"It was a dark night and the Avengers were out on a mission. Spider-Man had joined them too, webbing up all the enemies with ease. 

'This reminds me of this not that old movie from the 90's!' He said, kicking one in the face. Behind him, Ironman valiantly fought the enemies, doing much better than Captain America ever could. He lifted his face plate, showing off his handsome face and iconic goatee. 

'Look out Spider-Man!' He yelled, but Spider-Man didn't see the enemy about to attack him, for he was too busy quoting a meme. 

Irondad- I mean- Ironman- fired up his repulsors and flew in just in time to save Spider-Man, taking the hit for him. 

The end."

Peter started up at Tony, who didn't seem very bothered by the traumatic ending to the story. 

"That wasn't a very nice story dad." Peter told him. 

"What? What do you mean? It was great, you got to live." Tony said, frowning. 

"When's your next therapist meeting?" 

"Next week-" 

"You need to tell her about this story." 

"I don't know what you're talking about-"

"I do. That story sucked. As an official dad, I bet I could tell a better story." Clint boasted, falling out of the vents. 

"Fine. Go ahead. Mine's better though." 

Clint rolled his eyes taking his seat in the rocking chair beside Peter's bed. Natasha strolled in, filing her nails with a dagger. She sat on the end of Peter's bed, as though she somehow knew this was going to happen. 

"It was the year 1989-"

"1999." Natasha interupted. 

"Nat and I were in Budapest, and there was a dude-"

"Woman."

"-who wanted to take over the world. She-"

"He."

"-had enslaved several people." 

Peter stared at Clint, excited. "What happened next Uncle Clint?" 

"Natasha and I snuck into her secret lair-"

"It wasn't really a secret."

"Whatever. Natasha and I snuck into her lair-"

"More of a building."

Clint sighed exhasperatedly. "Please stop Nat, I'm trying to tell a story!"

Natasha just grinned at him. "And I'm helping you. Please continue." 

Clint rolled his eyes, but continued anyway. "We snuck into her building and-"

"His. His building." 

Clint stood up, sending death glares at a very amused Natasha. "You better run Nat, you better run."

"Oh no, I'm so scared." Natasha drawled, giving him a dead pan look. 

"That's it!" 

Natasha laughed as she bolted from the room, Clint not far behind, almost knocking into Steve in the doorway. 

Peter pouted. "I didn't get to hear the end of the story!"

Steve's eyes softened slightly, moving from curiousity to understanding. 

"He try telling you the story of Budapest, huh?" 

Peter nodded as he folded his arms. "Do you know how it ends?"

Steve sighed, taking the seat Clint had occupied previously. "He never manages to finish it, Natasha always turns up. One time he tried when she wasn't home and got a phone call from her, cutting him off. Either something embarrassing happened to her there, or she just enjoys watching him get frustrated. Probably the latter, thinking about it."

Peter nodded, fiddling with his blankets. "Can you tell me a bedtime story? Please?" Peter used his puppy dog eyes, lowering his bottom lip and looking up at him hopefully. 

"Of course Peter," Steve said kindly, smiling at him. "Now, let me think... can't tell you that one... nope not that one either...oh how about the year 1941- oh wait, no that ends with... yeah okay I've got one." Steve shifted in his seat and cleared his throat. 

"Okay, so I was in a bar, it was 1938 and I overheard this creep, with this big unkept beard and waxy skin. I'm not sure if he even had a toothbrush either, and he was making this lady really uncomfortable. Me, being the gentleman I am, decided to butt in. At this point I was still really skinny and small. I tapped him on the shoulder and I said; 

'Leave her alone!' And he sent me a sneer, so I told him I meant it. 

He decided he wasn't going to do that, so I balled up my fist and I punched him in the face. Pretty sure I knocked out a tooth, but he turned around and started punching me back. I got a few good hits in before Bucky came over and helped me out a little, then we were kicked out of the bar. 

I'd say though Peter, it was worth it." Steve said, winking. 

"Oh! Are you telling him the story about when you got beat up in that bar?" Bucky asked, appearing in the doorway with a cup of some sort of steaming liquid- probably tea, Peter thought. 

"Yes-"

Bucky sat down on the bed, cradling the tea in his hands. "It was the year 1938, and Steve and I decided to go to our favourite bar, the Steaming Podgers. He was a tiny little punk back then-"

"I've already told him the story Buck-"

"-and I decided to treat him to a little alcohol. Not too much though, he got drunker than a sailor from one beer I tell you. We had just ordered our drinks and were awaiting our meals, and I suddenly realised I needed to pee."

By this point, Steve had given up on telling trying to stop Bucky. 

"I got up and left for the bathroom, and when I came back, Steve was more beat up than a prune. He wasn't getting any good hits in, and the punk on top of him looked absolutely fine, maybe a little red. I ran over, knowing I had to save the little bugger before he went and got himself another concussion or something. So I went in and I punched the man and he got a blood nose, so I started dragging Steve out of there. We didn't really get the chance to stay anyway, because the bartender had already grabbed his broomstick and was sweeping us out of there like mice."

Bucky clapped a hand on Steve's back, making Steve smile crookedly, slightly embarrassed. 

"I still remember the slam of the door and the 'and stay out!' That he yelled at us. Don't you remember Stevie?" 

"Yeah..." Steve replied, looking slightly embarrassed, which Bucky was oblivious to. 

"You think that's a good bedtime story?" Thor boomed, making everyone in the room jump. Tony was still there, recording the whole thing just for fun. 

Thor walked in, sitting himself beside Bucky and clapping his shoulder good naturedly as Bucky moved to give him more space. He tucked his big feet beneath him, then clasped his hands together. 

"It was 10AD, and it was one of my first battles. I was doing mightily well, many of my enemies already screaming in the bows of hell. I swung Mjölnir around and I hit the enemy with such strength he hit the wall opposite, which cracked with the force of the blow. His eyes were open and white, glassy, and blood was coming out of his mouth. He was very dead, but just to make sure, I kicked him in the ribs. He fell down limply and-"

"Alright Thor! No more stories from you, maybe Wanda will tell you another bed time story." Steve interjected quickly. 

Thor frowned. "I don't understand, my battle stories lull the children in Asguard to sleep. They even scream during the night in excitement, and when they awaken they have tears of joy!"

"Thor no. Wanda!" Steve called, hoping she would still be in the lounge and hear him. 

"But I didn't even get to the best part- one of the enemies guts were spilling out-"

"You needed me?" 

Steve, Bucky, Tony and Peter sighed in relief as Wanda came in, already in her silky pyjamas. 

"Peter would like you to tell him a bedtime story." 

Wanda's eyes lit up as she hurried over to the bed and crossed her legs, sitting near Steve and dumping her hair in his hands. Steve immediately went to work, starting to braid it neatly. Bucky joined in, and soon so did Thor, the three of them plaiting and braiding different strands of Wanda's hair. Wanda, meanwhile, told her story. 

"That was a lovely story Wanda. But I didn't understand a word of it." Peter told her, looking mildly guilty. It was only then that Wanda realised she had been speaking in Sokovian the entire time. 

"Oops," she said, giggling. "Perhaps I'll teach you Sokovian one day." 

Peter nodded enthusiastically. 

"Alright, I need to start the dishes, but I'm sure Viz will tell you one. Goodnight Peter." Wanda kissed his forehead, then left the room with three braids, one incredibly messy, the other two semi-neat. 

Vision did have a story for Peter. 

"-and I told him- 'well I was born yesterday.'" 

"Savage." Peter told him, grinning. 

"I suppose so." Vision replied, smiling. "Goodnight Peter." 

"G'night Uncle Vision." 

Sam was soon to come in, curious as to why so many people were coming into Peter's bedroom. Natasha and Clint had come back, wanting to hear the other people's stories. 

"Can you tell me a story Uncle Sam?" Peter asked hopefully, sitting up slightly. 

Sam looked at him for a solid three seconds. "No." He told him. 

"Aww! Please?" 

Sam sighed, running a hand over his face. "Once upon a time there lived a little boy called Peter. He caught sight of the amazing, brave, handsome Sam, and he asked- 

'Can you tell me a bedtime story?'

Sam thought about it for a few seconds, then he said 'no.' The end. Now shut up and go to sleep, it's like 9:30pm." 

Peter pouted. "But I can't sleep now! Everyone's been telling me a heap of exciting stories and I can't stop thinking about them." 

Bruce came in, followed by Pepper (who was just finishing a phone call) and Wanda and Vision, everyone finding a spot around the room to sit, the majority of them on the bed. 

"I'll tell you one more story Peter." Bruce said, holding an old fashioned, thick book. 

He opened it to Cinderella, and began reading, everyone enraptured in the story. 

"-the birds swooped down and pecked the eyes out of the ugly stepsisters. They were blinded for life. Cinderella and the handsome prince got married and lived happily ever after, the end." Bruce closed the book, smiling slightly at the happy ending, only to find Peter looking absolutely  terrified. 

"What?" He asked, very aware of everyone looking at him.

"The birds ripped their eyes out?" Peter repeated, eyes very much open- the opposite of what Bruce had wanted. 

"Well it is the Brother Grimms version of the fairy tales." Bruce pointed out. 

Pepper sighed from nearby and turned on her phone. "You're all terrible at telling bedtime stories, honestly. Now, close your eyes, everyone." 

Everyone obeyed, knowing how terrifying Pepper could be when she wanted to be. 

Pepper put on some relaxing music on her phone, then sat beside Peter, running her fingers through his hair. Tony laid down on her other side, and she used her other hand to do the same thing to him. 

"Once upon a time there was a handsome prince called Peter, who had set out on a quest to find the missing piece in his puppy dog jigsaw..." 

Pepper continued telling her story, running her fingers through Tony and Peter's hair. She was almost positive Peter had fallen asleep within five minutes (the hair was always the trick- everyone knew) and everyone else in the room was pretty close to it. 

"Alas, he had finally found the last piece- beneath the couch it lay, just waiting under the layer of dust to be found. The kingdom of puppies was once again saved, and Peter was able to slide in that last piece- the quest over, allowing him to get some much needed sleep. The end." 

Pepper looked around and smiled, everyone breathing gently, except for Thor, who snored louder than a truck, and she carefully slid off the bed. Peter made a small noise of protest, but he didn't wake up. 

Pepper plugged in her phone to stop it from running out of charge, keeping the soft, relaxing music playing, then draped blankets over everyone who didn't have a blanket. 

Pepper pressed a gentle kiss to Peter's forehead, whispering a quiet- 

"Goodnight Peter." 

She froze when he sleepily replied;

"Goodnight mum." 

Smiling, Pepper quietly closed the door behind her, allowing everyone to sleep peacefully.

Everyone needed their sleep, even earth's mightiest heroes it seemed.