A/N: This is a fic that is self indulgent and disturbing at times. I'm trying my best not to break the lore while also adding in some weird stuff. This will be full of suffering, drama and SMUT. There are supernatural elements because I can't just do a simple OC x Canon relationship thing, it's gotta go the whole nine crazy plot yards. I will add warnings to anything that might be "triggering" in the related chapter's notes. I hope someone finds enjoyment in this because it's sure been a wild ride to write so far.

Moonchild

Chapter I: What Lies Ahead

I want to heal, I want to feel
Like I'm close to something real
I want to find something I've wanted all along
Somewhere I belong

This is it. She thought I've waited for this day for years, and now we've made it.

A young woman stood atop the 50 meter Wall Rose that encircled her civilization. Brilliant emerald eyes were locked on the horizon in what was now dangerous territory after Wall Maria was breached all those years ago – but the danger that was out there was of little concern to her. The thought of confronting a Titan didn't phase her, not one bit. There was something in this world that had proven to be a greater threat to her life than the monstrosities outside the walls.

Man. Mankind itself.

The evils of mankind had made her life a living hell before she joined the military. Anything that happened to her outside the confines of the walls couldn't come close to the torture she faced from the men within. To be eaten by a Titan, crushed between their teeth, could be quick. Going on living while suffering all sorts of abuse from humans was far worse than death. Back then, she would have gladly accepted death over what she got. Her suffering felt like it would never end, but two things kept her going: Returning to her hometown and finding answers to the burning questions she had regarding it, her family and all the people living there – but possibly more important than that was the strength given to her by the first person to show her any kindness.

"What's on your mind, Priscilla?"

Priscilla, Priscilla Ziegler to be precise, turned her head and looked down to her companion that was lazily laying with his hands behind his head and staring up at the stars. He was blonde with golden eyes to match, his features were strong and masculine with a solid, muscular body to top it all off. To Priscilla, it wouldn't be a stretch to think of him as a God more than a mere man.

"Ah... just thinking about what lies ahead," She said softly, "We're Scouts now, Reiner. The future of mankind rests on our shoulders... and it's so exhilarating. The rush I feel when I think about venturing out, it's like a drug."

"Hah!" Reiner barked, sitting up and crossing his arms, "You might just be the craziest person I know. Eren's a lunatic too, but the fact that you're so calm and even excited definitely makes you come off as more of a psycho than even him."

Priscilla's lips curled into a devilish grin and she placed her hands firmly on her hips, her legs in a wide stance. The wind atop the wall was blowing her silver hair around her face, prompting her to brush it back behind her ears. This was mostly a meaningless effort, as the wind would eventually dislodge it and continue to flow in a frenzy, but the brief relief was enough.

"Psycho huh? Gee, thanks." She uttered with more than a hint of sarcasm, followed up with a laugh to keep it lighthearted.

"Hey I'm just calling it like I see it." Reiner replied smugly, his expression matching his tone, "Or maybe you'd prefer it if I kept my big mouth shut?"

"God, you're an idiot..." Priscilla sighed, but again couldn't help by following up her comment with a soft giggle. She turned fully to face him and plopped down in a squat to be at his level, "I always want to know what you're thinking."

"Well that's good. I have trouble keeping my mouth shut and all." Said Reiner, "But you surely know that by now, we've known each other long enough."

"I think I know it better than anyone." She responded, giving him a cute boop on the nose. Reiner glanced away from her for a moment, a little embarrassed by her affectionate display, but at this point he was pretty used to her doing stuff like that. She never seemed to be so damn adorable with anyone else so he ultimately appreciated it.

"Just like I know you better than anyone." He said quietly, booping her nose right back as a playful form of 'revenge.'

"Heh... No doubting that." Priscilla admitted, a hue of pink creeping across her face, but it was so dark that Reiner couldn't see her otherwise obvious blush, "I mean, my hero is the one who should know me best."

"Pfft, hero... Always feels weird when you say stuff like that. I'm just a guy who helped a girl out."

Priscilla hated it when he diminished the impact he had on her life. It was hard to believe he still just didn't get it, or maybe he was intentionally being humble. Either way, she was determined to make him see it from her perspective.

"Are you so dense that you don't remember?!" Priscilla laughed loudly, nearly falling over in her fit, "Maybe I need to remind you..."

The young girl swiftly dashed through the shadows of the city that was the closest thing she could call 'home.' Darting though the alleyways with a patched up satchel at her side, she was a girl on a mission. Her mission? Survive. Priscilla had grown savvy enough at this point to be able to dodge any Military Police that might stand in her way on her journey to the farmlands, a place she'd try to get to once a week. She had it all planned out, one week to one farm, the next week a different farm... and so on until she had to repeat the cycle.

After creeping out of the city, she ran under the cover of darkness to the farm she planned to raid. It wasn't too far when she ran at her fastest. She crouched behind some bushes that surrounded the farm, observing keenly. The farmhouse had no lights visible, which signified that the residents were asleep. Perfect.

The youth jumped out from behind the bushes and made a mad dash towards where the potatoes were planted. Adrenaline pumped through her veins as she dropped down onto all fours and started to dig the vegetables out of the ground, not concerned about getting herself dirty in the slightest... her hands, her feet, her dingy dress... a little dirt was meaningless. It only took a few moments to dig out the potato from the earth, which she swiftly stashed in her satchel, then went to work digging up another one. Even though she was sure the residents were asleep, her heart was pounding in her chest and her breathing was rapid. She had to be quick because really, anything could go wrong at any moment.

"What the HELL do you think you're doing?!"

"Shit!" Priscilla shouted, freezing in a stiff pose.

She heard footsteps behind her and she began to tremble, absolutely terrified of what she would face now.

"So that's why we keep coming up short on our product..." Another voice said, this one was female while the first was male.

Priscilla couldn't bring herself to move, not to turn around and face the residents of the farm or to try and run away. In her fear-induced paralysis she felt a hand grab her upper arm and proceeded to yank her up to her feet and force her to face him. The boy, who seemed to be her age, was glaring at her dangerously with his female companion standing a steps behind him with a similar grimace. Both of them were blonde was just about the only thing her fear filled mind could process at that moment.

"A thief." The boy sneered, keeping a firm grip on her arm to keep her in place.

"Please! I-I'm so sorry!" Priscilla shrieked with tears welling up in her green eyes, "Here... take it back... I screwed up..."

With her other hand, the arm that wasn't in a vice grip, she grabbed the one potato she was able to steal out of her satchel and held it out to the farm boy. He looked down at her offering, pausing a moment before grabbing it away from her.

"So... I have to know. Why the hell are you stealing from us?" He asked darkly, still glaring at her.

"...I needed to..." She replied in a tiny voice, looking down out of shame.

"Bullshit."

"I swear! I-I live on the streets and have nobody! No home to go back to, no bed to sleep in, no food to fill my belly..." Priscilla wailed, bursting into a full blown sob as she continues, "I did it to survive. I swear. And I swear I'll never come back to this place again, I'll stop stealing from you. I swear, I swear..."

Her voice trailed off as she was overcome by her crying. The boy looked her up and down, his expression becoming less harsh.

"You don't believe that lie, do you Reiner?" The girl behind him asked.

"Hm... I can't say it's farfetched. Look at her, Annie." Reiner began, "She's filthy, her hair is in tangles, her dress is torn all over and she doesn't even have any damn shoes on."

"Are you serious?! You're going to take the word of a petty thief?!" The one named Annie shouted, clearly furious with Reiner's changing mind.

"Just let me go... I promise you'll never see me again." Priscilla said meekly, her sobs calming down as she spoke.

"Just... Just hold on a minute. If I let go of you, will you wait before leaving?"

"Huh?" Priscilla blinked in confusion, "I uh... yeah, yeah I'll wait."

Priscilla was baffled at what would come next. Would he go back to the house and bring out the owner? Would the owner have a gun and eager to kill the thief? Was she being tricked?

"Reiner..." Annie growled.

Reiner released Priscilla from his grip, handed the vegetable back to her and strode over to the nearest patch of potatoes and got down on his knees. He quickly dug out four more potatoes and stood back up, grabbing Priscilla's satchel and plopping them inside. Priscilla gasped in disbelief, her eyes darting back and forth between her bag and this boy.

"That should do you for a few days, yeah?" He asked. Priscilla nodded frantically, "I can't just stand here and condemn you to starve. I'm not that kind of guy."

"I... Thank you." Priscilla murmured. What she did next was a shock to them both, but it was almost as if it were an automatic reaction she had no control over. The girl lunged forward and threw her arms around this Reiner kid, squeezing him tightly, "I'll never forget this... a-and I'll repay you someday, I swear! Ten times over!"

"Hey! Get off him you street rat!" Annie shouted, striding over to pull Priscilla off Reiner violently and shove her back, "Now get the hell out of here."

Then, without anymore words, Priscilla turned on her heel and took off into the night as fast as she could. Annie still had that grimace on her face, but Reiner's glare had completely disappeared by now.

"You always have to play the hero, don't you?" Annie sneered.

"Heh, you really don't need to remind me." Reiner spoke after Priscilla finished recalling their first meeting, "What can I say, a desperate girl in trouble? A cute one at that. I'm not that much of a jerk."

"And I'm sure you remember what else happened." Priscilla said quietly, her tone becoming darker.

"Yeah. How could I forget?" He responded.

The memory was still all too fresh in Priscilla's mind. She wouldn't bother Reiner by recounting yet another sob story, but her brain decided to play it out all over again anyway...