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It was a silly blanket. A red and yellow background and on top a horribly printed picture of the Iron Man suit. Rhodey had bought it online and wasn't expecting how horrible it looked and proceeded to laugh his ass off (his words) and gave it to Tony for his birthday. Tony loved it.
It was his go to blanket he used for Avengers movie nights. Clint cackled so hard he sent the popcorn flying, Bruce had just smiled, Thor complimented it (Tony couldn't tell if he was being genuine or just trying to be nice), Steve complimented it too after a moments of confusion (Tony knew that one was not genuine), and Natasha had grinned at it and made teasing remarks through the whole movie.
Tony never let them use it over the course of their many movie nights. Of course he didn't, he didn't truly trust the Avengers yet. Most of them had already hurt him before. One day, he left it on the couch where Clint would no doubt cuddle up with. But he decided he didn't care. They had grown as a team and they must know how important it is to him. They wouldn't do anything. He resolved to check on it soon but that didn't happen. He instead found himself stabbed in the chest and metaphorically in the back by his once trusted captain, his teammate, his friend.
He wrapped himself in the blanket as soon as he got his hands on it.
Rhodey came over more and more after Siberia. They would find themselves always covered in the blanket somehow. On their laps while lounging in the lab, thrown over one of their shoulders while doing something or downright cuddling on the couch. It was always with them.
Pepper said she didn't like the blanket. Apparently it was childish. It is. That's why he loves it. His therapist (Pepper and Rhodey made him get one) said it was because 'he didn't have a lot of comfort items as a child' and it 'helps heal his inner child'. Whatever the fuck that means.
Despite how much Pepper would protest, she would never try and make him give it up. Except that one time he tried to bring it to a conference and she had to have Happy wrestle it from him.
It was such a normal thing for him that he didn't bother to hide it when the kid came over for their first lab day. Tony was waving his hands, giving a tour and talking his ass off when Peter's eye caught the blanket thrown over the couch. The kid's face heated up and he looked like a tomato. Tony was concerned but also trying not to laugh.
Once he was sure he wouldn't laugh (maybe snort but not laugh) he asked, "Kid, you good? Is there…something wrong with the blanket? I mean, it is a little weird to have a blanket of yourself but it was a gift from Rhodey, y'know War Machine, and he found it funny. God, Peter, you're so red. Are you okay?"
Peter wheezes out a response, his voice high-pitched, "I'm good, Mr. Stark. Just wasn't expecting–that–."
"You have to admit it's funny."
Peter laughs, "I guess it is."
They eventually move on because he can tell Peter is highly uncomfortable with the blanket for god knows what reason.
Lab days continue and Tony doesn't mention the incident. He and Peter have grown close, close enough that they start having movie nights. Tony brings the blanket after the first few. Peter eyes it warily with a blush on his face, but ends up ignoring it for the rest of Return of the Jedi.
Then he keeps bringing it because surely, surely, if the kid truly had a problem with it he would say something. Frankly, Tony's obsessed over this. What is making the kid act this way?
(He may have had FRIDAY scour parent blogs for anything like this happening. And then he may have saved a few that were unrelated to the problem entirely.)
He gets his answer a couple weeks later. He already has everything set up, popcorn, another Star Wars movie and blankets piled on the couch.
Peter enters from the elevator clutching his backpack. Tony immediately notes that as strange. Usually Peter drops it off at the lab because they go down there to work after.
Tony smiles, "Hey, Pete. What's up with the backpack?"
Peter looks nervous.
"H-Hey, Mr. Stark. Um, I-the backpack is…I have something…"
See, Tony's been reading about teens doing drugs on those parental blogs and that's why the first thing out of his mouth is, "Have you been doing drugs?"
He tries to say it calmly but he doesn't think it worked because the kid looks so startled.
"I haven't been doing drugs! Where did you even get that from?!"
Tony sighs in relief, "Okay, go on. Why do you have your backpack?"
The kids expression turns anxious again, "like I said, I have something in it. And no, it's not drugs or anything. It's not even dangerous, just…embarrassing."
Like condoms? I mean, the kid is almost 16. Surely, he can talk to May about this though. Tony doesn't think he can handle talking about this. Which is why he chooses to stay silent.
Peter seems to take his silence as 'carry on' and reaches into the backpack. It's the blanket. Tony looks at where his blanket should be, maybe the kid stole it underneath his nose? Nope, there were two.
Okay, so not condoms.
Peter was standing all timid and he looked absolutely terrified. Tony didn't know what of.
"I thought you didn't like the blanket? Why do you have another one…?"
"I-it's–I've had it for years."
Tony blinks.
Peter continues, "May got it for me as a gift…she wasn't expecting it to look this bad."
Tony blinks a few more times.
"That makes a lot of sense, holy shit."
Peter blinks.
He continues, "No wonder you went red every time you saw it, you didn't want me to know you were a massive fanboy."
Peter shifts on his feet, looking embarrassed.
Tony moves closer, setting a hand on the kids shoulder, "Hey, no need to be embarrassed. I mean, you have matching blankets with the Iron Man. How cool is that?"
Peter brightens a little at that and then hesitantly speaks, "So, you aren't mad?"
"What? Of course not. I always carry that thing with me, why would I be mad at you? A little peeved you hid it, yeah. But not mad. We could've been blanket buddies."
Peter finally looks him in the eye, "Blanket Buddies?"
Tony smiles, "Yeah, we have matching blankets. So Blanket Buddies!"
Peter smiled back and Tony grinned wider seeing the kid finally happy again. Tony takes the kids backpack and sets it on the floor before taking the blanket and draping it over Peter's shoulders.
"Now, let's start watching the movie."
Peter nodded and they settled on the couch, both covered with their respective blankets.
They ended up cuddling 10 minutes in.