Fanfiction title: The little moments

Fanfiction summary: One-shot series in which Yuuri gets to hear from people in the castle stories about the former Maou's three sons and the moments they remember the most from their early years.

Chapter title: Thunderstorms

Featured brothers: Conrad and Gwendal

Story teller: Günter

Chapter number: 1/11

Authoress: BlackArcticFox

Authoress' note: I finished this series almost a couple of months ago and I got really into it, I came and looked for fics right away and found some interesting ones, I will be filling my profile with my favorite stories soon but I also thought I could give it a try to write one of my own.

I always found the relationship between the not-look-alike brothers interesting mainly because it was not as showed in the anime series as I would have liked but it is precisely because of that I felt free to think up some very corny moments happening in their early years before Wolfram found out the truth about Conrad being a half-breed (and a couple even after that happening). There will be 10 chapters and the epilogue which yes I believe will be just as corny if you will but I hope I can add some comedy here and there in some of the future chapters.

Now surely my math here is way off considering the scenes in the series but I will stick to this method throughout my story and if I decide to write more fics I will also keep this method. I hope you enjoy reading this series of one-shots I prepared. Oh and sorry for any mistakes this may have, English is not my first language.

I hope to update often if time and stuff allows it. I really want to finish this soon since I have more or less planned what will happen in the rest of the chapters and I just need to type them… sometimes easier said than done.

…..

Chapter 1: Thunderstorms

"Heika?"

Yuuri was looking out the window, the garden was empty at the moment except for five people who went by the names of Greta, Wolfram, Conrad, Yozak and Gwendal. Wolfram and Greta were sitting under a tree side by side, the blond was reading a book aloud to the human girl; at the other side of the garden Conrad was leaning against a stone pillar and Yozak was sitting on the railing keeping up a seemingly amusing conversation; Gwendal for his part was sitting at the table Yuuri had used to eat outside so many times since he got to Shin Makoku drinking tea and going through some papers.

"Heika!"

It was a very beautiful day, even Gwendal who rarely left his office was outside with his work. However in the picture there was something that seemed off now that Yuuri thought about it: The three brothers were in the same place but they were not with each other as if each was in their own little world. The Maou frowned; he knew the three not-look-alike brothers cared for each other deeply but they simply wouldn't let it show unless one of them was in danger. He couldn't recall a time apart from the three daily meals in which they shared their time without duty being the reason for that. Yuuri himself still shared, albeit sometimes hesitantly, time with his brother to play some board games or watch TV or go out somewhere but these three… They just didn't seem that close to each other, not enough to simply share spare time with each other at least.

"Yuuri-Heika!"

Yuuri thought a bit more on it and remembered they apparently were closer before Wolfram found out the truth about Conrad's race, when the blond prince wasn't as bratty. Nowadays, with their military training and their nobility surroundings they looked a little too cold to show care for one another. Just how close were they in their childhood?

"HEIKA!"

"Whaaaaa!" Yuuri jumped from his seat and looked right in front of him where a distressed Günter was looking intently at him, the double-black put a hand to his heart trying to calm it down "Günter! You don't have to scare me like that you know?"

"My apologies, your Majesty." The lilac-haired demon apologized looking relieved now that the young king was acknowledging him again "You seemed so distracted I had to regain your attention somehow."

"Oh… Sorry Günter, I was just…" Yuuri trailed off looking out the window again, Greta had moved up to go sit next to Gwendal, Wolfram was on his way to the table with the book still in hand while the two Ruttenberg survivors stayed in place still chatting animatedly not even bothering to look at the other people, he thought Conrad might have liked to join his brothers but apparently that was not the case.

"Is something wrong, your Majesty?" Günter asked looking out the window as well not understanding why the young king was so deep in thought with what was currently happening outside, it was just an ordinary day except maybe for the fact Gwendal was outside and not in his office as usual.

"How were they like when they were little?" Yuuri asked suddenly confusing Günter for a brief moment, the Demon turned to look at the younger man raising an eyebrow elegantly asking him silently to elaborate. Yuuri decided to point out only the one person who seemed distant at that moment "Conrad with his brothers, I mean, he spends a lot of time with Wolfram since I came here and all but Gwendal… I don't recall ever seeing them together just enjoying each other's company without duty or important decisions in the middle and… Well with Wolfram it's more out of duty as well but…Erm, what I'm trying to say is, how was Gwendal and Conrad's relationship when they were younger, were they as distant as they are now? Or well that's the impression I get at least."

"Oh I see now." Günter smiled kindly at the double-black after he was done with his ramble before returning his gaze out the window "Well Gwendal, as you know, has been quite a loner since he was little but he does have a soft spot for each of his brothers. Gwendal never hated humans like Wolfram but he had a noticeable dislike for Conrart's father, that never stopped him from loving his little brother very much though. They had some tender moments in their childhood; actually it was thanks to Gwendal that Conrart stopped fearing thunderstorms."

"Conrad was afraid of thunderstorms? Really?" Yuuri asked quite surprised; his godfather was not a person he had imagined fearing anything other than losing someone dear to him, but actually imagining him being afraid of something as simple as thunderstorms was quite shocking to him. His adviser nodded with a soft smile on his face.

"Yes, he was very afraid of them when he was very young. Usually if a thunderstorm hit the castle at night he used to go sleep with his mom and dad, whichever was in the castle at the moment. There was one time though, when Conrart was just eleven Mazoku years old and Gwendal forty, which would be around three and eight Earth years old respectively if I'm doing my math right, that Conrart's father went out on a mission to a human land while Celli-sama had some duties as Maou in the Kabelnikoff lands …"

Flashback

"But mother, why can't you take me with you?" A very young version of Conrart asked the current Maou with watery eyes, a small hand clutching her dress trying to prevent her from going. The green-eyed woman looked down at her youngest son with a sad smile, she knew it was thunderstorm season and that the boy was very afraid of them but her brother had been very clear that she should not be taking any of her children with her this time. No matter how many times she begged he allowed her to take at least Conrart in the trip he never agreed.

"I am very sorry Conrart but my brother believes it would be better if you stayed here." Cecile answered kneeling before the brunette and running a hand softly through his hair trying to make him calm down "You won't be alone Conrart; Gwendal and Günter will take good care of you and so will the guards and maids, if you need anything you can go to any of them and they will find a way to help you."

"Her Majesty is right Conrart, you can count on us." A young Günter neared the younger boy, at his sixty-five Mazoku years he had the body of a human with thirteen years of living, he was smiling kindly trying to look reassuring to the half-breed "Your mother and Anissina will only be gone for a few days and then they will come back before you even realize it."

Günter heard Gwendal grumping behind him at the mention of the young inventor coming back soon, he still hadn't fully recovered from her latest failure but he always told the prince it could have been worse. And true it could have, that machine literally exploded while he was still inside it, so the fact that the only remaining mark was a scar in his arm, which would disappear next time the castle's healer casted his magic on Gwendal was a relief for everyone around.

"Be a good prince and follow everything Günter and Gwendal say, all right? I will bring you a present from those lands." The 26th Maou promised kissing her son on his forehead before turning to the blue-eyed boy and beckoning him to come closer to her. Once within her reach she embraced her first child and whispered in his ear "Make sure he feels safe if a storm comes."

"I promise I will, mother." Gwendal assured returning the embrace, he knew though he could very well be lying to her. The door of the room they were currently in opened revealing Raven along with Cecile's brother, Stoffel.

"Sister, we need to go now or we won't make it to the Kabelnikoff lands before dusk." The blond woman let go of her son and turned to her brother looking solemn, she really was not made for the job having so many responsibilities but her older brother wouldn't give her a rest and she couldn't go against Shinou's wishes and quit the position.

"I'm coming." She walked up to the door, stopping before Raven could close the door completely behind her "Take care."

The three boys were left behind in silence, Conrart's eyes weren't threatening to let tears fall anymore but he did look depressed. Günter put a hand on his shoulder and continued smiling at him making sure the brunette wouldn't feel so alone.

"Say, how would you like for me to bake you some cookies?" Conrart stared at the violet-eyed Demon for a few seconds before letting a small smile show and nodded gratefully. Günter took Conrart by the hand ready to guide him to the kitchen. He would have never imagined at that moment that years later they would treat each other as complete strangers and just keeping a teacher-student relationship for a long while.

"If you start pampering him, he will become a spoiled child." Gwendal said catching up with the older demon in the hallway making sure Conrart couldn't hear them. The addressed male sighed and looked at him still smiling slightly.

"Take it easy on him, he is only eleven and you cannot force him to be as strong as you at this age." Günter said truthfully "Besides, you know he's afraid of thunder and lightning and we probably will be getting a storm tonight, I hope to have him asleep before it starts."

"You're acting like a big sister." Gwendal said with a shake of his head, Günter let the obviously-meant-to-be-insult slide. When they reached the end of the hallway, the oldest prince shot a look at his brother, which had come out stricter than he expected, and then walked in the direction opposite to the kitchen. Conrart's hold on Günter's hand tightened at the look.

"Why is Big Brother angry at me?" The eldest of the two looked shocked at the prince, but his shock turned into understanding the moment he remembered how cold Gwendal's eyes always looked.

"He is not angry at your Conrart, he is just feeling a little tense because of his studies that is all." Günter assured calmly continuing the way to the kitchen "He could never be really angry at you, he loves you very much."

"But I have seen the way he treats my father when we are all together, he will treat me the same way when I'm older." Günter frowned, Conrart might be still very young but it was obvious he was pretty smart and observant for someone his age. But he also was too pessimistic already and that was not healthy for someone his age; his only worry should be to find someone to play with throughout the day and not anything about the relationship between his brother and his father.

"He will not, I assure you will never receive the same treatment your father receives from your brother." Günter kneeled in front of Conrart much like the queen had done moments before "Your father is a stranger to Gwendal but you are part of his family and he will never treat you coldly or leave you behind, you have to trust him and show him you confide in him so he can start trusting you for who you really are."

"But how can I do that?" Conrart's eyes now had a small hope in them which made the Mazoku smile once again.

"You will find a way sooner or later, on your own and just the way you feel is right for you." The young half-breed seemed to think about the words he had just heard for a moment before finally smiling brightly accepting the idea of wanting to prove it.

"I will find a way I am sure!" He said enthusiastically raising his left fist into the air smiling decided and Günter couldn't help but chuckle at how the action looked like in the little Conrart, it was just too cute.

"Now then, how about we go bake those cookies I promised?" With a new-found high spirit Conrart took the other boy by the hand and ran towards the kitchen, the 'dragged' –because really the kid had not much strength yet- Mazoku smiled satisfied that he had gotten the prince to cheer up but he would have liked it if he hadn't done that alone.

Günter sighed as he watched the youngest son of their current Maou fast asleep in his bed, Conrart's room was next to his parents' one because he was still too young to get one some other place in the castle but he would have to get a bigger one when he grew up. He had spent the whole day alone with Conrart, Gwendal never joined them for anything at all other than lunch and dinner. He had noticed Conrart tried to start a conversation with Gwendal on his own many times, but every time the hazel-eyed child decided against it in the end not knowing what to say. Günter himself had tried to start a three-way conversation but, much to his annoyance, Gwendal only answered with monosyllables and left the table without as much as a "Thank you for the food" to the maids. He was glad Conrart's spirit hadn't been completely broken by that, the young one still thought he could have some chance with his brother.

It was still early in the night but he was glad Conrart had gotten tired enough to sleep this early, he was just hoping the storm that was sure to come wouldn't wake the prince or who knows what would happen now that his parents were both away. Günter got up from the chair he was sitting at and walked out the door towards his own room, he was tired himself and would welcome sleep rather easily.

Günter awoke with a start as the thunder outside shook the huge windows of his bedroom and scrambled out of bed running down the halls trying to reach Conrart's bedroom not minding the guards that asked him if something was wrong; if the storm was strong enough to wake him then it definitely had woken the youngest kid as well and he was sure the poor child must be terribly scared. As he turned another hallway nearing his destination he stopped dead in his tracks, the couple of guards that had followed him almost crashed into him at the sudden stop.

Günter ignored their questions again as he stared ahead of him: There was a little person standing outside Gwendal's room, a pillow clutched to their chest with one hand while the other rested on the door handle. It was undeniable Conrart and he was standing outside Gwendal's room looking scared and insecure due to the storm but his head was raised with determination to do what he had planned when he came here. Günter quickly told the guards to get back to their positions before turning back to the prince so he could see how this would turn out.

When lightning lit up the sky and another thunder sounded Conrart opened the door quickly with a yelp, he tried to shut it back closed as he entered but the door stayed ajar without notice, the pale demon took this chance to walk up to the door and peek in trying to not be seen. Gwendal had been, apparently, awake since there was light coming from the inside and he soon found out there was a lit candle on the first son's bedside. Günter saw Conrart standing in front of a surprised-looking Gwendal who was sitting on the edge of his bed.

"What are you doing here Conrart?" Gwendal asked curiously looking at the small boy before him, Conrart was looking at his feet as if they were the most interesting thing in the world. Gwendal waited patiently for a few seconds until Conrart took a visibly deep breath and looked up at him with pleading eyes.

"Can… Can I stay in your room tonight, Big Brother?" Gwendal's eyebrows rose at the question, seemingly shocked by it.

"Why are you asking me that?" The eldest brother asked still surprised by the younger's question "Why don't you ask Günter to let you sleep with him, in fact, wasn't he with you in your room?"

Günter felt guilty then for leaving the prince's side that night, he probably should have stayed there but he had no way of knowing the storm would be that strong. But then again, he was very curious at the tone he heard Gwendal using for his latter question, was that a ting of jealousy he heard?

"He wasn't with me when I woke up and…" There was a pause which made both pure Mazoku raise their brow curious as to what he had to say, Conrart sighed before continuing "And I would feel more secure with you, brother. I feel always more secure when you are with me."

As if to prove his point another lightning flashed through the window and the thunder shook the windows of the room making Conrart jump forward letting his pillow fall on the floor in order of hugging Gwendal's legs which were hanging from the side of the bed. The Voltaire heir seemed shocked after the revelation but he looked even more so stunned by his little brother's actions. Gwendal stared at his frightened brother for a few seconds before slowly resting his hand on top of the brunette's head and moving it soothingly trying to calm the ragged breaths of his half-sibling who was trying not to cry in front of the blue-eyed demon in order of looking braver than he was feeling. After a few strokes the Maou's firstborn moved his hands to Conrart's armpits and raised him so now Conrart had his small arms around the elder's neck, the first son then proceeded to pick the discarded pillow off the floor and then moved to lay the half-breed in his bed.

Günter saw marveled as Gwendal laid the pillow next to Conrart so he would have something to stop him in case he tried to move towards the end of the bed in his sleep and then took his place next to the small Weller under the covers before blowing out the candle and hugging the kid next to him.

The lilac-haired observer smiled to himself and closed the door to allow the princes to have their privacy to sleep. He got up and walked back to his room knowing fully well he wouldn't be needed in the next three days Queen Cecile would be away.

Ends Flashback

"During the next few nights Conrart slept in Gwendal's room, during the day Gwendal tried to explain Conrart what exactly was a storm and why he should not be scared of the loud noises it provoked or the sudden flashes lightning caused. It took almost two weeks but Conrart lost his fear of thunderstorms completely and he didn't have to go into his brother's room for that anymore." Günter finished his explanation looking at his King, he was looking back at him with an awed expression which made the advisor quite amused and thought the double-black with that look was cuter than ever before.

"Wow, I mean… That story is so amazing and touching, but funny to hear Gwendal could have been jealous of you for treating Conrad so well at some point." Yuuri said amazed and amused at the same time but also quite touched none-the-less.

"Gwendal has a weird way to show he cares sometimes, but he never let his hatred for Conrart's father affect his relationship with his little brother." Günter commented happily before chuckling lightly "Besides, Conrart was such a cute kid and you know how fond Gwendal is of cute things. I think he can still see little Conrart in his memories and take off that warrior image that Conrart as created of himself from time to time and just remember what it used to be like before Wolfram started denying his bond with his half-human brother and before he left for that awful war twenty years ago."

"But I hardly see them together just for the sake of it, I would like it if they acted more like brothers and not soldiers you know?" Yuuri replied tiredly, he really would like to see the two elder brothers lay back for a bit and just chat because they feel like it and maybe then Wolfram would take their example and follow their lead; they were his role-models after all.

"They are soldiers by heart, that cannot be helped." Günter said looking out the window and smiling softly before speaking again "Although, there are still moments."

Yuuri raised an eyebrow before turning his head back outside, he smiled as well feeling glad of looking at that scene. Wolfram and Greta were now by the flowers making flower crowns and true that was a cute scene, but what really made him feel better was that Yozak was no-where in sight and now Conrad was sitting with Gwendal at the table drinking a cup of tea each; Gwendal's paperwork forgotten as he talked about something with his brown-haired younger half-brother. Yuuri wasn't sure what they were talking about but both wore calm expression which made him know whatever the theme was it was pleasant for both parts.

"There are still moments, however rare they are." Günter sighed and got up from the chair he had sat on at some point during his story. His voice went back to his loud overly-passionate one "All right Heika, back to our lessons!"

"Aw Günter, can't we just stop now?" Yuuri complained, his attention fully back to his teacher who shook his head quickly making his lilac locks flow with his movements.

"We are studying until the agreed hour, plus thirty more minutes."

"What?" Yuuri yelled raising from his chair, his features in a shocked and displeased expression "But whyyyyyyyyy?"

"No whining your Majesty, we lost thirty minutes with your little distraction so now we shall spend thirty more wonderful minutes alone together in this room." Günter's voice now was dreamy and the king knew he had lost his serious advisor to the overly-dramatic hyper one who would jump to hug him at any moment he felt the necessity. It was not the most pleasant Günter to be with. Yuuri's head fell onto the desk quite ungracefully as the wind-wielder started all over again from the point he thought the Maou had lost interest in.

"Ugh, this is going to be a long day."

TBC~