King's Landing, 288 AC
Renly and Loras are having a walk in the woods surrounding King's Landing. After Jon's death, Stannis has mysteriously fled, but Renly has remained as the Master of Laws. He has been distraught when he has known about his brother running away, but who he missed the most was Lady Aylis. His sister-in-law has always been kind to him, and has quickly realized the nature of his relationship with Loras. She has never judged him, contrary to a lot of her peers. He feels nauseous when he realizes that, one day, he will have to marry the daughter of a great Lord. Women have never interested him. He could see their beauties, but imagining himself in bed with one of them was making him flinch. When he was younger, he has imagined being in the Kingsguard, but he was not a good swordman. Not enough, anyways, to pretend to this honor. When Jon has died, he has thought Robert would ask Stannis to become his Hand, but his flight has enraged Robert, and he has even accused him of cowardice. Despite not being friends, Stannis and Jon has been spending a lot of time together, and the loss of his Hand and his younger brother have been a shock to him. Secretly, with Loras, Renly would like Robert to annul his wedding with Cersei and to take Loras's sister, Margaery, as his new Queen. He thinks she looks like Lyanna and, thus, she would please the King. Ned Stark has been eventually appointed as Hand of the King, and Renly knew he did not like Cersei very much. He had good hopes he would support his decision of overthrowing her. But things never work as foreseen, and Robert has been badly injured in a hunting accident. The maesters were very pessimistic, and the King was much in pain. Renly and Robert have never really been close, but Renly could not stand seeing him suffering that much. Rumors are spreading in the city, some people say he has been poisoned too, as well as Jon Arryn, and Renly starts fearing for his life. If Robert dies, he will have to leave the capital as soon as possible.
He is walking silently by Loras's side, and feels the urge of taking a piss. He pulls his breeches down, baring his butt and Loras stares at it with a smirk. Wrapping his hands around his chest, he whispers in his ear:
"You could do it…"
Renly frowns slightly, turning his head to his:
"What are you talking about?"
"You could be King. You would be such a great King, my love…" he purrs in his ear, groping his butt. Renly holds back a laugh:
"Mind your words, Lord Tyrell. My brother is not dead yet. And I have an older one, remember?"
He is amused by Loras's enthusiasm, but shakes his head with disbelief. Sometimes, Loras does not realize how dangerous are his words and his acts.
"Stannis…." He says his name with such a disdain Renly freezes. Loras releases the hug and leans against the tree by him. "Nobody likes Stannis. Nobody wants to serve him, to fight for him. He has never been interested in making friends, which is why he is alone on his bloody island." He looks up at Renly and keeps saying: "You, however… You are young, handsome, nice and fair. You please the women and the men of this kingdom. People would follow anywhere… I would."
He stares at him and, for a second, Renly remains silent. He stares at the yellow liquid squirting out of his cock, and, when he is done, he pulls his breeches back, and stares back at Loras:
"If Robert dies, I will give my full support to Stannis. Everyone knows Joffrey and the other children are bastards. I will help prove this fact."
He passes by Loras, and this one grabs his arms:
"My father would support you, Renly! Think about it! The Iron throne could be yours! Just take it!"
Renly glares at his fingers, then at his eyes, and suddenly, his hand gropes his neck and he pins him against a tree violently. Loras gasps but, despite his strength, cannot free himself.
"Your father?" he hisses. "Remind me where your father was, when I was almost starving to death? Remind me where my brother Robert was? And, finally, remind me where Stannis was? Your father was the one starving me; Robert was the one ignoring our fate. And Stannis…. Stannis was the one feeding me, he was the one wiping my ass and cleaning me up when I was so exhausted I was shitting myself! Do you know what it is, Loras Tyrell, when you shit and that you have nothing in your belly except water? Well, that is what you shit: water! Stannis has been the one taking care of me, he has reassured me, spent nights watching over me, told me stories of how our lives would be great when we would be freed by Robert. So how dare you telling me to betray him? How would you feel if I would tell you I would support you, and put your nice little ass on Highgarden's siege if you betray Willas and Garlan? Mh?"
Loras, starting to get red with suffocation, manages to hiss:
"It is not the same thing…"
"It is exactly the same thing!" Renly brutally releases his grip. Loras coughs hard, and glares at him:
"My brothers are good men!" he protests.
"Because Stannis is not? Just because he does not like jousting and fancy clothes does not mean he is a bad man, Loras. I thought you were a better judge of human nature", Renly gives him a disappointed look. "But you are right with something: Robert is probably gonna die, and I will never support the bastard. I will join my brother, and call him my King. Now, if all your pretty words are true, if you would really follow me anywhere, join us. You are an excellent swordsman, Loras. You are brave, and smart on a battlefield. Prove your strength, prove your loyalty, and Stannis will make you one of his Kingsguards. Then, we will be free to be with each other. Refuse, and this is the end of us. I will never choose you over my blood."
Loras looks truly shocked by his words and pales, but keeps his arrogance:
"My father would not support Stannis. Not after what happened between them."
"Your father is an honorable man. He will support the rightful king, because it is how things should be", Renly argues. Loras nibbles his lip:
"And my grandmother? She can convince nobles to support Joffrey."
"Lady Olenna is not the head of House Tyrell. She is not even a Tyrell."
"But she has a great influence", Loras says, looking down.
Renly feels how puzzled is his lover, and, as he sees the red mark on his neck, he feels sorry for having been so brutal. He walks to him and hugs him:
"Follow me, and I will never leave you, Loras… Not even if I marry a woman. You will always be the one I love."
Shutting his eyes tight, Loras nods, and hugs him back.
A/N: I know, I know, this is not how Renly is, but I have imagined a different relationship between him and Stannis. And, anyways, he should be like that… in my opinion anyways. Reviews are always welcomed, thank you!