Because there aren't enough fics where Miko gets to play a significant role. And let's face it, she's a pretty kick-ass character.

Yuuri was beginning to think he might have a contrary personality. After so many years of viewing himself as a fairly simple person with fairly simple tastes, this notion came as something of a shock. It didn't take much to content him – the sun on his face, or the leathery feel of a baseball glove covering his hand – but lately, it seemed like he was never quite as happy as he could have been. Like there was something missing, even though everything he had always had was right there, just as it normally was.

Okay, so admittedly 'normal' wasn't a word that could be used to describe his life, what with him constantly being sucked down toilets into a fantasy world and all, but still – that didn't make him extraordinary, it just meant the circumstances surrounding him were a bit odd. He himself, Yuuri thought, was almost painfully ordinary in every way, and it hadn't been until very recently that he had been… not unhappy exactly, more like on edge.

He had only really noticed it when he had found himself restless, unable to settle to anything much if there was nothing to fully distract himself with. When he was at home he wished he was in Shin Makoku, and when he was in Shin Makoku he felt closed in and fidgety. Granted, being Maou was not all that exciting – in fact, the odd adventure aside, being the ruler of a country was usually a decidedly dull job – but he had been doing this for a while now, so it didn't make sense that he had only been uneasy for the past few weeks.

His mood certainly hadn't been helped by the fact that Conrad seemed unusually elusive lately. It wasn't as though the man had been completely avoiding him, but Yuuri was sure he had not been imagining that Conrad had become far more difficult to track down than he used to be. Whenever Conrad spoke to him, it was nearly always in the company of others, and the rare times they were alone together, Conrad was curiously quiet. If Yuuri didn't know any better he would have wondered if he had somehow offended the soldier in some way. As it was, he could only assume Conrad had simply been busy. This conclusion, however logical, failed to settle his nerves any.

And now, having wished to briefly escape the vague awkwardness he had sensed but not been able to put a name to, Yuuri was back on earth again and feeling distinctly out of sorts. It was like being homesick, only that made no sense at all considering he was already at home. For several days he prowled the house like it was some kind of prison, until his mother finally waited until Shoma and Shori were away before whipping up one of her famous curries, serving Yuuri one of the largest portions he had ever clapped eyes on.

"Eat up, Yuu-chan!"

"Mom! I don't need-"

"-Call me Mama, Yuu-chan!" Miko admonished. Her expression was cheerful, but Yuuri recognised the stubborn glint in her eye. He sighed, resigning himself to being overly full for at least the rest of the day and most likely the next.

"Want to talk about it?"

"There's not much to talk about." Yuuri heaped up his spoon, figuring the faster he finished, the quicker he could leave.

"I know my family. Something's bothering you", Miko persisted.

"Nothing's bothering me. It's just…"

"Hmm?"

He supposed it had been obvious enough, and it was near impossible to hide anything from his mother anyway. "Lately things have been kind of weird, that's all. I can't explain it."

"Well, you are at that age, after all. My baby boy is growing up, a mother can always tell. I remember when your brother was like that, always hiding himself away in his room, as if I didn't know he was-"

"-Mom!"

"It's perfectly natural, Yuu-chan."

"That's not what I… anyway, it's not like that!"

Miko nodded sagely. "You're right, you're a bit past that part now, I imagine. I suppose it must be love, then."

Yuuri choked on his mouthful of rice.

"There's no need to be ashamed about it", his mother carried on, blithely ignoring his reaction. "It happens to nearly everyone sooner or later, and of course you're feeling cooped up if you can't be near her. Or him", she added almost as an afterthought.

Still red-faced and spluttering, Yuuri could barely respond. "It's not… I don't… I haven't even-"

"Love can be a hard road", Miko sighed dramatically. "Should I tell him? What words could I possible use? How can I know for sure he feels the same way? So many questions, and none of them with a straight answer."

"Mom, I already told you, that's not it!"

"And I told you Yuu-chan, a mother knows these things."

Yuuri knew from experience it would be impossible to convince her otherwise. She was practically sparkling, and Yuuri wondered, not for the first time, what would happen if she and Cheri-sama ever happened to cross paths. He shuddered. Definitely not a good thought.

"Yuu-chan?"

Head down, Yuuri settled for shovelling the food into his mouth as quickly as possible.

"I could guess, you know", Miko said quietly, all trace of dramatics vanished. "Handsome one, isn't he?"

Yuuri made a noise somewhere between shock and horror, and a small smile curved Miko's lips gently upwards. Her eyes were looking past Yuuri now, seeing something other than what was in the present.

"It's never easy, is it? But boys your age shouldn't dwell on it. What other people will think, or what happens if you make a mess of it – these things shouldn't matter. You're still so young. I suppose I should be worried, but you've always been someone who has acted on your feelings. For you, that's as it should be." Her smile grew, and she absentmindedly tucked an errant strand of hair back behind her ear. "And really, you needn't worry so much about it either. I bet he's secretly waited for you the whole time. For both of your sakes, I hope you don't keep him waiting too much longer."

Yuuri stared, and Miko came back to herself with a start. "Whatever was I saying? Of course, you're not interested in such things, since you've never been in love yourself. Now finish your curry, Yuu-chan."

Silence seemed like the best course of action. Yuuri cleaned his plate in record time and rinsed the dishes while his mother flitted around the kitchen like a woman half her age, humming girlishly to herself. He was preparing to scuttle back upstairs and pretend the conversation had never taken place when Miko spoke again behind him, her voice soft.

"Yuu-chan. No matter what, you should always remember one thing. Home is where the heart is. It doesn't matter whether you're here or there, so long as you're with him."

Yuuri fled before she could say anything more, her words echoing in his head.