The rubber bouncing of something that looked similar to a tennis ball, but with different colorings filled the kitchen. Lance had taken up residency on the counter and was hitting the ball off the floor while Hunk danced his way around the kitchen.

At first Lance had watched, but he'd gotten bored uncharacteristically quickly. Now he was playing with a toy one of the rats had brought him. He had realized long ago if he was friends with the rats they would bring him trivial things they thought were treasures. He found it sweet, thus the mice were allowed to have some of his food. It was an established partnership.

As Hunk pulled a tray of cookies (they were really cookies this time) out of the oven Lance was overcome by sadness.

"Hunk, what do you think the Garrison told our family?" Lance's voice was quiet.

Hunk knew that voice. He hadn't heard it often, but he was smart enough to know Lance was thinking about home. Honestly, Hunk wondered the same thing.

"Could have been anything," Hunk replied with a shrug of his shoulders. There was no use wondering. They couldn't go back to Earth yet. Not without Shiro.

"I'll be they said there was an incident and no bodies were recovered," Pidge said snatching a cookie from where Hunk was placing them to cool. "These taste better than the last ones, by the way."

Hunk nodded his thanks but said nothing. The ball had stopped bouncing and Lance looked eerily ready to break.

"Right, well, I'll be in the lab," Pidge muttered awkwardly before snatching another cookie and slinking away. This was what they got for being horrible at helping others with feelings. Just leave before someone or something blows up, though that was more likely to happen with Keith than Lance.

Hunk placed the oven mitts at Lance's side as the thin boy turned the ball in his hands.

"They think I'm dead, Hunk," he said, voice cracking with emotion. "They must be hurting. I want them to know I'm alright, but we're so far away. They don't have this kind of technology. I can't even talk to them."

"It's going to be alright, Lance," Hunk always was the steady rock in roaring water. "We'll go home soon. We just need to find Shiro—"

"Don't you remember how long the Galra had him before he escaped?" Lance asked. His voice unintentionally rising.

"We don't know that the Galra have him," Hunk replied, not for the first time.

"But what if someone worse does?!" It was about this time Lance realized how loud he was being. "We don't know who has him and somehow that makes it worse. He left his bayard. He's defenseless."

"Lance," Hunk's voice didn't show it, but that steady rock was starting to get frustrated. They'd had this argument before. It was circular, unending. "We'll get him back and then we'll go home."

Lance nodded, but Hunk knew the other paladin wasn't convinced. He placed a few cookies on a plate and put the plate in Lance's lap. Talking didn't always help, but cookies made everyone happy. Even Keith.

"Thanks, Hunk," Lance said before taking a small bite of cookie. He started eating slowly, but the cookies were so good before he knew it he was eating a bit faster.

"Look on the bright side," Hunk said, feeling the time was ripe for lightening the mood. "No more having to stop Pidge from saying something stupid."

Lance chuckled. "Not all the time. Just don't let them in front of royalty anytime soon."