go through!”

The malicious giggle that only he could hear was answer enough for Shiro. “I expect your device will need to go through a security clearance. Mention it to—” Shiro paused as his door opened before the steward could signal his presence “—the steward. Lieutenant Rasal, this is General Stone. He’s been assigned to us by the Garrison and will need quarters and an office when you are able to arrange it. In the meantime, could you escort him to an available space in the guest accommodations?”

The lieutenant nodded, the flash of a dimple in his cheek the only sign that he understood what Shiro was not saying. As the officer in charge of organizing lodging, supplies, and maintenance aboard the ship, he knew better than most what the Atlas was capable of. If she cared to, she could have produced everything Stone was demanding within minutes. Shiro was honoring her choice not to, and Rasal followed his captain’s lead. He saluted and held out a guiding hand.

“If you’ll come with me, sir.”

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Stone’s presence had an immediate and negative impact. He began by insisting on a full tour of the ship with Shiro. He complained constantly about the randomness of his datapad connection, too focused to pick up on the fact that Atlas was only letting neutral and positive reports get through. When Shiro convinced her that yes, she had to make him an office and a set of quarters, Atlas’ response was to make an office, not much bigger than a broom closet on the opposite side of the bridge from Shiro’s ready room, and a minimal set of quarters, as far away from Shiro as possible while still in the section for the command staff.

Stone’s next step was to observe, watching the normal routines of the crew. It made everyone nervous and more prone to mistakes. Even the oldest, most seasoned officers like Sam and Mitch were side-eying Stone when he was on the bridge. Shiro made time to circulate through the ship so he could reassure his crew that they had done nothing wrong. He noticed a sharp drop in the number of people hanging out in the common areas or lounges as any socializing shifted to rooms behind closed doors, out of Stone’s sight.

The Taujeerians made a formal request for the Atlas to map a nearby star system for potential relocation sites when their planet next went through its renewal cycle. Keith took advantage of the deep-space mission to run training drills with the lions and the MFEs, improving their teamwork and response times. Stone seemed especially interested in the paladins, having noticed how their quarters were all on the same hall as Shiro’s.

Shiro was in one of the conference rooms, talking with Baujal and his council, when Atlas nudged him, then sounded an alert on his datapad. He quickly excused himself and headed down to the Black Lion’s hangar.

He walked in on a shouting match between Stone, the paladins, and the MFE pilots. As he crossed to where they were gathered, he scanned their faces. Stone and Lance were nose-to-nose, yelling at one another, with Nadia backing up Lance. Keith, Allura, and James were clustered together. The others were watching closely, all in various stages of anger or irritation.

“...and I’ll see all of you court-martialed for this insubordination!”

“As their captain, I would appreciate knowing what your complaint is against Commander Griffin and his squad.” Shiro’s voice cut through the quarrel like a knife.

“These squads are refusing my direct order! I need to observe them in action and Kogane says he won’t permit me to board his ship!”

Shiro glanced at Keith, who cocked an eyebrow at him. He had held onto his temper and let Lance as his second lead the outburst against the general. Shiro’s pride in his best friend surged, knowing that just a few years ago Keith would have been the one shouting first.

“General, it is absolutely within Commander Kogane’s rights to refuse you access to the Black Lion. The Voltron team is not part of the Garrison—”

Stone interrupted him with a squawk of disbelief. “Since when?”

“Since always,” Allura interjected, her voice full of ice. “Voltron represents the Coalition and agreed to use the Atlas as one of our bases for ease of coordinating our efforts to build on the peace we have created. You may not simply demand access to any lion and expect to be obeyed without question.” Shiro noticed that Allura had used her shape-shifting abilities to make herself several inches taller than usual and she used that height advantage to glare down at the general.

“And as today’s drills are a joint exercise with the MFEs, you are not permitted to ride along with Commander Griffin. If he and Captain Shirogane give permission, you can observe the MFEs another time,” Keith added.

“I don’t need permission! I am—”

“Here to facilitate communication between the Atlas and the Garrison, or so I was told,” Shiro interrupted. “Unless there is a secondary agenda that has been kept from me, your remit doesn’t include breathing down the necks of my crew or our allies. You’ve been overstepping your role for days and it ends now.”

Stone drew himself to his full height, which meant he was eye level to Shiro’s collarbones, and snarled, “We’ll just see about this, Captain.”

His attempt at stalking out of the hangar was ruined when Black let out a menacing growl and Stone jumped in alarm.

Once he was gone, everyone began to relax. Shiro noticed that Keith’s stance was still rigid and went over to him, laying a soothing hand on one shoulder. “You okay?”

“We will be. Didn’t expect we’d have a battle before we even got in our ships.” Keith turned to Lance and Nadia. “Thank you both for stepping up.”

“No problem,” Nadia chirped. “He’s a puffed-up toad.”

“And now that he’s gone, we need to get back to work. These joint exercises will continue until further notice since we need to take advantage of our current situation.” Evil grins broke out as everyone understood what Keith was doing. “Do we need to go over today’s plan again?”

“Nah, we got this,” Pidge replied before throwing a glance Shiro’s way. “Thanks for coming, Captain.”

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

It took four days for Stone’s message to the Garrison to get through, and another two days of Shiro showing the general his message inbox as proof that he had no instructions to discipline any of the MFEs. Stone’s temper was running high, as he had received a reprimand of his own from the Coalition over his attempt to assert jurisdiction over an ally’s representatives. The fact that that message had been received within hours only added to Stone’s fury.

Once Shiro finally got the orders that he was to punish all four MFE pilots for their insubordination, he met them before their usual workout routine and instructed them to run twenty extra laps around the track in the Atlas’ enormous gym. The squad’s groans turned to glee when they turned around and saw that the length of the track had been shrunk to a fifth of its usual size.

That evening, Keith tapped on the door that connected his quarters to Shiro’s.

Shiro looked up from the reports he was reading and frowned. “You knocked. What’s wrong?”

“Got a message from Kolivan. They found a ship of former Galra soldiers turned mercenary, and they’ve been hired by one side on a planet dealing with a pair of feuding lords. He wants to stop the conflict now before it spreads.”

“Should I—”

“No.” Keith shook his head. “If the Blades go in with stealth and take out the mercs, that puts the two sides at stalemate again and the planetary government might finally contact the Coalition for help. Then we can officially come in to negotiate a settlement.”

“Okay, if you’re sure.” Shiro reached out a hand and Keith took it, letting Shiro draw him into a tight hug as usual. And as usual, Shiro resisted doing or saying anything more. “Be careful.”

“You, too. I don’t like leaving you with that Garrison watchdog.”

“He’s here as a liaison.”

“He’s here to find a reason to ground Atlas.”

Even as Shiro shook his head at Keith’s statement, he could feel Atlas’ alarm. “No, that would be just about the worst move the Garrison could make. The Coalition planets recognize two major factors right now that ended the Galra Empire: Voltron and the Atlas. Taking one away would make the Garrison the new intergalactic villain.”

“Not forever, but long enough to figure out how to put someone else in command of her. They need you and Coran and Sam—hell, probably Iverson and Veronica, too—off her bridge so they can have complete control of her, including all her battle capability.”

“I mean...we do need to figure that out, if for no other reason because I will have to retire someday, but there’s no rush.” Shiro struggled to keep his expression mild as he dealt with twin reactions. He ran his hands along Keith’s arms to allay the sudden tension there and

mentally tried to soothe Atlas, who was almost screeching in fury as she surrounded him possessively.

Ironically, the strength of her reaction made Shiro stop and wonder if maybe the Garrison didn’t have a point. After all, he couldn’t lead Atlas forever. He might have done the impossible once thanks to Black and Allura, but humans still had limited lifespans. But surely the Garrison brass, if they were considering the options already, would talk to him about possibilities?

“Just keep an eye on your six while I’m gone, okay?” Keith squeezed his shoulder.

“I will.”

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

He swung the sword as wide as he could, trying to hit as many opponents as possible as he forced them back.The roar of the spectators droned like machinery, a persistent buzz in the back of his head as he tried to reduce the impossible odds. Who had decided to punish him this way, with a dozen opponents? Was this the match where he finally died?

He shifted tactics, the sword in his hand shrinking back into a dagger. He took advantage of his smaller stature and dove between the legs of the nearest adversary, using him as a temporary shield against the others and slicing one quick stroke through the thigh above the cuisse. He spared a lightning-quick thought to thank the universe for giving the majority of bipedal beings a femoral artery.

He continued to dodge, eluding their attacks and striking at any weak point he saw. Suddenly there was only one enemy between him and an open path to the door and he dealt a vicious cut across the throat as he made his bid to escape.

Something struck and wrapped around him from behind, dragging him to the floor. He had just enough time to press the communicator at his wrist and signal the others to leave before the cord electrified, ripping screams from him before he blacked out—

Shiro shot upright, gasping for breath and fighting the covers that were tangled around him. There were sounds, the ordinary hum of the dim nightlights, his datapad beeping an alert, a furious pounding coming from somewhere in the next room...and an engine’s roar.

The Atlas was moving at top speed.

Shiro freed himself from the bedclothes and staggered to his feet. He grabbed the datapad and looked at the message, a priority one from the night comms officer—Cullen, Cuddy, something that began with C—stating that the Atlas had changed course about fifteen minutes before and was at full throttle. The bridge crew was locked out of all of the controls.

Shiro reached across the room with his prosthesis and snatched his robe from its hanger before moving into the sitting area. Once there, he identified the pounding as someone knocking furiously on the door to his quarters. Voices were coming from the hallway and they all sounded angry.

He pressed the control and the door slid open. General Stone staggered when his obstacle vanished, wrenching himself back upright from the momentum.

“Shirogane! What’s the meaning of the course change? You weren’t scheduled to be done with the Taujeerians for another forty-eight hours!”

The paladins were behind him, shouting at him for waking them all up. Shiro looked back down at his datapad and noticed a second new message below the one from the bridge. He opened it and felt the blood drain from his face.

It was two brief sentences from Kolivan: Mission a trap. Keith has been taken.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

“What do you mean, you can’t stop the ship? It’s a SHIP! You’ve got two Holts right here that can supposedly hack anything that beeps! Break the security codes and set a new course for Earth!”

Shiro had been walking briskly down a hallway, Atlas subtly cutting the distance to the bridge, and trading messages with Kolivan to coordinate a rendezvous point with the remaining Blades on the mission team, Krolia, and a squad of Coalition fighters led by Matt. He stopped short, so abruptly that Hunk ran into him, and stared at the general.

“Earth? What makes you think we’d go to Earth at a time like this? We’re going to rescue Commander Kogane!”

“You said it yourself, Voltron isn’t part of the Garrison!” Stone flapped a hand at the other paladins who had been trailing them. “So let them go take care of the situation! We’ve got to fix this malfunction immediately and since the ship was built by the Garrison, that’s the best place to go to do the repairs!”

Shiro couldn’t remember the last time he’d felt such a wave of derision. The mental image of Atlas in robot form and rolling her eyes brought him to the edge of hysterical giggles. It was verging on too much for him to handle.

Allura must have seen something in his face. She grabbed Stone by the collar and yanked him back before he could crowd into Shiro and continue his tirade. “If you are going to be so ridiculously focused on procedure in a situation this urgent, then consider this the formal request from the Coalition to the Atlas for support in a rescue operation!”

Stone tried to twist out of her grip and she hoisted him up until his toes barely touched the deck. His face grew red as he snarled, “Captain, I am ordering you to dismiss this group except for Katie Holt and turn all your efforts to retaking control of your ship!”

Pidge’s expression grew dangerous. Shior shifted and put one hand on her shoulder, willing her to hold her temper.

“As I told you the day you arrived, General, you are not part of the chain of command here. Your role is to keep both us and the Garrison informed of what the other needs to share. And you have not performed that role faithfully.

“The Coalition has every right to call on the Atlas. It was built from plans given to us by the Alteans and is powered by the crystal that houses the remains of their flagship. They have just as much claim to it as the Garrison does. We will lead the operation to recover Commander Kogane and you can inform the Garrison of our status. After that, you have two choices; you can stay in your quarters or be escorted to the brig until this operation is concluded. Which will it be?”

Stone stared at him, open-mouthed. Allura shook him, rattling his teeth with her strength. “You heard the captain. Which will it be? We have more important issues to deal with.”

“I am your superior officer and—”

Before Shiro could even bring up his datapad, much less start a message requesting assistance from security, a faint shimmer formed around Stone and Allura released her hold, skipping back nimbly. The general surged forward and bounced off the force field Atlas had brought up.

The paladins laughed as Stone began pounding his fists against the barrier. Allura smothered her giggles into her hand and looked at Shiro. “Shall we leave him here for the moment?”

Shiro was busy silently arguing with Atlas that, no, she could not open a portal in the floor and jettison the man into space. He gave one more psychic push, adding aloud, “Leave him here for now. We’ll take care of him later.”

They moved quickly to the bridge to find Sam and Coran with their heads together over one of the nav panels and the rest of the bridge crew huddled uneasily in the center. Sam brightened as he saw them enter. “Shiro! The Atlas has locked everyone out—”

Shiro stepped up to his position and laid both hands on the panels. He focused, trying to form a request to let the bridge crew access their stations in as clear and simple of terms as possible. He heard shouts of surprise in the background as the connection solidified and Atlas drew him in.

His hands were cuffed behind him. Two of the “mercenaries” dragged him from a pod into a hangar of a battleship, pausing in front of a Galra commander. The commander seized him by the throat and growled, “You’re almost certainly the right one, judging from your size, but let’s be sure. Drop your mask, Blade.”

He paused, just long enough to spark a reaction. The commander’s grip tightened. “Drop the mask or I tear it off. The druids want you alive, but they didn’t say that you had to be uninjured.”

He let the mask disappear and glared at his captor, who pulled his head up by his hair to study his face carefully.

“It’s him. Put him in a cell and double the guard on it.” The commander raised his wrist comm and opened a channel. “Set course for the Alvega system.”

The scene dissolved around Shiro, melding into the blue circuits that would surround him when the ship morphed into its robot form. Already he could sense Atlas changing course, plotting an intercept of the Galra battle cruiser.

We need to meet with the others. We need the Blades’ intel. We need Krolia and Kosmo. We need the backup from the Coalition.

You need him. Why do you waste time?

We need a plan. We need support. We can’t get him back safely if we just charge in.

Not fast enough.

The ship shuddered around him and Shiro grabbed the console to stay on his feet, his awareness of the bridge and its occupants returning. He rubbed at his temples with his left hand, trying to ground himself in reality once more.

“Shiro, how did you do that?” Coran shouted above the others’ reactions.

“Do what?”

“A wormhole...you took us through a wormhole, Shiro.” Allura spoke slowly, in shock.

The main viewscreen lit up, showing Kolivan and Krolia in two panels. Kolivan nodded, hiding any surprise he might be feeling. “Good, you’re early. Permission to dock our ships, captain?”

Shiro nodded, before remembering he had a voice. “Of course. Then we’ll get the Coalition ships and head for the Alvega system. That’s where they’re taking Keith.”

He closed his eyes and planted his hands on the control panel once more. Atlas, what are you doing?

You need him.

Yes, we need him. He’s the leader of Voltron. He’s a commander in the Blades.

YOU need him.

He...he’s my best friend.

More than need.

Image after image flooded past Shiro, showing him all the stages of his life that included Keith. The Garrison and Keith becoming his best friend there. The long nights as a prisoner, sustained by memories of Keith and the hope to escape and return to him. Reuniting, only to be dragged into the middle of an interstellar war and then killed. Brought back against impossible odds, with faint memories of what it had cost Keith to accomplish that.

He needs you. You need him.

Yes.

Then we get him back.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

To be continued...

[maliciouslycreative]

Sheith fanfic rec list

One of my favourite things about Voltron and Sheith writers seems to be our love for humour. There have been so many fics that have had me inappropriately laughing in the break room at work or making inhuman sounds that have made my partner run into the room to ask if I’m ok. And today I would love to share with you some of my favourites because who doesn’t love a good dose of idiots to lovers. I’ll try to only list one fic by an author just to keep this list from getting absolutely out of hand so please make sure to check out all the other great works that each and every one of these writers has written.

If you have more funny sheith fics you want to add on please do, we would all appreciate your contributions!

(under the cut to save people on mobile)

Drunk on the idea of you, baby

By: corduroyworks

Link: https://archiveofourown.org/works/17029245

Rating: T

Summary: Shiro might grow just a bit attached to the trashed boy in the corner booth with pretty eyes that can't eat a burger.

Why I love it: I think about Keith eating that hamburger all the time. Sometimes my sister and I will even mime eating a hamburger badly and cackle madly while everyone else looks at us in confusion. 

Fwd: Misunderstood

Author: ArtForRogue

Link: https://archiveofourown.org/works/16228643

Rating: T

Summary: Keith is an office worker in charge of the fabled KOSMO project. His right-hand man is named Takashi Shirogane -- a man Keith fervently hates because of three years of misunderstandings. When Shiro requests to meet face-to-face, Keith is ready to exact his revenge. Little does he know, Shiro thinks he's been smoothly flirting this entire time...

Why I love it: Keith hates Shiro, Shiro likes Keith. Shiro is trying his best to convey this but maybe, just maybe, some things are getting lost in the fact that they only communicate through IMs through work and Keith is just not great at social cues even at the best of times. 

Got me feeling sub kind of way

Author: arahir

Link: https://archiveofourown.org/works/14061882

Rating: G

Summary: Shiro was a lawyer. Keith was a sandwich. (Can I make it any more obvious?)

Why I love this: Ok yes this is a classic of the fandom but honestly it’s just so endlessly funny. I don’t know how many times my sister and I have made casual reference to “he was a sandwich, and he was a lawyer”. Honestly any time someone’s like “he was a lawyer” I blurt out “and he was a sandwich” despite the latter definitely not being true to the situation. I did almost list another one of arahir’s works, Awoo, but went with this because that one isn’t finished but both are absolute GEMS. 

If You Teach A Fish To Man

Author: Saasan

Link: https://archiveofourown.org/works/15495900

Rating: E

Summary: Keith hasn't seen Hero in almost a year and the humans on the docks aren't gossiping sufficiently (curse them), so the merman has decided to take matters into his own hands. He didn't save the man from drowning just to have him disappear, after all! Now equipped with a fresh set of legs, he's ready to find out Hero's fate. Providing, of course, he can make it off the beach.

Why I love it: It’s the little mermaid, but with a happy ending and Lance being the best Lance he can possibly be.

Italian Restaurant series

Author: CGotAnAccount

Link: https://archiveofourown.org/series/1231943

Rating: G-T

Summary (to first fic in the series): He'd like to think that he's gotten better over the years at being a functional adult and a decent husband – that maybe things don't slip by him like they used to.

Things like understanding office cougars don't actually need help getting their coats on.

Like when someone says they're fine but then sighs dramatically afterward they're probably not fine, Lance.

Like this definitely human kidney floating in a pot of ice in his sink.

Why I love it: This is the “definitely not a serial killer AU” that I highly recommend. Sheith are together, in love, they have their goodest boy, and everything is good. Except for Keith finding out that maybe his husband has some unusual hobbies. There are times I pick up a bottle of ibuprofen and just start laughing. 

Shades of cool

Author: tagteamme

Link: https://archiveofourown.org/works/17410229

Rating: T

Summary: Pretending to be Romelle's father, Keith storms into a parent-teacher interview with all the righteous fury the situation calls for and ends up running into the most handsome man he's ever seen.

Why I love it: It goes exactly as well as you expect, and then keeps going further and further down the hole and it’s GREAT. And the peanut gallery makes sure Keith will never live this down. Plus Keith’s dad just being awesome.

We just fall where our hearts go

Author: artsy_alice

Link: https://archiveofourown.org/works/15871422

Rating: T

Summary: The Super Cheesy Cliche High School Romcom no one asked for.

In which Keith and Romelle are siblings, Shiro and Sven are cousins, and everything changes when Sven sees Romelle and falls head-over-heels in love.

Why I love it: This is one of the first fics I read in this fandom and it came for me. I love cheesy hs au and this one was cute and absolutely hilarious. I loved watching Romelle and Sven disastrously flirt with each other and subsequently bring Keith and Shiro together. This also sold me forever on Keith and Romelle being siblings. 

Welcome To The Pink Parade

Author: Ardene

Link: https://archiveofourown.org/works/18795751

Rating: G

Summary: He worked in Hot Topic, he worked in Sanrio. Can I make it any more obvious?

A story of two idiots falling in love, inspired by the picture of the Hot Topic and Sanrio store right beside each other.

Why I love it: I’m so glad that I had a hand in helping this come to be. I still can’t walk through a mall food court without thinking about Shiro and the poutine. Also as someone that has worked in a mall this speaks to me on a spiritual level.

You Spin My Head Right Round

Author: themomentofdavyprentiss

Link: https://archiveofourown.org/works/15334125

Rating: T

Summary: Come on, Shiro, he tells himself. Didn't anyone ever tell you not to flirt with bloody strangers in laundromats while you stand almost completely naked?

No. No one has ever told him that. In fact, Shiro feels fairly confident that no one has ever had to tell anyone that.

Which means, obviously, that it's okay.

~

or, alternatively, the one where Shiro helps Keith with his dirty load.

Why I love it: Meeting in a laundromat is usually a meet cute but this kind of turns int on his head. It’s weird, delightful, and honestly pretty sweet.

 Your Constellation Prize Author: rosegardenlake Link: https://archiveofourown.org/works/16898082 Rating: M Summary: Akira is Hollywood's biggest celebrity. He sings, he acts, he models, he does it all and he does it perfectly. That's what Shiro thinks at least, but what would he know? He's just a tired office worker whose dreams fell through years ago. ...But when he sees Akira, oh god, when he sees him - Shiro's world fills with light again.

When Shiro lands an interview to be an assistant at Akira's company, he has a hard time believing it's reality. Though Akira's rarely around, meeting everyone is like a dream. Especially meeting Keith, Akira's shy sweet dorky cousin (OR IS HE?!)

Why I love it: This is a 2 person love triangle at its finest. I also think about the button scene on occasion. Whenever I gotta wear a shirt with buttons I’m just rocketed back to this story and I start laughing. It’ll also just put you through some emotional times. Honestly such a good ride the whole way through. 

[ptw30]

Can you telling us about what you like about each ship? What really makes them click for you? Also I for one want to hear more about Shendak, I'm a rarepair fool too :')

I’m not sure which ships you mean. Like, all my ships? Cuz I totally - 

- but for a quick rundown of my faves - 

Shallura - head of the Voltron Coalition and the head of Voltron; the ultimate power couple; mutually support and care for each other, but aren’t afraid to fight for what they believe is right, too; neither holds the other back; the prom king and queen you actually want to win

Klance - began on equal footing and should have ended that way; “he has interpersonal skills but can’t pilot; he has piloting skills but can’t communicate effectively with anyone but Shiro. Can they make it work?” “Frienemies to more” trope that I eat up for breakfast, lunch, and snack - not quite dinner, though. 

(Personally - I thought the above would be canon, from S1-6, so the leaders, right side of Voltron, and left side of Voltron would get together - or at least Pidge and Hunk be close. But - sigh. )

Sheith - I’ve written and read so much fanfiction with Sheith, I can’t even tell you. Even though it wasn’t my OTP until later seasons, I loved the closeness Shiro and Keith shared and devoured anything with these two. And platonic and romantic relationships are written similarly with one key difference. So I really enjoyed this pairing, their dynamic, and their features fit so many manga tropes, tbh. (How the EPs didn’t realize that, is beyond me.)

Shendak - I have a longer post coming up to explain this rarepair, but essentially, Shallura was my OTP for the first six seasons. I thought, back in S1, that it was going to be canon, and I was enjoying that immensely. And if Shallura was being handled well - well, why did I need to contribute?

So where could I contribute? I looked at the characters - seriously. I literally pondered this - and I remember watching Shiro and Sendak’s first “dance,” or their fight in “The Fall of the Castle of Lions.” Sendak’s, “Stand aside,” did it for me. Why didn’t he attack Shiro? Shiro’s a paladin, and Sendak had no problems ordering Pidge’s death. Why was Shiro different?

CUZ HE KNOWS SHIRO. 

That meant they had a history. Chuck in that neither Sendak nor Shiro delivered the killing blow in their dance, meaning they both have some feelings for each other, and boom! 

Instant rarepair.

I enjoy the ship so much - not because what was in canon, per se, but for what it could be - Sendak, the comforting partner would turn sides to be with Shiro (not unlike Strickler in TH). Sendak would support Shiro, just like Sendak supported the previous Black Paladin. He would also be strong, treating Shiro with respect and listening to Shiro’s issues with the empire. He would understand where no one else on the castle-ship would or could.

They are also on equal footing - Sendak as Zarkon’s commander and Shiro as Allura’s. 

It has all the trappings of Star-Crossed Lovers - but with a happy ending.

And maybe…just maybe, Shiro saw Sendak and went, “Well, all these years, I didn’t realize I was a furry.”

Lotura - I’m adding this one in only because it’s the closest canon ever got to actually following the correct “get-together” formula. Though it missed the meet-cute, it could have landed the “resolution” part of the formula with Lotor alive and coming to work alongside Allura in the Coalition. Though I didn’t necessary “like” the pairing, per se, I would have enjoyed seeing Allura finding her prince charming in someone who respected her rather than someone who, prior to Season 8, didn’t treat her like a princess - and I don’t mean that in the political way but in the Disney way. 

[ursae-minoris-world]

25 sheith moments

This is a collection of 25 drabbles (of exactly 100 words each) I did for @sheithfest, each using one of the prompts suggested for day3.

You can read it on AO3 here: https://archiveofourown.org/works/19432342

There's a little game going on that the 3 most popular drabbles will either get expanded as ficlets or get an illustration. :)

Here's the thread on twitter: https://twitter.com/UrsaeMinoris2/status/1144886396106301440 People can vote for their favorite drabbles by liking, commenting, or re-tweeting them.

It is also possible to vote on tumblr by reblogging and commenting with the numbers/prompts of your favorites drabbles, or on AO3 in the comments.

Votes should be open for the first week of july, I think. I'll edit here when they close.

---

1- Pride

What Shiro felt when Keith came back looking so grown up and strong and confident should have been pride, shouldn’t it? Pride that the young cadet he had taken under his wing earlier had grown to his full potential, not only an amazing pilot, but also a strong leader. You just needed to look at how the team was eagerly listening to his explanations and discussing his plans to see it. And Shiro was proud, of course he was.

What he hadn’t expected was to stumble on his words like an idiot because he found his best friend so hot.

2- Meet again

Keith would have hugged Shiro if the situation wasn’t so dire. But they have to stop Lotor first. No time to get emotional. Even if he has missed Shiro immensely.

It seems to be always like that with Shiro and him. They keep being torn apart, but they always find each other again. He remembers saving Shiro after his disappearance in the Kerberos mission; and their reunion when he had been missing after the fight against Zarkon. And now, after Keith was stuck in the Quantum Abyss.

He knows he will always find Shiro. As many times as it takes.

3- Long hair Shiro

When Keith helped him out of the galra ship, Shiro felt weirdly self-conscious. His hair was too long and greasy; he would have needed a shave; his skin was sticky and his own stench made him uncomfortable. That didn’t seem to bother Keith as much as it should have; he didn’t shy away from holding Shiro close.

“Don’t look at me...” he muttered, his parched tongue making the words indistinct. Keith said something, and the rest of the team cleared the room. Coran left last, after insisting that Shiro was too starved for the pods. Only Keith stayed with him.

4- Distance

3 billion miles. The current distance between the Earth and Kerberos. Keith thought about that number often, while watching the stars in the clear sky of the desert. He wished this was a distance he could cover with his hoverbike. He knew Shiro was out there, possibly in danger. He refused to believe he was dead.

After being kicked out of the Garrison, his last chance to go to space seemed to have vanished. Sometimes he thought of stealing a spacecraft from the Garrison; he knew that even if he managed to pull it off, he wouldn’t go far alone.

5- Sunset / sunrises

Shiro was clutching his side, which was both burning and feeling numb, a strange sensation. He felt his consciousness slip away, and he knew he wouldn’t survive for long on that desert planet; not hurt like he was. He could only hope Keith would outlive him long enough for the rest of the team to rescue him. The young paladin was resourceful and resilient, so Shiro trusted him to survive. He would be a great leader, and Shiro’s only regret was to not being able to witness it.

It seemed like a fitting end, watching the sunset alone with Keith.

6- Monsters & Mana

“Thanks for saving me again”, said Jiro.

“Always”, answered Thunderstorm Darkness. “You have done the same for me.”

“Of course I did.” answered Jiro, softly. They shared a long hug.

“Pleaaase stop flirting with your characters.” complained Pidge.

“Wha… what? They’re not flirting!” protested Keith.

“They’re just friends.” added Shiro nervously. “They help each other.”

“Sure, like you and Keith are just friends, I guess” replied Pidge, the sarcasm in her voice thick enough to cut with a knife.

“Well, yeah.” replied Keith, tone deaf as always for that kind of things.

Hunk grunted. Coran let out a long sigh.

7- Drunk dialing / wrong number

“I missed you, Shiro. I’m glad to be back.” admitted Keith.

“Keith, please don’t use the Atlas’ general hailing frequency for personal communication.”

It was Veronica, not Shiro, on the screen. Despite her formal tone, he could see her grin. Behind her, Acxa was rolling her eyes, Curtis was blushing, and Iverson was looking purposefully away.

“Good to have you back, Keith” answered Shiro warmly, undisturbed by his crew.

Keith didn’t get it either. What he had said wasn’t that bad, after all.

“It’s not what you say, it’s the way you say it”, Hunk had once tried to explain.

8- Battle / fight

Seeing Keith getting beaten up during the first part of the trials had been hard enough. Shiro had ground his teeth and held back for Keith's sake. This was Keith's choice, and Shiro didn't want to stand in his way. It still felt like dying inside watching his friend get hurt.

Seeing Keith unconscious on the ground while Shiro's image was used against him had been too far. Now they were using Keith's trauma about his parents, and that was unacceptable. Even Red was furious. Shiro would fight the entire Blade of Marmora to get Keith out of their claws.

9-Pining / Mutual pining

“I think... I always loved him. From the beginning,“ admitted Keith, thoughtfully. “At the time, I didn't really understand it, but...” He trailed off.

“Maybe you should tell him?” suggested Romelle.

Keith let out a breathless laugh. “No. He doesn't see me like that.”

“Hu. Are you sure?” replied Romelle, dubiously.

---

“I know I shouldn't see him that way”, Shiro tried to explain to Matt. “To him, I'm some kind of big brother, he trusts me. If he knew what I feel for him, it would ruin our friendship.”

“Are you serious?!” growled Matt, slamming his beer on the bar.

10-Denial

“Sooo… how was your date?” Pidge's carefully casual tone was a trap.

Shiro realized he was still holding Keith's hand and swiftly let it go. “P...Pidge! It wasn't a date.”

“Yeeaaah, right. So what were you doing?” It was going to be difficult to get out of this discussion if Hunk paired up with Pidge. It didn't help that Keith was leaving all the defense to Shiro, arms crossed and expression sulky.

“We. Were looking for resources.”

“Did you find any?” Hunk retorted.

“Not really.”

“Maybe you'd find more in daylight.” insinuated Pidge. “But I'm sure the stars were pretty.”

11- Cooking

One night, at the Garrison, Keith noticed a burning smell in the air. He hurried down the corridor. Dark clouds of smoke were crowding under the ceiling, and Keith’s heart jumped in his throat.

He teared a fire extinguisher off the wall and sprinted in direction of the kitchen, where the smoke was coming from.

Inside, the smoke was so dense you could hardly see; his eyes were watering and he started to cough.

“I’m so sorry!” exclaimed Shiro as he opened a window. “I was trying to make mac-and-cheese”.  In the sink, a blackened plate was all that remained.

12- Confessions

Seeing Keith in his hospital bed was jarring. He was uncharacteristically quiet in his sleep. On his pale cheek, the scar stood out blatantly.

Keith suddenly became agitated. Shiro was starting to worry, but Keith opened his eyes, saw him, and calmed instantly.

“Shiro...”

“Keith… I’m sorry.”

Keith blinked, confused. “For what?”

Shiro hesitated. He brushed Keith’s scar. “For hurting you.”

“It wasn’t your fault.” Keith frowned. “You remember what I told you?”

“That I was your brother.”

Keith scoffed. “That I love you. Not really...as a brother.”

“I love you too.” replied Shiro, before realizing what he was saying.

13- Astral Plane

Time didn’t really exist, on the astral plane. Shiro didn’t know how long he had been there. Both dead, and existing here, in this strange place. Sometimes, he felt himself dissolve in the lion’s consciousness, aside from when he was in contact with the team. When the team formed Voltron, or when they had called out to him, he felt more solid. He felt the most like he was existing when Keith was piloting Black, of course. He tried so many times to reach out to Keith.

When Keith finally joined him on the astral plane, Shiro felt alive again.

14- Soulmates

Black was the only one to know Shiro and Keith had held hands in the astral plane. The only one, because they had not realized it. And they had no idea of the implications, either. Of two souls touching, directly. Not in a fight, but out of love. The way Keith had so easily reached the astral plane through his connection with Shiro. The way Shiro had been able to materialize enough to put his hand on his shoulder. How they had held hands afterward. Black already knew they were soulmates. But how could they still be unaware of it?

15- Festivities

When the war ended, there were festivities for weeks all through the universe. Keith could understand this. But in big cities, it implied lots of excited people in the streets. Too bad that, for diplomatic reasons, they often ended up in big cities. And the team always wanted to enjoy the festivities once the formalities were over.

And now, he had lost Shiro. They were walking together, and suddenly, he wasn’t there anymore.

Shiro came back, holding two pastries. Keith let out a relieved sigh. “I hate crowds.” he grumbled.

“Should we go home?”

“No. It’s fine if you’re here.”

16- Overworked

“I thought that meeting would never end,” confessed Shiro.

Keith sighed. “Yeah. And I still have paperwork due tomorrow...”

“I know, me too...” Shiro checked Matt’s last message on his phone. “You know what? The team is chilling in the rec. room, we could join them and work there.”

“We won’t get any work done.”

“We could give it a try!”

“Fine”

–

“Told you we wouldn’t work!”

“Well, it’s late, but let’s try to get it done now!”

–

“Are… Are those the Captain of the Atlas and the Leader of Voltron cuddling on the couch?”

“Shhh. Don’t wake them up.”

17- Waking up together

When waking up, Shiro was startled to find arms around him; he was lost for a moment, before recognizing Keith. He remembered his nightmares, and how Keith had heard his panic from his  room -the Castle’s walls were not exactly soundproof. Keith had come and helped Shiro calm down. They must have fallen asleep together.

Keith was still sleeping, snoring softly. Shiro brushed his dark hair away from his forehead. Keith moved slightly, but didn’t wake up. Shiro smiled. He still marveled that, after all that happened, he had Keith at his side again, even so far away from home.

18- Folklore, myths & legends

Do you know the legend of Voltron?

Of course you do. The Robot that freed the Universe.

But, do you know about it’s pilots? No? Let me tell you of two of them, then. Let me tell the tale of the Black Paladins, who both piloted the Black Lion, head of Voltron. Let me tell you about their love, that was stronger than death itself. Let me tell you about how fate tried over and over to separate them, and how they always found each other again. Let me tell you how their love saved us. Gather around, and listen.

19- Fist dates / blind dates

It was the early hours of the morning, and most of the wedding guests had gone. Only their closest friends remained – the paladins, Matt, Romelle… They were watching the sunrise together, quietly sipping the fresh juices a waiter had brought them. Keith was a little hungover, but the headache didn’t matter: he was greeting the morning with his husband.

“What I always wondered was… when did you two start dating?” asked Lance.

“After the war” said Keith.

“No, we already dated on Clear Day, remember?” replied Shiro.

“That was a date?”

“I’m pretty sure you were dating before” stated Allura.

20- Shenanigans with Kosmo

Kosmo was was really good at guessing Keith’s moods. And he had his own ways of helping him out when his spirits were not so high. Frequently, it involved Shiro.

–

“Hi Keith!” said Shiro when a grumpy, half asleep Keith was teleported in the training room.

“Hi Keith!” said Shiro when an exhausted, sweaty Keith in training gear was teleported in the middle of a Garrison meeting.

“Hi Keith” said Shiro when a brooding Keith was teleported beside him on the couch.

“Goodnight, Keith”, whispered Shiro when a fast asleep Keith still in his uniform was teleported into their bed.

21- fix-it

“Be with the ones you love”, Shiro had advised. And Keith had panicked. He had hugged his mom, and had hidden in the desert. Well, if you can “hide” on top of a giant mechanical lion.

Shiro was busy with Garrison business, and Keith didn’t want to bother him. They still hadn’t  talked about what had happened at the clone facility, and he wasn’t sure if Shiro had understood what Keith really meant- or even if he remembered.

Keith’s heart jumped when he heard a hoverbike approaching.

“You’re here”, he whispered when Shiro joined him.

“Of course” answered Shiro softly.

22-seasonal

“What's that?”

“Takoyaki. Just try it.”

Shiro scoffed when Keith's eyes widened in surprise while tasting the food; he hastily went for more. It didn't help that he looked ridiculously cute in a yukata; Shiro was glad he had convinced him to wear one. “I knew you'd like this.”

They walked in silence for a moment.

“Did you… enjoy these summer festivals when you lived here?” wondered Keith.

“Yes, I loved them! My Granddad always took me. Good memories.” Keith nodded. Shiro continued. “Thank you for coming. It's good to make new memories with you.”

“Thank you for inviting me.”

23- canon alternate reality

When Sven opened his eyes, he recognized the space hospital. Slav was curled up, asleep on a nearby chair. In the other chair was…

“Sven!” exclaimed Akira. His desperate tone as well as the worried curve of his brow made guilt  tighten Sven’s throat. “I came as soon as I heard!”

“I’m sorry. I’m fine!” Sven exclaimed.

“No, you’re not! You’ve been shot!”

“I had to protect Lance!”

Akira blinked, and looked even more concerned. “Lance wasn’t with you.”

“Not this Lance.” He chuckled at Akira’s puzzled expression. “You wouldn’t believe what happened to us.”

“Well, you’d better tell me.”

24-Monsters

Waking up after a transformation was always painful and scary; even more so for Keith when he found himself lying on dry leaves in the forest rather than in the basement where he usually secured himself for the full moon. But Shiro being there too… that had to be the worst ever.

Despite the horror of Shiro knowing the truth about him, Keith’s first reflex was to hide as much as he could in the cover he was rolled in -before realizing that Shiro had to be the one who wrapped his naked body in it in the first place.

25-Rockband AU

The group had been less than enthusiastic about taking Keith in as a second guitarist, but Shiro was convinced of Keith’s talent, and he had been right. The young punk was a diamond in the raw, and since he joined the group, their popularity was off the charts.

He didn’t get along that well with the others, but they could work on that. Lance might complain about Keith being a show-off, but the public did love his solos. And Allura could keep accusing Shiro of being biased towards Keith… they still had found the new sound they were searching for.

[as-many-times-as-it-takes]

Sheith Phrases are so Inspiring

It’s good to have you back / It’s good to be back

It’s killing me when you are away

Shiro loves you baby / #He’s looking at Keith

Ninja mullet finds his true love

Patience yields focus

If it wasn’t for you, my life would’ve been a lot different

This one’s for you, Shiro

Shiro is the only person who didn’t give up on me - I won’t give up on him

At this moment, your friend desperately wants to see you

How many times are you gonna to have to save me before this is over? / As many times as it takes

Beloved Mentor

Nothing was worth Shiro’s pain

Guiding Light

You made a promise to me once. You told me you’d never give up on me

I will never give up on you, but more importantly, you can’t give up on yourself

I love you

You found me

You’re everything to me

EDIT: I recently had an amazing Anon ask to learn more about these and so I created a MASSIVE MASTER POST WITH LOTS OF PICTURES AND LINKS. Check it out HERE!)

We’re often told that there’s a million ways to say “I love you”, but we’re rarely shown it. We’ve seen ‘love at first sight’ and ‘soulmates’ but rarely are we shown the process that leads to these things. There’s nothing wrong with these, of course, but it often sort of falls flat when you step out the door. Good relationships require time. They require commitment and trust. They require good communication, mutual support, and respect.

I think that’s what hooked me so fast into Sheith. There wasn’t some dramatic romantic moment (at least to start with). Everything was shown in all the little things. Quiet moments of connection, affection and intimacy than ran so much deeper and built slowly, like an everlasting fire. And really, those are the things I want to see. And just looking at all the quotes we’ve received since Day 1, we’ve been given quite the gift. These are sweet and funny, but also inspiring. These are words to live by. These words exemplify qualities we want to have and what we want to share with someone special to us. And I think it’s wonderful that so much of this fandom revolves around these quotes and holds them in such high regard. That, I think, is really something~                                                                                                             

[creativekrissy]

I thought about Klance from VLD~

So think about this, Keith and Lance grew as a team from S1-S2. They have each other’s backs.

S3 we witness the support in and outside the team then there is the vulnerability they learn about each other in private~

The thing about S3 is, Keith is in the midst of his own self doubt in leadership skills.

When Keith returns end of S6 and the entire S7, Keith gives Lance priority within the team. Besides the facts of supporting Lance, I can’t help but wonder if he happens to know something Lance doesn’t.

Without romanticizing this, it’s very obvious Keith has a motive for pushing Lance at his best through out S7. As always, it’s theorizing but if you look back on the seasons without your Klance goggles, you can see the huge difference of his respect/outlook towards Lance. I mean being away for 2 years either showed him something he could be trying to avoid or build up to. We don’t know if that’s a battle or something personal.

If that’s not the case, then in general Keith has come to a point he wants to be open about appreciating Lance. Like these 2 years of him learning to be open with his emotions and who he is, how he approaches others, obviously made him more communicative to his teammates. But as I’ve mentioned before, since it’s been 2 weeks for Lance the wound is still fresh and Keith hasn’t approached the problem to mend old wounds with the one guy he is on equal grounds with. Why not patch things up with your best teammate and move on?

Common sense would be, Keith finds his relationship with Lance (in S7) fragile. So maybe that’s why he doesn’t approach him so much but on the battlefield it’s different. It’s been proven that they have the team and mission as main focus and top priority over personal struggles and such. They’ve come to learn it complicates their efforts as a unit. Which is exactly what S7 is the entire time.

The Feud episode was not just some relief filler or foreshadowing, but an insight of their state of minds through this whole process of returning to Earth.

The war on Earth has no time for personal interactions except the particular moment of Lance and Allura, which I believe needed to be pointed out for Lance’s character development in S8. I’m not sure if it’s a relationship but more like “dating situation”, testing out the feelings between them. He may like her a lot but he’s never had the chance to see if they “fit”.

Speaking with my Klance goggles on 😂

Keith is obviously still aware of the interactions between Allura and Lance, but let’s ASSUME he grew out of it? He’s literally intbetween them at the Garrison 👀 I have this thought he pursues his existence a lot more instead of brooding on the sidelines when it comes to Lance and Allura.

He did bring up the coziness of Lotor and Allura due to how if affected the team. But his old immaturity comes out when he confronts her about the relationship yet is confused by Lance defending her. It was like a strange wake up call, like realizing these two have each other’s back the way he and Lance are.

Now to point out, Keith doesn’t have a reason to be mad over Allura, they don’t have an emotional connection or romantic interest towards each other. It’s hard to say it’s a “get jealous over stealing my best friend” trope because of the fact Keith has always, ALWAYS, shown his annoyance of Lance flirting with any girl even Allura when they weren’t so close 😏

This is why I have my Klance goggles on 😂

Anyway. Romantic or not, I find it so damn interesting of the clear visual presentation of the importance Keith has put towards Lance. It could just be another Shiro and Keith brotherly connection, but Keith has never shown no jealousy over Shiro or amusement in their interactions~ (no offense to Sheith shippers or Allurance)

But moment of truth awaits in Season 8 😁

I don’t mean to bring up hopes, that’s on you guys, don’t take me seriously I’m just observant and like to share my thoughts/theories/speculations

So enjoy and KICK! ❤️💙

[my-one-love-is-music]

(365)

Here it is. My last drabble after an entire year of writing. If you want some mood music, check this out. And I thought I’d do something a little fun and unique for this last one.

Molim sighed and tapped their finger against their chin. They paced around their living room, staring at where their computer was resting on their desk, waiting for them to put their fingers to the keys and create something new. The cursor was blinking at them, mocking them for the challenge they’d so foolishly started a year ago.

A post and ficlet every day had seemed like so little at first. They’d thought it to be a challenge they wouldn’t have any trouble completing. Sure, the idea was grand and momentous, but they always went overboard when it came to writing fic, so this wasn’t out of the ordinary. It would just be another series of writing.

But after being in the midst of it all? After months spent writing new drabbles and coming up with new ideas to keep things fresh and exciting? After panicked nights and weekends if a drabble accidentally got deleted right before posting, or they thought they were losing all sense of creative capacity, they were starting to understand just what they’d gotten themself into.

They ran a hand through their hair, fingers scratching through their shaved undercut. The top strands were getting too long. They’d need to get it cut soon. They shook their head, there would be time for that later, there was something else that needed to be done first.

They smiled, the vague strand of an idea coming to them. A spark that could lead to something great if it was nurtured and crafted just right.

They hurried over to their desk and sat down, pulling their legs up to sit cross-legged on the seat and get comfortable as they prepared to settle in and write.

This next post needed to be amazing and exciting. It needed to pull their readers into yet another new world and tale Molim was weaving at the tips of their fingers. They’d covered so many different ships and tropes over the year. Most of their posts had been jaytim, but sheith was also big on their list. They’d even broached into Birdflash for the first time and had a few drabbles about Winterhawk. And of course, they had some fun posting original works as well to test the waters for the hell of it.

They smiled. Their tropes had been all over the place. They’d finished the fix-it fic The Nearly Dead Adventures of Tim Drake, posting that one and several other jaytim and sheith on AO3 because of popular demand. And it helped to keep the chapters in one place for any readers who wanted to return to it later or keep up with updates.

They’d tackled the barista au, the werewolf au, and even went along with a mermaid au during the entirety of May which later came back to life from a different angle involving Birdflash. They dabbled in amnesia fic and a frat boy and punk boy college au. And of course the pastel and punk au that every fandom needed. There’d been some angst, but most of it was happy, keeping things light as the year continued and lives fluctuated. As Molim’s life fluctuated and changed.

Molim had told many stories so far, but there were so many more they wanted to write and share and give to the people around them and their readers. Stories brought people together and writing was something they never tired of.

Molim tapped their index fingers on the keys of their laptop. The motion wasn’t hard enough to press the key and make a letter appear, but it gave them a moment to think as the words and ideas slowly became concrete in their mind, begging to be put on the page and crafted into something beautiful.

Their smile widened as they entered the number at the top of the post. So many days and posts and now number three-six-five. This post was a year in the making. Everything was culminating at this point in their life. They scratched their head, sweeping the hair out of their eyes before moving the cursor down to the body of the post to start to write.

The words came slowly at first, forming in their brain before they moved down to their fingertips and were poured onto the page. After the first couple of sentences, they hit the ‘Enter’ key and moved to the second paragraph.

Things came faster, the words slowly beginning to spin around Molim as they continued to write. Their ideas became stronger, life given to the words and the characters as they came to life on the page, ready to be released into the world to offer new meaning and experience.

The characters’ hearts beat in time with Molim’s, their emotions shared between them as they both experienced fear, loss, happiness, excitement, and...love. They shared friendships and romance and family and the best and worst parts of life as they lived a thousand different lives and experienced it all at once.

Light poured from Molim’s fingers as they continued to write. The light of life that made the characters and the stories larger and bigger than the pixelated letters and words that were confined to one small tumblr post.

The story grew, a world of its own that housed people who were very much as real as the author and readers themselves as they shared and lived those lives and experienced things that might not have happened to them otherwise.

Molim sat back as the last sentence was completed. Despite the outpouring of words and care and emotion, they didn’t feel any less empty. Instead, they felt bolstered, stronger because of what they’d crafted and had the chance to share with the rest of the world.

Each post had touched lives that Molim wouldn’t have met otherwise. Their project had become bigger than their own being and no matter how they finished it, they knew that there was nothing that could begin to encompass or pay back the joy, fear, tears, and love that had been experienced during the past year.

There was nothing Molim could write that could even begin to communicate how much their reader’s responses meant to them and how much bigger this felt than their small five foot three inch person.

They became aware of their beating heart in their chest as they reached the bottom of the post, reading the words once more. They placed a hand over their heart and felt overwhelming pride and joy at what they’d done.

They reached out, sliding their finger on the smooth surface of their laptop’s track pad--careful not to accidentally delete the whole post like that one mistake they’d make a few months into the project--and hovered the cursor over the blue button in the bottom corner.

Molim let out a breath and hit ‘Post,’ letting the story be taken from them yet again and sent out into the wide expanse beyond their home. They sat back in their chair, eyes falling shut as everything they’d worked for finally came to a close.

This wasn’t the end, though. Just the end of one chapter. What would come next was uncertain. Gone was the security of knowing that whatever happened, this project would be there, but uncertainty could still be exciting and joyful.

This chapter had already encompassed the beginning and end of a relationship, a graduation, many professional jobs, a move, a funeral, the birth of new friendships and the end of old ones, and many coming outs.

The next chapter would no doubt hold just as many, if not more, surprises.

And it was time for Molim to turn the page.

If you enjoy my work, please reblog or consider buying me a ko-fi!

[monstersinthecosmos]

Kacy! 29, 30, and 48 for the fic writer asks please and thank you ❤️

(writing asks!)

29. What’s your revision or editing process like? !!!!!! I try not to ever edit as I go because I used to be really bad about tinkering and not moving forward, so I kinda like CHARGE AHEAD and get the story done, and if I think of something I want to go back and add, I write it down for an editing note. It also helps to give me fresh eyes when it's time to edit, because if I haven't reread the WIP it kinda helps if my memory is fuzzy and I can be a little more objective.

I also don't do heavy editing because I do the big moves inside my plot outlines. It's very rare that I change my mind on something huge that I have to go back and revise. I'm just constantly using the outline to sketch the story out so when I'm actually writing, all the structural stuff basically is done right the first time. I edit for like typos and flow and stuff. So the process is something like this

Copy editing notes into my notes app on my phone so that I can full screen the story but have the notes available on the littler screen

Change the font! So that your eyes are ON ALERT and the text doesn't look the same as it's looked for weeks while you were writing!

Pick the correct MUSIC TO EDIT TO because I always have songs that are integral to the emotional core of everything I write, so I need to play them while I read/edit as a vibe check to make sure the tone is correct. I always want the reader to feel the way the music makes me feel! So editing music is really important to keep the tone!!!!!!!

JUST START REREADING AND LOOKING FOR STUFF. I am a sloppy typer so I always have a million typos. I look for typos and like, if I reuse the same word/phrase too close to each other.

I do a separate read through for smut scenes to just double check that everyone's limbs are accounted for and no positions got flipped.

I do a ctrl+f for phrases like "a little" and "for a moment" because I know I overuse them lol.

I double check my editing notes in case I forgot something in the moment.

THEN I copy it into Google Docs (I write in Scriv lol) and run the gdocs grammar check because it helps catching sloppy lil mistakes. It will overcorrect you on stylistic choices so don't let it correct everything, but it catches a lot of typos for me.

AND THEN!!!!!! I copy it into https://hemingwayapp.com/ which wiLL READ YOU FOR FILTH AND TELL YOU YOURE STUPID so do not use this tool too seriously. I also often use passive voice ON PURPOSE sometimes so SUCK IT HEMINGWAY but I like to use it to check for dense sentences and just basically skim over and see if anything looks super sloppy.

THEN I POST IT ON AO3 and read it again because I always find more typos after it's posted because the pressure of it being public gives me better vision.

AND FINALLY once it's on AO3 I also have the screen reader read it to me out loud because that lady finds some more typos LOL. Hearing it out loud catches what my eyes don't.

30. Do you share rough drafts or do you wait until it’s all polished?

I very rarely share rough drafts! I usually make my WIPs available to Discord friends to get some cheerleading but I don't publish them. Occasionally I'll share like a WIP Wednesday passage or something if I get tagged or asked but otherwise I keep it TO MYSELF! 48. What do you look for in a beta?

bro I don't use betas lol. My mom Anne Rice told me not to let people edit my work.

Occasionally I use a beta because I need to like for a zine (like you beta'd me once for the horror Sheith zine!) but that's the only times I use one. I just want people to like, be constructive, and I want to be communicated with beforehand so that I know what they're looking for and I can tell them what type of criticism I'm willing to listen to vs. what's off limits.

I don't want to sound dramatic LOL but I had a really traumatizing experience in my first zine where I got beta'd without warning/permission, when they said they'd just be checking for typos, and I got absolutely fucking shredded. Like not a single paragraph in my whole fic was left alone, and the beta had like, rewritten sentences, rearranged sentences in the paragraph, erased stylistic choices, added exposition that I didn't write, and removed a bunch of references I had laid down throughout the story as a motif. It was genuinely like so demotivating and made me feel so fucking terrible about my writing and really fucked me up. I still haven't shared that fic on AO3 because I can't look at it without thinking I'm an incoherent fuckup. AND ALL THAT, AND LIKE ONE SINGLE COMPLIMENT LOL. Like one single thing in the whole fic that the person thought was nice. ashdkjglasdg . Lord I almost packed it in after that lol.

So anyway I don't look for betas, on principle, but if I do ask someone to beta I try to be clear like "Find typos and tell me if something didn't make sense." I don't need someone to like shave down everything that makes the story sound like me or add extra fucking sentences, like. Bro no. lol. And give me lots of compliments so I don't feel like I did a bad job because I don't want to feel like I'm being graded on my homework :(

[malenkamyshka]

The Paladins and Children/Parenthood

I’ve been thinking about what the paladins would be like as parents and wanted to share my thoughts. Obviously, this is going to reflect my preferred ships (Sheith, Allurance, and Hunay). I’m putting this under a cut since it got exceptionally long.

Pidge

So, I feel like Pidge is the type of person who doesn’t really want kids. It’s not that she dislikes them, per se, but she just never really got the point. She thinks they can be pretty cute with their chubby cheeks and stuff, but she also finds them pretty annoying with all the crying and whining they can do too. She would much rather focus on her work than have to deal with caring for small children. If she ever ends up with a partner, they’re totally okay with that and don’t really want children either.

That isn’t to say she isn’t good with other peoples’ kids though, once the children are a little bit older. Matt and her friends all have children, and once the kids are old enough to start having questions about technology and deeper topics and hold at least semi-intelligent conversations, Pidge is the best aunt anyone could ask for. Her nieces and nephews all adore her because she listens to their problems as if they were grown up and doesn’t patronise them. Also, she’s always up for a little good-natured fun and pranks, which makes her “the cool aunt”. Pidge is that aunt you go to when you can’t go to your parents because she won’t judge you and tells it like it is, no bullshit. She doesn’t babysit too often when her nieces and nephews are younger, but she gets on well with them when they’re older. Pidge may not want kids of her own, but she is a fantastic and awesome aunt and that is just fine with her.

Hunk and Shay

Hunk and Shay were made to be parents. Remember how good Hunk was with his little siblings in season 7? That is someone meant for fatherhood. Hunk and Shay both love children and have the patience to deal with all the shenanigans kids get up to.

They end up having three kids, spaced around 2-3 years apart. They agree that this is the perfect number of kids for them. They have a boy, then another boy, and then a girl, but they weren’t too hung up on what they would have in the first place. With three small children running around, their household can be a rowdy place, but thankfully these two have seemingly boundless patience and energy for dealing with their children’s antics. They’re the kind of parents who always seem in sync too, which is actually super hard to do, but they manage. Their discipline style is firm but gentle and they’re children are overall very well behaved (not perfect, of course, but really good). Seriously, Hunk and Shay are the parents that make other parents jealous. It just comes naturally to them. They aren’t perfect, but they are really good at what they do. One not so perfect thing that makes all the other parents feel better about their own failings? They are always running late! This is the family that is never on time.

I really like to imagine Hunk teaching his kids to cook, and Shay teaching them to commune with the Balmera. Can you imagine how cute?

Allura and Lance

Lance always knew he wanted to be a father one day. He adores looking after his sibling’s kids and can’t wait to have kids of his own one day. Also, he’s the kind of person who kids flock to what with all his hyperactive energy and sense of fun. He’s always figured that one day he’ll be ready to settle down and he’ll have three or so kids. He falls in love with Allura and he knows that she’s the person he wants to do that with.

Allura goes through her life assuming that she would have a couple of children one day, just because she is the Crown Princess of Altea and bloodlines need to be carried on. It’s not something she’s ever thought too deeply on. When she and Lance get married, she figures they’ll have kids at some point, and that is exactly what happens. They wait a few years before deciding they are ready to have children because they have time. They’re young and don’t need to start on babymaking immediately, but they do have kids eventually.

Only, it’s not as easy as either of them expected. Firstly, the first time she’s pregnant, Allura finds out that she hates pregnancy. It’s not even a particularly difficult one; she just doesn’t like it and finds the whole ordeal inconvenient and uncomfortable. She thinks that things will get easier once she has the baby, but they don’t. She’s never been around babies very much, and looking after one does not come naturally to her, unlike Lance who seems to know exactly what to do. She finds the whole situation extremely frustrating and demoralising. She also initially refuses to do some of the more unpleasant tasks associated with babies, leaving all of that to Lance, who is thankfully very understanding and patient. After putting a lot of work into fixing her hang-ups, Allura does eventually take on a more hands-on parenting role instead of leaving it all up to Lance. She does decide though, that she is absolutely not up to having another child anytime soon, if ever. Lance is a little sad and disappointed by this, but he knows that it’s probably the best decision for them and he supports Allura.

Parenthood doesn’t really get easier for them either. There is absolutely no doubt that they both love their daughter deeply, but she is not an easy child and is very stubborn and headstrong. This is particularly difficult for Allura as her daughter is very much like her in personality and they frequently clash. There is a brief period where there is a bit of a breather when Allura has settled into parenthood, but before their daughter enters teenagerhood, where things are fairly easy. It’s at this point that Allura decides she’s ready for a second child if Lance wants. He does, and they have a son. Thankfully, things are a bit easier this time around as they both know what they are doing. Also, their son is much more even-tempered and easygoing than his big sister.

When their daughter is a teenager, she is very rebellious, especially towards Allura who she is so much like. Her parents have many sleepless nights over her and Allura often feels like a terrible mother because their daughter always talks to Lance instead of her. This changes when her daughter reaches adulthood though. As adults, they are able to understand each other much better and come to an understanding. Soon enough, mother and daughter are very close and share everything with one another. Where once their relationship was strained, now they are attached at the hip and appreciate each other so much. Lance is so happy to see his girls getting along.

As for their son, well he’s an easy child, and later, teenager. He causes pretty much no drama, for which Lance and Allura are grateful after their experience with their daughter.

Before I forget, Allura is definitely the disciplinarian in that family and Lance is the soft parent who always gives in. We all know it’s true.

Shiro and Keith

Keith never really thought he would have or even want kids. He always figured they were cute enough, but he didn’t feel particularly drawn to them. He also felt like such a screw up. Why would he want to bring kids into that?

As a child in state care, he did have opportunity to meet a lot of small children, but he never really spent any time with them. In all the various foster homes he was in, the parents never wanted him to look after the younger ones, what with his disciplinary issues and all. And honestly? He wasn’t really interested in doing so anyway. He’d rather be alone then have to deal with little kids. When it came to kids within a couple years of his own age, problems always came up. Arguments, fights, the usual.

Keith also only had a few years when he was younger with his father and has few memories of him. He knows his dad was a great father to him while he was alive, but Keith doesn’t think he had enough time with him to learn how to be a good parent. Even after he meets his mother and they bond, he doesn’t really feel like he could be a parent himself as he doesn’t think he knows what a parent should be like for a child. He didn’t have any real examples when he himself was young.

When he was growing up, Shiro didn’t give too much thought as to whether he would have kids or not. Like Keith, he too was an orphan. Unlike Keith, his foster parents often had Shiro help with the younger kids as he was always well behaved and willing to be of any help he could with anything. Shiro proved himself to be good at looking after the younger ones and he found he really liked it. He liked having someone to look after and care for; it made him feel needed and good about himself. Plus, he thinks kids are adorable. So, he figured he’d have kids one day when he accomplished what he wanted in his career and didn’t think too hard on it. It wasn’t something that came to mind often.

That changed when he was diagnosed with his illness. Shiro was in his late teens when he was diagnosed, and, as one would expect when being diagnosed with a terminal degenerative disease, it threw his life and sense of self into turmoil. He had always taken the idea that he would be a parent one day for granted and not thought much about it, but now he found he really had wanted to have kids. Pretty badly, actually. It had always seemed like a distant thing, an amorphous future goal that he didn’t have to worry about. He was wrong though, and now it would never happen. He felt like he lost something he never had to begin with. It hurt. There was no way he would bring a child into his life when he would never have the chance to see that child reach adulthood and what few years he could possibly have with them would be spent with him in a very ill and debilitated  state. Not to mention, finding out he was ill like that made him want to spend his few relatively healthy years achieving his career dreams before it was too late.

It wasn’t too long after his diagnosis that he and Adam got together. Adam had always thought he would have kids one day. He also thought he would have the chance to grow old and grey with his future partner, but falling for Shiro changed both of those plans. Adam decided that he would be willing to forego those dreams to spend what time he could with Shiro. Adam could have these things after Shiro was gone if he wanted, but the thought was unfathomable to him at the time. Even though he knew he would lose Shiro sooner than later, the idea of him not being there was something he couldn’t contemplate. And so, they resigned themselves to never adopting children together. It made them both sad at times, but they knew that they didn’t really get a choice in the matter. Sometimes you just have to move on with your life, and that’s what they did.

Fast forward to after the end of the series. The war is over and everyone is trying to rebuild their lives. Keith and Shiro are together. They’re in love and so, so happy. Shiro is no longer ill, as we know, and he really wants to have a baby. He thought this was something he could never have, and now it’s a possibility. If he wanted, he could actually have a child, but he’s not so sure that Keith feels the same about children and he doesn’t want to ruin the good thing they have going so he doesn’t bring it up. It definitely doesn’t escape Keith’s notice though. He sees the way Shiro lights up every time he sees one of the babies everyone seems to be having in the post-war period, cooing and fawning over them. It’s very obvious that Shiro desperately wants a baby; everyone can see it. Krolia encourages him to talk to Shiro about it, and Keith eventually works up the nerve to follow his mother’s advice.

As it turns out, Keith actually does want to have a child. He may have been unsure of his suitability for fatherhood before, but he feels like this is something he could do with Shiro by his side and he knows this is important to Shiro. Shiro is over the moon, just totally elated. I’m not sure what options for having children exist in their time or in their universe at large, but they decide to go with adoption. There are a lot of children without parents after the war and both of them know what it’s like to grow up without parents themselves.

They adopt a baby girl, half Galra to boot (what the other half is, I have no idea). It’s love at first sight, for both of them. Keith wasn’t sure what he’d feel when fatherhood became a reality for him, but he feels absolutely, overwhelmingly happy and full of love for this tiny being. Shiro is so happy he cries as soon as he gets to hold her. This is a dream he never thought he’d get to have, and here she is in his arms. Keith doesn’t want anyone to know, but he tears up a little himself while watching them.

A couple of years after they adopt their first kid, Keith notices that Shiro really wants to have another. He’s got that same look in his eyes. After some discussion, they decide to adopt another child. They end up with another little girl and they are just as happy this time around.

Their parenting styles mesh well, but they are little different from one another. Shiro is the parent that helps with homework and makes sure the kids get to all their activities on time and keeps everyone organised. He’s the parent the kids generally find easier to confide in due to his endless patience and non-judgemental attitude. His discipline style is generally very mild and focuses more on talking things through than anything else, although let’s be real, both Shiro and Keith let the kids get away with a lot more than they should.

Keith is the more intense parent, but not in a bad way. If another kid is mean to his daughter at school or something? He is there in a heartbeat to chew the teacher/principal out. When their daughters start dating, Keith is the one that absolutely grills their dates, making the other kid really nervous. I imagine Keith doing this while casually sharpening his blade for extra intimidating effect. He is the classic overprotective dad. Sometimes the girls get annoyed with it, but they overall actually like it.

Both Keith and Shiro think it’s important to teach their children self defense. They both train them, but Keith takes it way further than Shiro. This sometimes concerns Shiro, but he understands Keith is just doing it to make sure his daughters are safe and the girls really enjoy it, so he lets it go.

Another difference between Shiro and Keith as parents? You can always tell which parent is in charge of dropping the kids off. When it’s Shiro’s turn, they are always early and in perfect order, not a hair out of line. When it’s Keith’s, they are always late and rushing through the doors at the last minute and looking like they ran the whole way there. Keith may be good at organising Team Voltron, but he finds it a little harder to keep kids in line. He gets distracted by whatever adorable thing they insist on showing him at inconvenient time! He’s not sure how Shiro manages to both pay attention to what the kids are showing him and get them to do what he wants (me neither, Keith!).

And… that’s it! That’s what I’ve got for now. I’ll maybe add more if I think of anything

[avidbeader]

Okay, it’s been a roller coaster of a week for the Sheith community as we dealt with the “leaks”, so I’m going to toss something out here to help make it better. Sorry I can’t share a complete chapter of “Skydancer” or “The Quintessential Bond” or “The Icarists” yet, but I promise, I’m trying to peck away at those with what tiny bit of time I have.

This is a story that should probably end up around four chapters. I started it in June, stress-writing during the runup to Season 6. Current chapter is rated T for a couple of swear words but will probably stray into M territory in Chapter 3. Title is tentative but this has been thoroughly beta’ed by the wonderful @latart. I guess I’ll try and get it on AO3 in the next few days.

Give Me a Sign

Chapter 1 - Graduation

Shiro felt the satin at his shoulders slide to one side yet again and growled in frustration. As he reached to try and straighten it for the umpteenth time, Matt laughed and batted his hand away.

“Here, let me.” Shiro stood still as Matt unzipped the robe a little and looped the hood under his necktie. “Step one, check. Now, step two. Pidge! Need a safety pin!”

A tiny woman, with hair the exact same honey-brown as Matt, eeled through the growing crowd of faculty and reached into the pocket created by her elongated sleeve. She produced a pack of safety pins and stepped into Shiro’s personal space after removing one and thrusting the pack into Matt’s hand.

“Hold still. And don’t forget it’s in here after the ceremony or you’ll rip both your hood and your tie.”

Shiro’s eyebrows rose and he replied dryly, “Yes, ma’am.” He stayed still as her fingers worked quickly at his throat, pinning the hood dead center underneath his tie. Then she pushed at him to turn around. Matt grinned as she adjusted the hang of his hood, turning the point out to show both colors against the black.

Matt returned the safety pins. “Pidge, meet Takashi Shirogane, our new physics teacher. Shiro, this is Katie Holt, comp sciences department chair and my sister.”

Shiro brightened and held out a hand. “Nice to finally meet you. Matt’s mentioned you a few times. Have I seen you at the faculty meetings?”

She shook hands, not seeming to notice the glove covering his prosthesis, and nodded. “Yeah, probably. Nice to meet you, too. Matt told me about your boot camp reviews for the AP exams. If you’ve got some kind of outline that can be adapted to other subjects, I’d love to see it.”

Shiro nodded. “Yeah, I modified it from something the AP Stats teacher did at my previous school.”

“Excellent!” She shot him two thumbs-up and was about to go on, but a cry of “Pidge! Got your safety pins?” from the other side of the crowd made her roll her eyes before taking off.

Shiro chuckled and Matt clapped him on the shoulder. “I swear, you’ll eventually meet everyone here.”

“Really? Because every time I turn around, it looks like you’ve added another dozen faces.”

Matt shrugged. “Yeah, it’s a big faculty, but it’s a big school. We’ve been above two thousand students for five years now.”

Shiro shook his head. His last school, before the accident and prolonged recovery, had been in a smaller town and had a total of about five hundred kids. The graduating class alone here at Glenn High was bigger than that. But being able to step into a job as soon as the doctors cleared him—in the fourth quarter, no less—had been a godsend.

“Have you heard from Ms. Caplan lately?” Shiro asked after the teacher he’d replaced.

“Not for a couple of weeks. She didn’t try to find a job yet; still dealing with the family stuff.”

Shiro gave a tight, sympathetic smile, then jumped slightly as a voice sounded over a bullhorn. “All right, faculty! Two lines, evenly divided! Line leaders, go between the rows of seats and loop around to the front one! Start when the band shifts to the processional!”

Shiro followed Matt, who snagged his sister’s arm as she was passing and pulled her into line in front of him. As the teachers shifted into two groups, Shiro spotted the bullhorn in the hand of a woman in a vibrant pink sundress. For a moment he wondered why she wasn’t in regalia if she were a teacher, then realized as she plunged through the doors into the lobby with the seniors that she’d dressed for visibility against the navy, gold-trimmed robes the students wore. Now she was shouting instructions through the bullhorn at the students, scolding them for getting out of their designated lines.

Matt nodded in her direction. “Have you met Ms. Altea yet? Theater teacher. Always in charge of graduation.”

Shiro shook his head. Pidge leaned around Matt and grinned. “Yep, always and forever. A couple of English teachers tried to take it over a few years ago and it was the sloppiest ceremony we’d had in years. The principal went to Allura and almost begged on his knees for her to come back. She did, but only after she’d leveraged him for doing a fall musical as well as a spring one every year.”

Shiro laughed. He’d only been here for two months and already knew that Glenn prided itself on its arts programs. And the soccer, track, and swim teams. And the fact they offered five languages. And traditionally having the highest average of AP scores in the district.

He was fairly confident that he hadn’t done any damage to the students in the enviro and physics classes he’d taken over. He had simply started on his boot camp review, supplementing the few areas where he noticed weaknesses in the students’ knowledge, and the scores from the practice exams pointed to a robust passing rate. Certainly most of the students had come in from the tests feeling good. The hardest part had been getting used to the fact that everyone here called the environmental science class “APES” instead of “Enviro”.

The music shifted, jerking Shiro out of his thoughts, and he followed Matt out to the rows of faculty seats.

********************

Shiro was dealing with culture shock, yet again. The graduation ceremony was held in the basketball arena of an area university. This was the third ceremony of the day to take place here; the district had nine separate high schools and seven of them were so big that not even the football stands on their campuses would hold all the friends and relatives of the graduating classes. It was so very different from his old school, where they had used the auditorium, or even the small private school he had attended, with the ceremony and reception in a nearby hotel. He looked around as he stood in line in front of his seat, between Matt and a vaguely familiar face from the career and tech department, a large guy who had expressed interest in Shiro’s prosthesis from an engineering standpoint.

Pidge leaned over Matt again as they waited for the students to enter. “You are very, very lucky. This place only got air conditioning a year ago.”

Shiro blinked at that and Matt nodded. “Yeah, it was fucking miserable if the weather was typical June. Last year I think almost all of us cried when we entered the building, we were so relieved.”

The seniors began filing in, following the junior marshals in their white shirts or dresses with gold sashes. Like the faculty, they came in from both sides and did a rather impressive pattern of alternating rows. Even with the very efficient method, it still took ten minutes for the section to fill. Shiro nodded and smiled at a few of the students from his classes, and a couple of seniors actually broke line to fist-bump the teacher beside him, one murmuring, “I made it, Mr. Garrett!”

“Yes, you did, Luis. Knew you could.”

As Mr. Mayfield, the principal, instructed everyone to remain standing for the anthem, Shiro noticed a young man moving to one corner of the stage. He was dressed to the nines in a navy suit, except the jacket seemed to hang one size too large for him.

Then he began moving his arms and Shiro understood. Glenn was the magnet school for the deaf/hard-of-hearing population and the young man was the interpreter. His hands and arms moved continuously through the anthem as he mouthed the words.

Shiro found himself watching the interpreter with growing amusement. He was getting into it, his expression constantly reflecting his thoughts on what he was doing. He showed delight at the jokes the salutatorian included in the welcome, looked overly stern as the senior class president introduced the administration and school board members. Then the student chorus began singing “Seasons of Love” and the interpreter was this close to just dancing across the stage as he signed the lyrics and lip-synced along.

As the seniors who were part of the chorus separated from the other students and filed into the empty rows that had been held for them, Shiro noticed the interpreter change places with another young man who had been seated nearby. The second interpreter was striking, with longish dark hair. His suit was deep burgundy, with a blue-and-gold striped tie to represent the school colors, and his jacket was also a little large to give him greater freedom of movement.

His style was more subdued. He signed precisely and his face showed appreciation for the combination of jokes and serious thoughts that the valedictorian shared, but he was clearly trying to keep general attention on the speaker more than himself. As the interpreter continued with the closing remarks from the student body president and the principal’s warning to the audience not to create noise during the reading of the graduates’ names, Shiro grew more appreciative of his features and began wondering what color eyes he had.

And then Mr. Wimbledon-Smythe, department chair of social studies, began reading the names as students crossed the stage to shake hands with the superintendent and collect their diplomas from the principal. Shiro’s eyes widened when he realized just how fast the man was going. After the first few names, the only noise coming from the audience was the quickest of whoops or claps, because families realized that they might miss the reading of their student’s name. Both interpreters were standing now, taking turns finger-spelling each name. Shiro watched, racking his brain for the ASL alphabet that he learned once as a child for fun, and saw that they were spelling first initials and surnames only.

In a shockingly short time, the superintendent directed the students to turn the tassels on their caps to the left, the students screamed and tossed caps into the air to celebrate, and the recessional began. Shiro followed Matt out and the theater teacher directed them to stay in line, creating a funnel to the exits where families would be coming to find their children. The tech teacher turned to him, grinning openly.

“Okay, Allura just beat her record. Five hundred fifty-seven graduates and we’re done in fifty-eight minutes!”

Shiro laughed. “I can’t believe I’m going to get home in time to watch the game from tipoff.”

“Yeah? Warriors or Sixers?”

“Sixers, I guess. I grew up following the Bulls, so I don’t have a dog in the fight, but the Warriors have enough championships.”

“I hear you. I grew up in Houston. Oh, I think we met but just the once. Hunk Garrett, electrical and mechanical engineering.” “Takashi Shirogane, but call me Shiro. Sciences.”

Their conversation was cut off as the first students emerged from the basketball court and many of the faculty began applauding. Allura was in the middle, without the bullhorn but shouting, “Go, go, GO!” as she encouraged the students outside. As they filed out, many students traded high-fives or ran over to hug a favorite teacher. Shiro was surprised by one young man who exuberantly hugged every single teacher in his line, but played along.

Once the last students were out, Matt and Pidge led Shiro through a side door that let them slip around the growing crowds of family and friends and toward the bus that had been arranged from the school so the faculty wouldn’t have to fight for parking. Pidge unzipped her robe, revealing a loose, light green dress, and unpinned her hood.

Shiro worked his own pin free and handed it back to her. “Thanks for that.”

“No problem. What time are you coming in tomorrow?”

“Nine or ten. I still have a lot of science equipment to inventory and stow.”

She nodded. “I have to go through the laptop carts, make sure everything’s cleared from testing and such. And I still haven’t emptied my desk yet.”

“Emptied your desk?”

“Yep,” Matt replied. “You’ll need to clean out your desk and label all the furniture with your room number. When they do the floors, they just throw everything in the halls. They work so fast you can’t trust them. Get as much as you can into the closets, the big bookcases, or file cabinets. They don’t move those.”

Shiro groaned. “Okay, maybe I’m coming in at eight.”

Pidge straightened, seeing the bus driver headed their way. “Don’t forget, luncheon in the cafeteria at noon. The PTA got Sal’s Catering to do the food, so it should be a nice spread.”

Shiro nodded in response, noticing the two interpreters headed for the reserved parking area. They seemed to be in a heated discussion and finally the first interpreter threw up his hands and got into a car. The second interpreter headed for a motorcycle, trading the burgundy jacket for a leather one from a side compartment and pulling out a helmet.

Shiro hadn’t realized he was staring until Matt elbowed him. “See something you like?”

“You don’t know me well enough to ask that,” Shiro retorted.

Pidge snickered as Matt grinned and answered, “Yeah, I think I do.”

********************

Once again, Shiro found himself comparing his previous school to this one and being impressed. Instead of a basic pizza delivery, the luncheon was a full meal, including two entrees, sides and salads, with everything clearly labeled for a variety of dietary restrictions. There was a raffle with over twenty different gift cards as prizes. Mr. Mayfield quickly but enthusiastically ran through a list of recognitions, and Shiro stood when called upon as one of the faculty members who had joined mid-year.

Pidge grabbed Shiro’s elbow as the meal broke up. “Did you get your room finished yet?”

“Almost, I still have to get a couple more things onto shelves and defrost the mini-fridge in there.”

“Have you covered your shelves yet?”

“Covered them?”

“Yeah, the cleaning crew tends to splash wax on everything. Plus the band kids use some of the rooms for section practice in the summer and you don’t want them messing with anything visible.”

“Um, okay. What do I use? Newspaper?”

She shook her head and called out, “Keith! Hey, Keith!”

Shiro froze as the dark-haired interpreter from graduation turned and headed over. And Shiro found the answer to his question: he had blue eyes that shaded toward gray in a way that made them look almost violet.

“Keith, do you think Ms. Parham still has any old bulletin-board paper?”

He nodded. “Looked like it when I checked in with her this morning. Why?”

“Shiro here needs some for his shelves. Can you show him to her room?” She grinned mischievously, looking very like her brother for a minute.

Keith looked at Shiro, slightly nonplussed, and Pidge rolled her eyes. “Shiro, this is Keith Kogane, our ASL teacher. Shiro’s our new science teacher.”

Keith rolled his eyes in return, mocking her, before holding out a hand to shake. “Yeah, I heard Mayfield say so. Sure, follow me.”

Keith led him to a hall of the sprawling main building he had not seen before. As they walked, Shiro noticed that students had painted a lot of the ceiling tiles. The theme was Spanish: flags for different countries, logos for popular brands or soccer teams. Keith stopped at one open door and tapped on it. “Sarah? You still have spare bulletin-board paper?”

The woman in the room held up one hand as she finished counting a stack of textbooks and wrote a number down. “I do. Didn’t you already cover your shelves?”

“I did, but Shiro here could use some.”

She flapped a hand in invitation and they stepped inside. Shiro looked at the long swaths of colored paper taped across her shelves. Most pieces showed a life-sized outline of a body with colorful clothing labeled in Spanish.

“Sarah’s chair of world languages and we love her forever. She always does these big group projects and then saves them for the end of the year for just this purpose.”

“I thought you loved me because I throw a temper tantrum every spring to try and get you more ASL classes.”

“That too. Maybe next year they’ll listen.”

Each carrying a few loosely-rolled sheets of paper, they started toward Shiro’s room. Keith began rambling, “My position is currently funded through the EC department, not world languages, so they’ll only pay for enough classes to support the DHH kids. It’s always a feeding frenzy when the rest of the students try for the extra spaces. Sarah knows we could support a full slate of classes, and I really want to be in the classroom full time, but we haven’t been able to convince Central Office to spend the money yet. So I teach half the time and do classroom interpretation and student support the rest of the time.”

“How about your buddy?”

“Buddy?” Keith looked mystified.

“The other interpreter yesterday.”

“Oh! That’s Lance. Lance McClain. He’s one of the support staff for DHH.”

“He...gets into his work, I take it?”

Keith scowled as Shiro led him into his classroom. “He doesn’t pull that crap when he’s doing classroom interpretation, at least.”

“So his style is frowned upon?”

Keith sighed, unrolling the sheets of paper on a lab table. “It depends. There’s studies showing that interpreters tend to adjust how they work depending on their audiences. We tend to mouth what we’re communicating more when we have hearing people in the audience, for example. But when Lance gets in front of a large crowd like that...it’s like he’s performing. And that’s not our job. We’re there to assist communication, not put on a show.”

Shiro nodded, thinking about how easily distracted he had been from the remarks being made in favor of watching Lance’s expressions. “I see what you mean.”

Keith stayed to lend a hand as Shiro covered his shelves and insisted on helping carry the defrosted mini-fridge to his car. “Trust me, the football coaches actively search the school for any fridge not behind a locked door and co-opt it for their Gatorade supply. And then they don’t put them back. Keep it at your place. I’m pretty sure it was Mr. West’s before it was Ms. Caplan’s, so she won’t want it shipped to her.”

They walked back in. Shiro planned to take one more look at his room, check in with the department chair, and go home and binge some Netflix, but he was reluctant to part from Keith. As he tried to think of something to ask, debating between coffee or a drink, the office admin’s voice came over the PA system.

“Any teachers in the building, if you are available the counselors need help stuffing report cards for mailing. Please report to student services if you can help.”

Keith glanced at him. “Want to?”

“Sure.”

********************

One of the counselors set them up with stacks of report cards, transcripts, and pre-addressed envelopes, with envelope glue and a box to hold sealed envelopes. Shiro and Keith shared a table and began working through the sophomores, M-R. Keith had obviously helped out like this before and had a system, creasing folds with his thumbnail and swiping glue on the envelopes in two efficient strokes. Shiro did his best to copy him.

As they found their rhythm, they began chatting. Shiro learned that Keith had been riding motorcycles since he was eight years old, had a second-degree black belt in aikido, and lived alone with a pair of cats. He began learning sign language in his teens after a young cousin suffered hearing loss through meningitis. Shiro shared his own love of cats, his taste for the latest Netflix shows, and his dreams of being an astronaut until he exceeded the height limit in college. They compared other places they had taught: Shiro in a small town between their location and the coast, and Keith at the western campus of the state’s school for the deaf.

“I like it much better here. It’s counter-intuitive, but I love teaching ASL to a mixed population. The hearing kids are usually the ones who drive the ASL club and do outreach, because to them it’s more like a cool secret code than learning a language. And it’s just nice to be in a major metro area; I had to drive almost an hour south if I wanted anything that wasn’t a burger chain, pizza, or a mom-and-pop diner.”

Shiro nodded vigorously. “We had one non-Taco Bell Mexican restaurant in our town. That was it. No Indian, no Thai, no Greek...nothing.”

“Ooh, I haven’t had Indian in a while. I think the best one is Rasal’s, over on Western Boulevard. Have you been yet?”

Shiro shook his head.

“Want to go?”

Shiro froze, nearly dropping the bottle of glue, and felt his face grow hot. “I...um, sure. Yes. Absolutely.”

Keith nodded and fished his phone from his pocket. He unlocked it and opened a new contact before sliding it across to Shiro. “Drop your info in there. Would Friday work?”

Shiro tapped in his name and number. “Yeah, that’ll be great.” He slid the phone back, then playfully touched his fingers to his lips and brought his hand down in the sign for “thank you”, one of the few that he remembered.

Keith smiled and responded with his own gesture, spreading his fingers slightly and touching his thumb to his chest, then spelled S-H-I-R-O, his fingers almost flying.

Shiro felt a sudden urge to shove the table between them aside and pounce on him.

Keith’s near-violet eyes danced but his own cheeks were turning pink. He cleared his throat and picked up the next report card in his pile. “Race you? Loser buys?”

Shiro grinned. “You’re on.”

****************************************************************

Thanks for reading! Next chapter up...when I get it finished.

[mfe-zine]

Hi there! I'm interested in applying for Valor, but I would like to check a few things before making any decisions (I've had some rough experiences in the past, and would like to avoid repeating them). What experience does the mod team have running zines/events? How will contributors communicate with the mods and with each other? (Email, Discord, etc.) Will there be prompts for contributors? Thank you for hosting this event, I can't wait to hear from y'all. 😁

Hello! We completely understand your concerns, and would like to be as transparent as possible with you.

I (Mod Rizavi/@shirosquared) have modded several zines, including Rainforest (plance-zine), If You Need Me (vldwhumpzine), and Intertwined (sheith-family-zine), which has just begun its creation process, as well as other events such as the Sheith Flower Exchange (sheithbouquet) and the Shatt Big Bang (shattbigbang) which is in its sign ups phase.

Mod Leifsdottir (@xukies) is currently modding the Confirmed Lovers zine (confirmedloverszine) alongside this one, managing its merch production, and has managed a ship week in the past for a blog that is unfortunately no longer available.

Mods Kinkade and Griffin are new to modding events, but share our enthusiasm for this project and are quickly learning our organization system as well as the best methods of communication in order to run this zine effectively.

Communication between mods and participants will be through email as well as Discord. We’ll announce information as we receive it in our Discord, but each month a relevant summary/progress update will be sent out for those who cannot join our Discord server. All decisions, check in and final submission forms will be sent via email.

Contributors will not be limited to prompts, though they will be encouraged to fulfill the theme of bravery in any way they wish to interpret it. If you wish, we would be more than willing to provide a few prompt ideas to get you going!

If you have any further questions, we’d be happy to answer them in order to make you more comfortable with this project. Thank you for contacting us!

- Mod Rizavi

[dent-de-leon]

I’m antish/eith in part because Keith has to grow up. Shiro—er, Kuron—is hindering his development just by being there. I hope they can resolve this issue soon.

To be honest, I don’t understand this concept. And I’ve heard it before. This idea that Shiro is just a stepping stone for Keith, or even worse–that he’s holding him back. If you only have one friend, if you’ve been abandoned and turned on all your life, if you had only one person you can count on, a single constant, is it “growing up” to give them up? “My life would be a whole lot different without you.” “Shiro is the one person who never gave up on me, I won’t give up on him.” Shiro didn’t make Keith’s life worse, he changed it for the better. 

Before Shiro, Keith had nothing. No one. He was abandoned by his parents. He lived in fear of abandonment because, as he says, “Maybe, I’m naturally untrusting because my mom left me? And so, instead of accepting people into my life, I push them away before they reject me. I guess I have some walls up…” Shiro and the garrison were likely all he had. We know this is true, because after Shiro disappears, Keith leaves. He isolates himself in the desert for a year, because he has nothing left to lose. 

I see people say that Keith needs to “get over Shiro” all the time, that somehow him falling for Lance would be far more meaningful development because being “too close” to someone, sharing in unconditional love and support, is supposedly childish or wrong. When Keith gets kicked out of the garrison–an orphan with no home, no remaining family, someone who had just lost his only friend in an incredibly tragic incident, Lance’s reaction is to do a victory dance. He’s all excited that Keith’s out of the way and he can further his own piloting career. “Hasta la later, Keith!” 

Meanwhile, that boy’s wondering the desert, feeling completely lost and alone. I highly doubt Keith’s the only one that has some growing up to do here, and I refuse to believe losing his only long term support was “helpful.” We’ve seen firsthand what happens when he loses Shiro. 

Spiraling into depression isn’t healthy. Watching Keith break down and mourn and grieve all over again, push himself further away from the team and throw himself headlong into danger with reckless abandon, I don’t think anyone can say that’s progress. When Shiro disappears, Keith takes to talking to Black like he’s communicating with Shiro through her. Everyone else calls her the Black Lion. Rather than acknowledge her as a separate entity, Keith says things like, “I know this is what you wanted for me, Shiro. But I’m not you. I can’t lead them like you.” And, “This one’s for you, Shiro.” He latches onto Black as an attempt at clinging onto what little of Shiro he has left. Keith wasn’t healing or growing into a “better” person. He was suffering the entire time. 

So let’s talk about what Shiro has done for Keith’s development, because the answer is–way more than anybody else. We’ve already established that, in Keith’s own words, Shiro has 1) Completely changed his life, and 2) Has been the only person to never abandon him. Not Lance. Not Allura. Not Team Voltron. Just Shiro. When Keith goes through his BOM trial, arguably one of his paramount moments of character development, who spurs that growth and change? Shiro. Shiro was the one by his side the entire time, the one he desperately wanted to see, the person who came rushing to his aid immediately. 

There’s a reason none of the other paladins appear to tempt Keith. It’s because his bond with Shiro was always what mattered most, the most tempting lure his mind could offer. And it’s how much he cares for Shiro that becomes his salvation as well. “Nothing was worth Shiro’s pain.” That’s why he gives up the knife and is able to awaken his blade. 

Or, let’s talk about season 3, how Keith only pilots the Black Lion to honor Shiro’s wishes, how he’s the one we feel Shiro’s loss through, how he’s searching for a way to save him the entire time. How there are numerous parallels between sheith and zaggar, how their storylines inevitably intertwine, echoing a tragedy of 10,000 years ago as they tempt the same fate. Let’s talk about how Keith and Shiro’s bond is one of the main overarching themes, as is Keith’s devoted loyalty to Shiro, his vow to save him “As many times as it takes,” just like how Zarkon risks everything to save Haggar before him.

Or, let’s talk about Keith’s galra nature. How Shiro was the only one who accepted him without question and immediately showed his unconditional support. Let’s talk about how he’s been helping Keith embrace his identity long before that. How galra suffer from very volatile, painfully, viscerally intense emotions. How Keith was unequipped to handle those feelings, never grew up with essential coping mechanisms. How it was Shiro who was able to help him remain calm and taught him vital coping methods to stave off sensory overload. As Lauren clarified, these volatile emotions are an inherently galran trait, and it’s understandable that this would cause immense stress and meltdowns. Shiro was the only one able to alleviate that pain, to try and help anchor Keith and teach him how to cope:

Joaquim: “[Keith] 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). 

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). 

Similarly, Alfor mentions that Honerva really “softened up” Zarkon. In much the same way, Shiro was able to help Keith. And we know those grounding methods really stuck with him and continue to be helpful over a year later, because Keith still uses them when he’s overwhelmed. That’s why his mantra is “Patience yields focus.” “That really stayed with you, didn’t it?” It did, and it meant more to Keith than he could say. In light of all that, I don’t see how Shiro’s just “holding him back.”

Or, let’s consider season 4, and how a big part of why Keith even left the team was for Shiro’s sake. Because he believed in Shiro. Or, to quote one of my previous meta:

Just like he’s always believed. “Shiro, you are the rightful leader of this team. And you proved it today by reconnecting with the Black Lion. It was always meant to be yours.” A good portion of the reason why he even distanced himself from the team in the first place is because he refuses to take Shiro’s place away from him, because he still believes in him more than anything. And that’s directly stated on the show–“He can finally be the leader I was unable to be. I’m not meant to pilot the Black Lion.” “Is that why you’ve been pulling away from us?” 

To say that Shiro has stunted Keith’s character development when he’s proven to be a major catalyst for a lot of Keith’s growth and motives is just…incredibly counterintuitive. Even more so when you consider that having Keith lose Shiro for good would go against the heart and soul of the story. Zarkon was very attached to Honerva as well, and he ended up making a poor decision that caused a lot of destruction. But the point isn’t “you have to give up on the people you love” or “you have to make these kinds of sacrifices.” That was never the point. Because Keith already lost Shiro twice. He never properly moved on from the grieving phase during Kerberos. If the lesson he needed to learn was, You have to let Shiro go, then why have Keith painfully endure the entire mourning process again just to ultimately tear Shiro away from him?

Keith having someone to believe in isn’t childish. He doesn’t need to grow out of trust. Quite the contrary, the fact that he was able to open up so much to Shiro at all represents some much needed, monumental character development. He tenses up when others hug him, but with Shiro he melts. He and Shiro allow each other to see vulnerabilities they never bare to anyone else. Keith has lived his whole life shoving others away in fear of rejection. To say that he needs to let go of the one person he loves and trusts unconditionally, the single person that Keith’s let down all his walls around–that’s a severe loss of character development. As is trying to teach him the lesson that he’ll never be happy, that he must always sacrifice again and again, that there’s no way for love to win. “As many times as it takes.” He’s staying with Shiro until the very end. That’s who he is. 

And Shiro’s so much more than just a stepping stone for Keith. He’s his own person too, and he and Keith mutually rely on one another even when torn apart by the universe.

[firewindmill]

Hi Nemo! I hope you don’t mind me asking, but I totally trust your analyses and your views on things, so I was just wondering what your thoughts were on the Hypable interview with Lauren and Joaquim? (If you have read it). Someone I follow has said that they noticed some fellow Sheith shippers declaring our ship as ‘dead’ following on from that? What did you take away from it? Thanks in advance, hope you’re doing ok today!

Yeah, I checked out Donya’s article! And I’m starting to recover from the stuff going on at my pics of shiro blog, steadily. 

First off, I respect her as a entertainment journalist - I’ve written in Entertainment and Arts newspapers myself in my local community in the past so I understand and know the tone and how it should sound and she’s very professional in her work and writing that I’ve read.

Secondly, because it’s a professional article, she asked thoughtful questions to things we wanted to know as an audience without baiting for specific info that we “want to hear”. What LM and JDS offered in answers is how they interpreted in answering the question and I think we got a lot and there’s a lot of nuance we can/could pick up from. It’s also a Shiro-centric article so, given that, it’s going to be focused on him and the people he’s closely connected to, and in this case, Adam, his ex as revealed in the recent season premiere and Keith, his best friend at his side this whole time.

Here’s my take on it (putting under the cut cause I tend to yammer but like, try to be thorough in my reasoning, effective about it, and starting with what we know prior to this particular interview which I WILL get to.):

Let’s remember that in prior interviews, that romance wasn’t a big thing in Voltron, the focus is obviously on the paladins strength individually, and most importantly, together. Romance, if any, would be written organically, and if so in that writing process, signs of it come in as early as possible from the very first episode. To skip to the end that summarizes what I’m saying for arc analysis for sheith and to my interview analysis, CTRL + F “TLDR”.

With how far we’ve come and only S7 & S8 left, 13 and 13, we’ve already seen what that means for the original intended arcs of S1(13ep technically), S2(6ep)+S3(7ep)+S4(6ep)+S5(7ep), and now S7 and S8 as two other arcs from what I could guess. Examining each plot arc, we see things grow in that organic way. We know that in S1, it establishes that Shiro and Keith already were friends and knew each other and were good friends, and oftentimes even the others EXPECT them to team up in pairs because they’re closer to each other than the others and Haggar voices this closeness later on in the last part of the second arc of Voltron.

Hunk:

Lance:

Pidge:

They’re inseparable even in the paladins minds from S1-2.

Thinking of S2-S6 puts Shiro and Keith’s friendship to the test. Keith’s Galra reveal, Shiro’s unconditional love for him and doesn’t change the fact that Keith is still his best friend, Keith mourning Shiro’s absence and searching for Shiro for months until he found his clone, and pushed the role of Black Paladin back to him because as far as he knew, this is the Shiro he knows from before that is still affected by his disease, and he doesn’t want to take away a single chance for Shiro to do what he loves, which is being a Paladin of Voltron, and even if it meant being away from him for a while. Keith took time for himself to recenter and to immerse himself amongst Galra, and some time with his mother which really helped complete the parts of his past that were missing but were vital to his identity. As someone who’s witnessed what happens to people who grow up without their parents or never meeting them - it’s a lot of psychological damage that can reflect on the individual’s behaviors if those gaps aren’t filled. Simultaneously, we now know that Shiro has been under pressure before between choosing what he needed to do for himself and his relationship which we speculated and in this interview (yes I’m getting to that!) was being compared to his previous relationship and he had to do what he needed to do with or without Adam’s support. But we know it might have been nice if Adam had chosen to do that. He hadn’t. In this case, Shiro did his best to support Keith’s decision, and didn’t want to stop him from doing what he needed to do while also reminding him that he and the team were there in case they were needed.

S4 contintinues more quietly, but we as an audience have felt weird about Shiro’s behaviour prior to Keith’s departure, his behavior being on edge, undermining Keith’s leadership he earlier wanted to encourage should something happen to him, and then we wondered if he was a clone, a sleeper agent, or both, which we suspected since s1 as a early possibility with Hunk’s thoughts on Shiro’s arm being connected to his brain similar to a USB of information feeding him his memories and so on. S5E3 he acts up and yells at Lance and then a clone, speculatively doesn’t appear because of lack of soul and only Shiro’s actual soul appears attempting to warn anyone who has a strong enough bond to hear him about the imposter, and the clone also deciding to not make decisions as a team but with him as leader when in s1e1 he consulted them as a team regardless of rank, it didn’t matter to him anymore undertaking the journey. I describe all this because even though Keith is his close friend, confidant even, he did not reach out to him so he wouldn’t distract Keith from what he needed. Keith at least knew something was gonna happen with the vision he had in Razor’s Edge, and confronted it very well in S6E4-5.

TLDR - S1: Keith and Shiro are friends S2, 3, 4, 5, 6: nothing will break that bond and will be stronger for what they’ve gone through together and apart.

Addressing the first set of answers to the first question: So knowing all this, planning early on (but not in the pitch) as mentioned for Shiro being the gay representation for the LGBT community, is really nice, really natural with the steps they’ve taken to make Pidge a girl and then Shiro being gay as addressed in that first question. It’s nice that they’re being careful about this without ruining future chances for representation for marginalized communities.

Regarding the second set of answers in regards to Shiro’s degenerative muscle disease: Shiro overcomes adversity despite all his perceived weaknesses and flaws - a respected leader, the champion, compassionate, a paladin of Voltron defending the universe. The other paladins only knew about Shiro via word of mouth, whereas Keith knew about his disease for a while and gave Shiro every chance to try anything. This fact added a layer to Shiro’s character as well as defining the fact that Shiro at one point shared this information with Keith who never outed him to the team in the entire course of the show and that’s helpful because it treats Shiro as the rest of the team even though he has his down times.

Looking at the third question, we look carefully at Shiro’s relationship with Adam. According to JDS, it felt like the last straw. LM basically described Shiro being a workaholic, doing what he loves in the time he has. They both wanted different things, and went their separate ways, which happens. People wanna do their jobs till the day they die, some people wanna do other things. As someone who’s observed Shiro’s character, I’d side with Shiro in the break up doing what he wanted to do, it’s his life after all, and he doesn’t want to feel fragile or babied. Adam was limiting in that respect while I personally observed his closed off body language, unwilling to budge anymore than he had in the past where he might have, and saying “You’ve already broken all the records there are to break.” I’m of the opinion that you can always improve and the biggest competitor you can have is yourself or someone that matches you extremely well and is able to grow with you. Either way, I don’t think either of them felt respected or heard, and when you’re communicating in a relationship and its not working out…it’s over. Communication is vital and it was lost here.

Fourth question…if you read my yammering before the Too Long Didn’t Read section, then you’ll pick this out even more, and this is where I’m seeing a lot of people panic and say the ship is dead when it really isn’t (it’s only dead if nobody is shipping it lol) and still has a possibility of becoming canon and you have to understand relationships to understand it or have been in at least one yourself, friendship and romantic one. JDS made it quite clear that the comparison of the relationships was intentional and different. Their friendship started at this stage of their lives where Shiro was likely in his first loving relationship with Adam but started to not work out and in Keith’s formative years that really shaped who he would later become because it meant to much to him. I’m sure with the way he acted, Keith was looked at like some charity case, the trouble kid, or the one that didn’t deserve what he got when it was good even though he worked hard for it. Shiro has this disease, is likely one of the best pilots but he worked hard for it and broke records for it and without a doubt there were peers jealous of his talent and hard work honing it. Shiro saw that in Keith and nurtured that strength that Keith had.

Here’s the part where you understand relationships. The example is look at yourself in your family relationships. Your relationship with your parents will be different than they are than with your friends or siblings, vice versa, and scrambled, but relationships are only ever between 2 people, even if certain groups of 3 or more work well together - 2 individuals will always vibe more strongly in some ways than others. Of course they’ll be different. They will also evolve so keep note of this. Shiro and Adam’s was loving and wonderfully healthy before things evolved into different directions and it didn’t work out and while it didn’t end well, it was handled in a typical adult manner. Shiro and Keith met as mentor and mentee and grew into friends that would somehow lead to Shiro bringing Keith to the launch site, a moment usually reserved for family or significant others, so at that point, Keith is a very close friend of Shiro.

Their relationship is already evolving…into something much deeper, echoing similar relationships to theirs that have either succeeded or failed and the steps they’ve taken in their friendship that has worked for them and made it stronger that others have taken notice. Shiro and Adam is a failed relationship because Adam no longer wanted to be there for Shiro, and chose to walk away because he couldn’t handle it, and not everybody can even if it’s frustrating for someone like Shiro, and I know how that feels because I have a chronic illness myself and get pity or hear whining that it’s so difficult to deal with. Keith has never once complained and does everything he can for Shiro to make sure he gets to do whatever he wants or needs to do and is happy to be there beside him to be a part of it.

Which is why I think this will work because Keith is so supportive and likes it when Adam did not, nor did he want to. Shiro was Keith’s hero in his time of need, so now Keith will always support and be Shiro’s hero in HIS time of need. We’ve seen a lot of action on Keith’s end of things, supporting Shiro, and sure, we know Shiro had done the same to bring Keith where he is, but every time that Keith has used the safe words “You’re like a brother to me/You’re my brother, I love you” Shiro has NEVER VOICED how he feels about Keith nor commented on it in any certain terms, but it does show in his actions that he cares a lot or shows concern for him, especially when he didn’t react until he heard “I love you”. My speculations for S7 or S8 for something to happen to Keith that might trigger this definition somehow, which is what I’m looking forward to because Shiro is very much a reserved person as much as Keith is at times and has only ever been vulnerable to him.

I hope this personal interpretation of mine helps somehow! I don’t think the ship is dead and to be funny I’d say “y’all weak”.

[aether-staza]

Sheith Fic Recommendations

This is day 2 of @sheithparticipationweek and I got a little carried away with these and to be perfectly honest, I still have even more recommendations up my sleeves. I'd love to share the other fic recs if anyone is interested but for now, I think I listed a little too much already (its kind of a long post so sorry about that)...

(In no particular order):

•Kitten by ilovelocust

"Kuro violently kidnaps Keith from the Castle of the Lions. Team Voltron desperately tries to get him back, while Kuro taunts them about all the things they can't stop him from doing. When they finally rescue him, the truly hard part begins."

Personal Notes: Its a little bit on the darkside of the fandom so be ready. I got a certain thrill while reading this and that made me enjoy it a whole lot. I'm also a sucker for whump Keith so yeah.

•all you love, you keep by arahir

"Love isn’t earned in blood and devoted silence, but it takes them years to figure that out.

"I don't have anyone else," Shiro starts, and that at least is honest. "But we can only have family at the launch. We can only talk to family on the mission, and you—it would just be a technicality. We can dissolve it when I get back, but—“

Keith is so open, and so unwitting. He’s got a blind spot for Shiro as wide as his heart.

“Will you marry me?”

Personal Notes: I love the characterization in this fic and the way Keith and Shiro's bond was written. Two additional things I liked about this was protective!Shiro and the fact that they were secretly married (eeeep~)...

•The kind of love we're dying for (Series) by chiapslock

"A series retelling Voltron S1 if Shiro had come back with implants in his mind that forced him to obey everything his masters tell him to. Keith is one of his masters."

Personal Notes: This, this hurts real good, lemme tell you. You can really see Keith's internal turmoil here as well as, Shiro's loyalty to Keith even when he's not "himself". Angst material right there.

•Between the Shadow and the Soul by magisterpavus

"The most terrifying things in the desert were the men. Of this, Keith had no doubt.

Until Keith found him."

Personal Notes: Ahhhhhh! Definitely one of my favorites (its reeeeeeally up there in my top 5). I love how whimsical it is and how it really dives right into the culture portrayed in the story. The backstories and the plot is well thought out and I can say that its definitely one of the must read fics in the Sheith community.

•Not even death do us part by Destinee Zara (LadyDestineeZara)

"Dealing with spirits wasn't something new to Hunk. It was his job after all. He might not like it so much sometimes (ok, a lot of times), but he was used to it. However, this case was different from all others before. There was something off with the fire that destroyed that old asylum.

Who started it? Why?

Who was the spirit that stayed behind?

Hunk was determined to get at the bottom of it.

(A Sheith ghost love story.)"

Personal Notes: I love, love, loved this story! Another one of the stories that make you feel something along the lines of "it hurts so good". The Sheith here is rather bittersweet but totally worth the read.

•Punishment by Association by Pilindiel

"He should have listened to that coiling in his stomach, to that heavy weight in his bones, and he hears the fight over the comms before he sees it.

Shiro hates being right.

Keith's breathing is harsh and sharp over the electric buzz in Shiro's ears, but his voice is so dangerously low it sends a chill down his spine.

Or maybe it's just the name that tumbles past Keith's lips that makes his blood freeze in his veins.

“Zarkon.”

Prompt: Something with Keith being healed by quintessence"

Personal Notes: Shiro's character is well written here and it paints him as someone who's not just Voltron's leader. Also, whump Keith... what more can you ask for?

♡♡♡ Welp, this got out of hand but I had so much fun making this! I didn't expect that but I did! I actually wouldn't mind making another, lmao. Hope you guys will have fun reading these, I know I had. ♡♡♡