Chapter Forty-Four: Fulfilling the Promise

Today is my seventeenth birthday. Renly and I have been together for one year. Today is the day. We have been waiting for this moment for an entire year. Today will be the fulfillment of a promise between us.

I have no intention of waiting for some grand romantic moment that Renly may have been planning, because I have waited long enough. I grab a handful of condoms and shove them into any pocket I can find.

Now, I only have to find my boyfriend. Margaery is sound asleep in the bed I just crawled out of. I pull the covers up to her chin and give her a kiss. My sweet sister, today your brother becomes a man. I shut the door behind me. Why bother getting dressed? I have no intention of keeping my clothes on for very long.

Renly is not in his bed. I hear the shower running. I pick the lock on the shower the way that Arya showed me. I sneak in to Renly's bathroom. I strip my clothes as I walk. I put a condom pack between my teeth and step into Renly's shower. The warm water does nothing to cool down the burning I feel from knowing what today brings.

"Loras, why are you in my shower?" Renly asks.

I hold the condom up for him to see. A smile appears on his face.

"Today's my seventeenth birthday. You and I made a promise and I am here to collect," I say.

Renly says no words. There is nothing to be said. I have made up my mind. This afternoon I have a date (so to speak) with Robb, but this morning is me and Renly, and tonight. I know he planned something special.

Renly kisses me on my shoulder blades. I want to skip the foreplay and go straight to the lovemaking, but Renly is in charge. Renly is dominating. He knows what he's doing. His hands on my skin make me want him. My skin is burning for more as steam from the shower fills the air. Renly pinches my nipples between his fingers, and he bites them. I moan.

Renly's fingers on his right hand run down my back slowly. They come to a new place they have only explored once. He slides one in. I sigh. He begins to work in and out. I turn around and push out my hips to accept him. Renly slides in another finger and another working them in and out until I am ready.

I put my hand on my tumescent member ready when Renly is. That's when he takes me. First he enters, I grunt. It's unlike any feeling I have ever experienced. He is not moving. He is waiting for me to give the signal. I press my backside in on him to accept him. He shoves in as far as he can. I grunt. Then it starts.

Renly is slow at first, and gentle, but that is not what I want. I make it clear. I want it hard and rough. It quickly becomes that. I work my hands over my own hardness as Renly bangs against me, receiving double the pleasure. Renly's hands on my hips clawing at my sides.

The noises he's making cause me to lose myself. This feeling of having all of him is too much to bear. I am ready to come, but I know he is not. I am not ready for him too. He hangs on until it's too much, until the last possible then we release together.

Renly does not pull out right away. I like him inside me. I tighten my muscles around it and Renly laughs. He kisses the back of my neck as he pulls out. I fall limp beside him. My knees give out. I will not be able to walk for at least an hour. Renly shuts off the water in the shower and we sit down, naked, and sated on the bottom of the shower, my back against Renly's chest.

We are both panting. Renly nibbles on my ear in the way I like. I tilt my head to kiss his neck. He looks into my eyes, blue on brown.

"Satisfied, my flower?"

"Yes. That was amazing."

"Next time, may we use a bed?"

I laugh. It starts again, this time on the floor of the shower. I dig my nails into Renly's back while he's on top of me. The sensation is even more pleasurable than when he was behind me. I release as he does.

When round three comes we are both tired. I already cannot feel my legs. Renly is determined to make this round the best of the three. His goal is to make me not walk for a week. He still tops. He knows what he is doing so I let him dominate me.

Renly does something very unexpected but so pleasurable I scream loudly. I do not care who hears me. I scream again and again. Renly does not try to silence me. I feel him ready to drop his seed inside me, but he keeps going like the Energizing bunny. I come all over the place, not able to hold it any longer. I was going to wait for him, but it's too much. Finally when my body has enough Renly pushes in as far as he can I go I moan, grunt, whimper, and he releases.

"You have a lot of stamina," I say when his body drops on top of mine. Renly laughs and kisses every part of my skin he can see.

"Years of practice," Renly says.

I try to stand, but my legs are weak. Renly carries me to his bed wrapped in a towel. He does not bother covering himself up. I get a good look at him. No wonder Oberyn Martell wants him. He's bigger than Robb, but he's all mine.

Renly's eyes scan me. He is wearing a smile that says he wants to eat me up. He puts a small package on my bare chest. It's in a tiny box and it's wrapped. I wonder what it is. I tear off the wrapping paper. It's a ring box.

Renly takes it and straddles me. Our flaccid bits' touching each other sends a spark through me. Renly holds the box out. I already have his school ring which I wear on a chain because his fingers are slightly wider than mine.

"Will you marry me someday?" Renly asks.

"I'll marry you today," I tell him.

Renly laughs and slides the ring on my finger. I admire it. It's a manly engagement ring. It has tiny little diamonds all around the band. The band is white gold. It's simply beautiful. There is a design cut into it around the diamonds, they look like tiny X's.

"It's beautiful," I tell him.

"So are you," Renly says.

"I think we should get married on my eighteenth birthday."

"I knew you were going to say that, I already booked the chapel."

I shift my position and prop myself up with pillows. Renly's serious. He wants to get married. I stare at him now and I can see that his intentions are true. There is only one problem, my family.

"What about my family?"

"I already asked your dad for your hand. He said yes. Well not at first. He was pretty furious, but I explained that I'm truly, madly, head over heels in love with you and I couldn't dream of spending the rest of my life without you, and he gave me his blessing."

Renly is stroking my cheek now. I kiss his palm. That's so incredible. I have the best boyfriend ever. Scratch that. I have the best fiancé ever. I start to cry. I need to show Margaery, but Renly is not about to let me escape. I put the ring box on his night stand as round four starts.

I actually take a real shower to get Renly's scent off me. I wrap a towel around me and walk a little bowlegged back to my bedroom. Margaery is reading. I sit on the side of my bed wearing a smile like a badge.

"Did it happen?" Margaery asks.

"It did, sweet sister."

Margaery tackles me and tickles me fiercely. I show her my ring. She lays her head on my bare shoulder to admire it with me. I tell her she will be in the wedding.

"I can't believe Daddy actually gave Renly his blessing," says Margaery.

"I can't believe I had sex," I say.

"Don't talk about it like that it'll cheapen the whole experience."

"You're right. Do you want to pick me out something to wear on my lunch date with Robb?"

"Okay."

Margaery finds me some clothes. I am comfortable changing in front of my sister. We used to take baths together. I drop my towel as I slide on clean underwear. Margaery picks out a pair of skinny jeans and a nice top to go with it. She dries and fluffs my curls with a towel and the hair dryer. She dabs bits of glitter on my cheeks.

"There now you're cute as a button," Margaery says.

"Why do I need to look cute for Robb?"

"You should always look cute, brother dear."

Robb is picking me up in an hour. I never realized how long Renly and I were making love. He seems sad to see me go, but when he pulls me in for a kiss he whispers that he will have a surprise waiting for me when I get back.

Robb comes to the door. He brings Torrhen's carrier inside with the diaper bag. I feel a little sad. I thought it was just going to be me and Robb on this lunch date. Of course he had to bring Torrhen, I know that, but I just wanted it to be us. Is that so much to ask on my birthday?

"Renly, I was wondering if you would watch Tor for a few hours?" Robb asks.

"I'd be delighted," says Renly.

"Thanks. Loras, you look nice. Are you ready to go?" Robb asks me.

I leap on Robb and give him the biggest hug. He hugs me back, but a little startled. I am happy he thinks enough of me to let Renly baby-sit while he takes me to lunch. The day is all about me, Robb says. We go to the planetarium before we eat since we missed our opportunity last year.

I let Robb tell me all the constellations even though I know them. He seems excited to do so and I would never take that away from him. We go to our new place for lunch. Robb goes back to the Goliath place to ask if they put in a changing table. They still have not, so he refuses to eat there. He made a petition to get one installed and is collecting signatures. I was the first person to sign. He is only asking men to sign because it's for the men's restroom. So far he has three hundred signatures. He thinks he will need at least a thousand before they listen to him.

We order our usual. Robb asks if he could have a whole chicken instead of half. The waiter seems baffled, but he says he will see what he can do. Robb tells them it's my birthday and they sing to me. He smiles.

"So you and Renly kicked things up a notch," Robb says during the appetizer.

"How do you know?" I ask.

"It's all over your face. How was it?"

"I'm not telling."

"It was that good, huh?"

"Shut up," I say, smiling like an idiot.

"What's that on your finger?" Robb asks.

I show him, and then I read his expression. He knew. He knew Renly was going to ask me and he never said anything. He never hinted at it even.

"You knew?"

"He asked me if I was okay with it, after he asked your dad of course."

"Why would he ask you?"

"Because you mean a lot to me and because if you get married I won't be your best friend anymore he will. He wanted to make sure I was okay with that. It took me a few days to give him an answer."

"You'll still be my best friend, Robb."

"No. He'll be your best friend. I'll just be your friend."

"I love you, Robb," I say.

"I know. You're going to make me say it?"

"It's my birthday you have to say it."

"I love you, Loras. You know I do."

"I just like to torture you. It's more fun that way."

We eat our lunch in silence. I watch Robb eat. He tears into a drumstick. We have been friends for a whole year. This boy, this wonderful, beautiful, selfless boy was my first friend. He was the first boy who held me. This boy is my brother.

I owe Robb everything. There is so much I want to thank him for, but I have no idea where to start or to begin. There are so many unsaid things. I love this boy with all my heart. It's not the same love I feel for Renly, but it is unconditional, and deep.

"Why are you staring at me?" Robb asks.

Way to kill the moment.

"Grey Wind has better table manners than you."

"Are you saying I'm worse than a dog?"

During dessert Robb gives me a gift. It's a scrapbook. He filled its pages with our adventures. There are sections about me and Renly, and me and Robb, and me and Margaery. Every page tells a story. He even wrote little essays to go with them at put them at the beginning of each section.

"Thank you," I say.

I feel like crying. I slide into Robb's booth and hug him. He hugs me back but only briefly. I know people are staring. I go back to my own seat. The work that went into this scrap book shows how much the giver cares. It seems like it took days, or weeks, maybe months. Robb goes above and beyond the standard.

"Why is this page blank?" I ask.

"That's your page. You decide to what goes there," Robb says.

When I get home from an incredible afternoon with Robb, I find the apartment dark. There is a single candle lit on the counter. I walk toward it and suddenly the lights come on. Everyone yells surprise. The apartment has been decorated from top to bottom and everyone I love is here. I notice Robb followed me inside. He was the one who turned on the light.

Renly is holding a cake with seventeen candles on it. Meera Reed is holding Torrhen. All the Starks are here, even my parents, my brothers, Jon, and my grandmother. Everyone I love is in one room. My parents hug me. I cry in my mother's arms. I have not seen her in months. I miss her so much.

"Happy Birthday, my baby," mother says.

"I love you, Mother," I say, wiping the tears from my face.

"You're a man now, Loras," says Willas pulling me into a hug. Garlan hugs me next. He asks me if Renly made a man out of me. I nod. Garlan grabs my chin.

"Oh look at that peach fuzz. Look, Will, a single hair," says Garlan.

"Quick, someone get the tweezers. I should pluck it before more begin to grow."

"Aye, I've seen women with more facial hair than you," Garlan says, he releases my face.

I hug my father next. He seems less than thrilled to be in this apartment, but he is happy to see me. He pats my face and tells me he is proud of me. I show my family the ring Renly gave me. My mother and sister-in-law can barely hold in their excitement. When I announce I set a date for my eighteenth birthday everyone cheers.

Jon is the last member of my family to hug me. He says he is going to start University in September and that he's going to be living at the palace while he attends to stay close to Mother. I am just glad he got in. He has a girlfriend now, he says. He shows me her picture. She has red hair. Jon always did like red hair.

"I know it's your birthday, but I have an announcement too," says Meera. She hands the month old Torrhen to Sansa. She holds out her hand. The shiny engagement ring on her finger, Catelyn Stark looks like she is about to faint.

"When did you ask?" I ask Robb.

"On her birthday," Robb says leaning over to kiss Meera. Meera is a couple of weeks older than me. I am happy for them. Robb moans when he kisses Meera. It causes some stirring in my lower region.

"She's not pregnant is she?" asks Gendry.

"No." Robb and Meera say together.

Robb squats down beside Bran. Bran takes Robb's hand and Meera's and gives them his blessing and congratulations on their engagement. He wishes them the best and asks that his brother take good care of Meera.

"I will, Bran, you have my word."

"Speaking of pregnancies," says Leonette my sister-in-law. Garlan puts his hand on her stomach. Margaery lets out a high pitched squeal.

"I think we're all missing one major factor here," says Grandma. She walks over to Renly. He is still waiting to light the candles on my cake, "Congratulations on taking my grandson's virginity. I knew you had it in you."

I blush from embarrassment. Everyone laughs except my mother. She looks like she is about to throw up.

"You're welcome," says Renly.

She turns to Robb and gives his butt a squeeze.

"I know you're engaged, but if you want a real woman to show you how things are done, call me. For you, I am always available."

So we celebrate. It's the happiest occasion ever. Two engagements, a university acceptance, my sister-in-law is pregnant, and my grandmother gets drunk. I reflect on the party as I snuggle into bed with Renly. I might move in here and let Margaery have my room. We are too old to sleep in the same bed now. I can share a bed with Renly now; it's like not we will do much sleeping.

"Happy Birthday, my flower," Renly says stripping me of my night clothes. I tug at his clothing too. We throw the clothes all over the floor and reacquaint ourselves with each other's bodies. Renly strokes my cheek and stares into my eyes. "Things are going to be different from now on."

"I know. I am ready for anything that comes my way."

"I was talking to Robb earlier and he might be willing to have a threesome with us," Renly says. I sit up and bang my head against Renly'. That's the fastest erection I ever got.

"Are you serious?"

"No. As if I'd let him touch you."

"That was so mean. You better make it up to me."

"I intend to, thoroughly."

Renly kisses me. I melt into his arms. I know things are going to be different from now, but I am ready for anything. Right now, it's still my birthday.

Thanks for reading Prince of Flowers everyone. I hope you have enjoyed it. Please review. I hope that ending didn't suck.