Chapter Text
CHAPTER 1
”Well we know where we’re goin’ “
Jacket, Camera, Bags check. Wait did he remember his shark gloves? It was going to get pretty cold in the night.
”But we don’t know where we’ve been”
Shit he can’t forget his old iPod. All the good tracks were in it.
”And we know what we’re knowin’ “
How many bags did he pack again? Pidge would probably kill him if he left any of the equipment behind.
”But we can’t say what we’ve seen”
“Lance I swear to god if you make us miss the flight I’ll drop kick you so hard you’ll be permanently buried in Arus and we’ll do a documentary on you!” Pidge shouted from the door sounding pissed off.
Damn Lance really didn’t know how someone this small had such a loud voice. He checked the time and blanched.
“Shit! Pidge I’m coming!” He grabbed all the bags and hurried out the door, almost tripping down the stairs.
Pidge looked up from her phone, glaring at him. “Really Lance? You know we didn’t even start this trip right?”
Lance smiled at her, sheepish. “Well my dear Pidgeon I have to give the ghosts a show! You can’t rush perfection.” She rolled her eyes. “I don’t think the ghosts have stayed there for ten thousand years just to see your dumbass face. Come on, Hunk’s waiting in the car.”
Lance spluttered indignant. “Wha- How dare! The disrespect! I’ll have you know that the ghosts would be blessed to see my beautiful face.” Heh, ghosts blessed.
A loud honk cut through their conversation. “Guys come on! We’re going to be late!” Hunk shouted, looking out the window.
“Ok, ok we’re coming.” Lance dumped all their bags in the back, getting in the backseat.
Hunk turned back towards him, beaming. “I can’t believe we’re finally doing this!”
Oh yeah. That was the whole point of this trip. All three of them had been drunk one night and Pidge dared him to go to a Haunted house. Lance scoffed at her and said he could do better than that and proceeded to put out a live stream saying that they were all going to do a ghost hunting episode in a cool ass location. Because Drunk Lance had no remorse for Sober Lance.
Then his YouTube channel’s popularity had skyrocketed and he couldn’t back out. Besides his Mama didn’t raise a quitter. So Lance spent the next week obsessively trying to find a location that wasn’t too popular but still had a reputation. That’s when he stumbled into a little town called Arus in the hills which was known for its haunted castle. Yes. An honest to god castle in the hills. It was pretty obscure and you couldn’t really find it unless you had a local guide. Lance almost had a cardiac arrest when he saw the guide’s fee. He probably had to cut a leg off to afford the official guide.
Then Pidge the angel (Not really she was just compensating for the fact that she roped him into this on the first place like the gremlin she was) told him that she actually knew a guy there who could take them all, as long as Lance wasn’t too annoying.
Two weeks, five bags of equipment, clothes and lots of tears later, they’re finally setting out to Arus for an epic ghost hunting adventure.
Lance grinned back at him, excitement clear in his face. “Well, let’s get this adventure started buddy.”
Pidge looked at both of them in a full toothed smile. “Hell yeah. To Arus!”
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They were here. Lance looked at the sprawling green hills, still covered by fog. They took the only bus from the airport to Arus, the early morning chill making him shiver slightly.
They were actually here.
“So,” Lance looked at Hunk sitting near him, supporting a sleeping Pidge from falling down. “What’s our plan for today?”
Hunk turned his eyes away from the windows, looking thoughtful. “Well, Pidge and I will get down at a stop before you-” Lance gaped at him. “Wait what? What about meeting our guide?”
Hunk nodded at him. “Yeah you will be meeting our guide and take the bags that have our clothes in them to where we’re staying. Pidge and I will take all the bags that have our equipment and drop them at a place that’s much closer to the haunted castle instead of lugging it all the way up the hills. That way we can get two things done at once.”
Well that made sense. But still…
“Hunk you can’t leave me alone with the guide. Pidge said he was a scary guy. I don’t even know much about him. Wait he’s probably an axe murderer. You can’t leave me alone with an axe murderer in the hills Hunk. I know I said I’m dedicated in giving quality content to my fans but I don’t think the way to do it is me becoming a ghost. I’d probably be like the least scariest ghost in the world.”
Hunk shook his head at him, amused. Which rude! Lance was expressing his very valid concerns thank you very much.
He could practically hear the laughter in Hunk’s voice. “I don’t think the guide’s an axe murderer Lance. And don’t you mean not to leave with an axe murderer in the woods.”
“Not the point Hunk.” Lance hissed. “Stranger danger buddy.”
Hunk smiled at him. “He’s really not a stranger Lance. He and Pidge have been friends for five years now. He knows about all of us. You really don’t have to worry. His brother is a patrol officer too. We’re actually meeting him to drop our bags. It’s just going to be an hour.”
Lance slumped down, pouting. “Fine. But just know if I become a ghost I’m going to write ‘I told you so' everywhere you see.”
“Ok, I’m suitably terrified now. I’m sure you’ll put the other ghosts to shame.” He chuckled, putting Lance at ease too.
“You know it buddy.”
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Lance was buzzing with excitement. He just got off the bus stop and was waiting for the guide to meet him. He didn’t think he could stand in one place for so long. He was practically shivering in anticipation. Or maybe it was the cold. But still, they were all actually here.
They’d probably check out the location today night. Holy shit. He never thought he’d actually visit an actual haunted location in his life. Well ‘allegedly’ haunted. Man he could actually meet a ghost here. If they actually captured substantial evidence…
A hand suddenly pressed against his shoulder and Lance jumped out of his skin. “Holy shit! I don’t want to die!”
“What the fuck?”
He turned around to see a guy in all black standing beside him, scowling.
“Oh my god are you a ghost?” Lance blurted out before he could stop himself.
The guy was definitely pale, a little hint of redness in his nose probably because of the cold. He kind of looked like a poster child for Hot topic with dark hair and fingerless gloves. He was kind of hot too and wait. Was that a…
He was still staring at him, confused. “What the actual fuck?”
“Hey you could be a ghost! The mullet and the all black aesthetic is definitely a step in the right direction. You could be like a punk rock ghost from the eighties!”
Dark eyes (Were they purple?) looked back at him, incredulous. “What are you even talking about?”
Suddenly something clicked in Lance’s mind. “Wait you’re the guide? The guy Pidge was talking about?”
The guy (possibly their guide?) blinked at him. “Uh yeah? Your Pidge’s friend?”
Lance nodded, grabbing his bags. “Yeah man. The name’s Lance. I think Hunk and Pidge are meeting your brother.”
The guy grabbed one of his bags too, which okay at least he was polite. That had to count for something.
“I’m Keith.” A quick nod and then he was walking. Lane scrambled to keep up with him. Damn this guy definitely didn’t do small talk did he? Well Lance was pretty great at that.
“So does everyone here have a mullet to match the old town vibes or are you the only one?”
Ok maybe Lance wasn’t that great with small talk as he thought. This was fine!
Keith glared back at him, loading all their bags in the car. “Are all of Pidge’s friends this annoying or is it just you?”
Ok maybe it wasn’t fine either.
“Wha- I’m just trying to make small talk man”
A dark eyebrow arches. “By insulting my hair?”
Lance stuttered, trying to salvage this conversation. “Well how would you start then?”
Keith gives a thin smirk. “Hey Lance, it’s nice to meet you.” Ok that smirk was just too much.
Lance threw up his hands. “Oh fuck off. You’re definitely not that polite.”
Keith starts the car as Lance gets in the car. “How would you know? I definitely look like the guy who’d help a grandma cross the road don’t I?”
Lance laughed, shocked. “Oh my god you have jokes now. I can’t take this.”
Keith grins back at him. “But you were right. I hate small talk. How do you think I got along with Pidge?”
“Damn you both bonded over antisocial nerds. I can totally see it. You guys definitely had an ‘I hate people’ emo blog right?”
“It was actually a conspiracy theory blog.”
Lance slaps his hand on his knees, laughing hard. “NO! Holy shit man. Did you like hunt for cryptids in your free time?”
Keith huffs “I definitely want to say no but that’s actually how I came across the castle so…”
Lance’s eyes widened. “Whoa that’s actually so cool! How did you even find it?”
The car comes to a stop in front of a small house. Keith turns the ignition off, going to grab the bags as Lance undoes his seat belt.
“We’re going to the castle today right? I’ll tell you then. You better not be scared of ghosts.”
“Oh it’s on mullet!”
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“Lance!” Hunk and Pidge burst inside the house, beaming, and followed by another slightly older guy who was smiling at them amused.
Lance jumped up from his seat tackling them both in a hug. “Hunk! Pidge! You guys are here. It feels like I’ve been stuck with mullet for so long that his mulletness is wearing off on me.”
Keith’s head popped out from the kitchen, offended. “Hey! I’m making you hot chocolate. We bonded!”
Lance grinned back at him, teasing. “Don’t remember, didn’t happen.”
The other guy was chuckling at them, going up to ruffle Keith’s hair. Keith looked like a disgruntled kitten, pouting. “Lance. This is my brother Shiro. The absolute worst.”
Shiro rolled his eyes, squishing Keith’s cheeks. “And this is my little brother Keith who I love dearly.”
Pidge grinned widely at that and ran towards Keith, tackling him in a hug. “Nice to see you again idiot.”
Wow they must be pretty close. Lance doesn’t think he saw Pidge ever willingly hug someone ever. Keith’s face softened at that, awkwardly (adorably) hugging her back. “Hey Pidge.”
Lance turned around to see a hand extended towards him. “Hey. Lance right? It’s nice to meet you.” Lance looked up to see Shiro looking back at him, a kind smile in his face. Lance grinned back and shook his hand. “Yeah! Nice to meet you too man. Thank you for having us.”
Shiro smiled back at him, his eyes excited. “It’s great to have you guys. Besides now Keith might actually talk to people his age.”
Someone choked in the back. “Shiro!”
Shiro turned innocently towards his brother. “What? You know I’m right.”
Keith grumbled, setting hot chocolate for everyone at the table. “Whatever. Now come on. Let’s look at our plan.”
Lance leaned in, excited. “Ok what are we actually going to do?”
Pidge rubbed her hands in the warm mug. “Ok, today night we’re actually just going to visit the castle to set up our thermal cameras and motion detectors.”
Hunk nodded along to that. “Yeah, it’ll be nice to see our equipment actually in work.”
Keith’s eyes widened. “You guys made your own equipment?”
Lance clapped Hunk in the back, beaming. “Yeah man, he and Pidge are amazing at that. They’re the reason we get the best results.”
Keith looked impressed, then continued. “Yeah so we’re just setting up today and shooting the introduction. Tomorrow is when we’re all going to stay overnight. So I hope you’re all prepared.”
He looked straight at Lance, his eyes challenging. Oh, it’s on.
“Please mullet, I was born ready. Hope you’re ready to be amazed.
Pidge clapped her hand, getting up. “Well then, let’s get ready to meet some ghosts tonight.”
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