Hello everyone!

Leo and Hedge's father/son-type relationship is one of my favorite throughout the whole series! So here's a series of one-shots about the two of them interacting with one another. Genres range from Humor to Hurt/Comfort to Friendship. Starts right after The Lost Hero [though there may be some chapters that flashback to their time at the Wilderness School], and features other familiar characters.

Enjoy!

Eight Hours of Sleep or DIE!

Leo was busy working on the Argo II late one night, doing his best not to fall asleep as he tightened a few gears with a wrench.

It had been a few weeks since their quest to rescue Piper's dad, and he had a lot of work ahead of him. He needed at least seven or so months to complete the flying warship, and he was eager to get as much work done as he could. His siblings from the Hephaestus cabin had left some time ago, too tired to say up, but he continued to press on. If these giants were indeed returning with the intention of waking up Dirt Lady, then they would need transportation that did not involve the ground.

"This ship's gonna be a beauty, Festus," the half-blood said, turning to look at the masthead of the ship, which was a bronze dragon head. The head turned to him, making a few clicking and whirring noises. "No, I won't forget to give you some motor oil before I go. I just gotta finish this stuff up first."

Suddenly, there was a loud banging noise behind him, and the half-asleep teen yelped, dropping the wrench onto his foot as Festus growled angrily. Wincing and turning around, he was surprised to see Coach Hedge standing in the doorway to Bunker Nine, a frown on his face. Leo was instantly on his guard, having been on the receiving end of the guy's short temper for several months and the Wilderness School.

"Sheesh, Coach! A little warning next time would be nice," Leo said, picking up the wrench as his big toe throbbed with pain. "What're you doing up so late?"

"I could ask you the same thing," the middle-aged satyr replied, trotting over to him. "It's three AM."

"Really?!" The demigod checked his wristwatch, his face paling a little. "Oh… Guess I must've lost track of time."

"Yeah," Hedge agreed, a frown still on his face. "Remember the deal you made with Chiron? About gettin' enough sleep to function each day?"

"Yeah, but I'll be fine," Leo said, smiling at the satyr coach. "I am fine; I was just about to go to bed."

"Really," the satyr asked skeptically, crossing his arms. "You seemed pretty busy with those bolts and whatever there there."

"They're gears."

"I don't care! Now, you're gonna march yourself back to your cabin and get some rest!"

"But I'm not really tired."

"So? I don't care if you gotta count hammers or screwdrivers... whatever it takes to help you fall asleep!"

"Like counting sheep." The teen's eyes widened, and he tried to backtrack. "Or… other animals that are totally not sheep, since you're part-"

"I'm part goat, not part sheep," the coach said irritably. "And if you think I'm gonna believe that you were about to go to sleep, you've got another thing comin', Cupcake!'

Leo winced at the nickname, hoping that the satyr would not make him run laps like he did back at the Wilderness School.

"You know, Piper asks me nicely whenever she says I should be getting to bed," the half-blood said.

"She was probably usin' her charmspeak."

"She's still more polite than you."

"Do I look like I care?! Now come on," Coach Hedge said, pointing towards the door. "Outside, on the double!"

Gonna be laps for sure, the demigod thought, sighing tiredly as he put his wrench back in his magic toolbelt, grabbing a can of motor oil and feeding it to Festus. The dragon head lapped it up, and Leo turned him off when he was finished. Then, he turned off all the lights to the bunker before following the satyr out into the woods.

"Okay. I'll do my best, but no promises," the teen said, yawning a little but grabbing his legs to start stretching. "I've been up since six yesterday morning, so my legs are as sturdy as Jell-O right now."

"What in Hades are you doin', Valdez," the satyr asked, frowning at him.

"Uh… getting ready to run," Leo explained. "You're making me run laps, right?"

Hedge blinked with surprise, momentarily stunned. Then, he promptly punched the demigod in the arm.

"Ow," the teenager yelped, rubbing his sore arm. "What was that for?!"

"For bein' an idiot," the coach stated. "I was just gonna walk you back to your cabin to make sure you got to bed without passin' out in the woods. Geez, kid, I'm not that cruel!"

"Oh…" Leo's face reddened with embarrassment. "Uh… sorry, I guess."

Coach Hedge sighed. "C'mon, Valdez; let's get you back to the Hephaestus Cabin. But if I ever catch you stayin' up past ten without permission from Chiron or Mr. D again, I will make you run laps until your legs fall off! Got it?"

"Yes, sir," the demigod replied, following the satyr through the woods. "You know, it's kinda funny, Coach; I don't feel that tired."

"Really," Hedge asked skeptically.

"Yeah," the teen said happily. "I guess I'm just a natural night owl."

"Watch it," the satyr warned him. "Some of my best friends are owls, and they don't really like that-"

THUMP!

Coach Hedge whirled around, ready to defend the half-blood from whatever monster had sneaked up on them, but instead found Leo face-down on the forest floor, snoring away. The sight was so ridiculous, it took everything the coach had to keep from laughing out loud. He got away with a low chuckle as he trotted over to the teen.

"Valdez, you're such a pain in my furry rear," he muttered, picking up the demigod and hoisting him over his shoulder. The boy was surprisingly light for someone his size, but the satyr still grunted and strained as he carried him through the woods and back into camp, setting him down momentarily to knock on the door to the Hephaestus cabin.

Nyssa Barrera let them in, yawning a little as Hedge set Leo down in a nearby chair.

"About time he showed up," she said.

"I had to carry him all the way from Bunker Nine," the middle-aged satyr said, holding his back. "Carryin' a kid a few miles through the woods sure ain't easy; even a lightweight like him."

"Thanks, Coach," Nyssa replied, smiling a little. "I'll make sure he thanks you when he wakes up."

"Just make sure that he gets at least eight hours of sleep, even if it means missin' morning trainin'," Hedge told her. "That'll be thanks enough for me. Tie him to his bed, if you have to."

"Will do," Leo's half-sister promised, smiling a little. "Help me carry him to his bed?"

Once they had moved Leo to his bunk, the satyr left the cabin, heading back into the woods to get some sleep. He was exhausted, but knew that he had to be up by six am for his early morning training.

He'll get extra laps whenever he wakes up, he thought, sitting down at the foot of a tree, leaning against its trunk and closing his eyes. Even after going on a quest, he's still immature and irresponsible.

Yes, Leo Valdez was far from being a responsible demigod, but it was his job as a coach and protector to whip him into shape. And that, Gleeson Hedge decided as he fell asleep, was what he planned to do.

Feel free to follow and/or favorite this story if you want more chapters! Have a great day!

-aggiefrogger

I do NOT own Percy Jackson or any Riordanverse characters at all.