HOPE YOU ENJOY 

PLEASE VOTE

https://youtu.be/R3Y88JUYd28

She knew him as a hero long before he or anyone else would ever notice over him being one. 

It was just a fact she had known since the moment she had met him. 

He was a hero, one she had wanted to selfishly keep to herself all along. 

Their first meeting wasn't magically or special, she had merely been shoved through the front door over whatever dump he and his uncle was calling home for the next month or so. Kenny have decided to keep her without a care over what her buyer might have thought over it. But it's not like anyone underground would try screwing Kenny in, all of them were too frighten over what would be done to them once Kenny hears about it after the failed attempt on his life happens. 

She wanted to go home, her first home that held her parents. But that wasn't possible anymore, her parents were dead and their blood would have stained the cabin's wood by now. As well as Kenny pointing out that she'd always be seen as a "beauty" by others instead of an "threat" by them. He could change  that. He could turn her into a beautiful threat that no one would ever be able to hurt again. She hasn't agreed but Kenny had decided to keep her against her will anyway. 

Levi, or Heichō as he mostly went by. It was his name, one his mother gave him but not many could actual speak it correctly. She was one of the rare few that could. She'd learn that it meant "leader of soldiers" once she grew older, clearly his mother had known he'd be a hero someday too. 

And she thrived in knowing he didn't believe her over him standing as an hero. How insulted he'd look whenever she'd mention or comment over him being one. Even after their ruthless training that left them bruised and bleeding. After all the hurt and suffering they've caused others. 

She still saw him as an hero. 

It made her think over a song her father would sometimes sing under his breath, never explaining where he learnt such a song or why he knew over a song that came before titans. It was an forbidden song, only sparking the song to feel rebellious whenever he would secretly sing it under his breath as he did his chores or hunted. 

"Where have all the good men gone and where are all the gods? Where's the streetwise Hercules to fight the risin' odds? Isn't there a white knight upon a fiery steed? Late at night, I toss and I turn and I dream of what I need" She sang towards Levi for the first time as he laid on their thinned blanket bedding that acted as their bed in whatever hide out they were using this time. 

She'd run her fingers through his growing strands of dark and silky hair. Finding it sweater from his bad fever. He was a fighter, both she and Kenny knew he'd win against the fever and break it within an day or two. He'd recover soon after and return to the harsh training given to both children. 

"I need a Heichō. I'm holding out for a Heichō till the end of the night. He's gotta be strong and he's gotta be fast. And he's gotta be fresh from the fight" She'd sing to him softly and quietly, not daring to wake Kenny and gain them both an punishment over her own actions. 

Knowing the moment he broke his fever as he whispered, voice crackly from disuse, an curse towards her over the song. A weak glare sent in her direction before he allowed himself to drift asleep again. 

And she carried on calling him as a hero, singing her call for her Heichō as the grew up together. Her expressions unreadable to anyone but him as time passes. He always saw the amusement and fondness in her eyes whenever she called him a hero. The teasing tone to her singing whenever she sang to him. 

No questioned the moments her eyes would be too honest, too gentle and believing in him as standing as an hero. How her voice would sooth him over whatever they had witness or felt earlier in the day or night. Those private moments only shared between them, kept tucked in the heart and never spoken over. 

It was a song that always meant he was close by, a song that summoned him to her when they were apart. If she needed him, she'd sing for him. If she wanted to doge a few punches or kicks, to be cussed out as she held a skip to her step, she'd call him a hero. 

Even when Kenny was no longer apart of their lives anymore. 

She still would call Levi as an hero.

The song would connect them, always bring them together. 

He's never been able to prove he wasn't an hero in her eyes. 

She only wished he could see himself through her eyes. 

"I need a Heichō. I'm holding out for a hero till the morning light. He's gotta be sure and it's gotta be soon" She sang to herself as she stared up at the blank ceiling of the underground's cave top, not a single flicker of light to be seen above and reminding her how much she had missed the stars. 

Not caring over the meeting that was happening in the office within the building. How Levi had grown from a mere street rat to standing as the new boss of this section of the underground. How he was going to better the living for the people trapped down here with him.

Unknowing how much of a hero he was standing to be for those that had been forsaken by god long ago. 

By the children and those that had grown from innocent children to accepting adults who were all born into the underground. All being given a new chance in life, one they'd longed for. To be more then underground scrum but someone helpful, useful and needed. Someone who'd others would notice if they weren't seen for a couple of days. 

"And he's gotta be larger than life, larger than life" She sang a little louder as she heard the creaking of the window below, knowing he was listening to her song, always having loved her singing voice. 

And she only stayed back as she watched his empire rise from the dust and ruins. That a new phoenix had grown from the ash and rubble of the forgotten and left to rotten underground. She had witnessed a new world, one that was still in the pits of hell but was hand building it's own set of wings to someday reach the heavens high above. 

"Somewhere after midnight in my wildest fantasy. Somewhere just beyond my reach, there's someone reaching back for me. Racing on the thunder and rising with the heat It's gonna take a Superman to sweep me off my feet, yeah" She softly sang towards him, lending him her shoulder to rest his head on as he slept. Being a boss wasn't easy work and left him with a terrible sleeping pattern. 

She'd protect the hero she had always known over. 

Give him safety among her and leave him to still have sweet dreams. 

Knowing his dreams would bring forward a needed better future for all. 

Frowning at the blood on her shirt, she'd just washed it yesterday. She'd have to wash it as soon as they return home later tonight. Victims blood was always annoying, they shouldn't bleed as much as they do if they're the one's who chose violence with her in the first place. 

But still, she stayed sitting perfectly calm even as she had her wrists and ankles tied together by unkind and scratchy rope. Lifting an unimpressed eyebrow towards Furlan who was the reason for her own capture as well. The blonde had stupidly gotten himself knocked out by a cheap hit from behind during the fight and she couldn't just leave him to the idiots wanting to explain their turf into Levi's lands. 

But still, it left her thinking over a way t o pass the time until their awaited rescue is done. 

"I need a Heichō. I'm holding out for a Heichō till the end of the night. He's gotta be strong and he's gotta be fast. And he's gotta be fresh from the fight. I need a hero" She simply sang out loud, uncaring if she annoyed her captures or disturbed Furlan' nap.

Merely closing her eyes, leaning her head back against the mouldy wall and singing out her calling sign for the hero to arrive as he's always done. Merely smirking as she couldn't hear as much movement from the other room anymore, knowing a certain set of footsteps that were heading to where she and Furlan was being kept. 

"Will you stop with that shitty song. I'm not a dog you can call to come running at your command. Duck sake. Dog might have been more barrable to deal with compared to you" Levi grumbled back as he headed over, eyes scanning her over for any obvious injuries before kneeling before her like a knight in old clothing. 

"Knew you'd miss me. You even rushed over before I could finish the song" She would tease back as he cut her free, always taking care to never nip her by mistake. 

Time passing and she found herself standing on one of his more favoured rooftops in the underground. They were both old enough to sneak above ground, to use fake identities to live a normal life above. But he wouldn't leave the underground, wouldn't leave those he's helped to die waiting for his helping hand to return. 

He wouldn't give up his kingdom, knowing it'd fall and crumble into mere debris if he did leave. 

As all kingdoms, the people would suffer most. 

But he had left, she knew he had with Furlan and Isabel.

She wasn't the hero the underground needed, the hero they've lost to the world above ground. 

"I'm holding out for a hero till the morning light. He's gotta be sure and it's gotta be soon. And he's gotta be larger than life. I need a hero. I'm holding out for a Heichō till the end of the night" She had sang out towards the quiet night, not a single soul had disturbed her calling card as all waited with baited breaths for the return of their hero.

All in desperate need of his return as they all knew everything would grow to be lost if he didn't return in time to save them all. 

But for t he first time in her life, he had never came racing to her side with all the complaints and curses in the world for her to hear. She stayed waiting until there wasn't his kingdom to wait within anymore. 

All that he had tried to protect and defend had fallen and the better future for those that had gave their loyalty were lost. 

If he was able to grow wings and fly, she should have been able to relearn how to fly with the wings she was born with. 

It wasn't easy, she hasn't been above ground since Kenny had stolen her away. 

It had all felt like an lifetime ago. 

And maybe that's why she had returned home first. 

To see what had been left after so much time had passed. 

The Cabin in the woods was still standing, it stood unloved and hasn't been lived in. But it was still standing there. Her home mostly untouched on the inside. Bodies long since been burned elsewhere but the dark and haunting blood stains were still in the wooden floors. 

No one had looted from her home, clearly too frighten over revengeful souls chasing after them. 

It had left her safe and hurt. 

Her childhood was ruined in the very spot she stood in once again and little noticeable changes to the house had proved time had carried on without her parents being alive anymore. That her home had also barely changed even though she was no longer the same little girl she once was here. 

"Up where the mountains meet the heavens above. Out where the lightning splits the sea. I could swear there is someone somewhere watching me" She broke down singing, falling to her knees as she knew she'd never hear her father secretly sing such a song ever again.

Wanting nothing more for the hero to show up, scold her for being so emotional over a past she couldn't change. To only focus on the future she could make true instead. To be pulled into strong and protective arms that promised to never allow the world to hurt her again. 

But he wasn't here. 

She was hurting, her happiness being stolen away and the hero wasn't able to put a stop to it like he had always promised to do. 

He was failing as the hero she knew him to always be. 

Soldiers were known to be seen as heroes. 

They defended the people and protected their homes. 

The soldiers fought in the past and present to bring forward the hopeful future needed. 

Standing as a soldier felt fitting for her even if she was a little late to join up. 

Her skills from underground had helped her skip the three years of standing as an training corpse. 

She wouldn't complain over skipping school, merely accepting the paperwork given to her that was all signed off and sent to go chose her new regiment. 

The Scout Regiment seemed best to find a hero to sing over, even if she knew deep down she wouldn't sing it with anyone else in mind but him. 

"Through the wind and the chill and the rain. And the storm and the flood. I can feel his approach like a fire in my blood" She would quietly sing as she stared up towards the sky during an expedition.

Seeing the clouds, the blue sky and birds flying free high above. 

A view that made her think over the havens that t he underground had once hoped to reach out for and grab. 

Finding herself hiding a smile over the changing views in her life that made her feel as if her wings were a mere double edged sword. 

"Like a fire in my blood, like a fire in my blood" She repeats under her breath, flying through the air before striking down another titan. 

And he couldn't have blamed her for letting old muscle memory playing up when she had finally crossed paths with him person. She's heard rumours over him, seen him in the distance but she's never cared for Humanity's strongest. 

He wasn't who she had been longing to see again, who's she's searched for. 

The Captain was a stranger to her. 

Heichō was a friend, a hero she's watched grown to be. 

"I need a Hero" She sang out from where she stood leaning against an wall, her recently gained friends were all busy cleaning for their Captain she's never met but apparently should be completely terrified over. 

The single line had caught his full attention the moment he had heard it. Eyes scanning over his squad, who had all stayed cleaning even if they seemed startled over the Captain's sudden interest in random singing. 

He knew her.

Knew her by that song, by her voice that brought him peace and comfort. 

She stood as an regret he had hoped to forever run from all his life. 

"I'm holding out for a Heichō till the end of the night. He's gotta be strong and he's gotta be fast. And he's gotta be fresh from the fight" She carried on singing without a single care in the world, ignoring the panicked looks from her friends as he stormed towards her. 

Both remembered the muscle member, her doges over his held back punches and kicks. The amusement in her twirls and sidesteps as he cussed her out over singing that song to him. To stay seeing him as an hero even though she's seen the evil he's birthed and done in the underground. 

"Damn, brat" He would hiss out to her, no real bite though and both knew it. 

"Hero suits you much better then Captain ever could" She merely tells him, walking away before he has a chance to try and kill her in front of witnesses. 

It wasn't long before they grew use to being apart of each other's lives again. Their bond had shifted as much as their relationship has. They've been apart for years, so much has happened that neither would ever mention. 

But they've found middle game again, the song and nickname leaving them to act like a bunch of children once more. Brought back an bubble that only ever wrapped around the two of them and helped to hide them from the real world. 

"I need a Heichō. I'm holding out for a hero till the morning light. He's gotta be sure and it's gotta be soon" She sings for just them in his office as he finishes of his piled up paperwork, staying up late yet again in his life. 

"Furlan and Isabel are dead. They died during their first expedition. No grave is held for them" He reports, eyes remorseful even while his voice didn't falter or show any emotion. Already use to telling people that their friends or love ones had died beyond the rules, trying to be heroes for them all. 

"And he's gotta be larger than life" She quietly sang as she hugged him, knowing he needed the break down much more than she did. And she didn't call him as her hero, not that night, not as he finally cried out his own hurt. 

She should have reminded herself to feel.

To allow herself to hold emotions, privately or publicly. 

She needed to feel or she grew too numb. 

The numbness always meant she found herself in trouble and danger. 

Just like now. 

She had been whacked by an titan's hand after killing a different one. 

The titan that had slapped her was taken care off, she had gotten back up and took care of it before it was able to hurt or eat any other soldiers. 

Finding herself slumped by a tree soon after, it was too painful to take any deep breaths and she knew she must have broken a rib or two.

Normally she didn't suffer by the pain that much, she's grown use to it but coming out of the numbness had always left her feeling such raw agony. 

It was Kenny's fault, he had encouraged the numbness until it almost killed her. Merely left her wherever she collapsed to deal with the aftermath by herself until she was able to fight again. 

She let herself slip into the numbness for too long and now she was paying the price. 

"I need a hero. I'm holding out for a hero till the end of the night" His voice filled her ears, forcing her blurry gaze to stare where he was soon kneeing beside her. 

His voice wasn't as nice as her own but she understood why he had always rarely complained over the song when she would sing to him as he lays sick or hurt. It was comforting, soothing and reminded her she wasn't alone anymore. 

"He's gotta be strong and he's gotta be fast. And he's gotta be fresh from the fight" He stayed singing towards her, not scolding her for falling into the numbness even when they both knew the risks that came with it. He merley took care of her and held her close as they rid towards a medic.

Staying by the cart that laid her dozing body all the way back to the wall.

He was always there to catch her and warm her back up once the numbness had passed. 

"I need a Heichō. I'm holding out for a hero till the morning light. He's gotta be sure and it's gotta be soon" She sang to herself as she stared up towards the boring ceiling above, finding herself placed in a single room within the regiment's private medical cabin back in the walls. 

Letting her eyes drift close and allow sleep to take over her mind and body. Holding hope that he'd hear her call and return. Needing him to arrive like he use to do and not leave her to stay waiting all over again. 

"And he's gotta be larger than life. I need a hero. I'm holding out for a hero till the end of the night" She couldn't help but sing with an warm smile as she woke to find him there, using part of her bed to write an report while holding her closest hand with his free one. 

He was a hero to the eyes of everyone else. 

She always knew he'd be one.

But for now, she let the tears full as he had finally returned like promised.