Attack on Titan x Reader [Oneshots]

Midnight Babies [AU] [Marco x Reader]

Many people often associate the midnight hour as a mystical time, and believe that children born at midnight have a special gift - the ability to see ghosts and spirits.

[Name] was one of these little midnight babies, born into the world between the end of one day and the start of another.  

The queer thing was, her third eye only opened for thirty-one days every year.

October. The month when the lines separating the realms of the living and dead were thinned, allowing some interaction between the two parallel universes. Other times, she was only able to hear the voices of spirits. Or rather, a spirit.

And for as long as she could remember, she could only hear one voice. A deep, soothing voice that would  help her along the way in times of difficulties, and would cheer her up when she was upset.

She used to tell her parents how she could hear voices, but they brushed it off as a child’s imagination. Needless to say, she kept quiet about it after being shot down time after time and started to grow more introverted and she had no one else to turn to since nobody believed her. It was difficult to grow up with nobody to confide in, thus she seeked solace in that one particular spirit she only got to meet once every year.

Every time the clock striked twelve on the first of October, a pale figure would materialize into view at the foot of her bed, a soft glow enveloping his form, shimmering dimly in the light with his every movement.

Every time, one word would be uttered as she caught sight of him. “Marco…”

~~

Her soul called out to his, a deep abyss of emptiness present whenever he wasn’t around. She couldn’t always see him, but she could feel his presence, and knew whenever he was by her side.

“Most spirits go into the light after they pass on, and the rest who don’t probably have some unfinished business here,” he would tell her whenever she asked why she could only hear and see him. And if she probed why he didn’t move on, he would simply answer, “I’m waiting for someone.”

Deep down, she knew the person he was waiting for was her.

~~

The loud chatter and squeals of children trick-or-treating, in addition to the spooky music from her neighbor’s houses put a smile on her face as she sat on her window sill, looking down at the hustle and bustle downstairs.

“Why don’t you join them?” A ghostly figure appeared before her, a small echo reverberating in his voice. A chill went down her spine, as his legs grazed against her.

“Thirty one days I get to actually see you.” She turned her gaze onto him, “I’m not going to waste it outside. I’d very much like to spend more time with you.”

His brown eyes glowed brightly at her words, his lips tugging into an upward curve as he leaned forward, cold digits grazing her cheek. His fingers trailed down to her lips, when he jerked away, his hands falling back to his side.

With eyes shut and jaw clenched, he let out a sigh of frustration, running a hand through his iridescent black hair. “We can’t do this, [Name]. You still belong in this world and you need to live in reality.”

His hands fell back onto his lap with a small plop, and he stood up to leave. Warm hands circled around his waist, preventing him from taking another step.

“Please don’t leave me…” She mumbled into his back. “It’s just, somehow… I… I feel like I’ve lost you before, and I don’t want to lose you again.”

His frame stiffened, before he gently loosened her hold on him so he could turn around. Marco hugged her tightly, jolts of electricity running through both their bodies.

“You did know me in a past life,” he started, his chin resting atop her head. “But that was a long long time ago…”

“Tell me.”

“We were lovers once, but I passed on early… in a war of sorts…. And you were a soldier too. A brilliant fighter who survived till our victory.”

“And you never went into the light?”

“No…” He pulled back, looking down into her eyes. “I’ve been waiting to find you again. And now, I have.”

Tears pricked her eyes as she brought her hands up to cup his face, eyes scanning over the splatter of freckles over his nose and cheeks.

“For how long?” She asked, her voice barely audible.

A light-hearted chuckle erupted from his chest as he wiped away a stray tear from her eye. “I’ve been searching for you for over two thousand years.”

“T-Two thousand!” [Name] exclaimed, moving to drape her arms over his neck.

He pulled her body closer to his, a content sigh slipping out of his lips. “They always say, true love lasts for eternity.”

Her mind whirled at the mention of the words “true love”, her heart pounding rapidly in her chest. She definitely liked Marco, but love? True Love?

Staring into his eyes, she felt warmth in her chest, butterflies fluttering in her stomach and most of all, she felt complete. He was the other half she was looking for.

She realized she did love him.

Tugging at the nape of his neck, she pulled his face closer to hers, till their lips were inches apart. They were both hesitant. It was so wrong, yet every fiber of their being urged them to be together.

Cautiously, he leaned in, meeting her lips with his in a soft kiss, which soon turned more intense, his fingers tangling into her hair whilst she gripped onto him for support. Hot and cold, ice and fire. Sparks erupted at every contact, goose bumps on her skin at his icy touch.

She pulled away eventually, panting heavily at the intense kiss. Marco, on the other hand, was perfectly fine, and continued peppering kisses all over her face, before pressing one last gentle kiss on her lips.

“It’s midnight…” He breathed out, his forehead leaning against hers, a grandfather’s clock chiming somewhere in the house.

“I know…”

“Happy Halloween, [Name]”

Taking one last look at him, she tried to memorize his every feature, before he started to fade away. By the time the clock chimed twelve times, he was gone.

She wouldn’t be able to see him for another year.

“I’ll always be with you.” Marco’s voice echoed, and she smiled.

~~

She woke up, only to be greeted by darkness. Letting out a gasp, she felt almost as if she were floating.

“[Name], open your eyes.”

That voice… Marco…

Blinking against the darkness, her vision came back to her. But everything seemed clearer; sharper.

Rubbing her eyes, she was shocked to feel her face free of wrinkles. Looking at her hands, she saw no trace of old age.

Dumbfounded, she looked around, only to see Marco standing there, the pale complexion and eerie glimmer gone. Instead, he looked almost human. Reaching her hand out to him, he rushed to her side and held onto it, helping her up to her feet.

“Y-your hands aren’t cold… and you look normal…” she mused. “Am I… you know…”

He pulled her into his embrace, warmth seeping out of his stature. “You lived a long, good life, [Name].”

“Are you ready to move on?” He asked gently, worried as to how she might react.

Squeezing his waist, she took a second to appreciate the heat radiating from him. “Yeah I am.”

With their fingers intertwined tightly together, they walked into the light, the blinding glow surrounding them, bringing them to a better place, where their love lasted for eternity.