#Student dorm in Vienna

[zebkiehousing]

The benefit of Student Room in Villach while Studying in Austria!

Plan to study in Austria; the Student Room in Villach & Linzare great options for students. It is because the student room provides several benefits that can help make the studying process easier & more enjoyable. Some of the benefits of the Student Room include:

1. A Safe and Secure Environment: The student room locates in a safe & secure area of Villach, which is perfect for students who are looking for a place to study in peace. There are also several security features in place, such as CCTV cameras, to ensure that students are always safe.

2. A Comfortable and Relaxing Space: The Student Room is a comfortable and relaxing space for students to study in. There are several comfortable chairs and desks, as well as a range of books and magazines, which makes it the perfect place to unwind after a long day of studying. Like Villach, you can also find a calm environment with Student housing in Linz.

3. A Friendly and Supportive Team: The team at the Student Room is always on hand to offer support and advice to students. They are likewise continuously able to assist with any issues. So, we can assure you will feel safe here.

4. A Great Location: The student room locates in the heart of Villach, which is a great location for students. Villach is a beautiful city with a lot to offer, and the Student Room is within walking distance of several attractions, including the lake and the mountains.

5. A Convenient Location: The Student Room is located close to several transport links. There are also several shops and restaurants nearby, which makes it easy for students to find everything they need.

Overall, the Student Room in Villach is a great option for students who are looking for a place to study in Austria. In Austria, you can also book a Student dorm in Vienna. The Student Room offers several benefits that can make the studying process easier & more enjoyable.

Read Also: How to get Cheap Student Apartment USA?

[vxnuslogy]

❛❛ 𝐰𝐞𝐥𝐜𝐨𝐦𝐞 𝐭𝐨 𝐯𝐱𝐧𝐮𝐬𝐥𝐨𝐠𝐲’𝐬 𝐨𝐩𝐞𝐫𝐚 𝐡𝐨𝐮𝐬𝐞! 𝐦𝐚𝐲 𝐢 𝐬𝐞𝐞 𝐲𝐨𝐮𝐫 𝐭𝐢𝐜𝐤𝐞𝐭 𝐩𝐥𝐞𝐚𝐬𝐞? ❞

— 𝐨𝐯𝐞𝐫𝐭𝐮𝐫𝐞 .ᐟ  a collection of vee’s wips, soon to be posted fics, and future works they’ve yet to really start on.

𝐀𝐜𝐭 𝐈 — Art: Truth and Beauty. ꕀ one-shot fics, drabbles, & headcanons.

❛❛ hello from the other side. ❞ an alhaitham x gn!reader where he finds amusement in the various ways you try to say hello to him whilst he’s using his noise canceling headphones on. 

❛❛ your broken faith. ❞ a sunday + gn!reader. drabble in which he explores the roots and causes of your envy towards his devoted faith in ena the order. [loose concept.]

❛❛ a thousand more kisses. ❞ kinich x gn!reader. where kinich decides to announce your private relationship to the entire nation when he decides to kiss you goodbye.

❛❛ ikaw na ang tahanan at mundo. ❞ aventurine, ratio, blade, sunday. how much has his space changed since you moved in?

❛❛one day when you start missing me. ❞ reno ichikawa x f!reader. or in which you fall in love with your highschool sweetheart again when you meet on the battlefield.

𝐀𝐜𝐭 𝐈𝐈 — The Utmost Beauty. ꕀ series.

❛❛ letters to alhaitham. ❞ an alhaitham x f!reader smau. in an attempt to express your affections for your fellow broadcasting club member, you begin to send anonymous love confessions under the name of “kafka.” however, your carefully laid out plans unravel when alhaitham starts to suspect your true identity. 

❛❛ midnight rain. ❞ a xiao x f!reader smau. after your unexplained and nasty breakup with your highschool sweetheart, you find yourself back in your hometown after moving away. you only had two years left before you graduated, but your ex seemed to have other plans before you could even leave.

❛❛ yours. ❞ an albedo x f!reader smau. as Lumine and Aether’s childhood friend, they were obliged to help you find a dorm in the mondstadt department of teyvat uni. lumine happens to know someone who you can room with and he was kind enough to let you. he was kind, smart and exceptionally good in the arts – something you had believed you were destined to do. now imagine your surprise when he suggested you dated, not for real of course. right? [related to ❛❛ midnight rain. ❞]

❛❛ paper rings. ❞ a rin itoshi x f!reader streamer smau. luxrin is real! after collabing with the famous rin itoshi from the company blue lock, everyone seemed to enjoy your interactions with him a bit too much. with clips from your 4 hour long stream trending on twitter and more collab streams, it was hard to tell if the two of you were actually dating or just playing with everyone. 

❛❛ roxanne. ❞ a michael kaiser x f!reader college smau. being the ever-so-serious student body vice president, no one expected you to let the ever so playful, mischievous, and arrogant michael kaiser to stick by your side. letting him stay meant getting into teasing bickering. letting him stay meant being the main victim of his undying flirtatious side, letting him stay meant preparing yourself for the inevitable heartbreak that he’ll cause.

𝐀𝐜𝐭 𝐈𝐈𝐈 — The Pearl of Vienna. ꕀ to be posted fics.

❛❛ kaibigan lang. ❞ a narumi gen x platoon leader!reader. you and your captain have a strangely close relationship; the two of you truly bring a new meaning to the words “just friends.” [posted!]

❝ teka lang muna. ❞ in which gen narumi, reno ichikawa, and soshiro hoshina try to make you stay (or not) after a nasty argument. [bulleted headcanons with a short written portion.]

❝ will it still be me? ❞ people say you meet people twice, be it the same person or another that resembled the previous one. for sunday, he first met you on the lowest point in his life, the second, he meets you when he's ready to love you again.

© vxnuslogy 2024. do not plagiarize, repost, or translate any of my works without my knowledge or consent in other platforms or websites.

[maryjane888]

On the stump (h.s.)

Author's note: english is not my first language, so please excuse any mistakes. Also, this first part is shorter but the others will be longer. Hope you enjoy. xx

Part I

"Y/n, please see me in my office after class." Professor Morris gave her a small smile after his request. "Nothing to worry about. Just some opportunities I would like to present you."

Y/n sighed of relief as the auditorium started to fill with sleepy students. She tought Mr. Morris would lecture her about the small pile of multiple choice exams in his desk that weren't all graded yet. Being a TA was reveling to be more time consuming than expected. She would have to reorganize her agenda for the third time this week, which also meant that she would have to skip tonight's plans with her friends. There was no room for mistakes or delays, if Mr. Morris was still planning to write her that recommendation letter.

"Alright, today we're going to talk about the decolonization of India. Don't forget the mandatory readings for this part of the course. I will not be speaking in detail about the process of independence of each asian countrie. If you have any questions, y/n can help you during office hours."

How wonderful, y/n thought, more workload. Must be punishment for all those exams.

...

"Take a seat". She pushed the dark oak chair back and smoothed her navy skirt before sitting down.

"This won't take long." He oppened a drawer on his desk, took some papers out of it and started to go through them.

"I have some connections in Vienna." He stopped and looked at her suggestively, adjusting his glasses. Y/n's palms started to sweat.

"I know New York would be more preferable, but Vienna is the only place now with open seats." Oh God. There was a faint quick thump sound in Mr Morris's office. It was y/n's nervous foot tapping in anticipation. He continued to flick through the pieces of paper until he found the one he wanted. Professor Morris pushed the single page in y/n's direction. Her hopeful eyes made him chuckle.

"That is a list of people responsible for selecting the interns at the UN offices in Vienna. Search their names and study them. I have also scribbled some tips for your upcoming interview." Y/n deviated her gaze from the paper to her professor in confusion.

"My interview?" Mr Morris smiled.

"Yes, your interview. Your application was accepted. You should receive an email soon explaining that you will move on to the next phase." She picked up the paper and pressed it tightly to her chest.

"Thank you, so much." He got up from his chair and buttoned his blazer.

"Now, if you fufill your position successfully as a TA by the end of the semester, I will make sure a recommendation letter gets to those offices." Y/n got up so excited her chair squeaked loudly and almost made her cringe. She was to happy to feel embarassed.

"I will not disappoint you, Professor Morris." She promised.

"I'm sure you won't." He then checked his wristwatch and complained about a meeting he was having with the faculty. Y/n took it as a cue to leave, but not without thanking him one more time.

...

The few students passing by looked strangely at the girl with the wide smile and a spring in her step. Who looks that enthusiastic on a Thursday morning? Y/n did. And she had good reasons to. All her work seemed to finally bear fruit. Being an UN intern was going to propel her career in politics. She would actually learn how things work in the real world, outside classrooms and without textbooks. She would have the opportunity to travel and meet new experienced people. And right now she also had the perfect excuse to ditch her social plans, having to make sure all her extracurricular workload was sorted out. Being an incompetent TA was not an option, and not getting that internship was a scenario that y/n refused to conceive as a possibility.

As soon as she got to her dorm, y/n started to search the people on that piece of paper. Her gold tickect to the chocolate factory. She memorized their full names, academic backrounds, previous jobs, and their personal interests. She made some social media searches for that. Then, a draft for her interview was outlined based off of Mr Morris's tips. Serious but not boring, interesting but not fake, professional but still warm. An email notification made her stop typping. She clicked on the unread message and admired the positive response. Her eyes travelled through her desk. It was a mess. She was surrounded by heavy authors and heavier subjects. A pile of crinkled photocopies of ICJ cases, an open Krugman book with dozens of fluorescent post-its, a few flashcards with EU's legislative process. If her desk was a mess, it meant she was busy and working. That mess made her happy. Y/n looked back at the email and she thought to herself, I'm almost there, I'm going to change the world.

...

"Shit." The hot brown liquid spreaded through y/n's white oversized shirt. She tossed the paper cup in the bin and tried to keep the fabric from sticking to her skin. Her brallette was now visible through the wet shirt. As she walked to the small bathroom atached to the office, she mentally patted herself on the back for keeping an extra t-shirt in her bag.

The door to the office was closed and no one usually came at this time of day. She was safe to change. Y/n tried to remove the stain in the sink as much as she could. She then placed it on the back of the chair to dry. A thin light brown outline was still visible. She sighed in annoyance. That was her favourite shirt.

As she reached to her bag to grab the shirt, the sound of the door knob brought horror to her features. She quickly grabbed the piece of clothing and tried to hide her nude state behind the fabric. As the door opened, y/n could already imagine the chocked look on Mr Morris' face at her lack of clothing. She had a plausible excuse, of course, but it was still a very strange situation. She should have locked the door. Well, too late.

Her look of fear turned to a confused one as she stared at the man that entered the room. He paused, hand still grabbing the door knob, and stared back, as confused as her. They stayed like that for a couple minutes trying to make sense of the situation. Y/n grew annoyed at his lack of action. The door was still open for everyone to see her precarious state.

"Close the door!" He awakened from his trance and quickly shut the door, turnig his back to her. She took the opportunity to dress the clean t-shirt. As she pulled the fabric down her torso, she noticed him staring at her again. Y/n was becoming more and more irritated. She had been gradding tests for the past three hours, hadn't gotten any breaks, decided to get a coffe from the machine down the hall, spilled the drink on her favourite shirt and was now being checked out by some random man that would not say anything, not even an apology. He was about to confront a very grumpy side of y/n.

"Are you a student of professor Morris? Office hours are only on Mondays and Wednesdays. I do not have time to answer any questions today." She went to sit on the desk and continue her work, not bothering to look at him as she speaked.

"I was a student of his." The man approched the desk. "I came to visit him." Y/n continued to write notes with her red pen, avoiding eye contact. Her frustration still mixed with the embarassement from moments ago.

"Well, as you can see Mr Morris isn't here, and he won't be coming in today. You can schedule your visit using the contacts printed by door. I also recommend you to knock before meeting with the professor." Y/n added the last part, staring back at him. He stood tall with crossed arms and a hard gaze. She could see that he did not like the way he was being treated. Y/n wondered who this man really was. What if he was someone important? Someone close to Mr Morris? She realised maybe she should have approched him more carefully.

"I was not aware that TAs now felt so free to seduce their superiors. I'll make sure I knock next time, promise." Her annoyance became painfully obvious and the room grew even more tense. She got up from her chair and faced him fully. They were closer now. He hovered over her, angry gazes competing. Y/n noticed his deep green eyes and a single chocolate lock fell between them. That was annoying.

"I spilled coffee on my shirt, not that I owe you any explanations." She backed away slightly and straightened her posture. "I will not admit any insulting accusations about how I work. You don't know me." Y/n tried to calm herself down. She was grumpy and he was just provoking her. It was not worth her time, so she distanced herself from him. He did not say anything else. He only observed her as she checked the time on her phone. Its late, she thought, I'll finish this tomorrow.

"What? Time to get undressed in another professor's office?" Y/n shot him a death glare.

"You're an assh-" she was interrupted by the sound of the door knob. She immediately stoped talking as Mr Morris entered the room. The other man smirked at her, enjoying her big scared eyes.

"Y/n? What are you still doing here?" He noticed the piles of exams with red anotations here and there. "It's late. Please go home and rest. You can finish another time." Mr Morris gave her a reassuring smile. Y/n started to pack her things, happy that he hadn't heard her before. Bad language was a no go with the faculty, especially insults. It could damage her image as a TA.

"And I've seen you have already met Harry." They both exchanged awkward smiles. "Weren't supposed to..." Y/n gave a questioning look at the two men. Harry was now avoyding her eyes. She tried to ignore the whole situation and placed her bag in her shoulder, ready to leave.

"I'll see you next week. Get some sleep, y/n." Professor Morris waved her goodbye. Harry simply stood next to him, hands in his pockets, as he observed her closing the door.

...

Y/n sighed in relief as she closed her laptop. She had asked professor Morris if she could take the online interview in his office. Her small dorm didn't look very professional as a background. He allowed it, telling her to not worry to much. At this point, y/n felt like she could ask him to be her garantor and he would say yes. He was like the godfather she never had.

Y/n had a good feeling about the call. She got the interviewer she most wanted and she felt like they truly connected through their mutual interests. Plus, the tips on that golden piece of paper really came in handy. She would have to thank her professor for the millionth time. Now, all she had left to do was being a good TA, keep her grades high and trust that her capabilites would be good enough to grant her the spot she thought she was worthy of. Y/n thought some relax time was needed and well deserved. She pushed all her work aside, and texted her friends. That night she would be joining them.

[jeanette-luminia]

Any chance you'd write a super fluffy piece Larissa x fem!reader, Larissa has always wanted to go to a ball and loves the classic piece "on the beautiful blue danube" so reader surprises her with a trip to Vienna (can be anywhere, but Vienna and waltz kinda go together) and they have a super romantic evening and dance until morning? I just have this super soft image of Larissa dancing in a super flowy dress to a classic piece of music being regal and all. Thank you.:) If you're not interested it's also cool, I'll just keep dreaming. :)

𝐌𝐚𝐫𝐫𝐲 𝐌𝐞 || 𝐋𝐀𝐑𝐈𝐒𝐒𝐀 𝐖𝐄𝐄𝐌𝐒

Larissa Weems x French!reader

a/n: Honestly, I didn't really thought about making reader french but as I write this, I started thinking of French pet names and I had to.

edit: Thank you for @alder-saan for correcting me! I hope my changes are better! don't be shy to correct me if I'm still wrong.

“What is something you’ve been longing for a while?” You asked while you gently combed her hair in between your fingers. Her head was on your lap as you both sat in front of the fireplace. Moments like these you wished would stay forever.

She hummed, shifting her body to think more comfortably. “I’ve always wanted to go to a ball. I’ve always imagined myself dancing to a classical piece I love. Maybe dance around till sunrise.” Her tone was almost bittersweet, almost as if she was calling her inner child.

You stopped combing her hair. Instead, you gave her a forehead kiss, and another, and another, until her whole face was covered with your kiss. She giggled, “Darling, what is this?”

“Hm, I just love you.”

“I love you too.”

Ever since she mentioned that to you, you started to look forward to this semester break. Normally, you and Larissa would stay indoors, reading books with each other. Sometimes, go to Weathervane for morning coffee after your walk. There is a rare occasion when you’d travel somewhere for a vacation. But you couldn’t think of a better way to spend a semester break with your wife.

Being stressed out from the recent activities, especially after the Marilyn-Laurel incident, she’s been overworking herself. If she wasn’t behind her desk at night, she’s pace around her office. She buried herself with work, forgetting to take care of herself. It breaks your heart having to watch her in this state.

At the end of the semester, most students were in their dorms, giving you the advantage to go to her office undetected. Students like to tease both of you whenever you visit her office. Not being a teacher at Nevermore, whenever you visit the academy, the students always anticipate their principal being more at ease, and chirpy even.

It gave them a slight advantage to slip away from trouble.

Your knuckles came in contact with the door. The sound of knocking made Larissa perk up and turned her attention through the door. “Come in.”

At the sight of you, she immediately relaxed her once rigid shoulder and let herself breathe for what seemed like forever. “Hello, my dear.” she smiled, leaning against your soft touch.

“Hello, mon ange.” Your French was rich, she mewls over the way your voice manages to send shivers down her spine.

“I have a surprise for you.” You slowly moved away as you approached her desk and placed your bag to search for a specific paper.

“Hm? What is it?” She curiously glanced inside your bag.

You perked up, grabbing the paper and turning in her direction before showing her the plane ticket you had bought. “I believe we deserve our overdue vacation.”

She read the ticket carefully, tracing her fingers against the paper. You pushed yourself onto her desk and sat comfortably, patiently waiting for her reaction.

“I…” She whispered, she looked up to face you. “I don’t deserve this.”

“Yes you do, ma cher. You’ve been stressing and overworking yourself. With the recent events, you haven’t had peace of mind.” She leaned her head on your lap whilst you’ve completely sat on her desk, laptop, and paperwork have been disregarded. “You out of the people need a break.”

She slowly shook her head. You gently grabbed her face and made her look at you. “I bought this ticket for you, just for you, ma chérie fille. Pretty please, come with me to Vienna, I’ll be lonely there.” you plead, giving her a forehead kiss, a kiss on both cheeks, and a deep kiss on her lips.

Her hands roamed around your waist, hips, and thigh before pulling away. Her lipstick smudged your face, it made you more beautiful than ever. “How could I refuse a kiss like that? Hm? Planning to leave me when I refuse.” she smirked.

“Well, I don’t wanna waste money now do we?”

The week goes by smoothly, packing the things you need and making sure you’ve booked the right hotel. When you arrive in Vienna, you can practically see her beaming face when she looks out the balcony to see the city lights at night.

“There's a ballroom here, shall we visit?” You asked, containing the excitement in your voice. When she turned around, her eyes were glistening with excitement, barely making the effort to hide it.

“Really?” She asked.

“Yes, but before we go, wear this, Love.” You pulled out a dress from the closet and showed it to her. Her reaction made everything worth it. “Is this…”

“Yes, I commissioned it just for you.” You said, placing the dress on the bed and the heels you bought for her. “Get ready, amour. A surprise will be waiting for you outside the door.” you kissed her forehead before heading out the door.

Watching you leave, she couldn’t believe she had found someone like you to marry. Deciding to not want you to wait any longer, she quickly made her way through the bathroom to change. You made the dress easy to wear, just how she always wanted it. The way their heels were the right amount of height for her. 

You notice every little detail about what she loves and what she does not.

When she was done, she stepped out of the door, hoping to see you. But she was met by a staff member from the hotel. “Ah, Mrs. Weems, follow me, your wife is waiting in the ballroom,” they said as they gently gestured for her to follow them. She bowed her head, silently thanking her as she followed the staff.

She could tell she was getting closer, with the music growing louder and louder until she was in front of the door. The staff opened the door, “I hope you’ll have a wonderful time.” they smiled as Larissa entered the door before shutting it close.

Her eyes admired how spacious it was. The decorations and the art on the ceiling, she spins, admiring the art she can admire right now.

“I knew that dress would suit you.” She stopped, her eyes landing on your figure. She could feel her jaw slacken, heat creeping up to her neck, making her heart beat faster than it ever was. Your dress hugged your figure just right, your hair nicely updo. 

“tu as l'air divine, mi amour.” you walked, opening your arms as you caressed her cheeks. “Darling, you know I can’t speak French.”

“That’s the best part, my darling wife.”

“I can’t believe you did this.” 

“Believe it,” you said, placing a kiss on the corner of her lip. “I’ll make you believe it. You deserve this. You deserve everything. You deserve my love, everyone’s love. You deserve to be spoiled with affection and showered with love. I love you forever. Even when I can’t.” 

“I love you forever. Even when I shouldn’t.” Tears slipped from her eyes. You gently kissed the tears and smiled.

“May I have this dance?” Suddenly, music echoed through the room. She was piqued when she heard a classical piece she loved so much.

You chuckled. “I remember you saying that you wanted to dance to a classical piece you love.” you paused, taking both of her hands and dragging her to the center. “So, let’s dance, beautiful”

You didn’t need to utter any more words, she grabbed your waist and held your hand up, waltzing around the empty room like you own the place. Feeling like a medieval princess dancing with a prince, but it’s not a prince. 

Her dress flows as you sprung her around, a smile you could never forget. Both of you laughed and danced. For once, forgetting that time was against you, that time was ticking. For a moment, you let this scene play out, as it should.

“Marry me.”

“Honey, I’m already married to you.” She chuckled.

“I know, but I wanna marry you again,” you said. “And again, and again, and again. Until we grow old.”

“Okay.”

While everything around her was asleep, this moment feels alive, dancing till the sun has risen.

Translation:

mon ange - My angel

mon cher - My dear

amour - Love

tu as l'air divin, mon amour - You look divine, my love.

© 𝐋𝐔𝐕-𝐀𝐒𝐓𝐑𝐃 - all rights reserved. please do not repost, plagiarize, or translate. please ask me first then credit me once you shared my work to other platforms.

[lady-of-imladris]

Hi baby! 💖 3 questions for you!

1. How would you describe your clothing style?

2. What's your favourite place where you live?

3. Do you wear contact/glasses?

Hii <3

1. My style is pretty much business casual, but in the summer I wear ripped jeans and tank tops a lot

2. I split my time 50/50 between my parents' house and my student dorm. My favourite place at my parents' house is definitely the sunroom (the entire town pretty much has nothing lol), there's tons of plants and so much light, and I'm just undisturbed there. My favourite place in Vienna is probably Karlsplatz, it's got beautiful architecture!!!

3. I wear glasses, I can't see shit without them. I absolutely hate them because my eyes are so bad that they seem very small when I'm wearing glasses, but contacts just always bothered me too much. I'll probably get laser surgery in the future

Tysm for the ask baby <3

[rainingpouringetc]

Cariño i feel like we havent spoken in forever. How are you? Everything ok? College treating you right? Anything worth telling? Anyone i need to beat up?

hello love ! i miss u v much, things have been.. a lot lol

i have fall break next week which i am looking forward to very much! my first term of college will be entirely finished come this sunday. it's a bit crazy to think ab. i feel like i just got here lol

college has been treating me pretty okay. got a good group of friends to hang with. my roommate and i get along fine, but she like.. is never here lol so we don't see each other much at all. they haven't actually slept in the dorm all week which i secretly love bc it means i get the room entirely to myself.

this semester i have a lot of gen eds to take care of bc i registered late and didn't know what credits from hs were going to transfer, but next semester i should get to take, like four film classes!!! i'm so excited zia you have NO idea !!!!

+ after talking to my advisor (who is like.. my new favorite person lol) i have a solid plan for studying abroad next year which i'm hyped for. my university has a campus in vienna so i think imma go there and knock out the rest of my gen eds

i am officially turning into a film student tho and i know this bc today i was watching madam secretary and caught an audio cut and immediately thought "well i mean they could've done like this and this or this to make it sound more natural" and then i caught myself was filled with dread

i greatly appreciate ur offer to beat someone up for me, i have a few names i might consider in the future but for now we're getting by fine :)

i have to go do adult things like laundry and my world religions midterm now tho :/ lmk how you've been! u started college too right? how's that going??

[friendsinflats]

Alternative Student Dorms in Vienna

Experience a unique and affordable living option in Vienna with Friends-in-flats.com. Discover the perfect alternative student dorm for a memorable stay.

Alternative Student Dorm Vienna

[funeralxxxmarches]

Memoirs of a depressed idiot abroad (now illustrated!)

Context: I am an American student who studied abroad in Vienna in the fall of 2023. My experience was,,,mixed, primarily due to my own actions and difficulty procuring my anxiety and depression medication, which led to me being alternately unmedicated, in withdrawal, and finally stabilizing towards the end. Despite my snarky complaining in this post, I'm incredibly grateful for having been able to go abroad and for the time I spent in beautiful Vienna.

The dying Coffee Culture:

One of the first things you become aware of once you’re in Austria, if you aren’t aware of it already, is the infamous coffee culture of Vienna. The center is rife with fabulous, historic cafes where you can sit for hours without being disturbed by the waiters, just chatting with your friends, or even just watching passers-by. Every coffee cup is served with a glass of water— a tribute their famed mountain water – straight from the tap. Once you get out of the center, though, the story changes.

Viennese coffee culture is characterized by spending a lot of time at one café, drinking a lot of coffee, and probably smoking a lot of cigarettes. People in the know about this stuff will tell you that you can spend a whole evening or even most of the day at a café of your choosing. Coffee culture is the epitome of easy living, the American dream of Europe’s lack of preoccupation with work. This ideal has a grain of truth to it, but it’s not entirely true.

Many of the historical cafes are in the center. Here, it is worth mentioning the differences between the districts. There are more historical districts, and then there are the more urbanized, 60s-era districts of tall apartment buildings towards the outskirts of the city. These were designed primarily for residence, “sleeping districts,” if you will, and not so much anything else. During my time in Vienna, I lived in a dorm in one of these districts. These are much more reminiscent of Soviet-era complexes, the lower floors of which have been primarily colonized by chain stores, such as Billa and Bipa, as well as chain cafes, like Änker and Der Mann. Änker and Der Mann, being chains, are much more reminiscent in their culture to that of Starbucks here in the states, where most customers get their orders to go, and are a common destination for a sandwich at lunch time, not so much a place to hang out for hours.

Where proper cafes can be found, they are populated primarily by an older crowd. I’ve seen young people at Starbucks and the fancy cafes in the center, but not so much the Coretto Café on the corner two blocks from my dorm. Likewise, the cafes in the center are mostly a tourist destination, a beacon for those that idealize the “European way of life.”

It seems to me that true coffee culture in Vienna is slowly getting phased out by tourism and simply by not suiting the needs of the newer generations.

The smoking:

No, not the glamorous kind, where you sit at a café table with your friends arguing about philosophy and literature over a cup of delectable Viennese coffee. Rather, the kind where you feverishly light up first thing in the morning because you can’t start the day without a dose of nicotine in your system. It stops being glamorous after the second pack and you begin to be disgusted with yourself when you collapse into bed reeking of smoke that you can’t wash out. It stops being glamorous when you have to beg everyone you know for a cigarette because the tobacco shops are all closed on Sundays and you’re hungover and seething that you promised yourself you’d quit after the last pack.

Yet it feels like there’s no way around it. I’m not blaming anyone but myself for my (still) raging nicotine addiction; many of my friends never took up smoking while in Vienna. For me, it was an idealized vision of the artist, alone in the city, as well as my painful social awkwardness. When everyone around you smokes, it’s easier to make connections. My roommate saw my cigarettes on my desk and asked me to go on a smoke break on the balcony with her, thus we were able to talk in a way we weren’t otherwise able to have. Smoking together constitutes a different kind of relationship, one which I can never achieve with people due to my social clumsiness. Once, someone asked me for a cigarette while I was at a restaurant. I asked him (in German) if he needed a lighter. Because he was older than me, I used the formal ‘you.’ He laughed heartily at that. Later, a program director explained to me that smoking creates a space of equality and casualness, and everyone becomes a ‘du (informal you).’

Smoking is the great equalizer. Rich or poor, young or old, immigrant or native, everyone smokes. Well, not everyone. ‘Everyone smokes’ is yet another illusion, another expectation for Vienna that’s half-true. In 2020, the Austrian smoking rate was 26.40% in people over 15 (Macrotrends), though a study conducted in 1998 observed that 45.7% of male and 20.9% of female regular smokers consume over 20 cigarettes a day (Haidinger). Although I suspect that, being a big city, more people likely smoke in Vienna than the national average, that’s still not that much compared to the overall population. Nonetheless, the people who smoke clearly do so with a fervor, which could account for the illusion that most people smoke, or at least the ungodly amount of cigarette butts.

In the end, smoking is an inescapable reality for Vienna. Some people fully expect it coming over there, some people don’t. I think Nina, one of our program coordinators, summarized it best: for most workers, breakfast consists of an energy drink and a cigarette. It’s a poetically un-poetic bastardization America’s European ideal: most people are not puffing away peacefully while indulging in Vienna’s famous coffee. They’re trying to stay awake at work.

The cultural embodiment of ‘girl dinner:’

Okay, I’ll admit. The title of this section is more snarky than accurate, although it does hold some truth. For those of us unfamiliar with the term, Urban Dictionary (the most reliable source on the internet) defines ‘girl dinner’ as: a dinner that consists of many different kinds of small appetizers/snacks rather than just one entrée. Although this has become a meme referring to the inability of young women to cook themselves full meals due to mental health and leading busy lifestyles, this is almost the exact definition of the Austrio-German concept of Jause. Jause can be a lunch or a dinner that consists of many appetizers, usually in the form of various breads and accompanying spreads, cheeses, and cured meats. My German roommate told me that her family has Jause for dinner every night.

One of the things that I learned pretty quickly is that I wasn’t equipped to feed myself. When living in [redacted] dorms, I always had access to the dining hall, so even if I wasn’t enthusiastic about the food, I still had something to fall back on if I was really hungry. In Vienna, however, the dorms aren’t associated with any university and therefore don’t have access to dining halls. There are dining halls on some university campuses, but due to my scattered schedule, eating there was unrealistic most of the time. This left me with eating out, buying ready-made lunches at Billa, or cooking for myself.

Although Vienna is certainly a walkable city, the district I lived in was a “sleeping district.” This meant there weren’t many restaurants within walking distance, nor where their hours regular. Sometimes a restaurant would be listed as open on Google, only for me to show up and it be closed. [Redacted} has the perk of having several food hubs scattered throughout the city: [Redacted], the downtown of [Redacted], and the [Redacted] downtown. All of these are within walking distance as long as you live somewhere on or around campus, and all of them are certainly within driving distance. In Vienna, most of the restaurant hubs were accessible only via a 20-30 minute ride with public transport, which made eating out a fun treat but not a reliable method of feeding myself, especially when I was so depressed I could barely get out of bed.

So, about those ready-made lunches. Billa cooks as if they hate food. I’ve tried a little of everything they had to offer: wraps, sandwiches, grain bowls. All of them were soggy, with either too much or too little seasoning and sauce, and all of them featured mystery meats I pulled out and discarded after one bite. It quickly became clear that eating these was not an option.

I think the primary reason that there wasn’t much access to restaurants or good pre-made food where I was is the nature of my district. The Viennese are traditionally homebodies when it comes to eating, especially for dinner. Although it’s common to see people grabbing a sandwich from Änker for lunch, most Viennese eat dinner at home, and the lack of restaurants in a predominantly residential district reflects that. Restaurants situated there just wouldn’t make a good profit. Although I come from a household that wouldn’t consider a Jause a filling dinner, it is nonetheless a meal typically prepared and eaten at home. I had no other choice but to face my fear: the kitchen (dun dun duuuuuun).

I have no real complaints about the communal kitchen. My complaints in this department are primarily directed at myself, because frankly, I never learned how to cook, nor developed the habit of cooking for myself. I’ll blame this partially on what I mentioned previously: having access to the dining hall and lots of tasty alternatives from [Redacted]. I ate a lot of Korr instant pasta (chef’s kiss) and a lot of instant noodles, which I could cook with the kettle I had right in my room. I learned how to cook curry, but there was only so many times I could eat the curry before I had to force it down. Eventually, I tried to embrace the Jause, but having no experience selecting the good stuff for it, my dinners were usually disappointing. Plus, coming from a household that eats a homecooked meal together every night, my Jause days were emotionally and gastronomically unfulfilling and left me craving human contact more than anything else.

The rude awakening of the sheltered American student to the harsh realities of the European education system:

One of the things I distinctly remember from my pre-departure meeting with Viennese students was their warning regarding the differences in approaches to teaching material. Well, it was less of a warning and more of a sidenote that was brushed off in favor of bigger and better things, like which clubs to visit in Vienna (and I don’t blame them; who wants to listen to a Tedtalk about what to expect from your classes, much less talk about it?). So, I ended up learning the trial-and-error way: in Europe, your education is on you.

What the Viennese students told us is that you don’t have to go to lectures because all the information will be in the slides. This couldn’t have been further from the truth. It’s true that there’s no mandatory attendance, so you don’t have to attend lectures, and it’s true that there are slides. It ends there. The slides often don’t have all the information you need for the exam. In fact, most of the time, the slides just have diagrams and titles of papers on them. It’s up to you to figure out the rest if you don’t go to lecture. It’s also up to you to figure out the rest even if you do go to lecture, because some professors are incredible, and others, well—some are difficult to follow, if I’m being kind.

The other pitfall for the American student is that there are no assignments. There’s no homework. There’s no grade aside from the one you get on your exam, which often consists of 2-5 essay questions. The American education system guides you all the way to your final grade, holding you by the hand and checking in with you every couple of days to make sure you’re staying on top of learning the material. The European system stands off to the side, watching you struggle without your training wheels, waiting for you to come and ask it questions. And this isn’t necessarily a bad thing, either.

The European education system is designed for people who actively want to learn and who will teach themselves how to learn to accomplish their goals. Austrian education is practically free, aside from cost of living and student union fees. I’ve seen many an Austrian gape at me after I told them how much one semester in the US costs me, and that’s at a state university. The Austrian university does not have the same consequence of becoming a ‘waste of money’ if you don’t do well so the professors don’t have the same incentive to help you pass in every way possible. Because you’re not paying for it, the university experience isn’t performative, as it so often is here, and not as tied up in the politics of being a thing you can buy. The professors are there to teach you things, but they don’t have to spoon-feed you the material because you’re not paying them to. Instead, it’s on you to make the most of what you have. It’s a system where, in order to succeed, you have to take responsibility for your own education. And I think that’s a great thing! It’s just that this system isn’t really for me.

Having been raised in the American education system, along with some personal brain bugs, I respond really well to consistent assignments and deadlines. No mandatory attendance means I just won’t attend class, especially if I’m depressed and can’t bring myself to make that hour-long commute to campus. Needless to say, I struggled quite a bit to stay on top of things. But I did learn a lot, from all that trial and error, and I developed learning skills that serve me still.

[radcliffefm]

congratulations  on  your  acceptance  to  radcliffe  university,  vienna  sun  and  chester  d'aramitz  !!  orientation  begins  on  the  quad  at  noon  and  don’t  forget  to  submit  your  account  within  24  hours  so  student  housing  can  get  your  accommodations  in  order.  please  read  over  the  checklist  as  you  settle  in.  chase  sui  wonders  and  mason  gooding  are  now  unavailable  for  applications.

( chase sui wonders, cis female, she/her ) have you met vienna sun yet? you know, the 22 year old undergraduate student. i think they’re a senior majoring in theater. ring a bell yet? every time i walk past their dorm i hear you're so vain by carly simon blasting through the door. everyone who meets them say they’re captivating but can also be a little vapid. guess when you meet them you’ll figure that out yourself. — may

clubs: theater club

( mason gooding, cis male, he/him ) have you met Chester D'Aramitz yet? you know, the 23 year old undergraduate student. i think they’re a senior majoring in art. ring a bell yet? every time i walk past their dorm i hear am i dreaming by metro boomin blasting through the door. everyone who meets them say they’re golden-hearted but can also be a little blundering. guess when you meet them you’ll figure that out yourself. — dolly, 26, he/him, cst, none

sports/clubs/connections: ice hockey (center), art & media club, lgbt+ club

[zebkiehousing]

Have a safe and amazing stay with Student Housing in Graz Austria

Living in Austria as a student can be an exciting and rewarding experience. With its beautiful landscapes, vibrant cities, and world-renowned universities it is an ideal place for students to further their education. When it comes to finding a place to live, however, can be a challenge. Student housing in Graz Austria is not as common as in other countries. Unlike in the US, there are no dorms or student apartment complexes. Most students live in private housing, from shared apartments to single-family homes. 

Finding student housing in Austria can be a daunting task. Many students rely on websites such as WG-Gesucht.de, a popular student housing platform, or the Facebook group “When in Wien” (Living in Vienna) to find potential roommates or apartments. You can also search for housing through local newspapers, university bulletin boards, or real estate agents.

More affordable apartments may be farther away from campus. Additionally, different types of apartments may offer different amenities. Some may include a kitchen and bathroom, while others may only offer a bedroom.

Also, you can find amazing Student Accommodation in Zagreb Croatia. Student Accommodation Zagreb Croatia offers a range of accommodation options for students in the city of Zagreb. From single rooms, shared apartments, & dorms to private apartments there's something for everyone. All accommodation options are located close to the city center, making it easy for students to get to their classes and socialize. With various prices, student accommodation in Zagreb provides an affordable yet comfortable stay for students.

Student Accommodation provides a safe and secure living environment for students who are studying away from home. It usually offers a range of accommodation options to suit different budgets and preferences, from shared rooms to self-contained units. Many student accommodations also provide communal facilities such as kitchens, living areas, and laundry facilities. Students can usually enjoy the convenience of living close to their college or university, as well as having access to facilities and services to help them succeed in their studies.

Finding student housing in Austria or a Single apartment for students in Vienna can be challenging, but it’s not impossible. With some research and patience, you can find the perfect place to call home. Good luck with your search!

Read Also: The benefit of Student Room in Villach while Studying in Austria!

[the-dorm-scale-home-blog]

Intro time!

I am a Hungarian student currently living in Vienna. I have to admit I was very happy to come back despite the pandemic since I have my very own, and most importantly brand new place - you guessed right, in a dormitory. (The dorm is so new it had opened the day before I moved in and the construction works are still not finished.)

Basically, everything is black and white (and fifty a couple shades of grey) which I like but it’s just too bland. Well, everyone can decorate, right? I’m kinda into design and DIY so it’s one of the best challenges of my life. The hardship is, of course, and the difference from one’s own home is that none of the stuff is mine and the only things I can move are 3 chairs, a desk, and a paper basket.

I’ve been here for two weeks... and now it’s high time to make this tiny living space nice and cosy! On a tight budget, of course. You will hear cheap&free&sale from me a lot.

🌱I love plants, languages, and a couple other things I’m keeping for later. Expect pictures of Austria.😊

You can call me Anna, questions are welcome. 

[mcdonaldsnumberone]

➳ camille vienna profile!

picrew credit!

Camille Vienna is a second-year in Diasomnia. She is a cunning and refined presence within Night Raven College, and hides a sinister secret.

“Are you inviting me for a walk in the sun? I’m afraid I’ll have to pass. Too much sun is never good for anybody…”

Japanese: カミーユ・ビエナ

Romaji: Kamiyu Bienna

Other name(s): Lorian (all), Candiru/Vampire fish (Floyd), Monsieur lune (Rook)

Gender: Female 

Pronouns: She/her/he/him

Age: 17

Birthday: 01/11

Starsign: Capricorn

Height: 165 cm (5’5”)

Eye color: Grape violet

Hair color: Black, amethyst ombré

Homeland: Briar Valley

Family: Unnamed parents, Lorian (twin brother)

Dorm: Diasomnia

School year: Second

Class: 2-E, student no. 30

Occupation: Student

Club: Science club

Best subject: Magic analysis

Dominant hand: Right

Favorite food: Black pudding

Least favorite food: Hard candy

Dislikes: Being scrutinized

Hobby: Walks at night

Talents: Tending to the sick

Camille has the appearance of a beautiful young woman. She has curly black hair that falls to her waist which turns a dark shade of purple towards the tips. She has purple eyes and fangs that are visible whenever she opens her mouth. Camille is often seen with her hair up.

Camille is a reserved yet civil student who tends to keep to herself. She is knowledgeable in many areas and is willing to share her advice with those that seek it. She keeps herself close to her fellow Diasomnia students, but Camille still entertains those eccentric enough to approach her. She is noted to be extremely devoted to her family, returning home as much as possible to tend to her sick sibling. It is also observed that she acts in the way a stereotypical vampire would. If irritated enough, Camille reveals a ferociously ambitious side to her.

Camille is the youngest member of a family of vampiric fae, and is the twin sister to a brother named Lorian. Jealous of her brother Lorian’s future as a royal advisor to the fae court, Camille hatched a nefarious plan. She weakened her brother and drew blood from him continually to feed herself, strengthening her abilities, and took his spot as a Night Raven College student by masquerading as him. She continues to slowly kill Lorian by pretending to “tend” to him, in hopes that once he passes away, she can take his place for good.

Camille is inspired by Carmilla from Sheridan Le Fanu’s Carmilla. Her brother, Lorian, is inspired by Laura. 

Camille crossdresses as her brother when attending Night Raven College. Most students refer to her by her brother’s name, Lorian, and assume he/him pronouns for her. 

Camille has been noted to run into a variety of different students while walking around campus at night.

[sunshinekidz]

Impromptu

Chapter 15/17

Word Count: 2.4K

Genre: enemies to lovers, piano majors, series

Hyunjin x female reader ft. Stray Kids

Notes: 

- This chapter features the song All I Ask of You from The Phantom of the Opera. You can refer to this during the musical: https://youtu.be/yfPLh_6ckzI

-  Also, I am more than certain that Changbin would be a great Phantom and Seungmin, a great Raoul. Enjoy!

When you finally had the chance to go through your notifications, the first thing you saw were Changbin’s messages.

<I’m so, sorry Y/N!>

<I was so worried about you that I forgot to knock.>

<And I almost forgot to freak out after seeing you two.>

<You and Hyunjin?!!>

<I need an explanation!!!>

<Tell me everything!!!>

<When did you two start?!!>

<Okay fine, you must be really tired but still, I need the explanation when you feel better.>

<And I definitely have to meet the guy so I know what you’re getting yourself into.>

You giggled to yourself as you typed a reply. 

<I’m feeling much better thanks to Hyunjin. I would have been in a worse situation if he didn’t jump into action right away.> 

<And from what you saw, well, he was just finishing up his confession so… yea.>

<Don’t worry about me, Bin. I’ll be okay.>

You spent the next few days at your dorm, finishing up your papers. The department had decided to not hold written examinations for students in their last semester, to accommodate sufficient preparation time for the competition. Rather, the exams were converted into essays, where each student was to reflect on their musical journey, as well as reviews on the concert that they attended. 

Due to your special circumstance, you were given an extension to submit your work. Being the type of student that you are, you did not need the extension period to complete your essays. In fact, you submitted them early. 

A ding from your email notification suddenly caught your attention. Opening up your inbox, there was a new message. 

<Results_Faculty of Music_Piano Department>

The email you were waiting for had finally arrived. It was sent with high importance, along with an attached document that held the results from competition day. Your hands began to tremble as you were unsure of what to expect. Who would the winner be? 

Taking a few deep breaths to calm yourself, you opened the document and scanned through its contents.

To all final year piano majors,

I would like to take the opportunity to thank all competitors for taking part in this year’s graduating piano competition. After much consideration, we are pleased to announce this year’s winners. The top three are listed as follows.

Third place goes to: Lee Felix with a score of 87%

Second place goes to: Yang Jeongin with a score of 91%

And miraculously tied in first place: Hwang Hyunjin and Y/LN, Y/FN with a score of 97%

First place winners will also be given the opportunity to continue their studies at the Vienna Conservatory of Music. 

Congratulations on your accomplishments! I wish you all the best in your future endeavours!

Yours Sincerely, 

_____________, PhD

Director of the Piano Department

Faculty of Music

The first thing you did was to call Hyunjin. After two rings, he picked up.

“Hello?” He answered in a sleepy voice. 

“Hyunjin, we won! We tied in first!”

The line went silent for a moment. You thought that he had hung up.

“Hello, Hyunjin?” You called for him.

“I’m here, Y/N.” He paused for a moment, still processing your words. “Did you just say we tied in first? No way.” 

“Yes way and we’re going to Vienna! My dream city!”

You giggled to yourself.

“And what’s more, I get to go there with you.”

Hyunjin chuckled from the other end. 

“You got plans for tonight?” He asked. “Haven’t seen you the past few days and I already miss you.”

It was the day of Changbin’s performance and you have been looking forward to it. You had to attend. Perhaps you could bring Hyunjin along.

“Well, I’m going to my friend’s performance tonight. It’s at the same concert hall that we went to back in January. He got us free seats. Wanna go?” 

“Who can turn down a free concert? Of course I'll go. And with my favourite person too.” 

“Awwww, I never expected you to be this sweet, Hyunjin. Or are you?”

You could hear his laugh through the phone. 

“You’ll always be my favourite person, Y/N.”

“Mhmm. Yea, we’ll see about that.” You replied sarcastically. “Anyways, the concert’s at seven, which gives us some time to get food. Where do you wanna go?” 

“How about that pizza place across the street?”

“Hyunjin!” 

He chuckled.

“I’ll bring my meds this time, I promise. Remember, I can always risk it for pizza. Especially when you love it so much.”

“Okay fine.” You sighed in defeat. “But you better bring your meds, or else.”

***

You met with Hyunjin in front of the music building at the same time as your previous encounter. He had on a different blazer than the one he wore for the competition, yet he still had on the same maroon tie. Although, it did not seem to be much of a tie around his neck.

“Hyunjin, what the heck is that?” You pointed to his awfully knotted tie.

“It’s a tie. And I can’t seem to get it right.” He looked at you with a pout. “Can you redo it for me, please?” 

You rolled your eyes. 

“You’re such a liar, Hwang Hyunjin. I know that you’re able to tie one properly.” 

Nonetheless, you still found yourself reaching up to redo his tie. 

“No I can’t.” He said. You could hear the fake innocence in his voice.

“Shush. I saw it on competition day and it was pristine. Even better than my knots.” 

You eyed him suspiciously.

“Was that a trick you played on me that day when we were in the store?” You asked. 

Hyunjin blushed.

“Alright, alright, you caught me.” He lifted his hands, surrendering to your observations. “I pretended not to know how to tie a tie properly.”

He leaned in towards you to whisper.

“So that you can do it for me.” 

You exhaled in annoyance as you quickly re-knotted his tie. 

The campus was bustling at the hour, with students who just completed their evaluations. It was the perfect time to enjoy the arrival of spring. Within the group of students, quite a few were Hyunjin’s fans.

“Oh my gosh, it’s the prince!” 

A few of them ran up to greet him. 

“You look so great, Hyunjin! Where are you off to?” 

Hyunjin looked over at you and gave you a smile. Taking your hand in his, he held it up to them.

“On a date with my girlfriend.” He answered. 

Your jaw dropped all the way to the ground. Hwang Hyunjin really was shameless. 

What surprised you even more was how well his fans took the news, albeit their disappointment that you were dating their prince.

“Ah, I knew it.” 

“I’m so happy for you both.”

“Yea, we’re wondering if you’ll ever date. But I guess no one else suits you better than Y/N.”

“Congratulations on winning the competition by the way! It was so cool to see you two on stage!”

“Who won?”

“Both of them.”

“For real?”

“Yup. Tied in first.”

“Wow. They really are meant to be together.”

You smiled at them sheepishly before Hyunjin gave you a tug, signaling to carry on with the ‘date’. 

The two of you walked down the same path towards the pizza parlour, hoping to reenact the events from last time, with a better ending. It felt a lot like the second take of a movie scene. 

Hyunjin asked you to take a seat at the same table while he made his order. It was not a long wait until your food arrived, sooner than you expected. 

“Here we are, a sausage embedded pizza crust with pepperoni on one half and all meat on the other half, just like last time.” He said while placing the box in front of you. “But this time, I’m going to add a few extra toppings.”

“I hope those ‘toppings’” You gestured with air quotes, “are your meds, Hyunjin. I can’t have you running off to the bathroom for twenty minutes and being late for the concert again.” 

Hyunjin took out a small container from his pocket.

“Precisely, milady.” He winked at you. “I also don’t really mind the shenanigans either.”

You rolled your eyes. 

“Shut up and take your meds before you regret it.” You said, digging into your first slice. 

The two of you were a little overdressed for dinner at the pizza parlour, but it was an embellishment for the evening. You glanced over at his maroon tie as you continued to chew on your pizza. 

“You really like the tie.” You commented. 

“Mhmm.” He answered. “It reminds me of you.” 

“But you wore it on the day of the competition.” 

“The same reason you wore that dress.” 

“Well, I couldn't let it go to waste. That’s why I’m wearing it again for tonight. Have to make the best out of it.”

“Right.” Hyunjin leaned in closer. “Just like it reminded you of me.” 

 “Ha.” 

The two of you finished your pizzas and left the store. On your way to the concert hall, a sudden breeze from the evening of early spring sent you shivering. 

Hyunjin seemed to notice. He took off his blazer and draped it across your shoulders. 

“Remember when I talked about wearing winter jackets even when it’s spring to prevent catching a cold?”

“Yea, yea. I’ll bring my winter jacket next time.” You stuck your tongue out at him. 

“Better now?” He asked, ignoring your childish antics.

You nodded, surprised at his act of chivalry. Standing on the tip of your toes, you reached over to kiss him on the cheek. 

Hyunjin was stunned by your sudden display of affection. 

“Come on, let’s go. Or we’ll be late for the concert.” You looped your arm in his. 

With the help of Hyunjin’s medication, he was fine from all that cheese on the pizza. The two of you arrived early at the concert hall, with extra time to prepare before it began. 

It appeared that your best friend had gotten you the upper balcony seats. 

“The acoustics are the best up there. Here’s an extra ticket, in case you want to bring a friend.” Changbin said, handing them to you. “So you can hear me belt my notes.”

“Thanks, Bin. I’m really looking forward to it.” You told him.

Once in your seats, you opened the programme that you had been given and skimmed through its contents.  

“Phantom of the Opera.” Hyunjin read over the title. “I’ve always loved the story.” 

He flipped through his booklet, stopping at the page that featured the cast. 

“Which one’s your friend?” He asked. 

“Changbin. We’ve known each other since we were babies.” You replied. "And he’ll be the Phantom for tonight."

“Oh cool. Wait…” He glanced over at you. “He’s not the one who kissed you, right?” 

You smacked him lightly on the shoulder.

“Heck no. That was the other friend.” You wiggled your eyebrows at him. “Why? Are you jealous?” 

Hyunjin pulled you closer, lacing his fingers with yours. 

“I’ll always be.” He said. “And tell that other friend of yours to back off, because you’re mine.” 

You chuckled to yourself.

“Oh, Hyunjin.” You said, shaking your head. “You’re so cute.”

The lights in the audience dimmed and brought more focus to the stage. Conductor Bang Chan walked over to the microphone to introduce the program for the evening. After his quick preamble, the musical began. 

You quickly became absorbed into the story, singing along with the cast. It was the musical that you knew the best, as you had memorized each individual song by heart. The moment Changbin appeared on stage, you nearly jumped out of your seat. Never in your years of knowing him, have you ever seen your best friend dressed so professionally. The Phantom mask had enhanced his features, along with a touch of mystery.  

“That’s your friend, right?” Hyunjin asked. “Wait. He was the one at the hospital who brought you food and your stuff the other day.”

“Yup.” You replied all too proudly. “The one and only, Seo Changbin. They’re evaluating his performance too, so this is definitely gonna be good.” 

Needless to say, you were so proud to see Changbin perform in his full Phantom costume on stage, at one of the most famous concert halls in the city. The way his voice resonated throughout the venue was unlike what you have heard before. At the rehearsal the other day, he was not performing at his full capacity. But that evening, he took the opportunity to shine. Seo Changbin had finally unleashed his inner lion, as he completely took over the stage. That evening, you were more than certain that your best friend was on his path to fame. 

With Lia as Christine, the two sang a beautiful duet that you were sure touched the hearts of many in the audience that evening. 

Then, it was Seungmin who made an appearance on stage in his Raoul costume. You could only smile, as you remembered your story with him. It was a story of potential lovers, who missed the opportunity to confess their feelings for one another. With a dose of misunderstanding, everything fell apart. 

You turned to look at Hyunjin, only to find that his eyes were already on you. With a quick tug, he pulled you close to him.

“Then say you’ll share with me one love, one lifetime. Let me lead you from your solitude.” 

Hyunjin sang along quietly so that only you could hear him. It was the first time that you have ever heard his singing voice and he was dedicating the song to you.

“Say you need me with you, here, beside you. Anywhere you go, let me go too.”

“We’re going to Vienna together, Hyunjin. I’m so excited.” You beamed. 

“Y/N, that's all I ask of you.” 

Your hands reached up to cup his face, responding with the next part of the song. 

“Say you’ll share with me one love, one lifetime. Say the word and I will follow you. Share each day with me, each night, each morning. Say you love me…”

“You know I do.” 

“Love me, that’s all I ask of you.”

The rolling timpani was followed by a crash of the cymbals at the peak of the musical. As if a signal, Hyunjin pulled you in and connected his lips with yours. 

There could not be a better soundtrack for a movie than the instrumental that was playing in the background. Bang Chan had done a wonderful job at conducting the orchestra.

“Be my girlfriend?” Hyunjin asked, pulling back slightly.

“Of course.” You whispered against his lips. 

With a tug on his tie, you leaned forward to kiss him again.

[maladaptive-ninja-returns]

The Siren & The Healer (2)

Natasha Romanoff arc

Chapter 2: The Stranger

Platonic Natasha x fem!Reader, Loki x fem!Reader (soulmates?)

Theme: With cracks between the most powerful superheroes of the earth, Natasha Romanoff does not find rest when she is assigned on a mission to find the missing pieces of a puzzling power that once nearly got into the hands- rather, tentacles- of Hydra. In order to unearth the pieces, she must dig through her own past and make a decision that might decide the fate of the earth in the coming wars.

Series: Will contain violence, death, destruction, softness, fluff, smut, friendship, and whatnot

Chapter warnings: it does not have floof. or smut. or Loki.

A/N: This was written a few years ago with an OC in mind so reader has a name but it is a reader insert.

Word Count: This weird pain in my heels has not gone away and it has been six freaking months! And I keep missing making appointments! With either of the doctors! I am so mad at myself. And I am trying to take vitamins for the same and I keep missing them too! Which reminds me I should put alarms. Which reminds me I should put alarms for this. ...and I keep missing putting up those too.

MASTERLIST in bio, love

Time: 2200 hrs

Location: Vienna

The little Iron Man funko pop had been entertaining you for the last two hours when the remaining contents of Harry’s table could not. By now you were practically half lying on his table, the chair rolling to and fro while you hummed the tune to Tender’s Nadir, bobbing your head like your little friend to the rhythm. Harry’s colleague- another assistant professor in the department- had come by to collect his stuff from his desk while you waited. “Why don’t you leave and he’ll come when he can,” he had mentioned, drawing a stare of judgment from you. Leave him? What am I? A monster? I can’ just ‘leave’ him. He’s Harry, man! Shut your trap hole!

"I'm so sorry Koshu. I had to collect some assignments from the students." Harry started with loud gasps of breath before he’s even entered the room. You were kinda bummed he knew you were there. You really wanted to surprise him. Though you had to say, you loved seeing him all flustered. It was quite a rare sight for you. You always so calm and composed friend never broke a sweat no matter how hard things were. Well, the things that were hard for you were a smooth sail for Harry. Even though you’d both come here to study and research in artificial intelligence, you had just dropped out of the course after the first semester and taken to teaching minor courses and skills while learning some yourself. He, on the other hand, had been acing it ever since he got here, winning scholarships and accolades. Not to mention the hearts of all ladies and interested men. And what did Harry do about it? Be as innocently unaware about it all as your crush on him. Stupid son of a sexy goofball!

"Look at you, all red and sweaty! I bet Sammy would love to have you now." you giggled.

Harry stood beside you for a second, blank, until he realised what you meant and flushed a fresh batch of red. Yeah, exes tend to have then effect sometimes. A part of you was glad to have that woman out of the picture- that part being the whole of you. No one wants a toxic girlfriend who wants you because you’re hot and then thinks she rather not because ‘I don’t know, Harry, you’re not as outgoing as I thought my boyfriend would be.’ She should have been glad you were on another continent at that time.

"Yeah. Whatever. Hey, I have to grade these assignments so why don't you head home. I'll finish these and then come back,” Harry admitted before wiping the sweat off his forehead. Ugh! Stop it you tease! Your inner voice was really having a day.

"What? Take them home! I'll cook us some pasta or Indian if you are craving some. Get comfy and then grade these bitches."

Harry raised his brows at you.

“That was for the papers. Not for you students....who do comprise of certain stuck ups if you ask me.”

He blinked before shrugging and nodding in agreement. Hesitating for a moment, he remained quiet, the corner of his lips twitching where it met his beard.

"Yeah, I'm comfy here. You go ahead."

It was your turn to raise arch your brow at him.

"Dude! Stop it!” you lectured, raising her hands in the air. “It’s okay for you to do the laundry but it’s not okay if I cook food for the both of us? And it’s not like I’m a bad cook that you avoid eating my hard work. This is called sharing responsibilities, something, I clearly remember, you lectured me on when we first came here. And I like cooking, it’s like a stress-buster. And I make awesome Indian food and a mean Chicken Alfredo."

“...”

“I do...don’t I?”

"Yeah, that you do."

"Thank God. So come home, you twat. Pack those things and let's move. I'm hungry. Let's go before I eat your brains."

Harry smiled sheepishly at his failed attempt for a second and then beamed with happiness from within.

"Alright. Go heat up the car. I'll bring all the material with me.”

You got up with a gush of new energy flowing inside you. Taking the keys from him, you walked for the door.

“Oh! And don't leave without me okay?" He called out from behind you, making you stop, turn and give him a narrow-eyed look. Harry laughed and dodged the duster you threw at him. "Jerk," you hissed through your teeth as you started walking towards the parking lot.

It was only seven in the evening but the sky had already bid goodnight. There were barely any students on the campus. You could hear EDM being played at a distance at some frat house or in someone's dorm. Kids, you thought to yourself, as if mocking them. And then again, you thought to yourself, kids- but now with wistful faraway happiness.

There were only four cars in the parking lot. An old Camry that belonged to a history professor who took night classes. Another one was a Bentley that belonged to a highly infamous professor of Personality Development. The man taught more about himself than about personalities. You never liked that guy.

This guy creeps me out from a mile away, your insides would always remind you.

The last one was an unknown SUV that stood a few meters away from Harry's car. It did not belong to any student or staff you knew.

You took a good look at it as you crossed it and moved to Harry's second hand, Honda. If there was anything Harry and you loved in common more than food, and a bit less than animals, it was this sweet lady. One could find notes, spare T-shirts, cologne, deodorants and much more in there. It could easily be called your second home.

Both of you had spent nights sleeping through all the tipsy- after wild parties during the first year- in this baby. This one had been with you when you’d got here and did not have a dark corner to cry in. Or when you and Harry needed to run away from the buzz of the city and escape into the mountains to rest under the stars and talk about all your deepest desires, darkest secrets and nethermost questions about life and purpose. Not to mention, you’d cleaned up this baby on Harry’s first date just so this guy would get some action- which clearly didn’t happen for this terribly shy guy.  This car had been a constant in it all and had even been knighted with a name.

“Hey Bunny! Did you miss mama? How was my girl today?” 

You were about to open Bunny’s door when your eyes went back to the SUV.

Matte black. Alloy wheels, clearly not of cheap quality. Weird number plate which was not from the state and a little metallic sword that hung from the rearview mirror inside- reflecting the lights from the parking lot right into your eyes.

Something did not feel right. You stood there for a few seconds looking in the parking lot for any sign of the owner.

“It is supposed to look intimidating.”

You jumped at the voice behind you.

A man came out of the shadows of the trees. He was wearing a grey suit and a pin bent in the shape of an eye with what seemed to be a ruby in the middle.

You closed Bunny’s door and locked the vehicle, carefully placing the car keys between your fingers so as to point them away from you and put the other hand around your bag. You took two steps back into the middle of the parking lot, standing visibly under the lights.

“I’m sorry, Sir, do I know you?”

The man stepped into the light. The wrinkles on his face made him look a bit over forty but his well-fitted suit around his body made him look younger and muscular. His grey eyes looked right into yours with a hint of a smile on his thin smooth lips.

“No, ma’am. But I have heard about you.”

You stepped further back into the most lit part of the lot.

“Can I help you, sir?”

You just now noticed the restraint in your voice- into a softer, smoother version of how you normally talked. This always happened when you were intimidated by the person standing in front of you.

“I have been looking for someone who could help me with this concept that is completely out of my league. But considering the things that are at stake, I was hoping you could help me.”

You looked in his direction, confused. More than that, you were frustrated, wondering where the campus guards were.

“I am talking about healing and meditation studies. A few kids who are visiting Europe on a foreign exchange program have shown some interest in getting certified in the course. And I heard you have some sort of experience with that thing.”

The man smiled, this time, his lips extended a bit more while his eyes still stayed grey. Your entire body feel a cold jitter all at once. His eyes. There was just something unsettling about them. Like they were looking right through your clothes, skin, flesh, and bones. 

“Oh! I’m sorry sir. I taught last semester and that was that. I no longer teach or practice it. But you can find teachers for the same more capable than me in the classes going on right now. In fact, the students can directly contact them. Their information is available on the university website.”

The man tilted his head a little as if he was questioning something you just stated.

“Really? You stopped teaching the course? But why? I met some of your students and they gave me really amazing reviews regarding your teaching methods.”

You felt drops of sweat trickle down your back. For a few seconds there, all you did was just blink and feel the fierceness of your heart trying to rise up a little. Finally, you gave a weak smile before answering. “It wasn’t suitable for me. I mean the timings and the hours I had to put in. It was sort of taking a toll on my health. So I don’t do it anymore. I don’t take classes. Neither do I freelance.”

The man was silent for a second while you felt her phone in her jacket. One wrong step and you were ready to press the button of wrath.

“So you’re telling me that healing and meditation took a toll on you.”

You let out one long tired sigh. Here we go. You’d heard that phrase before, more times than you could count.

“Yes, sir”, you muttered, your voice suddenly growing tired, ���it does take a toll on you if you’re not careful.”

You wanted to take a look behind you to see if Harry was approaching but did not turn for the fear of the unknown now standing in front of you.

“Careful about what?”

“The things you work on, the ailments for example, who you work with, what energy you are going to work upon slash with,'' you stressed, though stressing as little as you could on the ‘energy’ bit.

“Oh! Like if someone was, say, in an accident, you wouldn’t treat them because that might take a toll on your health. So, you’d rather that person suffer than be treated by you.”

The statement took you by surprise. You had been thinking the man was a sceptical old pervert but here he was asking you questions a healer’s heckler noob does not play with so early.

“Excuse me?” you lost your voice a little. “Sir, it’s a lot more complica—”

The man looked away from you to take out a card from his jacket and hold it out for you to take.

“Why don’t you tell me all about it tomorrow at 8:15 am? Your ride’s here so let’s continue this tomorrow. I’m sure being a healer you have a good reason to not heal someone. Even a…” he paused, his dead eyes looking straight into yours, “loved one.”

And suddenly you were not standing in the parking lot anymore. The dead eyes stayed there with you as everything around you seemed to fade into the distance. Only the eyes, your cold body sweating and a familiar old voice shouting out for you from somewhere far away were present in the void.

Keosha.

You could almost recognize that faint noise accompanying it. A fade white noise was what it seemed to be initially. A part of your mind tried to filter out where exactly where it was coming from. 

Keosha.

It grew closer but now it was somewhat different. You thought you heard someone scream somewhere in the distance.

“Keosha!” Harry shook your arm.

You jumped back into reality, nearly a feet away from Harry’s grasp.

“Hey! Daydreamer!” He called out for you, taking one careful step towards you so as not to scare you away again. “You okay? Where did you go?”

You supported yourself on Bunny. Harry noticed the slow blinks, realising you had been living through some part of your wayward imagination that was not a pleasant one. So, he did what he always did during such times. Rubbing your back to soothe you before taking you in a light embrace.

Your heart was comforted by Harry’s presence, thanking him repeatedly for being there. Your mind was all over the place, looking around you for the cause of this sudden crack inside your mind. The old man was gone.

“Sorry I just got lost in…something. Should we go? We should go.”

Your body worked on its own, getting into the car, closing the door, putting on a radio station to drown out the echo of words left behind.

[filmfanatic82]

AO3 Link (HERE)

Chapter 3

“I would have walked through fire to kiss your lips

Do you still think about it, of what you did?

Still see your old apartment, like a bad trip

Wish I could forget all the places we've been

Hard and heavy whiskey goodbyes

Boy, you know how to make a girl cry

Was sleeping in a bed full of lies

And now that I'm older, I can see why”

-- Hope by The Chainsmokers

__________

Penelope can’t stop staring.

She has tried her best to for the better part of the last thirty minutes now, but every time she re-focuses her gaze onto something else-- anything else-- her eyes can’t help but wander back towards that yellow sweater. The pristine woolen yellow sweater that lacks the last six years of rips and stains that it’s clone has come to bear. 

The sweater that still belongs to Josie Saltzman.    

And, of course, the alcohol isn’t helping either.

Even though Penelope had performed a sobering spell before leaving Hope’s dorm room and heading off to her classes, she can still feel its lingering effects on her overall inhibitions and self-control… 

Or, better yet, lack thereof.

She knows she shouldn’t stare. It’s a rookie mistake, not to mention, also dead give away that something isn’t quite right with her.  

But, then again, how can she not?

It’s all so surreal. The classroom. The students. Even Dr. Bridges standing in the front of the blackboard, droning on about the history of secret covens within colonial America. Penelope’s been here before and yet… she hasn’t.

At least not in this version of reality.

By now Penelope should be en route to Belgium, under the guise of attending some hard to pronounce, witches only boarding school and not sitting here, in class. She should be in the process of tracking down Caroline and further pouring herself into any and all ancient texts that contain any reference whatsoever of the merge. 

But she’s not. 

Because this time around, leaving isn’t an option. Not without Josie safely by her side.

Penelope lets out a small sigh as she runs her hands through her hair and tucks a few loose strands behind her ears. She pulls her eyes away once again from the yellow sweater and glances over at the relic of a clock hanging above the classroom doorway. 

Only fifteen more minutes to go.

Fifteen more minutes before she can get another brief respite from the day-to-day mundanity that is school. 

God, how Penelope hasn’t missed this part. The pure and utter boredom of sitting around, hour after hour, day after day, pretending to listen to trivial pieces of useless knowledge that bear little to no importance in the world outside of the Salvatore School. 

Who the hell cares about knowing all of the names of the witches who founded the Oakwood Coven? Or which species of newts can be found in the eastern woods of Romania? 

No one. That’s the real, harsh truth. Not one single, fucking, soul. 

Nothing that Penelope learned during her first go-around at Salvatore had prepared her for what Hope and she were forced to encounter. Especially given that Alaric and the rest of the teachers operated under the asinine belief that teenagers had no need to learn defensive magic.

Thank god for Caroline. If it hadn’t been for her and her brutal, seven days a week, training regime, Penelope wouldn’t have even lasted the first six months within the real world. Or, better yet, had the foresight to use the morsus curse when fighting for her life against…

Penelope’s eyes wander back yet again towards Josie as her hand drifts up to trace her now non-existing scar. 

“Alright, folks. Enough on the lunar cycle for today. Let’s wrap things up a little bit early, shall we?” Dr. Bridges announces from the front of the classroom. “Remember, we will be discussing chapter 4 tomorrow of the Liechtenstein text, so please make sure you’ve read it.”

The sudden sounds of textbooks shutting and chairs scraping against the wooden floor snaps Penelope out of her thoughts and back into the reality of the moment. She lets out another sigh, this time accompanied by a crack of her neck.

“Can you get any more stalkerish, Satan?” Lizzie says, drawing the attention of those few students who have yet to leave the room as she does.

“Fuck me,” Penelope mutters under her breath and shuts her eyes, taking the briefest of moments to collect herself. 

Liz. 

No. She doesn’t go by Liz. Not yet at least. The shorter, more mature version comes later. After their first, real-world encounter with one another. 

It had been around the time of Hope’s 20th birthday. They had been camped out in a small town near Vienna for well over four months tracking a dead-end lead when the blonde-haired girl had shown up. At first, Penelope thought her eyes were playing tricks on her. That it was just an odd coincidence and nothing more. Austria was chock-full of icy blondes with piercing blue eyes. 

But then the girl approached Penelope in the darkened back corner of the local pub and simply uttered the phrase “Hello, Satan” and all lingering doubts instantly dissipated. 

It was indeed Lizzie Saltzman. Or, as she had re-introduced herself as “Liz” because Lizzie was someone who frankly didn’t exist anymore. Not after all that, she had borne witness to in the events of the past few years.  

Liz had sweet-talked her way into snagging the two of them a bottle of Bulliet from the bartender, which Penelope could only fathom the price tag given the scarce rarity of non-local spirits, and the two proceeded to drink as they talked for what seemed like a lifetime. It was the first-- and sadly only-- honest conversation that Penelope had ever had with the girl that once had wished she had never existed. 

As they drank, Liz had filled Penelope in on what had transpired post the Triad invasion and the irreversible side effects that the tainted bullet had had on Josie. She somehow managed to recounter the horrific events one by one, devoid of any signs of real emotion whatsoever, except for the noticeable unsteadiness of her hand every time she brought her glass up to her lips and took another sip. And Penelope sat there and did nothing more but listened. There had been a part of her that was dying to unleash her mountain of unanswered questions beyond the blonde, but somehow she sensed deep down inside that this wasn’t the time. 

That Liz just needed to talk.

It wasn’t until they were 3/4th of the way through the bottle, did Liz work up the nerve to ask about Hope. The question came so buried within their conversation that at first, Penelope thought it was a mistake. Merely her tipsy subconscious playing tricks on her. But Liz asked again. This time as clear as day. 

And Penelope couldn’t help but revel in the way that Liz’s face lit up as their conversation turned towards Hope. Liz seemingly wanted to know every last detail about the tribrid and yet, all the while still tried to keep some of her emotional cards close to her vest. But it didn’t matter. Penelope could read right through her anyway. There was a deeper reason for Liz’s sudden curiosity. One that Penelope, unfortunately, knew all a little too well. It was the same exact curiosity that had plagued her ever since the moment she left the Salvatore School. The one fueled by late-night thoughts and the endless “what if” scenarios that left unchecked could drive a person insane.

So, Penelope took a risk. A calculated risk, but a risk nonetheless. With a long sip of whiskey, she looked Liz dead in the eyes and revealed to her that Hope was madly in love with her. 

Without missing a beat, Liz smiled back and responded that the feeling was more than mutual… in fact, it had been for most of her life. 

The conversation abruptly ended soon after those words with Liz being suddenly pulled away by a phone call and then rushed goodbye. There had been a promise made that she would be in touch shortly for yet another round of drinks and late-night confessions, but unfortunately, it never happened. 

The news of Liz’s death came just a few weeks later.  It had been on the tip of Penelope’s tongue a million and one times to let Hope know about the rogue encounter, but she could never find the right moment to do so.  

“Uh… Eww. No thanks.” 

Penelope opens her eyes, allowing herself to take in the view of Lizzie Saltzman standing before her. A set of icy blue daggers stare right back along with the all too familiar arms folded across the chest stance that all but screams ‘I’m openly judging you’. 

It’s classic Lizzie. And God is it a bittersweet sight for sore eyes. 

The slightest hint of all-knowing smirk slide across Penelope’s lips. “Hello, Saltzman.” 

“I’ve told you a thousand times already. Leave my sister alone. Got it?” 

But Penelope doesn’t respond. Instead, she stands up from her desk and goes about packing up her belongings, never once letting the smirk drop from her face. It’s a deliberate move and one that Penelope more than knows will elicit the type of reaction that she needs in order to move the game along.

“Did you hear me?” Lizzie huffs out, slightly more impatient than before. 

Penelope still doesn’t bite. She maintains her composure as she pushes her desk chair in and then turns to fully face Lizzie head-on, locking her eyes in on the blonde. A momentary silence falls between the two of them as Penelope continues to smirk and watch as Lizzie fights against the ever-growing discomfort. 

“What?” Lizzie growls. She pulls her eyes away, pretending to glance at the ambient chatter coming from the nearby hallway, not able to withstand another second more of Penelope’s unsettling gaze. 

“Quick question for you… Why’d you let Roman escort Hope last night?” 

Lizzie blinks and shakes her head in slight confusion. “Huh?”

“At the pageant. You had the choice to escort Hope yourself after Landon was a no show. And yet you decided to let Roman step in instead? Why? You practically bent over backward just to ensure that Hope won. Why not be the one by her side?”

“I… I didn’t… How did you…” Lizzie grasps at words, trying her best not to appear too thrown off guard. 

“If I were you, I would’ve gone for it,” Penelope replies with a shrug. “Nothing wins a girl over more than being there when she needs you most.” 

Penelope throws in a playful wink for added measure as Lizzie continues to search for something-- anything-- to say in response. But all she can do is stand there, staring back at Penelope in complete and utter shock. 

“See you around, Saltzman.” 

And with that, Penelope up and walks out of the classroom as her smirk grows even wider than before. 

__________

“Penelope! Wait!” 

Penelope stops dead in her tracks as the sound of Josie’s voice echoes out from behind her. She’s been wandering the downstairs hallways now for the better part of the last hour, allowing herself to just get lost within the steady stream of Salvatore students. Sure, it’s not the most productive use of time, but it doesn’t matter. After the unexpected face-to-face with Lizzie, Penelope more than needs the space to sort through the ever-growing tidal wave of conflicting feelings brewing deep within the far depths of her mind.  

Penelope slowly turns around and instantly spots Josie battling her way against the dense sea of uniform-clad teens. “Hey.”

“Hi,” Josie responds a bit out of breath as she breaks through the last wave of students and joins Penelope. “I’ve been looking all over for you.”

“You have?”

“Of course I have. I’ve been trying to find you ever since the end of Medieval History… How on earth did you know that?”

“Know what?” Penelope responds slightly confused.

Josie gives a quick scan of the passing crowd for any signs of big ears and then grabs Penelope by the arm and pulls her into a nearby nook. “That Lizzie secretly likes Hope.”

Penelope can’t help but let a harsh chuckle slip out. Of course, Josie had overheard the exchange. She’s always has a tab on Lizzie whenever they’re together. Just like a mom of an overly mischievous toddler. One eye on them at all times, holding their breath and waiting for the next tantrum.

And it’s this-- Josie’s Achilles heel== that will lead to her ultimate downfall. 

“What’s so funny?” 

“Nothing. It’s just…” Penelope trails off, stopping herself before she inadvertently opens Pandora’s Box. “I guessed. That’s all.”

“You’re lying.”

“No, I…”

“Enough with the bullshit, Penelope. You and I both know you’re good, but you’re not that good,” Josie fires back with an underlying bite to her voice. “Tell me the truth. How’d you know?”

Penelope runs her hands through her hair and exhales a breath of air that she didn’t even realize she was holding onto. 

The truth.

Two words that are so simple yet so powerful. For Penelope, telling the truth has never been the easiest route when it comes to Josie. No. How could it be? Speaking the truth meaning running the risk of inflicting long-lasting pain. The kind of pain that leaves invisible scars along the soul. 

“Okay. You’re right. It’s wasn’t just a guess,” Penelope responds. “It was also Hope.”

“Hope?” Josie quirks an eyebrow at the mention of the tribrid’s name. “What about Hope?”

“She’s the one who told me about Lizzie. Apparently whatever went down between the two of them during the Miss Mystic Falls pageant opened her eyes to things that up until this point she’s been blind to… Or something like that.”

“And she told you this?”

“Don’t look so surprised, Jojo,” Penelope says channeling her old 16-year=old self for a brief moment. “I make quite the good confidant. You of all people should know that… I still haven’t told a soul about how you’ve got a secret kink for handcu--”

But before Penelope can finish her sentence, Josie clamps her hand down over Penelope’s mouth as her cheeks ignite with a noticeable reddish hue. “Enough… I get it… So Hope feels the same way?” 

“Without a doubt.” 

“Interesting…” Josie replies. “I always had a hunch that there was something there between the two of them… Too bad Lizzie will never act on it.”

“How are you so sure?”

Josie shrugs. “It’s Lizzie. No one knows her better than I do.”

“Then I guess I’m just going to have to push Furball to make the first move.” 

Now it’s Josie’s turn to chuckle but unlike Penelope’s, it’s filled with nothing but an abundance of warmth. And Penelope can’t help but smile at the way that Josie’s nose crinkles up as she does. 

God, how she has missed this. 

“Okay. Now it’s my turn… What’s so funny?” Penelope asks.

“You.”

“Me?”

“Yes,” Josie matches Penelope’s smile. “I can’t put my finger on it, but… I don’t know… You just seem different somehow.”

“Different in a good way?” 

Josie bites down on her lip as she gives a small nod. “Yeah. I think so.” 

“Well maybe I’m trying to turn over a new leaf,” Penelope responds nonchalantly. 

Josie reaches forward and ever-so-gently tucks a loose curl of Penelope’s raven hair behind her ear and then lets her fingertips linger for a few moments upon Penelope’s cheek. Penelope feels her breath slightly catch as she fights the urge to fully lean into it. “Promise me something?”

“Anything,” Penelope eagerly replies.

“No more lies, okay?” 

And instantaneously, Penelope’s whole body stiffness. No. Not that… Anything but that one request. It’s the one promise she can’t uphold. 

Penelope swallows down the dry lump of emotions bubbling up within her throat and then ever so subtly moves her hand behind her back and crosses her fingers. “Okay.” 

“Good.” Josie smiles in return. Penelope starts to open her mouth to say something-- anything-- more, but before she can manage to utter a single word, the bell rings.

“Shit. I’m going to be late to History of Ruins,” Josie says as a look of panic sweeps across her face. “Let's talk later… Maybe during study hall?”

“Sure.” And once again, Penelope finds herself utterly frozen, unable to do anything more than watch as Josie disappears from sight. 

God, is this going to be harder than she ever imagined.

[friendsinflats]

Navigating College Roommate Matching in Vienna: A Guide to Harmony and Compatibility

Embarking on the journey of higher education often includes the adventure of finding the perfect roommate. For students venturing into the vibrant city of Vienna, this quest takes on a unique flavor. With its rich cultural tapestry and academic excellence, Vienna offers an unparalleled backdrop for forging lifelong friendships. However, successful College Roommate Matching Vienna requires careful consideration and strategic planning.

Vienna, renowned for its historic architecture, world-class universities, and dynamic arts scene, attracts students from around the globe. Each individual arrives with distinct preferences, habits, and backgrounds, making the roommate selection process both exciting and challenging. To navigate this journey smoothly, students can follow a few key strategies.

First and foremost, communication is paramount. Before arriving in Vienna, students should utilize available platforms provided by their university to connect with potential roommates. Engaging in open and honest conversations about lifestyle preferences, study habits, and personal boundaries lays a solid foundation for a harmonious living arrangement. Sharing expectations regarding cleanliness, noise levels, and visitors can prevent misunderstandings down the road.

Moreover, embracing diversity enriches the college experience. Vienna's cosmopolitan atmosphere fosters an environment where students from diverse cultural backgrounds converge. Embracing differences in language, customs, and traditions not only enhances interpersonal relationships but also broadens one's perspective on the world. By actively seeking roommates with varied backgrounds, students can create a vibrant and inclusive living environment reflective of Vienna's multicultural ethos.

While compatibility is crucial, it is also essential to maintain an open mind. College is a time for personal growth and exploration, and living with someone who challenges preconceived notions can be immensely rewarding. Embracing differences in personality and interests can lead to unexpected friendships and valuable life lessons. Instead of focusing solely on finding a mirror image, students should be open to the possibility of discovering common ground with someone who brings a fresh perspective to the table.

Furthermore, leveraging technology can streamline the roommate matching process. Many universities in Vienna offer online platforms or apps specifically designed to facilitate roommate connections. These platforms utilize algorithms to match students based on compatibility metrics, such as sleep schedules, study habits, and social preferences. By harnessing the power of technology, students can increase their chances of finding a compatible roommate with minimal effort.

Once matched, it is essential to establish clear guidelines and boundaries. Creating a roommate agreement outlining responsibilities, such as chore rotations, shared expenses, and quiet hours, can help mitigate potential conflicts. Regular check-ins to address any concerns or grievances ensure that lines of communication remain open. Building a foundation of mutual respect and understanding is key to fostering a positive living environment.

Beyond the practical considerations, college roommate matching in Vienna offers an opportunity for cultural exchange and mutual growth. Embracing the diversity of experiences and perspectives enriches the collegiate experience and prepares Student Housing Matchmaking Vienna. By approaching the roommate selection process with an open mind, clear communication, and a spirit of inclusivity, students can forge meaningful connections that extend far beyond the confines of their dorm room.