InsaneJournal

Tweak says, "PAWPRINT!"

James Holden (donquixote) wrote in chances_rpg,
@ 2025-02-16 20:15:00

Entry tags:

the expanse: james holden, ~!game plot: hallmark movie

THREAD: HOLDEN, DAMIAN, ALLISON

Who. "Princes" James & Damian + Allison
When. February something
Where. "The palace gardens"
What. Hallmark plot is Hallmark plotting
Warnings. lol no

James had been groomed for it from the cradle.

He would rather just get in one of his cars, drive away, and never look back if James was being honest with himself. But he was The Heir and there was no way Damian was any sort of equipped to step into his shoes at this point in their lives. James had been groomed for it from the cradle.

He fired off a text to his younger brother, giving him James' location and in which garden, in case Damian wanted to get away from the noise of a bustling palace that was preparing for the upcoming holiday. Allison knew where to find him. She was supposed to know where to find him, just like his assistant was always supposed to know where to find him. James scrubbed a hand over his face and didn't care that it mussed his appearance even slightly; his father would remark on it regardless even if he had shown up unruffled and spotless.

"At least it's not looking to rain," James said without looking up from his phone, sitting on a wrought-iron bench with an arm slung across the back of it.

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changingreality
2025-02-17 03:38 am UTC (link)

Allison actually felt a little badly for the young prince. It was obvious he didn't particularly want his role as future leader of a kingdom. Even one as small as his. And he definitely didn't want to be all but forced into a marriage.

But she liked to think that's where she could help. At least with her work, she could find him someone he might actually fall in love with. Unlike an arranged marriage, as generations before had seen, she was finding him options, future princesses and queens-to-be who would not only help him rule and create heirs, but be loving and loyal partners.

She had been exploring the palace gardens, keeping to her word about spending more time outdoors, when she found his highness on a bench, looking...well, miserable. It wasn't his fault that he was born into this. But short of abdicating, he really didn't have a choice. Allison offered a wry smile at his comment. "Probably not. But with this weather, it can always sneak up and surprise you."

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donquixote
2025-02-17 03:46 am UTC (link)

A small smile at least appeared, even though it was aimed at his phone, before he looked up. His expression at least softened -- at least as much as it ever did, as stoic as he tended to appear in public -- and he pushed to his feet without even thinking about it. He might have been the royalty but one always stood when a lady appeared.

"You can usually see it about to come off the water once you know what you're looking for," he said with a small shrug and gestured toward the bench to offer the seating choice. "Not that I mind a little rain. It always makes everything smell a little more fresh. Clear."

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changingreality
2025-02-17 05:41 pm UTC (link)

Oh, that felt weird. James wasn't the first noble she'd worked with, but he was the first prince, and yet definitely the first to actually be...respectful? Almost kind? Allison found she didn't hate it. It might make the job a lot easier if that were more commonplace.

Still, she knew her place, and she offered up a small and polite curtsy before taking the seat presented. "I've always wished they could bottle that rain smell. They try, different candles and colognes and all. But it's never quite the same." She grinned, shaking her head. "It does play havoc on the hair, though, even if it is nice to watch."

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donquixote
2025-02-20 03:59 am UTC (link)

The curtsy amused him and his lips only twitched as he tried to keep from smiling at it; she might think he was laughing at her, after all. After she'd taken the offered seat, James sat as well though it was a respectful distance even if they were sharing the same bench.

He let himself lose some of the perfect-posture that had been drilled into him since he was small and leaned so his elbows were resting on his knees. His fingertips lightly pressed together where they hung down and his eyes were on nothing in particular in the distance. "For what it's worth, it probably looks just fine," he said, belatedly. A small smirk appeared and he glanced at Allison, gaze flicking toward the aforementioned hair. But his expression shuttered again. "I'm sorry that you're probably getting a lot of pressure from my father. I try to remind him that it's his fault he didn't simply try to arrange for a political marriage. If he's going to do that, I'd rather it be me than Damian. But you don't just marry off the first in line. Bad optics or something."

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changingreality
2025-02-26 12:24 am UTC (link)

He was hardly the first royal to simply let go and relax, but few were willing to do so around her. It was like they assumed she'd judge them and match based on that demeanor. But then, James didn't seem to much care about who he was matched with, so long as his father was content.

"Your father does care," she began slowly. "He wouldn't have called me in if he didn't care that you were happy. He wants you to find a good match, someone you actually have things in common with and might actually fall in love with." Obviously she knew it was hard. He was in such an awkward position. There was, after all, a clock ticking. Perhaps not the literal kind, but still.

Allison grinned a little, though, at the thought of the younger of the princes being the one to marry. "Your brother would be a bit of a tougher sell. Mostly for the several years until he can legally marry, but also, he's a bit of a handful sometimes, isn't he?" He was adorable. He'd have no problem attracting the right princess - or prince - when the time came. Which was why it was so funny to her that his elder sibling was struggling.

"Do you even want to be married?"

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donquixote
2025-02-27 08:57 pm UTC (link)

James chose to not argue with the woman. Let Allison keep her illusions about the king; it was probably for the best. And, damn, he was good at the poker-face. Or his political face, as James called it.

Still, amusement appeared and it was a fond sort of thing in that half-smile. Damian would be a handful and James hoped that trend would continue. People needed others like that kid around, if only to keep them honest. "He tends to be on the blunt side which isn't how most people act in public. Everyone else always wants to put on the masks and lie and try to climb socially. Damian would rather everyone just be honest about themselves and what they want. Everything else is tiring, or something."

The question caught him off guard though it shouldn't have. Still, his head turned only a little toward Allison and his lips parted to give the instinctive, expected response: of course he did. "No," James said softly, instead, and his head turned the rest of the way to look at her. "But it's expected and I can't risk the notion of marrying when I'm ready or whom I want to marry. Love can't enter the equation as a requirement because I don't have that luxury of time or space." He watched her maybe a moment or two too long before turning his attention back to whatever was in front of him again. "If that someone happens understand that, all the better. Maybe it would be someone I could be friends with and love in a different way. Without this notion of some epic love story that I'll never have." Did he sound bitter? He hoped not. That was unbecoming.

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