Disclaimer: if I owned the Ace Attorney series, Diego would have never been poisoned. Never. And he'd have a dozen kittens with Mia. But... I don't own the series. Can't you tell?

#1 - KITTEN

"Told you you should have brought a thicker coat."

Mia Fey only received a murderous glare from the man who was walking next to her, whose teeth were clattering slightly although he was trying to appear as if the snow wasn't bothering him at all. She had warned him about Kurain's freezing weather, but as per usual, the all mighty Diego Armando had brushed her warnings aside, and had only downed his light red coat.

Oh, well, I warned him after all. Although, I kind of pity him right now, it's a long walk before we reach Fey manor, Mia thought, glancing every now and then at her closest friend whose long legs had trouble carrying him through the snow. Diego was pissed, Mia could tell, but he wouldn't breathe a word.

"Remind me again," he finally spoke up after a while, once he was able to utter words without risking having his tongue severed by his clattering teeth. "Why am I here?"

The younger lawyer sighed. "If you didn't want to come, you could have said no, you know."

Diego flashed her his usual smirk, though his lips were quivering a little because of the cold. "I'm just messing with you, kitten," he chuckled. "I would have come even if the trip involved twice as much snow and no coffee until dinnertime."

"Geez, thanks, now I feel flattered," Mia snorted.

"Though I could really use an espresso right now."

Mia slapped her companion's shoulder good-heartedly in mock anger. Though, she had to admit, she was thoroughly impressed; what with the car trip and the snow, Diego had somehow managed to keep off the black beverage for seven hours. Mia was sure that had to be some kind of record for the dark-haired attorney.

If Mia was completely honest with herself, she was surprised Diego had so readily accepted to accompany her. Everything began two weeks earlier, when Mia had gotten a phone call from her younger sister, Maya, who lived and trained in Kurain. Maya would soon turn twelve, and Mia almost slapped herself for not remembering.

Well, it's not like I didn't have much on my plate either. A month ago, I officially became a lawyer, and my first case... my first client, Fawles... well he... Mia shook her head, glancing at Diego's hand without even being aware of what she was doing. She had never thought he could crush a mug just out of anger, in the middle of the courtroom on top of that. She clearly remembered the blood running down his hand and seeping through his clothes as he shoved the wounded appendage in his pocket without giving it a thought, and his grin as he told her she shouldn't be crying. She practically had to beg him to have his hand looked at, but in the end ("Please stop mewling, kitten, you're giving me a headache.") he had caved in and gone to a doctor. He got a few stitches, which had been removed a few days after Maya's phone call. All that was left of Diego's outburst was a still red scar in the middle of his palm.

Mia couldn't remember how much time she had spent holed up at home blaming herself for Fawles' suicide. Before she drove herself sick over it, though, Diego had run to her help. He took her out for long walks, dinner, movies, anything that could distract her from her first case. Fortunately, Grossberg didn't have any case for them at the moment, so they were allowed free time. When he noticed that Mia had trouble staying home by herself, Diego had suggested she slept over at his place. At first, Mia was worried that he was just trying to put a move on her, but his offer had come with nothing but a genuine look of concern on his tanned features, so she had said yes.

Those few nights spent at Diego's flat had done nothing to quell the butterflies she got in her stomach every time the older attorney was near. Ever the gentleman, Diego had given her his bed and taken the couch, ignoring her furious protests under the reasoning that "kittens like you need the best basket they can find." Too tired to argue, she had eventually collapsed within the soft sheets. The pillows smelt of coffee, of course, and another scent which seemed to define Diego. Needless to say, Mia slept peacefully that night, and the others after that one too.

And then, Maya phoned. She wanted Mia to come over to Kurain for her birthday, since she hadn't seen her in nearly six months. Mia was worried that back in Kurain, the elders still were mad at her for leaving and becoming a lawyer, but she was so sorry she had neglected her little sister that she promised she would come and spend a few days in Kurain to make up for lost time. Maya was overjoyed.

"Who was that?" Diego had asked, sitting on the couch next to her as she turned her cellphone off. He had, unsurprisingly, a steaming mug in hand.

"My younger sister," Mia had answered. "She's turning twelve in two weeks and I'm going to visit her." And then, out of nowhere, out of the blue, and without even her inner consent: "You want to come along?"

She had expected him to laugh, or at least to look puzzled, but Diego had only shrugged, taken a cautious sip of coffee and answered. "I would never let a cute kitten like you alone on the streets."

And here they were. Trudging through knee-high snow, luggage in hand, after parking Diego's red car in a spot where they wasn't too much of the white stuff. In addition to a backpack of clothes, the brown-haired attorney was carrying a box pierced with a few holes under his arm. Mia had asked about it, but the only answer she got was: "Ha...! Curiosity killed the kitten."

Mia was shivering in spite of her thick green coat, and as the wind picked up, she began to really pity her friend. She eyed his black backpack. "Didn't you pack a thermo in there?" she asked as she poked the black fabric.

Diego nodded. "That assumption would be correct," he said.

Mia rolled her eyes. "Then take it out and drink some hot coffee, it'll do you good." I can't believe I'm actually saying this. Most of the time I tell him to lay off the stuff.

"No, I'm fine."

Mia nearly tripped. Diego Armando, refusing coffee? The world was doomed. "What... don't be ridiculous! You don't have to act like everything is okay just to look tough." After his lack of answer, Mia angrily muttered something about "foolish man pride" and zipped his backpack open, grabbing the thermo and Diego's favorite mug which had been packed as well, despite the older man's protests.

When she opened up the thermo and poured some of its content in the mug, however, Mia noticed there was something wrong with the coffee. It wasn't black, as Diego liked it, but kind of beige. "What the... is that café au lait?" she asked.

"Ha...! I guess it is," her friend said.

"But you hate milk! Don't you?"

"Well, it really is quite simple," Armando began; and no, Mia decided, he was definitely not fidgeting. "I only have one thermo at home, and I know you hate straight black coffee. I thought about tea, but then again, I didn't have any teabag, so... Café au lait was my best guess, if you got cold and needed something to drink."

The young woman blinked; he had willingly avoided bringing coffee so he could have something hot she liked to drink. How was a girl supposed to brush such an act aside? "I... Thank you, Diego," she mumbled as she put the thermo back into place, nursing the mug, and hoping she wasn't blushing.

He grinned. "No need to thank me, I know how much kittens like milk."

"Will you ever stop with that kitten thing? Would you like me to refer to you as a "pup" whenever we talk?" Mia said, amused.

Diego made a show of looking bewildered. "You don't want that, kitten. Dogs eat cats, after all, and even though I admit your flesh may have a sweeter taste than the best coffee in the world, I wouldn't want to devour you. Unless you insist." He flashed her a smirk over his shoulder and resumed trekking through the snow.

This time, Mia's cheeks were set on fire. That's not what I... I mean... I never... Damn that man and his silver tongue!

"Sis! You're really here! Haha!"

It didn't come as a surprise when, as both lawyers reached Fey manor, a small figure sprang from the shelter of the hall and sprinted toward them. Maya Fey, now twelve year-old, dashed through the snow and jumped to give her older sister a fierce hug. She wasn't very tall, reaching a little past Mia's chest, and her long dark hair was pulled up in a neat bun. With every step she took, her purple and white robes swayed and the green magatama around her neck bounced around.

"I was beginning to think you'd never come!" Maya chirped, a huge smile on her face.

"Well, I'm here, aren't I?" Mia laughed, hugging her sister back. "Happy birthday, Maya!"

When both girls pulled away from each other and turned to Diego, he took it as his cue to introduce himself and extended his free hand. "Hello, happy birthday young girl. I'm Diego Armando, I'm-"

"You're sis' biggest friend, and she works with you too!" Ignoring Diego's hand, Maya sauntered up to him and wrapped her arms around his neck, effectively hugging him. "I'm glad I finally get to meet you, she told me soooo much about you!"

"She did?" The coffee-loving attorney glanced at Mia, who was seemingly finding the frozen floor to be of utmost interest. He chuckled.

"Maya?"

The small voice had come from within the manor. Maya quickly released Diego and turned around, a horrified look on her face. "Oh no! I forgot!" Mia's sister ran back to the manor, quickly followed by both adults, who feared something had happened.

But Maya just knelt and held out her hand. "Come on, Mia is here! You remember Mia, my big sister? She visited us a few months ago. Come on, don't be shy!"

Quizzically, Diego extended his head; there, hiding behind the decorated screen, a little girl was shuffling with her feet, unsure about what to do. She eventually moved to take Maya's extended hand and came into full sight, which allowed the lawyers to see that she was wearing a miniature version of Maya's clothing. There were two pearls in her hair, framing the sides of her face, and the magatama around her neck seemed too big for her.

Mia gasped. "Is that...?"

"Yes," Maya beamed, "this is Pearl Fey, our little cousin! She turned three some time ago."

"She grew so much." Mia deposited her luggage – which consisted of a small-sized suitcase – near the entrance and knelt, holding her arms open. "Hello, Pearly, do I get a welcome hug?"

Pearl hesitated, but when Maya nudged her gently, she knew she had nothing to fear and ran to Mia, wrapping her small arms around her older cousin's neck. Mia laughed and stood up, holding the little girl close, causing Pearl to grin widely as she was picked up.

Maya came to stand next to Diego, supporting a big smile. "Isn't she just the most beautiful girl you ever met?"

Diego smiled softly, indulging in the sight of his close friend and her little cousin. "Yes, no doubt about that." But he wasn't sure he was talking about Pearl.

Mia must have noticed he was standing there smiling like an idiot, for she walked over, Pearl still in her arms. "Look, Pearl, this nice mister here is my friend. His name is Diego Armando. Can you say it? Diego Armando."

"Dee-ay-go! Arr-muun-do!" Pearl's little face scrunched up in concentration and she tried again. "Day-GO! Mun-DO!"

"She still has some trouble with new words, I read with her and everything but..." Maya sighed. "I guess we'll have to wait until she is older to start really teaching her."

Diego smiled. "Don't worry, it's not that bad, at least she got "go" and "do" right."

"Go-do!" Pearl exclaimed happily. "Godo! Godo!"

Mia chuckled. "I think that will be your name from now on, Pearl seems to like it."

"Godo? What a lousy name... Can't she try "Diego" again?" the dark-haired attorney asked.

Mia shook her head. "That's what you get for receiving such a complicated name."

"Well, what can I say, I've got a complicated name because it fits my intriguing mind. Why, I feel sorry for people who have short names and hold no mystery at all, people such as, oh I don't know... Mia Fey?" His infuriating grin was back.

Mia huffed, trying to think of a witty comment to send back and wipe that darn smug look off his face. However, Pearl must have realized that Mia was upset by what Diego had said, and before the young woman could open her mouth, Pearl was swatting at the male attorney with a frown on her youthful features. "Bad Godo! Meanie!"

It wasn't quite what Mia had in mind, but nevertheless, the astonished look on her friend's face was worth a thousand retorts.

"It's okay, Pearly, I think he understood," Mia said when she was done laughing at Armando, stopping Pearl's wild flailing hands.

The little girl crossed her arms and glared at Diego. "Sorry," she said firmly.

"I forgive you, little kitten, you don't have to worry," the man said, now chuckling.

"Sorry," Pearl repeated, and it didn't sound like she was apologizing. It sounded like a request.

"She means to say you have to apologize to Mia," Maya said quickly, as if embarrassed about something. "But..."

Diego raised one eyebrow expectingly. "But?"

"But... the only way I taught her to apologize is by... kissing the other person's cheek." Maya's eyes shot to the ground, and her cheeks took on a faint red color. "She won't settle for less."

Diego inwardly groaned. What, I have to bend to a three year-old kid's will? Some attorney I make... then again... A wolfish grin swept over his features. I wouldn't want the little girl to stay cross with me forever, now, would I?

"Maya, this is ridiculous, you can't-" Mia's voice trailed off as a warm pair of lips was pressed against her cheek, just below her eye. Whether they stayed there a second or an hour, Mia didn't know, but once they were pulled away, she felt like the patch of skin on her cheek where Diego had kissed her was burning while the rest of her body was still frozen by the cold. Or shock. Or both.

The whole ordeal, though, seemed to satisfy Pearl who wriggled out of Mia and happily sauntered back inside the manor. Maya followed her, but right before she was out of sight, she turned to the co-workers and grinned.

"Actually, saying sorry would have worked just as well, but... I just couldn't resist!" And the young teenager was off, giggling.

A heavy silence settled between the two attorneys, only broken by the chilly wind. Mia busied herself looking at her feet, not daring to look at Diego.

Her male companion sighed, and a scratching sound informed her that he was rubbing his neck, just like he always did whenever he was outsmarted – which didn't happen that often.

"Your sister... I can tell she won't make our stay easy."

About one hour later, Diego was sitting on a futon, in the room he had been allowed to stay in, barefoot, glaring at the kettle that was hung over the roaring fire.

Had those people no decency? They had no coffee here in Kurain, just that disgusting tea stuff; he had been disappointed, but took comfort in remembering that he had packed his coffee machine, which was tucked away safely in his car's trunk. It was a forty minute walk from Fey manor, and through snow, but he probably wouldn't stand another day without coffee.

So he went and got his machine while Mia was having a talk with some elders; only to discover, while searching for the universal source of power, that this freaking village didn't even have electricity!

And now Diego was boiling water, his coffee maker lying forgotten in a corner, wondering how in hell he was going to produce a somewhat decent mug of his prized beverage with some ground coffee beans – a small stash he always kept in his car, just in case – some hot water and, of course, no filter.

He felt like he had been reduced to a caveman.

And what was taking Mia so long, anyway? She said she would be back soon, but night was falling already and no sign of her. Diego sighed.

A lonesome caveman.

His door then slid open to reveal his favorite kitten; upon noticing that she had some trouble carrying her futon and suitcase at the same time, his annoyance vanished and he stood up, taking her suitcase and holding the door open for her to slip through.

"Thank you," she muttered.

"Don't mention it, kitten." Diego slid the door shut and turned around to see Mia had settled her futon near the fire, not far from his own sleeping area. "Weren't you given your own room? Or is it that you just can't find sleep if I'm not within reaching range, yours for the taking?" The smug grin that followed that question soon faded when Mia's expression didn't change, and she busied herself with smoothing out the wrinkles on her futon. "Is something the matter?"

Mia let out the faintest of sighs, but it didn't go unnoticed by the sharp attorney. "Everything is all right, don't worry."

Everything's all right? Yeah, and I'm Grossberg's wife. Diego carefully deposited Mia's suitcase next to his coffee machine and walked over to her, his bare feet making soft sounds against the wooden floor. Then he crouched down in front of her, looking at her in the eye. "If everything is all right, then, why are you sharing a room with me when I'm sure you could very well have your own room? I don't mind," he added swiftly when she frowned and was about to retort, "but still, I'd like to know. Who ruffled my kitten's fur the wrong way?"

Defeated, Mia sat down on her futon, and Diego wasted no time in taking a seat right next to her. "It's just... it's all just so stupid, Diego!" she growled, and the man was slightly surprised – both by her tone and the use of his name, which, even after the time they had spent together, Mia seldom used. "They are still mad at me for leaving Kurain, and if I thought they despised me before, now I'm sure they hate me!"

"Who?"

"The elders. But there's more... They think... They think I've come back to snatch Maya away from Kurain!" Mia ran a hand down her face, sighing deeply. "Oh god, Diego, they won't stop pestering me, even in my own room! So I got fed up and thought that, maybe, they wouldn't dare disturb you; so I came here."

"You are most welcome, kitten. But pray tell, why are you under the impression that the elders wouldn't... "bother" me?"

Mia fidgeted a bit. "Well, first, you're a man-"

"Dear god, kitten, have you ever thought about becoming a lawyer? I mean, such a brilliant deduction..."

"I'm not done! As I said, you're a man, and I don't know if you've noticed but there aren't many men here in Kurain. Plus, you're especially tall and imposing, and remember when you shook the elders' hands earlier? Well, that had an impact on them, I think. They're not used to guests being so forthcoming, so they kind of... respect you. Or they're suspicious, but either way, it means that you won't be bothered by any of them."

Armando frowned. "If the way I acted was offending, I should-"

"You didn't offend anyone." Mia sighed tiredly. "I'm so sick of this. I left Kurain so the title of Mistress would fall to Maya, and we wouldn't have to fight for it as my mother and her sister, Morgan, were forced to. I did what I thought was right, so why can't I drop by once in a while to visit my sister, just like a normal family?"

A weigh on her shoulders made her raise her head and she noticed that Diego had one arm around her smaller frame to comfort her. His rich brown eyes were staring at her, and for once there was no hint of a smug smirk on his face. "Mia," he began, and she could tell he was serious by the use of her real name, "you have nothing to be ashamed of. What you did... it was the right thing. And sometimes it takes a great deal of courage to do the right thing. You shouldn't be ashamed; you ought to be proud, like the lion you hide under that kitten's pelt. You never cease to make me proud."

Tears gathered in Mia's eyes, threatening to spill over, and she finally wrapped her arms around Diego to hold him tight. "Thank you," she mumbled against his red shirt. "For believing in me."

The older attorney chuckled, rubbing her back. No more words were needed, so they stayed where they were, Mia taking in her closest friend's scent, and Diego comforting her. Time seemed to stop, until eventually...

The kettle gave off a loud hissing sound.

Diego jumped, his head almost colliding with Mia's. He had completely forgotten the kettle! "Ha...! I'll get that!" Clumsily, the tanned man untangled himself from Mia, barely avoiding crushing her feet, but in this struggle his own foot got caught in his futon, and he soon stumbled and crashed to the floor.

Mia rushed to his help. "Are you okay? Are you hurt?" she asked frantically.

"I'm fine, I'm just... tangled!" Diego struggled to get rid of the sheets he had rolled in, the ear-splitting sound of the kettle beginning to turn his brain to mud, and making it all the harder to free himself from the futon of doom.

"Stop flailing, I'll hold this end and you just roll over," Mia instructed.

"I'll just get tangled more! I need to be able to move my legs!"

The hissing sounds soon became unbearable; as if the kettle was going to burst.

"Please just get that thing away from the fire," Diego hissed through gritted teeth, and when Mia released the futon and put the kettle away, shutting out that awful sound, the male lawyer gave off a big sigh of relief. "Thank you..."

"Why were you boiling water? Needed a cup of tea?" Mia asked as she neared him again, trying to untangle his long legs from the white sheets.

Diego shook his head, twitching a little when she managed to free his ankle by twisting at the wrong angle. "Your uncultured family apparently isn't aware that some of us mortals need to indulge into other beverages than water and disgusting tea, and it's been almost ten hours since my last cup."

"Oh. So, what I knocked all over the ground right now really is coffee powder."

"You what?"

Diego twisted his body in earnest so he could witness the dreadful act himself; but to his relief, the medium-sized black jar was unharmed. He flashed Mia a dark look. "Do you have any idea what you are joking about, now, kitten?"

"Oh, come on, take a joke, Mr. Armando." Mia's Cheshire cat grin was infuriating. Did she feel that way every time he smiled smugly at her? If that was the case, he sure as hell wasn't going to stop doing it.

"Oh yes? Then how good a joke do you think this is?"

The coffee lover made a large sweep with his free leg, effectively throwing Mia off balance and having her crashing down on top of him. If he hadn't expected the sharp pang of pain as her elbows dug into his chest, and her hip into his groin, the look of utter bewilderment on his kitten's face was worth it. She was so shocked, in fact, that she didn't even realize she could get up and just stayed unmoving, staring at the chocolate eyes and cocky grin mere inches away from her own face.

"Well? Cat got your tongue?" Diego asked, and his deep voice was just above a whisper.

"I... You..."

Those tantalizing lips parted to reveal shining teeth – strange, Mia decided, that his teeth remained so clean while he chugged down at least ten mugs a day – and Diego chuckled, that rich, deep, bewitching soft laughter that never failed to have Mia looking away for fear that he might notice the blush upon her cheeks. Well, there was no way she could hide it from him now.

She wondered just what would happen if she got a little closer and kissed him.

Mia shook her head; she knew she shouldn't fall for the Spanish lawyer. He was always playing with her, whenever he got the chance, and while his attempts at seduction had gotten less and less frequent those last few weeks, there were still present – hence the predicament she found herself in.

No, she decided, Diego Armando was out of reach. Then how come he seems so close?

"If you are going to make me miss an opportunity to make coffee," Diego said softly, dark brown eyes locking onto mocha ones, all semblance of smirk vanished and replaced by seriousness, "I suggest you make it worth my while."

Why do you have to torture me like this?

His lips were so close... She bent forward a little bit, her elbow resting on his ribs through the sheets and his clothing. She felt his cloth-covered hands wriggle their way to her hips, closing around them in a loose hold, so that she could get up whenever she wanted to. But Mia Fey didn't know what she wanted.

Her mouth, however, seemed to have a clear idea of how to spend the next few minutes, because it never stopped nearing Diego's.

The door suddenly slid open the moment Mia's lips brushed her co-worker's. Both adults turned their heads to the door, looking like deers caught in headlights, to see Maya standing there with a hand over her mouth.

"Oh, dear god..." the young girl gasped.

"Maya, listen, it's not what you-" Mia began to explain, sitting up.

"Why didn't you guys tell me you were having a sleepover? Let me get my futon, I'm coming too!" And with that, Maya ran away, leaving the door wide open.

A few seconds of silence followed the young medium's departure, after which several things dawned of Mia. First, she had almost kissed Diego Armando, her co-worker and mentor. Second, she wasn't drunk and had been aware that she was going to kiss him. And finally... she was sitting in his lap.

She mumbled something about taking care of the coffee before stumbling away from him, smoothing out the wrinkles on her skirt. She was embarrassed beyond reason; now he knew he had breached her barrier, and would be rubbing it in her face in a matter of minutes, no doubt about it.

Mia busied herself with the kettle, pouring hot water in Diego's white mug as she heard the rustle of cloth, then its absence, which gave away that he had untangled himself. She could almost feel his triumphant, smug, snooty, addicting stare as it burned holes into her back.

The kettle almost flew out of her hands when his chin came to rest upon his shoulder; she hadn't heard him approaching. Hesitantly, she turned her head a bit to get a look at his face. To her utter surprise, there was no trace of pride on the tanned features; just plain sincerity, and maybe, just maybe, some level of curiosity.

"Mia."

Her name, a request, a question. All of this, in a single word, whispered by the man she didn't quite know what to call anymore.

She sighed. "Diego, I... I don't know..."

She felt him nod against her shoulder. "I understand, kitten. I understand." His head shifted and he pressed a soft kiss to her temple, his stubble grazing her cheek, as she sat frozen in place. She barely registered when he took the kettle and the jar from her. "I'm going to take care of the coffee if you don't mind. Wouldn't want your little paw pads to get burnt."

His usual grin was on his face. He was back to normal; how could he do that? How could he brush what had happened aside so easily? Mia couldn't decide whether she hated him or loved him more.

"Pearly wants to sleep with us too!" Maya exclaimed cheerfully as she waltzed in, carrying two small-sized futons, her young cousin clutching her robes. "Well, I guess she does, she keeps repeating "Godo" and I think that means you, Mr. Diego."

Right on cue, little Pearl let go of Maya's robes and wandered over to where Diego was sitting, leaning on his shoulder. The tanned man gave her a soft smile and allowed the toddler to take a seat in his lap, carefully holding the coffee mug out of reach. "I thought you were mad at me, little kitten?"

"Pearly can't stay mad at anyone," Maya said as she put the two futons on the ground. "She was gifted with patience and forgiveness."

Mia smiled; she hadn't forgotten about the previous situation, but she would put up a good front for her little sister. "Speaking of gifts, Maya, I still haven't given you your birthday present."

Maya's eyes lit up. "You got me a present? Sis, you didn't have to! I was just happy you could come, and bring Mr. Diego with you!"

"I actually have a gift too." The coffee lover leaned back, making Pearl giggle as she snuggled into his chest, and carefully grabbed the box he had brought with him with his free hand. "I really should have given it to you earlier."

Maya sat down next to Diego, and Mia opened her suitcase to retrieve a small red package, about the size of a big book. Under Pearl's curious gaze, Maya tore through the crimson paper and her eyes widened. "A voice recorder!" she exclaimed, taking out a recorder, a tape and a small microphone. "I read about those! Thank you sis!"

"Well, I've got something that's getting lonely," Diego said as he gently pushed the box toward her. "Try and be careful, please, its content is to be handled with care."

Maya nodded and, with more care than Mia had seen her show since she was born, she removed the pink ribbon keeping the box closed. And when she removed the lid, she gasped loudly. Inside, a white kitten with deep blue eyes was looking up at her, curled up into a nest of soft cloth. "A kitty! He's so cute!" She picked the small feline up and cradled it to her chest, wearing a delighted smile.

Mia raised one eyebrow at Diego. "A kitten? I wonder why this doesn't surprise me..."

Diego shrugged. "A tiger can't change his stripes."

"You guys are the greatest!" Maya grinned and hugged them together, one arm around each of the lawyers' necks. "Thank you! That was my best birthday!"

After trying out the voice recorder and playing with the kitten – which, unsurprisingly, Maya had aptly named Godo – for a few hours, the small group was thoroughly tired. Maya had collapsed on her futon, Godo curled up next to her, completely exhausted but utterly happy.

"She didn't even have time to yawn," Diego said softly, idly stroking Pearl's hair. The little girl had fallen asleep against his chest and he didn't dare move, even to retrieve his mug, for fear that she might be disturbed.

Mia took Pearl in her arms. "I'll put her to bed," she whispered, carrying her cousin over to her futon as Diego stretched lazily, his right hand instinctively closing around his mug. Thankfully, it had stayed near enough to the fireplace that it hadn't cooled off too much.

Diego waited for Mia to sit on her futon in front of him. When Pearl was finally settled, the Fey attorney came back to her own sleeping area, adjusting Maya's blanket on the way. She sat down, but never looked her co-worker in the eye, choosing to stare at the roaring fire instead.

A few, long, heavy seconds stretched on.

Diego sighed. "Listen, Mia, if I made you angry... don't think I'm going to apologize. I regret nothing, and I don't think you should regret anything either." Still no answer. She hadn't even looked away from the fire. "Listen, we're not teenagers, we can deal with this and be adults about it. Keeping quiet about something never does any good, this is one of my rules."

Mia didn't budge. Diego growled inwardly, but you shrugged. "Well, all right, whatever floats your boat, Ms. Fey."

The male attorney made to chug down his mug and go to sleep; however, before the porcelain reached his lips, Mia reached over and tugged at the collar of his red shirt. The anger in her eyes made him blink, but there was something else in there as well, something like... passion? "You are never, ever calling me that again, do you understand?" she seethed.

And then she crashed her lips against his. The angle made their teeth collide a little, which made the kiss awkward, but Diego put his mug aside and tugged Mia closer to allow him a better access. Before long she was in his lap, her arms around his neck and one of his hands on her lower back, both engaged in a soft battle for dominance which Diego wasted no time in winning.

When they parted, the Spaniard drank in the sight of his precious kitten as light from the fire bounced along her joyful features, and he grinned. "I never thought you had it in you, kitten, to pounce on me like this," he whispered huskily.

Mia nuzzled into the crook of his neck, closing her eyes. "And I never thought you'd taste like coffee even after spending a whole day without a single cup."

"Ha...! Now that you mention it... it would be a shame if it went to waste." Diego snatched his mug again. A perfect coffee, after a perfect kiss, to end this perfect day. "To us?" he suggested as he raised the mug.

"To us," Mia nodded, the long-lasting smile still present. "Although you're the only one toasting."

"Do you want some? I know I have a spare mug somewhere..."

"No, that's all right, I would like to sleep tonight. Not everybody is immune to caffeine you know," Mia said, patting his knee.

Diego nodded, and took a big gulp. And made a face. And spat everything back out and into the fire. "What trickery is this?" he asked, peering into what was left of coffee in his mug – if that evil beverage could even be considered as such.

"What's wrong?" Mia asked, pulling back to get a better look.

Diego was wincing as though he had bit his tongue. "There's... salt! Salt in my perfectly good coffee!"

Mia stood up and retrieved the kettle; she tentatively tasted the still warm water. "Who gave you the water?" she asked.

"A short woman, with glasses and a silken scarf," Diego said, still fighting over the awful taste.

Mia chuckled. "That's Melina. From what I remember, she likes to pull pranks on people she doesn't like. Once, she told me Maya had been run over by a car just so I would get away from the manor. She probably dumped some salt into the water before giving it to you."

Diego glared at her. "I am never drinking coffee again in Kurain," he grumbled.

Mia sat back on her futon, slipping her hand in the sheets. "I'm sorry, what did you say?"

"I said: I swear I am NEVER, ever drinking coffee again in Kurain, and that's final." Diego crossed his arms, annoyed at his lack of prized beverage and the waste of perfectly good coffee beans. When he heard Mia chuckle, he gave her a dangerous look. "What are you laughing about? There's nothing funny!"

"You're right, there isn't." Mia then smirked, and pulled the voice recorder from under her sheets. "Or maybe there is."

Diego looked puzzled, but then she turned the recorder on.

"I swear I am NEVER, ever drinking coffee again!"

"What the... No! That's unfair! That wasn't the end of my sentence!" the dark-skinned lawyer exclaimed when he came to his senses. "Erase that at once!"

"Oh I don't think you are in any position to give orders, Mr. Armando," Mia purred, holding the recorder out of his reach. "You seriously lack leverage."

Instead of pleading with her or wrestling for the recorder, Diego sat back and crossed his arms, grinning at her. "Fine. You win, kitten. What do you want from me?"

"Well..." Mia seemed to ponder the idea for a little while. "I'd gladly never speak a word of this to anyone... if you would just accept another person in your futon tonight."

Diego laughed softly. "This is a tough decision, and a tedious task you ask of me... but I shall manage to bear it." He stretched on his futon, moving over to give her some space which she almost immediately filled. His strong arm came around her waist, molding her back against his chest, and making her smile.

He softly kissed the back of her neck, his short beard scratching her skin. "Good night, kitten."

"Good night, Diego," she whispered back as she squeezed his hand, and turned her head for a quick peck on the lips. She could really, really get used to this.

Maya watched in silence as her sister and Mr. Diego bickered over the voice recorder and finally settled down next to one another, hugging. She almost giggled, but couldn't risk giving her position away.

The young medium just smiled at the lawyers' happiness and closed her eyes. This really is my best birthday ever!