[ Shiro knows that logically, it's not his fault that Lance was captured. They went in with the best intel they could possibly have, they did everything by the books, it's just the intel wasn't correct and they were surprised and he knows they can't plan for everything because that's not how the world works. The problem is, that doesn't stop him from blaming himself every minute of every day. Doesn't stop him from being furious that they're one paladin down and that it's not him, because he knows how to deal with what they'll do to them, but Lance... Lance doesn't and Shiro would do anything to save him from finding it out.
It takes too long to figure out a plan to find and save him, too. They try, of course, but the first six attempts are unsuccessful and they can't get a lock on Blue. Wherever she is, Allura can't pinpoint it past feelings of maybe this direction or perhaps turn the castle that way.
Instead, they do what they can do. They save planets and free them and try to use that extended network to track down any word of where Lance might be. Months pass and Shiro finds himself snapping without justification, to the point where Keith finally pulls him aside and gives him a talking-to that Shiro would be proud of if he weren't so fucking frustrated with being able to do nothing. Keith takes him for fights that last hours, until Shiro's dripping sweat and drooping from exhaustion and then shoves him into bed and doesn't wake him up for anything but breakfast. Soon enough, Pidge starts doing it, too; not the training, but when they find him wandering the halls or up late, they drag him in to be their extra set of hands when working, until one or both of them is nodding off from exhaustion.
It's not perfect but it works. And, eventually, they do get word, Allura gets a feeling from Blue, like she's reaching out. The planning takes weeks and this time, he thinks he's got every eventuality planned in, but what he doesn't expect is that Zarkon wouldn't be on the ship. That there's no arena on this ship, but Blue is here, and that despite everything, the wing that Lance is in, isn't medical, or anything else particularly dangerous. It's in the normal suites; he was taken there once or twice as a 'reward' and it makes his stomach turn as he clears each room but there's no Lance. From over the comms, he hears Keith say there's nothing in his wing, and hears similar comments from the others.
The last door opens and Shiro goes through it, but instead of finding Lance tied down, it's a beach. Lance is there, but he doesn't look like he's panicked, he looks...comfortable, and that's the weirdest goddamn thing right now. They don't have time to think about that, though, not when they need to get out of here. ]
Lance. Come on, let's go-- we have to get out of here.
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It takes too long to figure out a plan to find and save him, too. They try, of course, but the first six attempts are unsuccessful and they can't get a lock on Blue. Wherever she is, Allura can't pinpoint it past feelings of maybe this direction or perhaps turn the castle that way.
Instead, they do what they can do. They save planets and free them and try to use that extended network to track down any word of where Lance might be. Months pass and Shiro finds himself snapping without justification, to the point where Keith finally pulls him aside and gives him a talking-to that Shiro would be proud of if he weren't so fucking frustrated with being able to do nothing. Keith takes him for fights that last hours, until Shiro's dripping sweat and drooping from exhaustion and then shoves him into bed and doesn't wake him up for anything but breakfast. Soon enough, Pidge starts doing it, too; not the training, but when they find him wandering the halls or up late, they drag him in to be their extra set of hands when working, until one or both of them is nodding off from exhaustion.
It's not perfect but it works. And, eventually, they do get word, Allura gets a feeling from Blue, like she's reaching out. The planning takes weeks and this time, he thinks he's got every eventuality planned in, but what he doesn't expect is that Zarkon wouldn't be on the ship. That there's no arena on this ship, but Blue is here, and that despite everything, the wing that Lance is in, isn't medical, or anything else particularly dangerous. It's in the normal suites; he was taken there once or twice as a 'reward' and it makes his stomach turn as he clears each room but there's no Lance. From over the comms, he hears Keith say there's nothing in his wing, and hears similar comments from the others.
The last door opens and Shiro goes through it, but instead of finding Lance tied down, it's a beach. Lance is there, but he doesn't look like he's panicked, he looks...comfortable, and that's the weirdest goddamn thing right now. They don't have time to think about that, though, not when they need to get out of here. ]
Lance. Come on, let's go-- we have to get out of here.