A/N: For the Voltron 50 Prompt Challenge. The prompt was: "missing."

Warnings: Minor whump (mention of blood, implied kidnapping).

A short oneshot. Completed :)

Hunk was late, yet when he reached the rendezvous point, Lance wasn't there.

But factor in the blue paladin's mission—spy on the Galra and record intel—then he was sure to be a little late getting back.

Hunk waited. A squad of sentries passed. He sat behind a large metal crate in the cargo bay, glancing at the entryway. No blue paladin.

It had been a secret mission. There was just a delay. Lance could be more than a little late getting back. A lot late, actually. There was still time.

He would get back, though, and that was what mattered. Hunk could wait.

The others radioed him once or twice, concerned, after an hour had slipped by. Hunk was fine; he told them so. He was waiting. Lance would come back. He was just being smart, taking his time to avoid being spotted.

Two hours passed. No sign. That was sufficient time to get around whatever problem could block his return. Hunk was worried.

Three hours.

Lance didn't come back.

The others were off-ship. Hunk went alone. Checked all hideouts that Lance had claimed on the schematic during mission briefing. Checked all routes. All keen sniper positions.

All were empty.

Lance was gone.

Gone, not dead, Hunk reminded himself over and over again. He was searching all of the areas again, combing every inch for clues. Not dead. Missing.

…Right?

The little trace of human blood in the corner of Hideout Eight proved Lance had been there. Proved that he wasn't there anymore. Proved he was missing. Proved he wasn't dead, because if he was dead, then he wouldn't be missing. But he was missing. Thus he couldn't be dead.

He's just missing. Hunk followed the trail of blood, reported back to the team. Pidge hacked the security feed in an instant; Keith and Shiro were on their way. Only missing.

Hunk knew his thinking was flawed. That "dead" had no actual correlation to "missing," that it was possible for both to occur simultaneously. They weren't inversely proportional. This wasn't a law of science. Lance could be dead and missing. If anything, the blood actually proved… he could be…

No, it didn't.

It meant he was injured. Injured and missing.

…Was that any better?

No.

Hunk's fists trembled. His eyes stung.

Screw logic. Screw all of it.

Lance was missing.

And Hunk was going to find him.

A/N: (The end.) Thanks for reading!