foxysquidalso | Story: Ace Attorney, "Assets" [Diego/Mia]

Sorry to spam with these bingo stories--I don't know why it turned into Diego Bingo, but maybe I'll write something different soon.

Title: Assets
Fandom: Ace Attorney
Word count: 820
Pairing(s): Diego/Mia
Spoilers: there aren't any, I don't think?
Rating: All audiences.
Warnings: A bit of sauciness and innuendo, which doesn't really count, but I thought I'd mention it.
Summary: There are some wonderful things to see at the office, if you know where to look.
Notes: Set pre-games. For the prompt "cute bum".

Assets.

Mia looked up from the copier and narrowed her eyes. "Mr. Armando," she said.

Diego Armando turned towards her with a practiced, casual air, as if he hadn't been looking at her an instant before. He raised his cup of coffee and breathed the steam in deeply before he answered her. "Yes, Ms. Fey?"

"Can I help you with something?" she asked.

"No, I was just waiting."

"For what?"

He smiled at her sunnily, but she wasn't fooled. He was obviously buying time as he thought of an excuse for his presence. "For the old man to get back. He wanted my thoughts on a case he's working on."

"So you're waiting for him out here?"

"That's right. I like the view."

"Do you?"

"Out the window," he clarified, with a sweeping gesture towards the office's broad picture window. "I enjoy seeing the sights. The sweet delights of nature's inestimable beauty."

She rolled her eyes.

He went on, without being asked. "There's not a single curve or line in nature that man can accurately reproduce. That perfect simplicity can't be equaled."

"Really? Then I take it you're not an art fan?" She probably shouldn't have bothered to remain there talking to him. She should have gone back to her desk instead, but she didn't want to give him the satisfaction of turning her back to him.

"No, I'm a great lover of art. I admire man's artificial imperfection as much as nature's wild perfection. But look." He held out his coffee cup. Faint, curling lines of white mist rose from the dark surface. "Man could never make something so simply beautiful."

"You did make the coffee," she pointed out.

"But not the steam. It takes both heat and moisture to produce steam, and we have nature to thank for that." He smiled again, more broadly than before.

"Yes, I'm aware of that elementary scientific fact," Mia informed him, unamused. Why did he have to be so annoying? It seemed as if he was in her way every time she turned around, which was probably exactly what he was trying to accomplish. "Thank you for the lesson, Professor Armando."

He laughed, his eyes lighting. "Professor. I like the sound of that. Maybe I'll have to teach someday."

"You do seem to like holding forth."

"That I do," he agreed. "I'll try my best to bore and terrorize my students, since that's what law school is all about."

"I'm sure you'll do a wonderful job of torturing them," she said cheerfully.

He didn't bother waiting for the opportunity to make a decent segue. "If you enjoy my torturous speeches so much, then how would you like to go out for dinner with me?"

She had expected something like this, undeceived by his series of little feints. She retained her composure. "No, thank you, Mr. Armando."

"Are you sure?"

"I make it a rule not to date anyone at work."

"Oh, is that your rule? That's a shame," he said, but he didn't sound bothered, accepting her words without complaint. "What if we go out as friends, then? For a few friendly drinks? Or maybe for coffee...?"

At the mention of coffee, Mia glanced down at the cup in his hand. She watched the steam rise from it, slow and easy. There was something beautiful about it. It was difficult to resist, the constant, gentle motion of the pale swirls above that dark liquid. It seemed to be too hot even for him, as she hadn't seen him take a sip of it yet. He had probably poured it right before coming to see her. He must still have been waiting for it to cool down.

"I don't know," she said.

"I'll accept your judgment." He raised his cup in her direction, as if toasting her. "But think about it." With that, he turned to go, proving that his excuse for being there had been nothing more than that, but she couldn't be too angry at him.

Mia's gaze slid down his long back and over the bottom of his vest. She swallowed. She was sure Diego was completely aware of what he was doing, wearing that short, tailored vest with no jacket. "Mr. Armando," she blurted, before she was even aware of what she was doing.

He hesitated. It was quite a lengthy hesitation, deliberately held for a few heartbeats' worth of time before he moved to face her again. "Yes, Ms. Fey?"

"Coffee will be fine. After work. If you'd like."

He nodded, and the innocence of the smile that graced his handsome face then made her want to smack him in it, if in the nicest possible way. She half-suspected that he would have liked her to do that. "I look forward to it," he said, toasting her again. Then, as if conscious of her admiration, which he probably was, he took an exceptionally long time to walk to his office door.