Kim Jongdae was seven when he first found out how heavy crowns were.

Park Chanyeol was eight and three quarters. Or at least that was what he told Jongdae when he came to visit.

(Jongdae was fairly confident that he was only eight and half but the gap-toothed smile shining down from the playground was too bright for him to resist).

“JONGDAE HYUNG~” Chanyeol’s holler was high and warm on the autumn air, heating him from the inside out, better than the jumper that Jongdae’s big brother had knitted for him winters past. It was a little high at the wrists and too tight at the waist but it did the job and smelled like his mum when they sat by the fire eating sonpyeon, toasting their toes and warming numb fingers. Whirling around the fresh-winter breeze at Jongdae’s fringe, pushing it up off his forehead and spiking it at odd angles that he knew Jongdeok would voice disapproval before smoothing it down with a gentle pat.

Cheeks red with wind chill Jongdae tucked his scarf up and over his nose, muffling his mouth as he hoped over the snow, legs sinking up to the knees in some spots. “Chanyeollie!!” his giggles were hiccoughed out, voice caught and morphed by the scarf before making it’s way on to the afternoon gusts before making it’s way to Chanyeol’s spot high on the mast of the faux pirate ship. It had been a gift from his father on his fifth birthday but Jongdae was pretty sure that Chanyeol liked playing on it more than he did, not that he minded, it was nice to share things with his best friend. It made him happy.

Chanyeol had hopped down by now, meeting Jongdae at the lowest platform on the play structure, arms wrapping tight around a tall mast and swinging forwards, face inches from Jongdae’s. The same toothy (or lack thereof) smile was still there, lighting up the other prince’s face as Jongdae climbed up on to the boat, making a bit of a meal of it because of his yet to grow legs. “Hyung~ I’m sure you’ll get taller soon,” any venom that tempted at the edges of his response was bitten back as Jongdae turned to see Chanyeol’s eyes, now crescents, beaming down at him.

He huffed out a bothered little sound and crossed his arms, bottom lip sticking out in his self-perfected pout as their gazes met. “Easy for you to say Yeollie, you’re so tall already.” Jongdae didn’t mean for his voice to come out as such a whine but he was rather put out and the fact that his friend (WHO WAS YOUNGER) towered over him was a bit of a kick in the guts. “Who’s gonna wanna marry a prince who’s so short?” The second one slipped out before he could expect it, an insecurity he’d only really told his mum when she’d been tucking him in and giving him the obligatory two kisses on the forehead.

It wasn't Jongdeok who ruffled his hair back down to a semi-neat state this time, it was Chanyeol, lines teasing at the edge of his eyes, making him look older than he really was. "Jongdae-yah, princesses are gross anyway, why do you want to marry one?"

"What about Yura noona?" he shot back, narrowing his eyes up at his friend, arms still crossed.

Chanyeol faltered, tilting his head from side to side, apparently deep in thought before smirking as he replied glibly, "She doesn't count."

While Jongdae was pretty sure she still definitely counted, he’d seen her in a crown and everything, he let his friend think that he won and instead hit him with a playful punch to the side. “I wanna marry one because I gotta! Jongdeok told me while he was helping with my hanja homework last night.” he said, matter-of-fact as he clambered up the next two platforms, hands wrapping tight in the thick rope that webbed across the whole structure, providing proper climbing supports.

Chanyeol seemed puzzled by this, though it may have been the act of Jongdae doing his homework that confused him more than anything else. “Why do you gotta?” he asked, voice carrying high on an afternoon breeze that was bracing enough that Jongdae felt like he really was on a boat, sailing the high seas.

He turned, feet shuffling and hitting the timber bow, leaving Jongdae to wince as he realised these shoes were at least, two sizes too small for him. Oh well, his mother had tried to tell him as he’d sprinted out the door after his nap, he should have listened. “I dunno, somethin’ about being a Prince, you gotta do a lot of stuff that doesn’t make sense Yeollie,” his words were more mumble than anything but the breeze picked it up and carried it just the same as it had when he’d first come out to greet his friend.

“That’s true…” Jongdae turned around again, leaning on the frame as he looked down at his friend.  He still hadn’t followed him up to the platform so there was a good deal of air between them, Chanyeol even had to crane his head to look up at him, hand against his forehead to block out the early winter sun. “Like last night! My dad told me I had to eat my broccoli so I could be big and strong enough to rule the kingdom one day!” That cracked a smile on Jongdae’s face and it stayed there as Chanyeol volleyed one back.

“I don’t think that’s like marrying a princess but thanks Yeollie! His friend looked scandalised that he wouldn’t believe his struggle and pouted before yelling back to him, voice high:

“I PROMISE I’M GONNA FIND YOU A NICE PRINCESS HYUNG!!”

Jongdae smiled, only faltering a little with the tiny thought that: maybe princes were better anyway. They would at least play with him on his pirate ship.

AN//

title from: the tip of the iceberg - owl city (a major inspiration and basically the only thing i listened to as i wrote).

crossposted to my lj and ao3!

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