#renloras

Renly baratheon and Loras tyrell comm for Kasterus on Twitter/X

Renly's peach scene is one of the most important pieces of characterization in Book II, defining two core members of the central conflict, their relationship as brothers and rival contenders to the throne. Both Stannis and Renly meet under parley to try to negotiate peace—and both step onto the field without any intentions of getting their minds changed. The meeting serves little purpose, leads no one to nowhere, and further ignites tensions between them (much to Lady Catelyn's dismay, the POV we see the scene take place under). The peach plays an important role in it. 

Things go asunder when Renly slides his hand inside his cloak—which Stannis interprets as a threat and soon reaches for his sword—only for his younger brother to take out a fruit instead of a weapon, and offer it to him. The conversation derails from there, and they discuss Storm's End's inheritance, Renly's homosexuality, and older fields, leading to the ultimate decision of Stannis to kill Renly when he cannot stand to be mocked further.

G. R. R. M. has talked about it before, when referring to Game of Thrones’ second season, which includes the parley scene between the brothers but not the peach.

And the reason the peach is important it's because it perfectly encapsules Stannis’ character as someone stubborn and easy to take offense, and Stannis’ motives to fight a war he never really seems to be winning. Renly offers the peach to his brother after acknowledging Stannis has the better claim… while simultaneously pointing out he has stronger alliances than him. Renly highlights something Stannis is already seen hurt by in the Prologue, during his talk with Maester Cressen. 

If the peach is pleasure, if the peach is stopping to “smell the roses”, if it's hedonistic in nature, it embodies all Stannis has never been allowed (either by others or, in most cases, by himself). Peaches did not make him survive the siege during Robert's Rebellion; onions and fish did, salty and strong flavoured and pungent. And that's what it's also about: Davos and Loras, the onion and the flower. It's not coincidental that Renly offers the peach and soon mentions it comes from Highgarden (both reminding Stannis of how stronger his allies are, and how Renly still manages to be loved and adored by thousands without denying himself the pleasures of life—in this case, Loras).

Davos and Stannis’ relationship throughout the books features one of the strongest cases of queer subtext in the series. It is a commentary on vassalage costumes and true loyalty, but it also tells a story of love and tenderness between men, thought veiled and repressed as most queer relationships in the series are shown to be.

Stannis also directly references Renly's “tendencies” when emasculated further by his brother—in this case, Margaery's beauty in relation to Selyse's homeliness. The revelation that Stannis knows Renly is gay, and yet refuses to weaponise that against him on a larger scale, is also important, seen as he has no problem mentioning Cersei and Jaime's incest to the masses—though admittedly Renly's homosexuality could also harm Stannis himself since they both wear the same Baratheon name. 

Going back to George's quote, he mentions how “Renly wants him to taste the fruit, but it's lost”, as in, Renly has already taken a bite out of it, and Stannis would deny him either way. 

devoted

ref:

I will need to move carefully with that one. The city was full of his men, and he’d even managed to plant one of his sons in the Kingsguard, and meant to plant his daughter in Tommen’s bed. It still made her furious to think that Father had agreed to betroth Tommen to Margaery Tyrell. The girl is twice his age and twice widowed. Mace Tyrell claimed his daughter was still virgin, but Cersei had her doubts. Joffrey had been murdered before he could bed the girl, but she had been wed to Renly first . . . A man may prefer the taste of hippocras, yet if you set a tankard of ale before him, he will quaff it quick enough. She must command Lord Varys to find out what he could.

Did you catch that?

A man may prefer the taste of hippocras, yet if you set a tankard of ale before him, he will quaff it quick enough.

What is hippocras? Spiced wine, usually only drunk by aristocrats and others rich enough.

Ale, on the other hand is a common drink drunk by everyone, from the common farmhand to the high lord, something cheap for when you don’t have the good stuff.