A/N: Basically this is fem! Lance and some exploration of gender lol.
orginally this was a request and then it kinda went a different direction. Not all credit is me.

fixed grammar: 11/16/21. edited again: 10/6/22

The air was red gas.

The ground was colored blue.

Lance felt his foot sink into something; he looked down; it was purple goo.

Lance then stared at the mess like it was going to attack him since...he felt odd and very on edge for some reason. There was something off about the purple goo but he was wearing a suit that protected him from all outside elements. Yea. This goo could do nothing to him so he assured himself that he was fine. Completely fine.

He shook off his foot, getting most of the goo off and went about the activity he was doing: exploring the planet alone since he drew the short straw. There was no reason to go on the toxic planet other than to walk around and see if there was any civilization on it.

Just to see. Pidge had said.

Nothing else stuck to him so he kept going.

"Anything?" Pidge asked into the comm.

"No. Just this goo stuff and rock." Lance answered back.

"Technically it isn't roc-"

Lance cut Pidge off, "It's not a rock. It's a rock lobster."

There was silence for a couple of seconds, only the dull hum of the comm echoing in everyone's ears.

"I don't understand your Earth references. Come back to the castle. There is nothing we can do here. Obviously Zarkon didn't think to capture this planet since there is quite nothing to capture." Allura stated.

Hunk said into the comms, "Sounds good. We're coming En route. Still with Pidge."

Shiro spoke this time, "We will meet with the whole group and come in together so we have less chance we don't accidentally bring in any alien lifeform or anything."

"There's nothing like Lance said. Just rocks. Don't say it." Pidge said, then added: "But smart Shiro, always stay vigilant when exploring the unknown."

"Okay see you all in a click." Coran said from the castle.

"Affirmative." Allura confirmed.

The comms from the castle shut off, the extra static gone.

Pidge, Hunk, Keith, and Shiro were all chatting between each other, Lance was still connected to all of them but didn't say a thing

They only talked on the comms between the five of them, Coran and Allura doing their own things back at base. They were probably prepping the door to let them all inside or chatting too.

Lance was walking like everyone else to the castle when he felt a hot flash on his whole body.

"Haha- That was not funny Keith." Pidge said seriously.

"Guys." Lance said into his headset.

"And then we can do an extra, extra, extra battle session." Keith tried to joke.

Everyone knew he was serious though.

"Yea and-"

"Guys." Lance cut off whoever.

He didn't care.

His whole body felt like it was on fire. He was sweating. It wasn't probably good for the suit.

There was a silence on air.

"Lance, you okay?" Shiro asked, tense.

"No. I-" Lance closed his eyes.

"How far are you away from the meeting place?" Shiro coached his teammate.

"I- I don't know." Lance's staggered breathing was audible to the team.

He pushed a button on his suit to find the GPS system but it just switched the comm off.

"Oh no." Lance groaned.

He pushed another random button again and it came back on again. He knew he had to pay more attention on how the suits worked but now was not the time. He trudged along.

"-not good. He's gone." He heard Keith say.

"I'm back." Lance said.

"Good." Shiro sounded relieved, "Ok- so."

"Not a good time for this; but heads up. The GPS navigational system doesn't work because of the red fog."

The situation turned from an easy mission to saving whatever the heck was wrong with Lance.

Lance felt dizzy and he felt his forehead bead with sweat. He couldn't wipe it off since the red fog was poisonous.

"Tell me how you are Lance." Shiro demanded.

Lance could only breath through the heat and dizziness.

He kept moving.

"Lance?" Shiro had never sounded like this, "Lance talk to me."

"Not so good. I think I can see...?"

"The ship? What can you see? Is it one of us?"

"No."

Shiro huffed into his microphone.

"Lance, listen. I know it's hard but please be more specific."

"I'll do it." Keith said.

Shiro said nothing over air since the exchange took place non-verbally.

Everyone could only hear a muffled static of Keith's microphone then laboured breaths from Lance's headset.

"Lance what do you see?"

"Red gas. Tall."

"Okay. So, he sees the castle. Uh- Does it look faded or not?"

"Faded." Lance's throat felt scratched up since he was so hot, "Can I- Water?"

"We will get you water when you get there. Promise. Just keep moving." Keith said calmly.

Lance said nothing.

"Ok Lance pick up a rock."

"How does this-?" Shiro snapped into his helmet.

There was a soft thunk noise.

Then Lance: "Can't"

He was breathing heavier now, it sounded painful and raspy.

Lance was still walking though he really wanted to stop. Why was he walking? He wanted to stop.

Everything hurt, including his lungs.

"Pick one up. A Rock. Now."

Lance listened to the voice and picked up a rock. Lance didn't know who it even was anymore.

"Throw it at the castle."

He did so.

It didn't even hit the tall tower.

"Follow where the rock went and when you pick it up say, 'Got it.', alright? Do it again after that."

There was silence. The team didn't know whether he passed out from exhaustion or just was so incoherent that he couldn't speak.

"Hey Ke-"

"Not now. No one except Lance talks."

Keith made sure he could hear his voice for the signal.

After what seemed like forever, there was a small 'Got it.' over the comm.

"Keep going Lance. Do it again. Listen, it will be over soon if you do it again. Come on buddy, please."

Lance didn't respond once again to this.

"Say it."

"Got it." Was the only thing he said, what he only could say.

Just listen to the voice and it will all be over soon. Lance thought

And the team moved as quick as they could to the castle to try to spot Lance. Legs burning, arms pumping, sweat pouring from the team. They all had their microphones muted to hear him, to hear Lance to make sure he was OK.

"Got...it." This time it was near a whisper.

Everyone knew that time was running short.

A click from the comm system.

Then, "I see him!" Hunk yelled.

Another click of someone coming back on.

"A bit loud buddy." Pidge commented.

"Sorry-"

"Shush, guys." Shiro said.

And there was a pause over the comm before Keith spoke in a gentle tone.

"Lance. Hey." Keith said carefully, "You can stop now. It's over, you can stop. It's OK."

And Lance obeyed the voice by falling to his knees.