She felt his body almost touching hers, a shiver running down her spine at the proximity. Her heart was racing in her chest, but she fought to keep her composure. She wasn't about to let him know just how much his words affected her. He was still a stranger from the neighborhood that lost his dog.

"Stay for a while, huh?"
She feigned nonchalance, arching one eyebrow as she looked up at him. Her eyes never wavered from his, a smirk playing on her lips.
"And what would you want to do with me while I'm here? You gonna make me listen to your crappy music choices?" She saw some instrument behind him in the hall of the house.
He grumbled, his irritation mixing with a hint of amusement.
"Goddammit, you are insufferable, you know that?"
He huffed, his frustration at her stubbornness only fueling his desire for her. His fingers twitched, yearning to reach out and pull her closer.
"And for your information, my music taste is impeccable, thank you very much. You probably wouldn't be able to handle it, though. Too sophisticated for your little pixie ears"
She rolled her eyes playfully, loving how she was able to rile him up so easily.
"Oh, I'm sure it is. Heavy metal and punk rock, right? Exactly the epitome of sophisticated"

She teased, her smirk growing wider. She pretended not to notice the way his fingers twitched, resisting the urge to close the gap between them. Despite her taunts, she secretly wondered what his hands would feel like on her, not necessarily in an intimate way, at the moment he wanted to strangle her. But her skin seemed soft and delicate. The thought about the stranger in front of her was crazy.

He chuckled softly at her playful jab.
"Hey, you'd be surprised. Punk rock takes talent. Not like that pop crap you girls listen to" He paused "And for the record, my playlists are quite diverse. I have a soft spot for arias and symphonies too, princess"
He shot her a smirk, his eyes gleaming with mockery and intrigue.
She gasped in mock shock, feigning offence.
"Excuse you, l'll have you know there's plenty of talent in pop music" She paused, arching an eyebrow "And did you just call me princess? How cliché"
She rolled her eyes but couldn't help the small smile tugging at the corners of her mouth. She only heard the nickname in books and no one ever actually said that to her.

His arrogance was annoying yet strangely endearing. He huffed a chuckled, enjoying their playful banter.
"Yeah, because nothing screams talent like a catchy beat and auto-tuned vocals. Oh, and let's not forget the mindless lyrics about hookups and heartbreaks. Classic stuff" He smirked at her reaction to being called princess "And yeah, princess. It fits you. You are bossy, prissy, and pretty damn cute"
She feigned a pout.
"Hey, those mindless lyrics are a guilty pleasure, okay? Sometimes a girl just wants to listen to something mindless and fun" She smirked at his nickname for her, secretly enjoying how it sounded coming from his lips "Bossy, prissy, and cute, huh? Well, at least I have something going for me then. Can't say the same for you, Mr. Grumpy. Unless there's a secret soft spot somewhere under that gruff exterior?"
He rolled his eyes, masking his amusement with an exaggerated scoff.
"Yeah, whatever. I suppose even princesses have their guilty pleasures, and sorry to disappoint, princess. I don't do emotions. That's for weaklings" He paused, the smirk on his lips growing wider at her question.

He tried to maintain his typical nonchalant demeanor, but there was a flicker of something in his eyes that betrayed his words. He let the girl enter his house and headed to the kitchen to prepare coffe.
The brown haired girl looked around, she was in a home of a stranger met ten minutes ago and didn't know even his name yet.

While Damian was busy making coffee, she found herself exploring the surroundings, her eyes wandering over the trinkets and photographs that decorated the walls. She took in the details of his home, trying to get a sense of his personality.
She paused at a particular photograph, her eyes drawn to the image of the mysterious boy with a group of friends. They were laughing and goofing around, a stark contrast to the grumpy demeanor he had displayed earlier. She couldn't help but smile at the sight. Despite his gruff exterior, there was a hint of warmth and a sense of joy in that picture. It humanized him.

She heard footsteps approaching, signaling his return form the kitchen. Turning around, she faced him as he walked into the room carrying two steaming cups of coffee. He held out one of the cups towards her, a slight smirk tugging at the corner of his mouth.
"Got you some coffee. Hope you take it black, I don't have any of those fancy creamers or whatever it is you girls put in your coffee"
He leaned against the wall, watching her as she took the cup from him.
He couldn't help but notice how her eyes seemed to linger on the photograph.

She accepted the coffee with a grateful nod, her eyes lingering on the steam rising from the cup.
"Black is fine, no need for fancy stuff"
She took a small sip, feeling the warm liquid soothe her throat. She hated black coffee, or coffee in general, but she grew up without complaining, that's why Aria Heeler was a nice guest. Then, she glanced back at the photograph, a curious expression on her face.
"Your friends, huh? You all seem close"
He followed her gaze to the photograph and let out a low scoff.
"Yeah, if you can call them that. Bunch of morons, really"
There was a hint of affection in his tone despite his gruff response. He sipped his own coffee, his eyes fixed on the picture too.
"We've been friends since middle school. They're practically my family, even if I wouldn't admit it to their faces. Not that you care but we are also a band"
She raised an eyebrow, feigning nonchalance.
"Oh, really? A band? Let me guess, something heavy and loud, like death metal or something?"
She teased playfully, knowing full well that she would probably get a grumpy response from him. But she couldn't resist poking fun at him, it was too entertaining and his reactions were always amusing.
He rolled his eyes, not missing a beat.
"Oh, how original. Assuming that just because I have tattoos and a bit of an attitude, I must be in some kind of extreme metal band. Sorry to disappoint, princess, but we're more into rock and roll"
He smirked, taking another sip of his coffee.

She chuckled, finding his irritation oddly amusing.
"Rock and roll, huh? So you're the frontman for a wannabe Nirvana cover band? How cliché"
She took a step closer to him, her gaze lingering on the tattoos that adorned his arms. They looked rough and edgy, giving him a dangerous yet attractive vibe.
He chuckled, noticing her gaze drifting towards his tattoos.
"Please, princess. I have way more talent in my pinky finger than those wannabe grunge singers"
He rolled his eyes at her comment about being cliched, his gaze meeting hers with a hint of challenge.
"And what would a princess like you know about rock? Do you even know the difference between a power chord and a diminished chord?"

She chuckled, looking at the piano in his living room.
"Not that you care but I grew up playing instruments, I was introduced to music before birth"
He glanced towards the piano, a flicker of intrigue in his eyes. He had underestimated her, assuming that she was just a typical shallow girl.
"Well, well. You got me impressed, princess"
He pushed himself off the wall, walking closer to the piano.
"You're not just some princess with fancy clothes and a spoiled attitude, are you?"
She followed him, stopping next to the piano, her fingers tracing along the keys.
"I might have a bit of talent in my tiny pixie hands" She said sarcastically, her tone dripping with mock modesty.

She glanced up at him, her eyes meeting his with a playful glint.
"Don't underestimate me, big guy. I can do more than just prance around in pretty dresses"
He chuckled, leaning against the piano, his gaze fixed on her as she caressed the keys.
"Oh, I'm starting to realize that. Little miss prissy is full of surprises"
He paused for a moment, his eyes roaming over her figure. She was captivating, her mixture of sass and talent intriguing him more.
"So, you can actually play? What's your instrument of choice?"
She smirked, enjoying the way his eyes lingered on her body. There was something about him that made her feel both nervous and emboldened.

"Oh, I can play a few things. But I have a special place in my heart for the piano. It's been my main instrument since I was just a little kid"
She took a seat on the piano bench, running her fingers over the keys.
"Would you like me to play something for you, or are you only interested in heavy metal?"
He watched as she sat down at the piano, her fingers hovering over the keys with a sort of gracefulness that he hadn't seen before. Her skill intrigued him, and he couldn't resist a small smirk.
"Heavy metal is my thing, but I appreciate all forms of music. Go ahead, play something for me. And let's see if you can actually keep up with my taste"
He leaned against the piano, his arms crossed over his chest. He was expecting some sort of fluffy, classical piece, something soft and girly-like.
She chuckled, her fingers poised over the keys. She knew his expectations, the way he assumed she was all sweetness and softness.
"Oh, I can keep up. Trust me"

She began to play a melody, starting softly and gradually increasing in complexity. The piece was a mix of classical and contemporary styles, blending delicate notes with powerful chords.
She closed her eyes, letting the music flow through her fingers. She played with finesse and skill, her passion for music evident in every note.
It was anything but a typical "princess" tune.
His smirk faded as he listened to the melody that spilled from her fingers. It was captivating, far beyond what he had anticipated. She wasn't playing a dainty, predictable piece; instead, her fingers flew over the keys, creating a symphony of music that was complex and powerful. He couldn't help but be impressed, his gaze never leaving her as she played.
He leaned forward, resting his forearms on the piano. He didn't utter a word, letting the music wash over him. Her skill was undeniable, and it challenged the way he had initially perceived her. As she reached the climax of the piece, the music swelled, filling the room with its power. She played with conviction, pouring her heart and soul into each note. After a few more moments, she finally finished, her fingers lifting from the keys as the last note echoed in the air.

She opened her eyes and looked at him, a small smirk on her lips. She could see the surprise and admiration in his gaze, and it satisfied her to know that she had exceeded his expectations.
"So, what do you think, big guy? Impressed?"
He was silent for a moment, still reeling from the intensity of her performance. He hadn't expected such skill and passion from a girl he had initially pegged as a spoiled socialite. He let out a low whistle, shaking his head in disbelief.
"Damn, princess. I gotta hand it to you, you're better than I thought, I must gave you credit for it"
He pushed himself off the piano, casually leaning against the wall once again.
"You have some serious talent, l'll give you that. Not what I expected from a pretty little thing like you"
She rolled her eyes.
"Stop calling me princess, my name is Aria. Aria Heeler. Can you actually spell it?"
He smirked at the hear of her name for the first time, leaning against the wall.
"Aria, huh? Guess I can manage that"
He paused, his gaze roaming over her once again. She was even prettier up close, though he'd never admit it out loud.
"But I think I like "princess" better. It suits you. You sure act like one, anyway"
She huffed in mock annoyance, trying to hide her amusement at his arrogance.
"And how exactly do I act like a princess? Just because I have manners?"
She retorted, crossing her arms over her chest.
Secretly, she kind of liked his nickname for her, but just refused to give him the satisfaction of knowing that.
He chuckled, enjoying their banter.
"Oh, it's more than just manners, princess. You just exude a certain air about you. The way you carry yourself, the way you talk. You have this whole prissy, refined vibe that's hard to hide. Even when you're being a smart-ass"
He pushed himself off the wall, taking a step towards her, his eyes gleaming with mockery and intrigue.

She raised an eyebrow, pretending to be offended.
"Prissy, refined vibe? I suppose that's a way of saying I have class"
She tilted her chin up defiantly, refusing to back down from his teasing.
His closeness didn't go unnoticed by her, and she could feel her heart beating a little faster.
Damn him, why did he have to be so attractive, even when he was being infuriating?

He chuckled, a mocking smirk forming on his lips.
"Oh, princess, you have a whole lot of class, alright. The kind that's been spoon-fed with a silver spoon"
He moved closer to her, now standing mere inches away. He could smell her perfume, something soft and sweet that contrasted with the sharp edge of his own cologne.
"And let's not forget that whole 'pretty little thing' look you've got going. Seems like a perfect match for the princess persona"

She stood up and handed him the cup.
"Thank you for the coffee but it's time for me to go. You can go back to sleep tho"
She pet his dog for the last time before walking to the door.
The boy blinked, thinking if he would ever met the new girl again.
He watched her move towards the door, a mix of confusion and something else he couldn't quite identify in his eyes. He had expected their meeting to go very differently, and now he was left feeling a tad disappointed.
He took the cup from her, watching as she petted his dog. There was a pang of something in his chest as she prepared to leave.
Before she could reach the door, he spoke up.
"Wait. Where are you going?"

She paused, her hand on the doorknob. She glanced back at him, her expression unreadable.
"I'm heading home, obviously"
She replied casually, though there was a hint of something in her tone that betrayed her own conflicted emotions. As much as she tried to play it cool, she couldn't deny that she was a bit reluctant to leave. But she wasn't going to give him the satisfaction of knowing that.
"Maybe we will see again, if your dog run away once again" Said Aria with sarcasm opening the door.
He chuckled, shaking his head at her sarcasm.
"Oh, trust me, it's not gonna run away. It's too damn loyal for its own good"
He paused, studying her for a moment, his gaze lingering on her figure.
Then he smirked, unable to resist one last jab.
"But hey, maybe if you're lucky, you'll get to see me again"
"Or unlucky"
He leaned against the wall, his arms crossed over his chest, watching her intently.
"By the way, my name is Damian"