A/N: This is kinda short, but I like it. Hope you guys enjoy! Happy Tysella Week a bit (or a little more than a bit) late!
P.S. Reviews are always welcome and appreciated.
Disclaimer: Don't own the characters or the universe.
"Ella?" Tyson yawned.
The red-feathered harpy shook her head, flapping up to a low tree branch. She curled up, shivering despite the warmth of the summer air.
"Ella doesn't like monsters. Monsters. 2010. Independent British film. N-no. Monsters, Inc. 2001. American animated comedy film." She buried her head another a wing, and Tyson stumbled to his feet, rubbing his eye.
"No monsters here." He stared at her in confusion.
"Ella sees monsters in dreams. Big bad monsters. The Big Bad Wolf. Character in 'Little Red Riding Hood', 'The Three Little Pigs'. Monsters chase Ella w-with weedwacker. H-hurts."
"No, no," Tyson insisted earnestly. He grabbed the branch and tried to hoist himself up to sit next to her, but it cracked under his weight. Ella shrieked and dove off, flapping her wings.
He opened his arms, and she hesitantly snuggled close.
"We make the monsters go away," he said. Ella frowned and started to shake her head, but Tyson continued. "Phineas was a bad man. Won't hurt you anymore. Monsters are just in your imagination." Tyson nodded with certainty, smiling to show his chipped teeth.
Ella still trembled in his arms, so Tyson hesitantly stroked one of the soft red feathers of her wings. She jumped before nestling her head below his shoulder and sighing.
Slowly, Ella's breathing evened out.
"T-tyson is nice. Ella feels safe with Tyson."
He blushed.
"Monsters are bad, but these monsters are not real. We fight them away together," he promised.
Tyson rummaged through the Big House library. It was a strange assortment of books – classics, very old classics, comic books, Harry Potter in three different languages, random modern books confiscated from demigods reading after hours (normally Athena cabin).
Intently flicking through a shelf and pulling out books by random, Tyson accidentally bumped into a stack in the corner. Several very thick paperbacks tumbled to the ground, sending up a cloud of dust.
Tyson sneezed and blinked uncertainly as his eye watered up.
When the dust cleared, he carefully looked around him and stacked the books neatly back up, saving a random one from the pile.
Satisfied, he gathered up an armful of books and proceeded to march out the door to ask the nice horseman Chiron if he could please borrow them for a while.
"Brought you something," Tyson mumbled from behind his teetering pile of books. Ella's eyes widened, and she swooped down from her nest to scan the spines.
"Tyson brings Ella books. Ella likes books. Ella likes Tyson." She smiled shyly, and he set the pile down with a thud. She immediately darted forward to pick up the first on the pile and buried her head between the spines.
"The books make Ella happy." Tyson scratched behind an ear. "No need to be afraid of the monsters then."
The harpy suddenly paused, staring up at Tyson. She carefully set the book down on the ground and shuffled to her feet.
"Tyson brought books…to help Ella with the bad dreams?"
"Yes. And…" He paused, staring at his toes.
"Can't read very well," Tyson admitted. "Cyclops are better with hands. Building things. Maybe you could – teach me?"
Ella smiled, her eyes lighting up.
"Ella will teach to read well, yes." She fluttered a few feet forward and kissed his cheek. Tyson turned red, but grinned enthusiastically.
They curled up beneath the tree, and Ella opened the smallest book he had given her, one filled with bright pictures.
Ella always told Tyson about the stories she read – magical adventures and brave heroes. He knew those books could keep Ella's nightmares about her past away.
And if Tyson read them with her, they could fight the monsters together.