Posted originally on the Archive_of_Our_Own at https://archiveofourown.org/
works/715964.
  Rating:
      Explicit
  Archive Warning:
      Underage
  Category:
      M/M
  Fandom:
      A_Song_of_Ice_and_Fire_-_George_R._R._Martin, Game_of_Thrones_(TV)
  Relationship:
      Renly_Baratheon/Loras_Tyrell
  Character:
      Renly_Baratheon, Loras_Tyrell
  Stats:
      Published: 2013-03-11 Words: 4753
****** Shines Gold ******
by wildknees
Summary
     Long before he has a crown on his head, Renly takes Loras to a place
     where he's always been King. Loras, for his part, shows Renly not to
     get on a Tyrell's bad side.
"Where are you taking us?" Loras called as he tromped after Renly through the
heavy underbrush. The walking path in the Storm Woods was already some ways
behind and they were moving even deeper into the forest.

"To our new home," Renly told him, "We're giving up our titles and becoming
wildlings."

Loras rolled his eyes, but the corners of his mouth turned up in fondness, well
acquainted with Renly's proclivity for jokes and games. Loras knew him better
than anyone, knew every secret that Renly had ever dared to share, but this
secret, this place, was something that even Loras didn't know of yet.

There was no path through the forest, though Renly knew exactly where he was
going. It was only a few more minutes of walking until he spotted the familiar
oak ahead. He could already feel the cooler air on his face as they drew
closer. "We've arrived," he said, and ducked below a fallen branch to step into
the forest clearing.

The trees thinned here, not fully breaking the canopy but allowing some breeze
to flow through. It was refreshing after the heavy, muggy heat of the forest.
Renly breathed deeply, inhaling the earthy scent. The sunlight peeking between
the leaves painted golden patterns on the forest floor that danced over him as
he moved in further.

Loras was only a few steps behind. He glanced around the clearing, his eyes
landing on the face carved into the huge white tree in the center of it.

"A weirwood?" he asked, surprised. Renly had been just as taken aback when he'd
first discovered this place. The godswood was long abandoned and had fallen
into disarray, overgrown in all corners and with wildgrass and fallen branches
blanketing the floor. All the trees in this part of the forest were old, but
there seemed to be something else about the godswood that lent an ancient
feeling to the place. The ever-watching face in the weirwood stared out
solemnly, unchanged despite the many years it had spent forgotten. Its long
branches stretched out over the murky godspool at the edge of the clearing; the
pool was not truly a pond, but a finger of seawater that had made its way far
inland. Unlike the crash of the sea at the bay, the water here lapped gently
against the mossy stones that surrounded it.

Renly knew every aspect of this place, every stone, every branch, which trees
were best for sitting against to read, where the grass was most comfortable for
laying in the sun. Several years had passed since he'd last been here, but it
was just as he remembered. The childhood games he once played came back to him
and suddenly he could not keep the smile from his face. He turned to Loras and
bowed deeply.

"Welcome, Ser Loras. You are an honored guest here."

Loras laughed and returned the bow with the same exaggerated decorum. "I'm not
quite ser yet, but thank you, Lord Renly."

"King Renly."

"King Renly," Loras repeated, laughing again. "My apologies, Your Grace. I did
not realize who I was speaking to."

"Apology accepted. It's been a long time since this was my kingdom, anyway."
Renly reached out to lay a hand on a tall, old ironwood, remembering the many
hours he had spent here. Even the face in the weirwood was as calmative and
familiar as an old friend. "This was my secret place when I was young. I would
escape here whenever I could to play because I knew I wouldn't be disturbed."

Loras stepped further into the clearing, drawn again to the carved face with
red-sap tears running from its eyes. Like Renly, he'd heard the ancient tales
of the weirwoods being cut down by the First Men, so having one right in front
of him was a wonder. "I didn't know there were any weirwoods left in this part
of the world."

"No one does. Only me. And now - you."

This made Loras turn to Renly with an amused look. "Somehow I doubt you brought
me here to convince me to take up the old gods," he said. Renly laughed.

"I'm sure even the gods have forgotten this place by now. No, I brought you
here because..." Renly trailed off as he searched for the right words. His
efforts to prepare some explanation beforehand had been fruitless. He'd hoped
that his memories and fondness for the place would inspire the words, but now
he was not sure they existed.

"Because...?"

"Because it's special to me," Renly said at last, "And you're... you're special
to me too."

Smiling, Loras returned to his side. He laid his arms around Renly's shoulders,
drawing them together. The sunlight reflecting in his brown eyes made them even
warmer as he gazed up, like liquid gold. "Special? Is that it?" he asked
teasingly. "What about gorgeous, brilliant, irresistible..."

"All of them, and more," Renly assured him, and bent to capture a kiss.

It was gentle, no more than a fond touch of lips, and Loras did not try to
deepen it. When he pulled back, he was smiling. "Thank you for bringing me
here. This place is beautiful."

Beautiful was not the right word to describe a godswood, but it was peaceful,
and comfortable to Renly in a way that the rest of Storm's End didn't feel. He
could not fully explain what this place had meant to him once. It had been
everything to him, the sole escape for a young lord who was lonely despite the
constant throng of people around him and weary with responsibility that he felt
much too young to have. He'd longed for a chance to just be a child, and in
this place he'd created his own world just the way he wanted it.

Loras explored the clearing now, discovering it as Renly once had long ago. He
examined the thick trees in it, the fallen logs and branches that had served as
everything from battlements to supper tables in Renly's imaginings, and the
mossy stones that surrounded the pond. Renly watched him all the while. His
beauty made the place even more lovely, with the sunlight patterns playing in
his curls. It was comforting that Loras should like this place. Renly knew it
was nothing compared to the immaculate gardens of Highgarden, but it was
special to him, and it did not surprise him in the least that Loras understood
him so easily. Somehow he could imagine that Loras had always been here.

"What's that in the water?"

Loras stood at the edge of the pond and was gazing into the center of the murky
depths. Renly grinned. He knew what Loras had seen: the golden glint in the
water that appeared when the sunlight hit it just right.

"It's sunken treasure left there by the fairies," said Renly as he came to
Loras' side. Loras turned to him in disbelief, and Renly's grin grew even
wider. "No. It's actually a ring cast away by maiden who was scorned by her
true love. Or it might be a piece of armor long ago left there by the First
Men?"

Loras was laughing at the increasingly unlikely explanations. "Yes, but - what
is it?"

"It's a piece of sea glass," Renly admitted, "Washed inland by the tide. But
isn't it more fun to imagine that it's a golden fish that grants wishes?"

Loras shook his head. "You'll never outgrow your games," he said fondly.

"Come, what wish would you have asked of the golden fish when you were young?"

"To become a knight," Loras answered instinctively.

"Oh Loras," Renly sighed.

Loras frowned at him. "Don't roll your eyes at me. You know that's thing I
still want, more than anything."

"But it seems such a boring wish. You could ask anything of the fish. To have
the wings of a dragon, or for a horse that could run on water, or to meet your
true love..."

"I still would have wished to become a knight," Loras said, "But now I must
know - what did you wish for?"

With mischief flashing in his eyes, Renly held Loras' gaze for another moment
before turning away. "I don't remember."

"Renly."

"Loras," Renly replied, but Loras just looked at him imploringly. "Do you truly
want to know? I warn you, it's not quite as interesting as the ideas I just
told you."

Loras nodded. "Tell me."

Renly turned back to the pond, watching the gold glitter in the water as he had
long ago. He could remember exactly what he'd wished for then. "I wished... I
wished to meet a brave and handsome knight who would be my closest friend, and
would always be by my side. We'd do everything together, and know all each
other's secrets, and no one could ever keep us from each other. I wished... for
a friend."

Even as a child, he'd known that his true wish was meager compared to the
things his imagination could dream up. But it was the truth of it. At that time
he'd wished for a friend so badly that he'd even stooped to asking an imaginary
fish for it.

Loras drew close again. "That was before I came to Storm's End," he said.

The warmth radiating off Loras' body was nice to feel even on a hot day, and
Renly could not resist wrapping an arm around Loras' slim waist and drawing him
to his side. Loras stood on his toes to rest his chin on Renly's shoulder. It
tilted his face up to show off the gold flecks in his brown eyes, his smooth
skin, and the dimples in his cheeks as he smiled. He looked pleased with
himself, and Renly found himself smiling back.

"Yes?" he said.

"What I mean is that your wish came true. Perhaps the golden fish is more than
one of your imaginings. When I came to you, you got what you wished for."

It was a romantic notion, one that could be true. Loras had become the friend
he'd wished for and soon would be the knight as well. He was brave and
handsome, and Renly's dearest friend in the world, a closer bond than he'd ever
imagined having with anyone. But at the time when Loras had first arrived, when
he was still in the ripe of boyhood with bright eyes and wild curls... the bait
was too much to resist.

"What I got," said Renly, "was a skinny little squire who was mistaken for a
girl more often than not."

Loras' expression immediately soured, and Renly had to fight to keep a straight
face. It was so easy to rile Loras up with these matters and sometimes Renly
could not resist the chance to see Loras' furrowed brow, or the way his lips
pouted out despite his best attempts at a scowl.

"You didn't think it so funny once you saw my skill with a sword," Loras said
pointedly.

He knew he shouldn't, but with that adorable scowl already on Loras' face,
Renly found himself unable to resist teasing him a little further. "Your skill
came because I was such a good teacher to you," he said confidently. "If not
for my skill, you wouldn't be half so talented."

It was a lie, absolutely, but it was bound to get under Loras' skin.Indeed,
Loras pulled away from Renly in annoyance. "Your skill? If not for my skill,
you would still hold a dinner knife more gracefully than you hold a sword," he
grumbled.

Now that was true; Renly could remember how Loras had scolded his posture the
first time they sparred, and every time after that until Renly learned to
correct himself. The whole ordeal had been of great amusement to Storm's End's
Master at Arms, who had been trying to teach Renly the same thing for years.

The memory made him grin, and the teasing had put Renly in the mood for games.
He snatched up a stick from the ground, a sturdy switch of dry oak, and held it
out at Loras like a sword in battle. "You dare speak like that to your lord?
Nay, your king?" he threatened with much bravado.

Loras did not respond to the jest, and the sour, exasperated look did not leave
his face. Renly poked his cheek with the edge of his stick.

"Renly," Loras growled as he batted the stick away, though yet again the edge
of a fond smile was creeping onto his face. Just as easily as he could rile
him, Renly could bring out a smile in Loras.

"Stand and face your doom, ser!" Renly cried. He poked Loras once more in the
shoulder, and it was enough. Loras bent to grab his own stick from the ground
and steadied it in his hand for a moment, giving it a few experimental swings
just as he did when taking up a real sword. Then, before Renly could even
prepare for it, Loras was upon him, clashing their sticks together only once,
twice, before he knocked Renly's stick to the side and pressed his own to the
center of Renly's chest.

"Do you yield?" Loras asked.

"Never," said Renly. Loras pressed the stick harder against his chest, and
there was a small snick as the end of it caught on the fabric of Renly's
doublet and pulled.

"Careful." Renly jumped back and smoothed his hand over the place where the
stick had caught; thankfully the fabric was not ruined. It was one of his
favorite garments, made of rich green velvet with quilted embroidery stag heads
and silver fastenings. It had been a gift from the Tyrells on his last nameday,
and Loras knew how important it was to him.

Renly glanced back up at Loras, who had withdrawn his stick and was breaking a
small twig off the end of it: the offending piece that had caught on the
fabric. He tossed it to the side and then held the stick out again in a fresh
challenge.

"Face me," Loras said, and Renly did, again taking up his stick for battle.
Loras dove into the attack. Renly managed only a few parries before Loras
bested him again, this time landing a blow to Renly's side, and they started
again.

It was ridiculous; both of them had real swords at their belts, yet they were
fighting with sticks like boys.Renly could not keep the smile from his face.
He'd played this game a hundred times by himself in this place when he was
young, and now Loras fit into it just as if he had always been here.

The blows that Loras landed were not hard enough to hurt, but it was clear that
he was pleased with himself, and now Renly could recognize same the cocky smirk
that Loras got as he unhorsed opponent after opponent in tournaments. Renly had
not managed to hit him even once. That Loras outmatched him even with a stick
was no surprise to either of them; Renly was not unskilled with a sword, though
Loras' ability was beyond compare, and Renly's usual strength advantage was of
little use when their weapons were just as likely to snap in half as to deliver
a blow with too much force. Still, Renly could not let himself be completely
beaten.

"I cannot allow you to best me, not here!" Renly cried.He was not truly
disappointed about it, and playing the game was more fun than winning (one of
the few opinions that Renly and Loras truly differed on), but this was his
place, his kingdom. He could not let himself be defeated!

"Whether you allow it or not, it's happening." Even as he spoke, Loras
delivered a sharp hit to Renly's thigh.

"Once,I must hit you at least once."

Loras smirked at him in challenge. "Then do it, if you can."

Loras' speed may have given him the upper hand in their battle, but Renly had
the advantage of knowing this place, perhaps better than he knew any place. A
plan was quickly forming in his mind and soon he knew just what he would do.

He let himself be driven back until he jumped up onto the rocks at the edge of
the godspool. Loras followed, still pushing Renly back. His balance was steady
and careful as he stepped over the rocks, having no difficulty despite the
unfamiliarity, but he did not notice Renly purposefully overstepping one rock.
Loras' foot came down on the stone, loose and wobbling despite its sturdy
appearance, and Renly poised himself to deliver his winning blow as Loras
stumbled.

What he did not expect was for Loras to not only lose his footing, but to slide
off the rock and plunge straight into the pond.

It was not longer than a few seconds before Loras remerged from beneath the
surface of the water, coughing and spluttering and looking entirely like a wet,
angry cat. Renly was helpless against the laugher that overtook him. His stick
fell from his hand as he clutched him stomach, and his legs felt so weak
beneath him that he had to stagger over to the weirwood for support. He felt
like he could hardly breathe from laughing so hard and tears formed in his
eyes.

Loras dragged himself from the pond, stick sword forgotten wherever it had
fallen at the bottom. "You vile, treacherous dog!" he snarled. The glare he
shot Renly was so withering that it would normally have Renly immediately
apologizing and offering himself in any way to make it up to Loras, but with
Loras' hair plastered down against his head and a piece of pond weed stuck to
his cheek, the look just made Renly laugh harder.

"Damn you! Damn you to all the seven hells." Loras ineffectually tried to shake
the water from his hands and he began wringing at his clothes. There was no
hope for it. He was soaked through to the bone. The only thing not left water-
logged was his temper, which was quickly burning out of control.

"L-Loras, I-" Renly tried to apologize, but at that moment Loras pulled off his
soaked, muddy boot, and his foot made such a horrible squelching noise as it
pulled free that Renly was lost to helpless laugher again.

Loras shot one last contemptuous look at Renly. "The Others take you. Gods!
I've had as much of you and your stupid games as I can stand." Boots in hand,
he turned on his heel and stormed away.

"Loras, wait!" Renly finally managed to get out. He was still trying to catch
his breath as he hurried to catch Loras' dripping shoulder. Loras immediately
pulled out of his grasp, but he turned, brown eyes fierce below wet eyelashes.

"What?" he spat.

"I'm sorry," Renly said, "I did not mean for that to happen."

Loras sneered at him. "What a charming condolence," he said venomously.

"Truly, I didn't! And I did not mean to laugh. Just - if you had seen your
face..." It was a struggle not to laugh even now. Renly reached to pull away
the pond weed still stuck to Loras' face, but Loras jerked back, too angry to
even be touched.

"Will that be all for now, my lord?" he growled. Loras had called him by name
ever since their third day together when Renly suggested that he should. Now
the title only came out when Loras was well and truly angry. ‘My lord' was a
sure sign that Renly should start grovelling.

Renly knew, he knew he shouldn't say it, but he could not help himself.

"Your Grace," he corrected.

Fury twisted over Loras' face faster than wildfire. "Your-"

"Apology accepted! As for my apology, though, I thought perhaps you could let
me make it up to you. To show how sorry I am."

Malice still darkened Loras' face, though he looked at Renly appraisingly.
"What will you do?"

"Anything you want," Renly answered at once.

Loras' expression did not change much, no more than a subtle shift in his lips,
but Renly knew the offer had worked. Loras reached out with a wet hand to press
down on Renly's shoulder. Quickly catching on, Renly dropped to his knees
before Loras.

"This will earn me your forgiveness?" he asked, trying not to look too much
like he was about to enjoy this.

"It's a start," said Loras. Water dripped from his soaked hair onto Renly's
shoulders as he gazed down, and he did not miss the way Renly flinched away
from the droplets, still worried about his clothing being damaged. The green
velvet had nearly been ruined once already today. A haughty smirk appeared on
Loras face. "Strip."

Raising an eyebrow, Renly grinned slyly. "As it pleases you, ser."

Renly began to rise, but when Loras' hand returned to his shoulder to hold him
down, he caught on to what he must do. Still on his knees, he started to
undress. Boots and breeches were awkward to remove without standing, but soon
his clothing was laid to the side and he was kneeling naked before Loras.

It was strange, though not unpleasant to feel the air and sunlight on his bare
skin; he knew that he and Loras sometimes pushed the edges of secrecy with the
places they were together, but those places had been concealed (mostly) and not
out in the open like this. But then again, this was not out in the open. They
were the only two that knew of this place, and with the sunlight warming his
bare skin and Loras gazing hungrily down at him, Renly felt as happy as could
be.

"Perfect," said Loras, and he cupped Renly's cheek to draw him closer.

The fabric over Loras' hips was wet and cool to the touch, but when Renly drew
his cock out, it was hot and already beginning to harden. A thrill was
spreading under his skin at just the anticipation. Renly used only his tongue
at first, coaxing Loras to full hardness with long licks along the underside
that curled up around the head, until finally he took Loras fully into his
mouth.

The soft, breathy noises that Loras had been making turned into a full out
moan, and his hands clenched into Renly's hair, urging him on. Renly could feel
his own skin growing warm, and not just from the sun. He loved Loras like this,
demanding as ever and taking just what he wanted. He pulled Renly towards him
and moved his hips forward at the same time; the head of his cock pressed
against the back of Renly's throat, but Renly made himself relax and let Loras'
hips continue moving. Renly moaned, the sound muffled around Loras' cock.
Letting Loras take his pleasure was even better than giving it. He could taste
that Loras was getting close. His cock was leaking steadily now, rubbing
precome over Renly's tongue on every backstroke. He would not last much longer.

Renly's own cock had been hardening steadily since Loras had put him on his
knees. Now, untouched, he was already fully hard. The sight, the taste, the
sound of Loras was so arousing that Renly wanted so badly to stroke himself. He
let his hand drop down, skirting teasingly over his thigh. The movement did not
go unnoticed; with lust-darkened eyes, Loras watched Renly's hand hover over
his straining, leaking cock, fingers digging in to the top of his thigh as he
struggled to hold himself back.

Somehow that did it. Loras let out a desperate cry and his hands tightened in
Renly's hair for a moment before drawing him back. "Open," Loras said, and
Renly obeyed, keeping his mouth open as Loras stroked himself a few more times
before spilling over Renly's face.

The wave of hot arousal that washed over Renly was near dizzying, and he was
still reeling when he was shoved backwards.He landed sprawled in the soft grass
and Loras was on top of him a moment later, kissing him fervently. Renly
clutched at him, but Loras slipped down too quickly, his wet clothing leaving
cool trails on Renly's hot skin that had his senses firing in all directions.
The tight heat of Loras' mouth wrapping around his cock was enough to make him
cry out.

Renly was still feeling like the ground had been swept out from underneath him
when Loras pressed a finger into him, crooking it as he began to stroke Renly
inside as well. It hurt, with nothing but the cool water still dripping off
Loras' clothing to ease it in, but if anything that just made Renly's arousal
stronger. The press and tug as Loras rubbed up at that sensitive spot was
making Renly's cock twitch and leak in Loras' exquisite mouth. It was quickly
becoming too much to resist, and Renly did not want to resist any longer.
Clutching at the soft grass below him, Renly let Loras take him over the edge
with mouth and hands.

Loras' lips stayed tight around him until he'd spilled his last drop, finally
releasing his softening cock once Renly was left panting below him. His finger
was still teasing inside, though Renly was getting so sensitive that it was now
becoming painful. He grunted and shoved at Loras' arm. Smirking, Loras finally
drew back. He leaned up to kiss Renly's cheek while using his thumb to wipe
away the last trace of his come that splattered Renly's chin.

Renly tilted his head into the kiss and let out a pleased sigh. "You know, when
I offered to do anything you wanted I expected you to throw me in the water.
I'll have to be cruel to you more often if that's how you punish me."

"You're right. I shouldn't be so easy on you." Loras drew back, still cradling
Renly's face in his hands. He smiled as he stroked back Renly's hair. "But you
are quite difficult to resist."

"So I've been told. Do you accept my apology, then?"

Loras did not answer aloud, and instead he eased Renly back into the grass to
continue kissing him. The taste of his own release on Loras' tongue would
usually have Renly eager to start another round, though right now he could feel
nothing but happy and sated. Loras placed one last lingering kiss to Renly's
lips before pulling back to let him rest for a few moments.

Renly closed his eyes and bathed in the warmth of the open air. By chance, the
place he lay on the ground was one of the best places in the clearing to lay in
the sun. The wind gently rustled the trees, stirring up the fragrant scent of
the grass and cooling him, and he could hear Loras nearby moving about. He was
struck by the rare feeling that this moment was absolutely perfect.

He could recall a time when even the thought of this place being discovered by
anyone else filled him with dread, but sharing it with Loras had seemed as easy
and natural as falling in love with him. It would be nice if they could stay
here together forever, but the wish was fleeting. It was impossible, and even
when Loras spoke it reminded of him of that.

"Come. We should be getting back," he called.

Renly frowned, though he knew it was true. They would be expected back at the
keep shortly. Reluctantly, he opened his eyes and propped himself up on his
elbows to look at Loras.

Even if they did not get a chance to come back to this place, Renly felt he
could be happy with this one last vision of it. Loras had wrung out his hair
and it was still damp, but the curls were starting to take shape around his
face again. He made quite a striking sight, especially dressed in the rich
green doublet with quilted embroidery stag heads and silver... fastenings...

Renly glanced at the place where he had laid his own clothing after undressing
and instead found Loras' discarded clothing in a soggy pile.

"You'd better hurry up if you don't want to miss supper," Loras said, smirking
at Renly as he headed towards the clearing entrance.

"Loras," Renly protested, worriedly eyeing the pile of soggy fabric. Loras was
much smaller than him and he'd barely be able to get into Loras' clothing if it
was dry, but wet- "Loras, wait."

"Apology accepted," Loras called out over his shoulder. Renly groaned.
Please drop_by_the_archive_and_comment to let the author know if you enjoyed
their work!