you see there's ANOTHER LEVEL of reading the bonding moment scene
keith says specifically "we had a bonding moment! I cradled you in my arms!"
It's even more interesting now.
The first part is about Keith being dramatically offended that Lance doesn't remember their bonding moment, I have already talked about it in a different post.
But let's look at the second part of what he says because it's VERY specific
Keith could have said literally anything else in that moment. And when I think about it, him saying something like "We had a bonding moment!
I risked my life for you!*
would be a more obvious, natural choice of words. Because that's what the scene was about, right? It would still flesh out Keith's physical nature, how Lance doesn't recognize how important that was for Keith, and the whole scene would make sense anyway.
Keith says "We had a bonding moment! I cradled you in my arms!" specifically!
And it's sucha a strange thing to say when you really think about it!
But it just makes sense for Keith!
Look. Keith is a character of action rather than words. We know that. He isn't naturally expressive verbally. He struggles to explain what he's feeling, struggles to ask for comfort or help.
That's obvious in battle of course, but I think it extends to his emotional part too.
Keith communicates care physically and it's so obvious with Shiro since day one. Keith is actually surprisingly touchy-feely just not with everyone. Actually only with Shiro, that's it. Hugs, reassuring touches, standing close, physical affection comes much more naturally to him when it's someone he deeply trusts.
Which makes the I cradles you in my arms scene hit... harder.
I feel like he's emphasizing this specifically because to him that's the most emotionally significant part.
For Keith holding someone isn't just a practical action, it isn't like he would do to anyone and forget.
It's vulnerability and it's care. Maybe it truly is Keith's way of telling "you matter to me"
And Lance... doesn't recognize that language.
It's so interesting that Keith isn't triggered because Lance doesn't recognize that Keith risked his life for him or literally anything else.
He's triggered because Lance doesn't recognize the connection Keith thought they had shared through physical care. The physical closeness that in Keith's emotional vocabulary actually meant something.
What i'm saying that's such a weirdly specific detail for the writers to choose. If the fact of the physical closeness was not important for the characters or the story, and if it was not what the creators wanted to say, I think they would go a simpler path and Keith would say anything, and not about "cradling Lance in his arms" because, again I'm repeating myself and I'm sorry, it's very sepcific thing to say.
Such an oddly intimate detail when you think about it. Oddly specific thing for Keith himself to focus on.
Looking back after seeing how Keith expresses affection throughout the series I don't think it's random, it's completely in character.
I'm sorry if I'm repeating myself and I think this is very chaotic but the realization of that is very emotional for me.
My point is simply that for Keith physical contact and physical care is very vulnerable and specifically important and he offered THAT to Lance. And what's important to me, I feel like there is enough evidence in the show to state that it was purposeful on creators side.
i;ve seen many interpretation of keith being like touch starved and i was like hell yeah we all love touch starved tsundere, but now when i actually watch the show it turns out ITS NOT ACTUALLY A JOKE. keith IS touch starved, it's almost canon
And i broke my heart again, Keith let himself be so vulnerable and engaged in physical closeness and care with Lance, and it was important and big deal for him, only for Lance to not realize and hurt him bye
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