It felt strange to look down at his own chest and find it bare and hairless, though the feeling was not entirely unpleasant. Loras' enthusiasm in showing just how much it pleased him had certainly contributed to that. Even now, languid from their lovemaking, Loras' fingertips traced over the smooth skin, making Renly shiver at the heightened sensation from the recent scrape of the razor.

The change had been something long requested by Loras, and now, as Renly looked at the beautiful man stretched out next to him on the bed, Renly didn't know how he'd been able to resist for so long. It was no wonder half the maidens of the kingdom were in love with Loras. They'd never seen him quite like this, though, and with his long limbs elegantly sprawled among the sheets and his naked skin glowing in the afternoon sun, Renly thought that there was no better place to be than at his side.

He closed his eyes and smiled. Loras' fingers continued tracing circles and patterns on his chest, something between a tease and a caress. Loose limbed and relishing in a contented laze, it was easy to relax into the touch.

"I didn't finish you," Loras murmured against Renly's shoulder.

Renly laughed. "I think you'll find you finished me twice."

"Here," Loras continued, and Renly squirmed as those teasing fingers moved beneath his arm to tug at the hair there. "I didn't finish shaving you."

While the other side had been shaved clean, this side was untouched. Renly hadn't noticed the strange lopsided feeling of it until now. He contemplated for a moment that it would not be too uncomfortable to tolerate until the other side grew back - but it was impossible to resist the imploring look on Loras' face. "Go on, then," Renly sighed.

Loras flashed him that gorgeous, fox-like grin and rolled from the bed. Reluctantly, Renly sat up and shifted to the edge. It gave him a perfect view to watch the shift and flex of Loras' lean form as he retrieved the shaving tools near the window, a welcome distraction from the sight of the bloodstains on the bedclothes behind Renly.

The cut on his chest had stopped bleeding now, but was still fresh enough that the blood had seeped into the blankets as they rolled. "You would be a wonderful king…" They often played pillow games like that, but this had seemed too much to be a mere throwaway fancy. There had been something real behind it, as real as the still-twinging cut in Renly's side. Dried blood was smeared around that as well, and Renly had to look away as the sight of it left his skin crawling.

Loras returned to the side of the bed, having pulled over a low table to lay the tools on, and he noticed Renly flinch. "It's just blood, Renly," he said. He knelt as he touched the side of Renly's face to turn him back towards the small cut. "What's so frightening about it?"

"I don't like it," Renly said, eyes firmly closed against the sight. He shook his head. "And you're mad for even thinking of this, Loras. There would be more than blood if I tried to take the throne after Robert. The Lannisters would never give it up without a fight. Without a war." He risked opening his eyes to look at Loras, wondering if Loras truly knew what he had been suggesting before.

Yet Loras looked just as confident and assured as he always did when he met Renly's eyes. "I'd fight for you," he repeated.

Renly just sighed. He knew Loras would do near anything for him but he did not feel like pushing the issue or thinking on it any more, and he would be glad if they never returned to this subject again. It was almost a relief when Loras took Renly's arm to set to the task at hand, and Renly dutifully held it in the air while Loras brushed on the lather.

The first touch of the razor made Renly take in a sharp breath, though he held as still as he was able while the hair was shaved away. He found he had far too many things that he wished to distract himself from and the gentle scratch of the razor shaving him bare seemed deafening in the quiet room. Instead, he watched Loras' face, focusing on the familiar way Loras caught his lower lip between his teeth when he was deep in concentration.

It seemed an age before Loras finished and picked up a towel to wipe away the last of the lather. Renly breathed a sigh of relief with it, glad that Loras had not deemed it necessary to jab the razor into his side again, yet the concentration in Loras' features did not disappear as he began cleaning the blade.

"If you don't," Loras said, almost to himself, "If you sit back and let the Lannisters dig their claws into the throne, the crown will go to Joffrey. With Cersei whispering in his ear, you'll be lucky to keep your place on the small council, never mind your head."

Renly managed to smile. "So I'll flee to Highgarden," he said easily. It was no secret that the queen despised him but Cersei's foul tempers had never been much concern to him.

"Be serious," Loras insisted.

Renly shook his head. "You speak of it like Robert will die tomorrow. It will be years before we have to worry about who the crown will go to."

"If Robert is even half the drunken fool he seems to be, he'll be in the grave sooner than any of us expect."

Renly held back a sigh, wondering if this perhaps was Loras' attempt at meddling in politics. Thinking back, he had to admit that Loras' curiosity about the dealings of the small council had seemed to grow beyond casual interest as of late, often asking after the council's discussions and decisions even on matters Renly passed off as mundane. In all the years he'd known Loras the thought had never crossed his mind, though Renly now found himself wondering if Loras had more of his grandmother to him that it had previously seemed.

"You're something, Loras Tyrell," Renly said, managing to smile despite the weight of it. Loras' smile in return was encouraging, perhaps, a little closer to the practiced smiles in court than Renly usually received from him.

"Think on it, Renly," Loras said.

"You've thought on it, certainly." Renly laughed, knowing just the path Loras' thoughts would have followed. "Imagined yourself as the gallant Knight of the Flowers leading my armies, while your father backs me. Shall I marry Margaery too and complete my set of Tyrells?"

Ignoring the goading tone of the jibe, Loras leaned in to let his lips brush against Renly's. It was as gentle a kiss as Loras had ever given, as sweet as the promise of the first time. Its innocence was at odds with everything Renly knew about Loras and even now a hot sensuality lingered beneath the surface. The unhurried pace of the kiss still sent a deep heat through Renly's nerves and set his heart pounding.

Only the gentlest touch of lips remained as Loras drew back, smiling, and when he pressed near again Renly could not stop a low moan from escaping his throat. There was no contact between them but their mouths so the touch of Loras' hand to his still-sensitive chest overwhelmed his senses, the heat in Loras' fingers like a sweet flame licking at his skin. Loras pushed until Renly was laid on his back among the sheets, Loras at his side. Still no more than Loras' hand and lips had touched him, yet they were both left dark-eyed and breathless when Loras drew away.

"Think on it," Loras breathed.

"A king who rules by love," Renly mused, reaching up to toy with a strand of Loras' blond hair, "Yes, why shouldn't I. I already rule you by love."

"Do you?" Loras asked.

The answer was so flippant, so perfectly casual, that Renly had to raise an eyebrow at it. "Don't I?"

Loras merely shrugged, though Renly was certain he saw him trying to hide a smile. This was quickly shifting to a familiar game, one that Loras often teased him with and one that Renly took the bait in far too easily.

"You must love me," Renly insisted. "Surely you wouldn't want a man you didn't love to be your king?"

Loras shrugged again as he turned away and began laying aside the shaving tools in the roll. "Lord Renly is loved by many people of Westeros, I hear," he said.

"And what about by Loras Tyrell?"

Even with his back turned, Renly knew there was a sly smirk on Loras' face. Renly sat up again and shifted closer to press a kiss to Loras' ear. "I love you," he whispered, wrapping his arm over Loras' shoulder and pulling Loras back against his chest.

"Careful!" Loras warned. The razor was still in his hand and he pushed Renly away from it with his other arm, casting a sharp look back over his shoulder at how close Renly had come to it. Renly had to laugh. Loras had stuck him with the same blade not even an hour ago and yet now Loras scolded him for coming so close.

"Tell me you love me," Renly insisted.

Again Loras pushed Renly back onto the bed, though this time Loras followed, climbing above Renly so his thighs bracketed Renly's on either side. Renly took a moment to appreciate what was surely one of the best views in the Seven Kingdoms. Loras' smile often took on a fox-like quality and now it could almost be that of a wolf, teeth bared as he took in the sight of Renly beneath him.

"Tell me," Renly continued. He spread his arms to better display himself before Loras' hungry gaze. "Tell me you love me. Look at the man laid before you, hairless at your request-"

"Not completely hairless," Loras mused. Renly realized too late that Loras still had the razor in hand. Loras moved to press it just below Renly's navel, the sharp, cold edge just at the top of the hair trailing down above Renly's cock.

"No-" Renly wanted to squirm but he didn't dare move, not with the blade pressed so close to such a sensitive place. Loras' hand was steady as ever but tight panic was quickly rising in Renly's chest. "Not there. You said-"

"Everywhere is everywhere. Now don't squirm."

The blade had not even moved but Renly's heart leapt to his throat. "Loras, stop. Stop!" he yelped. Desperate, he grasped for a threat. "Your - your king commands it!"

Loras was still for a long moment before he drew back the blade. A slow smile spread across his face. "Then the king shall have as he wishes."

Docile now, Loras crawled off Renly to lay the razor safely away on the bedside table. Renly found how to breathe again. The press of the blade had been a suggestion rather than any real intent of Loras', just a teasing hint without so much as the lather, but the thought had been enough to send Renly into a panic. Loras taking blade to his chest had been nerve-wracking enough and it had taken a long while of prodding before Renly agreed to it. He did not even shave his face because of how sensitive and raw it left the skin, and allowing a razor somewhere even more delicate was not something he had any desire to do.

But Loras was instant, and irresistible, and Renly had eventually relented, just as he always did with anything he tried to deny to Loras. He stared down at the hair above his cock, knowing that sooner or later he would surely be bare there too.

The bed dipped as Loras returned to his side. Renly lay still now yet Loras could read the hesitation on his face. "You needn't worry. I won't slip and cut your cock off."

Renly sighed and managed to meet Loras' eye. "You'd really prefer me like that?" he asked.

"Everywhere," Loras agreed. The fox-like grin had returned with a smoulder of dark heat in his eyes that was enough to make Renly's spent cock give another twitch.

"How does anyone deny you anything?" Renly wondered.

Loras smirked. "They don't."

That was something Renly could well believe. He was certain that he'd been wrapped around Loras' finger ever since the first week Loras started squiring for him. There was nothing he'd ever be able to deny Loras, and even if it meant letting Loras take blade to him, Renly was sure he'd do it gladly.

"I love you," Renly told him. He caught Loras' mouth with his own, a hand to the back of Loras' neck pulling him closer into the kiss. "Tell me that you love me." Loras came to him easily, rolling on top of Renly and tilting his head to deepen the kiss. Renly could taste his own seed on Loras' tongue from earlier and the press of naked skin made it impossible to wait one moment longer to have Loras. "Tell your king that you love him."

"I love you, Your Grace," Loras sighed against his lips.