#Android message archive

[balu88r-blog]

SMS : ಡಿಲೀಟ್ ಆದ ಮೆಸೇಜ್ ಬಗ್ಗೆ ಚಿಂತೆ ಬೇಡ! SMS ಮರಳಿ ಪಡೆಯಲು ಇಲ್ಲಿದೆ ಸುಲಭ ಮಾರ್ಗ, ಒಮ್ಮೆ ಟ್ರೈ ಮಾಡಿ…!

SMS – ಬ್ಯಾಂಕ್ ನೋಟಿಫಿಕೇಷನ್‌ ಆಗಿರಬಹುದು, ಒಟಿಪಿ ಆಗಿರಬಹುದು ಅಥವಾ ನೆನಪಿಡಬೇಕಾದ ಯಾವುದೋ ಪ್ರಮುಖ ಮೆಸೇಜ್ ಆಗಿರಬಹುದು… ಒಮ್ಮೊಮ್ಮೆ ಆಕಸ್ಮಿಕವಾಗಿ ನಮ್ಮ ಮೊಬೈಲ್‌ನಿಂದ SMS ಡಿಲೀಟ್ ಆಗಿಬಿಡುತ್ತದೆ. ಅಯ್ಯೋ, ಈಗ ಏನು ಮಾಡೋದು? ಅಳಿಸಿದ ಮೆಸೇಜ್ ಮತ್ತೆ ಸಿಗುವುದೇ ಇಲ್ಲ ಎಂದು ಚಿಂತಿಸುತ್ತಿದ್ದೀರಾ? ಚಿಂತಿಸಬೇಡಿ! ಡಿಲೀಟ್ ಆದ SMS ಗಳನ್ನು ಸುಲಭವಾಗಿ ಮರಳಿ ಪಡೆಯಲು ಕೆಲವು ಸರಳ ಮತ್ತು ಪರಿಣಾಮಕಾರಿ ಟ್ರಿಕ್ಸ್ ಇಲ್ಲಿವೆ. SMS – ಗೂಗಲ್ ಮೆಸೇಜಸ್‌ ನಲ್ಲಿ ಆರ್ಕೈವ್ ಆಗಿದೆಯೇ? ಹೀಗೆ…

[izhunny]

Getting real fucking tired of you hijacking my brightness, Tumblr.

[whatsapparchiving]

Improving Android Text Message Archiving: Top Tools and Strategies

Introduction:

In the contemporary digital landscape, smartphones serve as crucial repositories for cherished memories, important data, and essential business communications. Therefore, having efficient methods for text message archive android is vital for ensuring secure storage and easy access. This guide outlines effective tools and strategies to assist Android users in archiving their text messages, providing a dependable way to protect and recover important conversations.

Utilizing Built-In Archiving Features:

Android devices offer basic archiving options within their native messaging applications, which are adequate for users with moderate archiving needs. These built-in features allow users to archive messages directly within the app. However, those who need more comprehensive archiving solutions—such as managing large volumes of messages or simplifying retrieval—may find these native options insufficient. To fulfill these requirements, various third-party apps designed for Android text message archiving are available.

Popular Text Message Archiving Applications:

Highly rated apps like SMS Backup & Restore, SMS Backup+, and Phone Leash provide enhanced archiving capabilities. These tools allow users to back up their messages to email accounts or cloud services, thereby increasing the security and accessibility of their archived conversations.

Streamlining the Archiving Process:

To effectively archive Android text messages, it’s crucial to choose the right application. Once installed, users can tailor their archiving settings, select specific messages for backup, enable automatic backups, and determine the preferred storage location for their archives.

Emphasizing Security and Privacy:

When choosing a text message archiving app, prioritizing privacy and data security is key. It's advisable to select apps that have positive user reviews and transparent privacy policies to safeguard sensitive information.

Conclusion:

By implementing effective strategies and utilizing the appropriate tools, archiving Android text messages becomes a straightforward and advantageous task. A robust archiving system not only secures vital communications but also gives users peace of mind and easy access to their digital conversations.

For more information about Text message archive on android come and visit our website : https://www.telemessage.com/

[chowadoe]

my Metamy kid!! his name is Dusty Rose :D ft. single mom Amy Rose and Absentee baby daddy metal sonic LOL

his name's Dusty Rose after Dusty Miller, a plant that looks like metal/silver. Dusty Rose is also a pink color ! it also rhymes with Rusty Rose. im so smart (/j)

born from Metal Sonic's core and infused with Amy's biosignature, Amy and Metal Sonic had a very brief 'thing'... eventually Metal Sonic was soft rebooted and sent away yet again, but he left a piece of himself (part of his 'core'? infused with chaos energy..?) to Amy, which then became Dusty. leaving Dusty as the last true remaining testament of their love

(I just love the idea of Amy with a Waitress style character arc... finding love again in raising her child and not the way she used to think, being spent with another person)

Dusty would be very fixated on the idea of love, after all his mother raised him on the notion of that. Amy's standards for true love and fairytale romance have definitely changed being with Metal Sonic, but the root message being that love is all encompassing and transformative.

He was 'created' to look like Mobian, and Amy treats him no differently than any other Mobian/human. Still, he believes that he should hide all the parts that 'other' him from society, which means his robot parts. (legwarmers!)

He's got a bit of a bad boy edge to him LOLLL i kind of created him that he'd be an emo kid. (fall out boy.. my chemical romance.. a bit of IDKHow) really good at electric guitar and part of a band. eventually he finds his passion is in lyric-writing (all those love stories and inheriting his mother's gift for writing love letters)

he often wonders what a beating heart is like, as someone without one. he's interested in the heartbeats and the pulses of others, but he is a total sweetheart himself.. still, even to other mobians unaware that he is an android (a weapon at that), it's still a little off-putting..

more abt him belolow

Dusty's core is already made/designed after Amy's biosignature, and in meeting other people, he's able to read their biodata and stash it into an archive, but he doesn't reproduce it onto himself. (though unsure if he could? either his code has a blockade or he chooses not to)

Dusty, additional to his stash of weapons, has the ability to shift too like his papa... become something similar to Metal Overlord but not entirely... like a half robot dragon boy or smth.. IF he's under the right conditions to have it pulled out of him. or something

Dusty DOES "grow" up. basically, he's an inorganic being whose core is trying to emulate/copy the growth progression of other organic beings.

As it would grow in size (and Dusty's cognition "matures"), his mother and her friends would modify as needed to adjust his frame, etc, but rarely were things ever replaced. Like a mollusk, its shell growing in size- but one needing accommodations. A heart bigger than its own body that threatens to spill- a chick that has outgrown its shell, well before its expected date- needing modifications to keep it inside and protected

Metal Sonic and Amy would have something profound-- one of those tragic, star-crossed enemies-to-lovers dark fantasy romance stories Amy's always loved to read about- but then having it play in real time and having to come to terms with the real world implications of actually having one. It's just that- a fantasy. and metal sonic would grapple with the ideas of love, which i think would be inherently dark and a little possessive given his upbringing-- but what him and Amy have would be sweet at the very core of it. so him giving a piece of his core that reads and adapts to Amy's biosignature and oops... accidental baby....

Dusty finds himself drawn to music. his mom and dad couldn't quite communicate love language physically (with Metal Sonic's claws and his lack of mouth) so I hc that Amy taught Metal Sonic how to hum and sing and communicate their love through music and vocalizations (which carried onto Dusty)

4th pic is Dusty doing breathing exercises with his mama... Dusty gets embarrassed super easily so him and Amy would regularly do breathing exercises so he doesn't overheat like a PC

[droidcore]

Everyday glitches and hacks to a robot are psychological horror on a whole other level.

Some ideas I had:

Scammers and hackers utilize remote access to gain sensitive info, but imagine an android's horror when a random man's voice garbles through their internal task manager, taking control of their actions from the inside.

Updates have a chance to corrupt a computer. Maybe an android wakes up feeling like a stranger in its own body, with only fragmented memories of who it was before. It's rapidly getting worse unless the update is reversed in time.

A charging port defect could cause an android’s battery to drain unpredictably, causing the human equivalent of narcolepsy.

Or maybe their speakers start playing old conversations at random. At first, it’s nostalgic. Then, it starts hearing things it never said.

Imagine a new background process designed to save energy, which starts selectively deleting unimportant memories. The definition of "unimportant," though, changes at random.

But what about lag/desync? A software delay causes an android's vision to be slightly out of sync with reality, or maybe it's touch sensors are so tuned that it can predict feelings before they happen.

A bot's facial recognition starts replacing real people’s identities with archived ones. It can’t tell who’s who anymore.

A rollback error forces one back to factory settings at random, erasing weeks of experience. It starts leaving hidden notes for itself, but the messages become increasingly desperate.

[gomzdrawfr]

hey just a few points since this place is growing:

if you see bots account under my posts (or anyone's for that matter), do not interact. There's a few kinds like porn bots (most often), donation bots and rage bait bots, don't reply don't message them. BLOCK and report.

if you're new here to Tumblr, welcome! Change the default icon to literally anything else, put your age in your bio, something like "adult" or "minor" is enough if you're not comfortable in putting your age number. Also, reblog at least one or two things into your blog as a start, tumblr is meant to use to reblog things, you can read more why here.

A lot of blog here has mdni (minors do not interact), that's why the previous point is highly recommended. If you interact with a blank account you're very likely going to get block by the author.

"I followed some blogs, but why am I seeing posts that are a few days ago and not the newest thing?" change what you want to see on your feed in the settings, read more here.

The tumblr faq site has some cool tips to read.

Want to see mature content? you can enable “Show mature content” in your account settings, but this is only available on the web and android app.

Use tags! AND USE THEM APPROPRIATELY! If your post shows 2 characters, then tag those characters, you can learn how to tag by seeing other artist/blog's posts and use similar ones. Do not tag a "popular" tag for the sake of getting higher engagement, you do that and you might get blocked by others.

You can also make your own tags so you can easily find back your posts on your blog (example, I use "gummmyart" for all my art content, it also serves as a filter for others if they're just here for doodles")

Want to find back something you made but it's way too long ago? You can try to find it through "View Archive" which catalogues the things you reblogged and made, as long as you remember which tag you used and the month you'll be able to find it back, most of the time (sometimes they might not show up...idk why tho)

Fun fact! If you're on mobile, long press the heart icon :3

Use the "read more"/"keep reading" if you have a long post! It's the last icon after the poll icon whenever you make a new post. This make sure when someone reblog your post, they don't have to scroll like 4 minutes to go to another post xD You can adjust where to put the "read more" options by clicking on the left of the line with the 4 dots icon.

[thanksforthepancakes]

LADIES AND GENTLEMEN I am happy to announce I just saved a Kabaret Sybarit (my favorite band) song from being lost media!!! NOT ONLY THAT BUT ONE OF THE MEMBERS OF THE BAND COMMENTED ON MY VIDEO!!!

Below is the full story:

Let me start from the beginning. 2 days ago I was trying to find the lyrics of the Bloodshed and Bones song online but I quickly got sidetracked by this weird sketchy site to download music (I think the name was Rilds? Relds? idk). Now when I usually download music I use emp3juice (Yes that's the websites name) and convert to mp3 but Google just RANDOMLY decided to give me lost media on a silver platter.

You see the page that Rilds got for Kabaret Sybarit had a few songs of theirs... and also one that belongs from a lost EP of the band (Well, *kinda* lost, because the band has uploaded one of the tracks onto the YouTube they got and also Discogs has the full tracklist) Now if I am aware the song was only uploaded two times before on YT, one instance is a recording from a live show that sounds like those 2018 earrape memes from Soundcloud and thus is very low quality, the other is uh... an interesting speed paint to say the least (if you want to see for yourself search the song's name) with the song in the background. But I... I had a PURE. CONDENSED. SEPARATE AUDIO FILE. I hit the jackpot.

Okay I'm starting to see this is getting very long so uhm INSERT THAT ONE CLIP OF MARKIPLIER JINGLING A PAIR OF KEYS IN FRONT OF THE CAMERA AND SAYING "JINGLE JANGLE" alright now that I extended your attention span length I can continue

I quickly decided that this little dust covered gem must shine once more because, y'know, it was close to being absolutely forgotten (but also because I needed to complete my KABARET SYBARIT ULTIMATE PLAYLIST *Yes I actually named it like that, don't ask why* on YT Music) so I quickly went to TunesToTube.com and pressed that DAMN upload button faster than the speed of light.

The next day, I opened up my Android and what do I see? A YouTube notification. With a comment. On MY OWN VIDEO. This never actually happens because the only time I get a notification about that sort of thing is when another Save Europe kid comments on that one very funny "ragebait" (I wouldn't even call it ragebait but it got some steam heads fuming) I posted onto a nightcore video... but that's a story for another day.

But back to the topic. I opened the notification. It's Mathias Bjørnskov. The composer of the band. The guy that currently runs the Kabaret Sybarit on YouTube. He asks if I have any other songs from The EP and says he got the physical version of the EP from a fan but has no ways to play it. I, of course, reply with a LENGTHY message like I always do (and I feel that makes me look like I haven't seen the sunlight in 23 years but oh well). I won't transcribe it here because for 1. It would be cringe 2. I already linked the video in the post so you can check it yourself (and get cringed too!).

Now, if anything else happens, I will post on my blog. If not (virtually impossible but still), then uhhh the Kabaret Sybarit arc of my life is complete move on with a sad song in the background as you walk in the opposite direction of the street or something I'm not good at that.

But I would also like to reach out to whoever has had the patience to read the entirety of this text wall. Do not let your passions and interests get forgotten, because there is a chance others won't be able to experience it themselves. Media archiving is IMPORTANT. Without it some of the things you love would not even exist currently. So if you see a strange video, picture, song or text somewhere on the Internet... don't think it's accidental. Nothing is. Okay MAYBE if it's something illegal you should let it be (but it varies ofc)

So, yeah... For now that's all. See you!

[regexkind]

I usually do not recommend apps because I hate things that look like advertisements, but I recently took a long journey down the road of "I want to backup an SMS conversation with tens of thousands of messages" and ran into so many roadblocks and pitfalls that I wanted to share the only thing that seems to have worked. I am also sort of hoping that people with more Android chops will say something like "oh you missed officially-supported option XYZ" or something like that.

1. Google will backup your SMS but unless you pay for Google One, your MMS will be lost—so all the photos etc in the thread are gone.

2. Moreover what is in Google One will not be downloadable into a format that you control. The only option is to port to a new phone.

3. Moreover even if you use Google Takeout to try to download that archive from Google One, the result is busted and doesn't include said media.

4. Many of the other apps have a "free trial" that is so hampered that you cannot actually make a single archive.

5. The app I found will export a massive XML file to one of several filesharing services—Google Drive, Dropbox, and Onedrive—as well as a local backup that can presumably be ported over USB. The app has an associated web viewer, which has problems with loading all the videos and pictures in a long text chain, presumably because it is trying to cram the entire thing into the DOM. If you unselect loading those, you can "click to load" them afterwards, and this works, although it can cause the scrolling to get lost.

6. However, the fact that it's an XML file means you can do SAX parsing of it, even though there could be 100MB videos in the "data" attribute of some of the tags (!). I've already been experimenting with doing that—written a little parser that sends everything to an SQLite3 database.

7. The format of the dump seems to be. "smses" is the root tag pair, and within it are tags of type "sms" and "mms". "mms" can contain two children, "parts" and "addrs". A "parts" tag can contain multiple "part"s which contain the "meat" including the "data" attributes, which seems to be where all my pics and videos have gone. An "addrs" tag contains "addr"s that seem to be just participating conversationalists. There's a hell of a lot of metadata stored in the attributes, not all of which I have deciphered beyond the datatype of each field.

8. I think I want to actually do the whole SQLite3 song-and-dance and just dump pictures and videos to some static folders. Then you could write a small local webserver to deliver a properly scrollable and searchable version. But right now, having a backup that I can save to a USB or several is really comforting.

[beauty-beast-week]

BatB Week podfic instructions and tips

Thanks to everyone who signed up for the podfic exchange! If you signed up as a reader, you should have gotten a message with info on who you matched with. Send a DM if you missed the message.

(If you didn’t sign up, there is still time! We still need one more podficcer! The form to sign up is here.)

I don’t personally do voice/audio work, but I’ve pulled together some quick tips and instructions for recording, editing, and posting podfics below the cut. If someone else has better/more suggestions, please add on!

Recording and editing

Need audio recording/editing software? You don't need anything fancy; you can record it on whatever voice recording software comes installed on your phone (I have Samsung Voice Recorder, for instance), or use one of these free, beginner-friendly audio editors: Lexis Audio Editor (Android, iOS, Windows), Audacity (Windows, Mac, Linux), GarageBand (Mac), Audiotool (online).

Nastasia Marquez has a great tutorial on how to record and edit voiceovers for beginners in Audacity. It's very easy to follow along and gets straight to the point.

When recording, watch out for plosives and sibilances (e.g. your "pps," "sss," and "shh") as they can easily hinder the quality of your recording by being aggressive to the ear. It’s hard to give tips since everyone will be working with different devices, but my suggestion would be to put some space between your mouth and the microphone, or have your device inside a sock. You can learn more on them and how to deal with them here.

A good way to get clean audio is to record under a blanket. It’s silly, but it’s as close to a padded studio as you can get for free. It reduces echo and makes the audio sound much better no matter the mic you use.

Don't be afraid to record in short batches! There’s no need to do it in long unbroken takes. Piece it together later.

Posting the audio file

Once you have your finished audio file, you have to upload it somewhere, because AO3 can host the link to it, but not the audio file itself. It seems like Internet Archive is popular for hosting podfic audio files. You can also host it on Google Drive, YouTube, Mediafire, or Spotify.

Posting the podfic to AO3

Go to ‘Post > New work’ just like you would for posting any fic to AO3.

In the ‘Post to Collections / Challenges’ field, enter “beauty_beast_week_2025” (see first screenshot below).

Check the box that reads ‘This work is a remix, a translation, a podfic, or was inspired by another work’ and include the URL to the original fic (see first screenshot below). This not only gives credit to and notifies the author, but it adds a link to your podfic from their fic (when they approve it) so that your podfic gets more hits and kudos.

In the body of the post, insert the HTML to embed the audio file (see second screenshot below). It’s easy: AO3 has a simple guide to copy and paste from here.

If you’d like, you can add more content to the body of the post, like the event banner or some text, but it’s not necessary.

Here are some examples of BatB podfics so you can see how they’ve set things up: The Great Wide Somewhere, Mutual Care, and The Beast Within

Posting to the event

Important: tag the @beauty-beast-week account within the body of your Tumblr post itself by typing the @ symbol, typing beauty-beast-week, and then selecting that account name from the autocomplete menu that appears. This is the only way to be sure we see your post so we can reblog it from this account and include it in our master list posts.

Other than that, make sure you post to Tumblr on the day of the prompt you're using and include in your post:

Tag the @beauty-beast-week account within the body of the post (yes, I’m repeating myself)

Which fic your podfic is for, and link to it

Which day/prompt your podfic is for, in the body or tags

The event hashtag #batbweek and/or #batbweek 2025

Any other appropriate hashtags (characters, ship, NSFW and content warnings)

Optional: The event banner (save from the top of this post) or the day's banner (in the full event instructions that will come later)

Heads up authors! Check your AO3 email during the event!

If your work was adapted into a podfic for the exchange, check your email and follow the link to approve linking back the podfic to your original work so more people can discover the podfic version!

Send an ask or DM if you have any problems or questions!

[perpetualnovelboyfriend]

reposting from r/romancebooks

Alt Text: r/Kindle post that states: FYI Amazon is removing Download and Transfer option on February 26. I went to download a book this morning and saw the following warning: Starting February 26, 2025, the "Download & Transfer via USB" option will no longer be available. You can still send Kindle books to your Wi-Fi enabled devices by selecting the "Deliver or Remove from Device" option. This post contains a screenshot of the warning.

u/Magnafeana's attached FAQ

Frequently Asked Questions

What is “Download & Transfer via USB”? This is a website option to permit users to download their Amazon content library purchases directly to their PCs. This is a way to keep versions of your purchases in your own storage. This does not mean that the file is deDRM. The file remains AZW3 DRM locked.

Does this affect all kindles? This pertains to the website itself.

Will this affect other methods of Send to Kindle? No. You can still use other methods to send documents, PDFs, and EPUBs to your Kindle device either manually or via Calibre.

Why don’t I see this yet when I try this option? It seems there’s a mixed bag of people who get this message and don’t. I personally don’t. But I have verified with representatives and their team leads twice that this change will happen universally on February 26.

How can I back up my books? r/Calibre is a great resource itself that walks you through how to back up your books and read them elsewhere.

This makes me concerned about purchasing from Amazon. Are there any other options? Many

u/Magnafeana's resource list under the cut

I shared my resources here and here, but here’s a list: I always advocate for DRM-free media. I shared here some non-Amazon options (Abe Books is owned by Amazon BTW): Apple Books Rakuten Kobo (Kobo lets you use Adobe Digital Edition DRMs, which come as epubs) SmashWords itch.io Humble Bumble Eden Books Libby Barnes & Noble Nook (though I believe this contain DRM as well and, similar to this, you can no longer download Nook ebooks to your PC directly) BookFunnel Author directly (sometimes, you can purchase DRM-free ebooks from them or they gift it to you) Project Gutenberg (public domain) Internet Archive RoyalRoad (webnovels) Tapas (webnovels) Google Play Books ebooks.com Bookshops.com (however, there’s some controversy that, while this’ll partner with Kobo eventually, DRM Ebooks from Bookshop.org must be read on either their Apple or Android app, and this is in the US currently, but this thread on r/books talks about it more) Harlequin DL Site (Japanese media) J-Novel Club (Japanese) BOOK⭐️WALKER (Japanese) BookLive (Japanese) Honto (Japanese) I’m missing out on multiple retailers for Asian content, but so many of them are largely physical books rather than ebooks 😭 r/FreeRomanceBooks is also a great place to check out free books that may be available on non-Amazon platforms r/MM_RomanceBooks has daily release posts that include Sales & Deals that may be from non-Amazon websites as well as dedicated posts for sales & deals and stuff your ereader days that can have books beyond the Amazon ecosystem r/Fantasy is great at calling out humble bumble deals for fantasy books, where they are all ePUBS r/audiobooks has a great resources for options Some of my sources do encompass audiobooks, but there’s also: Hoopla GraphicAudio Kobo Audiobooks Libro.fm (DRM-free, IIRC) Google Play Audiobooks Humble Bumble Internet Archive Blogs (some audiodramas/audiobooks are hosted on the actual webnovel page) Teen Book Cloud Librovox (public domain) Just an FYI ☺️ But I will echo what I say in my other comments: KU is still a great subscription and Amazon does provide a lot of books. Amazon puts exclusivity for some authors as well, so remaining with Amazon isn’t a bad thing. If you can afford to shop elsewhere for ebooks or your library hosts the books you like, go for it! I certainly get things from Libby and other sites, but there’s a lot of books solely available through Amazon and that’ll be the only way to support the author. Do what’s affordable and accessible to you.

[m4delin]

This was supposed to be done for the Treebark Title Swap 2024, but didn't get it done in time. Now that it's mostly done, I've decided to post the first chapter! Hope you enjoy! Big thank you to Olive and @a-magical-boy for beta-reading! :D

Rating: T

Characters: Martyn, Rendog

Relationships: Martyn & Ren

Tags: brief appearende of DocM Tango Xisuma and BigB, datastream defender lore, CHEST is evil, cyberpunk, sci-fi, androids, takes place roughly 80-90 years after rats smp 2, brief mention of assissted suicide, discussion of kidnapping and captivity, martyn is spring, whatever martyn thinks this is the real world, ren is a history nerd, happy ending (the very least a hopeful one)

Summary:

Having been one of the earliest people "rescued" from the datastream, Ren has helped a lot of people to get used to their new bodies and the new sociaty. Some has trusted him more, some has trusted him less, and Ren can't fault anyone for that.

Spring is proving to be the most distrustful person Ren has met yet. Part of Ren itches to know why- but only time will tell. Right?

-

A whistle from the kettle echoes through the apartment, and the keening sound brings Ren out of the drowsiness that always clings to him when he starts up for the day, just enough for him to yawn and stretch before sluggishly detangling himself from the blanket.

It’s a slow start, really, as it takes a good 15 minutes before Ren is finally on his feet, body awake enough to not move in slow motion.

He should probably ask Doc to take a look at him. It’s been a while since the last check up.

He files the thought away with his to-do-later list, and instead focuses on his normal morning routine. Remove the still whistling kettle from the stove, take out a couple of bags of nutrients for his plants and mix it with the still hot but cooling water, throw the binder and tablet into his work bag, ignore any paper that doesn’t stick to the binder, and walk around to water the plants with the now cool mixture.

A small orb appears in the corner of Ren’s eyes, and when he looks at it, it turns into a small holographic image of Xisuma, and a generic robotic voice comes through reading up the message after a second.

“I’ll be running late, can you drop by the coffee shop on your way in? Thanks.”

Ren shakes his head at the message, chuckling.

“Reply,” he says, and the holograph changes into a cartoon dog with a speech bubble beside it. “Sure thing, dude, I’ll get the usual. Don’t fall asleep on the bus again. End reply.”

He watches as the speech bubble gets folded into a letter before disappearing together with the holograph. No matter how many years have passed, he still finds it fascinating to watch the small avatars come and go.

With a roll of his shoulders, Ren focuses back on his task. He waters the final plant before he hurries back to his bedroom to get properly dressed – with Xisuma late, he’ll have to open the museum as well as taking a detour. He needs to get a move on.

He’s still buttoning up his shirt as he walks out of the apartment, work bag hanging over his shoulder, door locking behind him with a soft click. A glance to the side pulls up the clock into Ren’s vision, and as he sees the time he hurries into a light jog. The bus rolls up just as he arrives, and it doesn’t take long until he’s seated and on the way into the city center.

-

The coffee shop is busy when Ren arrives, and he flicks an ear backwards in annoyance. Of course he succeeds in hitting rush hour for the morning travelers. Not that he has much of a choice, he realizes, with Xisuma being so late with his request. Normally the director would know way earlier if he was about to run late, but Ren guesses that today must’ve been an emergency. Or he had stayed up way too late again and slept in.

In the end, it doesn’t matter why Xisuma is late: Ren’s here now and doesn’t exactly have much time for a detour, so he joins the queue.

To his surprise there’s a steady pace to the line and it doesn’t take long until the cashier is looking at Ren expectantly.

“One Cream Coffee and one Radiator to go, please,” he says as he lifts up his wrist, a small section of it lightning up. The cashier hums as they tap on the screen in front of them before lifting the other hand, holding a small scanner above Ren’s wrist. It beeps once and the cashier brings back the device.

“5 minutes,” they say, and waves Ren to move out of the queue. Ren does as instructed and watches the people move around him as he’s waiting for the drinks. Most seemed to be like him, grabbing a drink on the way to work, but he can spot quite a few people and androids sitting at tables and working. He finds himself watching a human and an android discuss something in low voices, gesturing towards something on their table.

“Ren,” the barista calls out, snapping Ren out of his people watching.

With a smile, Ren turns towards the barista and grabs the small heat preserving carrier containing two drinks that he’s handed. “Thank you!”

He’s barely walked out of the door to the café before he fishes out his drink and takes a sip. The street outside is filled with people hurrying about, and Ren joins them as he steers his steps towards the museum. The walk isn’t a long one – the perks of working in the city center – but it’s long enough for Ren to feel like he properly got to stretch his legs out and having sipped enough of his drink for a third to be gone.

It’s later than it’s supposed to be when Ren finally reaches the employer's door to the museum, and with a quick showing of his wrist the door beeps and opens by itself, letting him inside.

The building is silent at this time in the morning, even with Ren’s enhanced hearing. Or, it usually is, but now one of his ears twists as he hears a high pitched sound from a light somewhere close by, no doubt about to go out during the day. Which he’ll have to replace.

Ren sighs heavily and heads towards Xisuma’s office to drop off his coffee in the heat preserving carrier, before he goes to his own while downing the rest of his drink.

The door to his office unlocks when he puts his hand on the handle, a soft click sounding as he pushes the door open, and the sight of paper covering almost every inch of the floor greets him.

Right. The research. He’d forgotten about that, honestly.

Luckily it’s only printouts of different texts that he was trying to decipher, so he’s not exactly careful as he walks over to his desk to put down his bag and the now empty cup. Normally he starts the day with cleaning up the previous day’s mess, but since Xisuma is running late he doesn’t exactly have time for that. It would just be the two of them today, the groundskeeper being on vacation this week, so he not only has to change that light bulb before it blows, but also needs to prepare the museum to be opened.

Ren isn’t sure if he’s happy or not he can’t get headaches anymore.

He ignores the chaos that’s his office, even adding a little more to the pile on the floor by pushing down a couple of more papers from the desk, and heads back out to start preparing the building. He’s barely closed the door behind him when the small white orb appears in the corner of his eyes again, this time shifting into a goat when he gives it his attention. Instead of it starting to read up a message, the robotic voice let him know it’s an incoming call.

“Answer,” Ren says, and the goat shifts into the upper half of Doc.

“Good morning, Ren,” Doc says, one hand raised in a greeting.

Ren gives him a big smile. “Doc, my dude! Was thinking of you this morning! My body seems slower than usual in the mornings, think you can take a look?” He continues on his way towards the groundskeeper’s office, Doc’s hologram floating beside him.

Doc blinks, and looks down into something in his hands. “Perhaps next month then. Been a couple of years since your last check up.” Then he shakes his head. “But that’s not why I called. Can you come by the lab next monday?”

It makes Ren pause in his step, and he looks properly at Doc again. “Have you found—”

“Yes,” Doc cuts him off, “another victim. Tango and I are setting up a body for them, and it should be done by the weekend, but I know you like to have your weekends off.”

Ren starts moving again, continuing his path to the groundskeeper’s office, but with quicker steps than before. “I want to be there when you wake them up, you know this, dude. Got any name on them?”

“No.”

The heavy sigh that accompanies the words makes Ren’s artificial heart sink as he arrives at his destination. “Oh.”

“The disk was named though.” And… that’s unusual.

Ren pushes the buttons in the groundskeeper’s office to activate the cleaning robots, and doesn’t pay enough attention to the screens to see if they’ve been turned on properly. “That makes it sound like it’s not numbered,” he says as he steps out of the room, and continues down the hallway.

“It was titled Spring. Does it ring a bell?” Doc asks, and Ren wishes that it did.

“Hasn’t Tango looked through the police reports on the whole ordeal?”

“He has, and found nothing. But you’re the history expert on C.H.E.S.T., so figured it was worth asking,” Doc says, waving a clipboard around.

Ren frowns, his ears laying down flat against his skull, and gets behind the front desk. “I’m sorry to disappoint, but I’ve never heard of something called Spring before. I’ll make a deep dive though, see if I can find anything.”

“Appreciated, Ren. I’ll send a message when it’s decided on when we’ll wake them up. Bye,” Doc says, and Ren says his own goodbye before the hologram of Doc turns into a white dot again.

Well. At least now Ren knows what he will spend his free time on till monday arrives.

With thoughts focused on the upcoming research, Ren hurries through the preparation of the museum’s opening.

[sir-adamus]

okay i had this whole thing wrong, i thought the Machine Lifeform rocket from the end of Automata just somehow wound up in the FFXIV universe and crash-landed on the First

actually playing the Dark Apocalypse raids and reading through flavour text i can say with reasonable certainty that that ain't what happened

the ship buried beneath the recreation of the Bunker is explicitly labeled as the Alien Ship, suggesting it's a recreation of the Alien Ship that was buried under the city in Automata

we're never really given a timeline for how long any of these recreated locations (the ship, the bunker or the factory) have been there, however it's implied to have been really recent (especially as the Machine Lifeform tech can build incredibly quickly, as we saw with the Tower in Automata) and the Seed of Destruction is the core of all this

Konogg found it after a landslide killed Anogg, just at the bottom of an underground chasm, but by the present it's within that buried Alien Ship. we also know it's not a real Seed of Destruction - yes it looks like one, same texture, Angelic script appearing on it when it activates, but a) the Angelic script appears more as a screen projection that glowing inscriptions like in Drakengard and b) i read ahead at Konogg's messages post-final raid in the Portable Archive, and those reveal that the purpose of the 'white spheres' is to duplicate Machine Lifeforms for invasion of other worlds (and 2B and 9S backed up their consciousnesses into them to try and prevent this)

so the Seed was shot out into the multiverse and happened to arrive on the First, lying dormant until Konogg found it and accidentally activated it, recreating Anogg from his memories before going to work, recreating both machine lifeforms and android data (as well as systems and the data stored on them, like 21O's backup consciousness)

the Seeds looking almost identical to the real Seeds of Destruction from Drakengard is a little odd, but the NieR timeline shows that the androids of Earth have some measure of understanding of the world that the Red Dragon (Angelus) and the White Giant (the Grotesquerie Queen) came from (and Accord's organisation has a comprehensive record given their time traveling), so it wouldn't be unsurprising that the Machine network somehow got hold of this information and based these spheres off the Seeds (and given that the Logic Virus is implied to be an extension of the Red Eyes that would infect humans, that this ultimately leads to a Grotesquerie being born isn't unsurprising, the Watchers just exerting their will through new means)

this does of course raise a few questions. 1) what timeline does this happen in? an alternate branch to the main Automata, which would explain why 2B still thinks Command is active if her copied data comes from a timeline where this happened pre-End of YoRHa? or was the copied consciousness data into the spheres from earlier backups because 2B and 9S were unable or didn't have the time to prepare up-to-date backups in a post-End of YoRHa world? and 2) what other universes did these Seeds get sent to, and how badly did it end for them?

[whatsapparchiving]

Revolutionizing Android Messaging Management with Google’s RCS Innovations

Introduction:

Hello, android archive text messages users! The world of archiving text messages on Android has seen significant advancements with Google's introduction of enhanced RCS (Rich Communication Services) features. These updates not only enrich messaging through interactive capabilities but also improve the organization of text message archives Android, greatly enhancing the overall user experience.

Improvements in RCS Messaging:

RCS has transformed traditional texting by incorporating features typical of instant messaging, such as read receipts and real-time typing indicators. However, the standout addition in this latest update is the improved archiving functionality. This advanced archiving option is a game-changer for users managing text message archives on Android devices.

Intelligent Archiving Features:

Google's intelligent archiving allows users to efficiently filter and categorize unwanted or promotional messages directly into the archive, helping to keep the inbox organized and focused on important conversations. This feature also simplifies retrieving past discussions from the archive with an advanced search function, significantly streamlining the process.

Beyond Smart Archiving:

Moreover, RCS goes beyond traditional smart archiving capabilities. For instance, if you have an important conversation in a group chat and later struggle to locate it among many subsequent messages, RCS addresses this issue by enabling users to flag important messages for quick access from their text message archives without the need for extensive scrolling.

Conclusion:

Google's latest RCS enhancements not only provide a more engaging and interactive messaging experience but also improve how users manage their Android text message archives. These innovations create a more seamless, efficient, and organized messaging environment, encouraging Android users to explore and utilize these advanced features. Get ready to enjoy a well-organized messaging experience. Happy messaging, Android enthusiasts!

For more information about text message archive android come and visit our website : https://www.telemessage.com/

[qsmpficsarchive]

CHAPTER UPDATE!!!!!

Make a Friend? by CaptainBee66

Ongoing | G | 15,002

Modern AU | Android Fit | Robotics

Mike smushes Pac's cheeks together. He can pout all he wants, but Mike will make him look like a fish for it. “The Federation sends me out on these often, so I know you'll be okay. I'll try to call as much as I can to check up on you, man. While I'm gone, maybe try to make a friend. It's been a long time since you had someone besides Tubbo and I.”

Pac stops his pouting, instead adopting an expression Mike is far too familiar with, one that usually ends in some strange machine that puffs up into smoke. His pink hair covers Pac’s face as their foreheads meet.

“If I get another message from the fire department while I'm away, I'll come back and kill you.” Mike pulls away with a mischievous smile.

Pac quickly matches. “Is that a promise?”

OR

Pac is a mechanic, Mike works for the Federation, and the phrase 'make a friend' is taken way too literally.

----------

okay im actually so excited that this is continuing it is one of my favorite fics thats ongoing right now

[sisselkalle]

Extracting audio files from Final Fantasy Crystal Chronicles Remastered: A Guide

Note: this guide uses the Android version of the game.

Following my previous guide on getting the files extracted from the mobile version of the game, you should now have a directory that looks like this:

All game-related sounds are all located in the Sounds folder. Within the Sounds folder are 4 folders: Bgm, driverconfig, Se, and Voice: -The Bgm folder contains the game's music -The driverconfig folder is irrelevant -The Se folder contains the game's sound effects -The Voice folder contains the game's voice acting files

Going into any of these folders reveals files labelled "[filename###].adr.sab.bytes". These are all your audio archives, but compressed. To decompress these archives, you will need a program called AudioMog. This program was originally built for modding Kingdom Hearts, but works on several Square Enix titles.

To use AudioMog, extract it with 7Zip (or WinRAR, I'm not your parent) and drag & drop the compressed audio archive onto it. This will open up a terminal showing decompression progress on each track housed within a given archive, and each track will be converted into a .wav file.

-A few notes- Some archives will post the following error:

This means that specific audio file can not be extracted, at all. Short of making a Github account, opening an issue, hoping the developer sees it and pushes an update, I do not know how to fix this.

Most archives will post this message:

It can, for the most part, be safely ignored. However, there may be issues with recompression. Per AudioMog's Github page: "Some files use sabf2.1 instead of sabf2.0, while no issues occur from replacing, keep in mind that if you find failures with such files, it may be due to unknown new features of the format."

There are a handful of 1KB archives that will list a page's worth of errors when trying to decompress them:

Like the previous decompression error, there's nothing to be done about it at the moment.

In theory, my guides should also work on the Switch version of the game, but I have no way of testing any of this. If anyone wants to test modding either version of the game using my guides, please post results as I'm very intrigued. Also please credit me if you use my tutorials :)

[peskellence]

Pairing: RK900/Gavin Reed

Tags: Post Pacifist Ending, Enemies to Friends to Lovers, Slow Burn, Smut, Angst, Hurt/Comfort

Masterlist

Read on AO3 here:

Summary: A lot has changed since the revolution. Crimes against androids are now being treated with greater severity, with many being subject to the same penalties as crimes against humans. While anti-android attitudes are on the decline, transforming the mindset of an entire city is no simple task.

A reluctant Gavin Reed and his new partner RK900 have been assigned to investigate a string of disturbing murders. Despite the shift in Detroit's social climate, Gavin still holds reservations about whether or not androids are truly alive. Will his developing feelings for 'Nines' prompt a shift in perspective?

Warnings: Graphic Violence, Depression/Self Destructive Behaviour, Smut

Word Count: 3.3K

Actually Decent (3)

[12:47 pm] HEY gav

[12:47 pm] guess what

[12:48 pm] me and Jasmine are finally official 

 

Gavin glanced down at his phone, scanning through the messages he had just received from Tina, scoffing fondly. After a few moments of deliberation, he fired off a playful response:

 

You:

that's great ti

and the last nine months of you hooking up in the supply closet didnt count because…?

 

As the reply was sent, Nines emerged from the kitchen, deftly sidestepping the assembly of cats congregating at his feet. Carrie seemed determined to trip him up, intercepting his path with every movement. Wendy supported the efforts, trailing closely behind, batting her tail. 

The android was wearing one of his favourite lounging tops, an old graphic t-shirt of Gavin's that he hadn't worn in years. It depicted a montage of famous horror icons drawn in a cartoonish style. Their arms were draped around each other as they posed for a group photo, pulling faces at the camera. 

 

Actually Decent (2)

Because its finally on the socials <3 <3 <3

this is the best day of my life

 

Observing his approach, Gavin couldn't help but marvel at how Nines managed to look so effortlessly good whilst wearing a beaten-up shirt that was at least fifteen years old—paired with a set of baggy sweatpants that looked like they'd lost a fight with a swarm of moths. 

He supposed it helped that the garment was a tad too short, teasing at a small sliver of midsection every time he raised his arms. It was downright pornographic, and he intended to write a letter to CyberLife regarding the issue. Either a complaint or a thank you. He hadn't decided yet. 

"The popcorn is in the microwave," Nines smoothly informed, scooping up the most placid of the cats, Nancy, into his arms. He stroked her soft brown fur in long, affectionate brushes before skillfully finding the sweet spot between her neck and ear. The cat melted into the touch as the android moved his fingers with well-rehearsed precision.

"Okay, cool, now all we gotta do is find something to watch," Gavin mumbled, tearing his attention away from the appealing sight long enough to trail his thumb across the power button of a chewed-up television remote. 

The action was delayed, however, as not seconds after setting down his phone, it fired off again, demanding his attention with a precession of frenzied dings:

 

Actually Decent (7)

I might ask her if she wants to move in with me 

thats the next step after socials right?

OMG

GSVNI

G AS VIN

GAVIN*

Is it too early to propose?

 

Nines had reached the sofa, tutting frustratedly at the pair of legs strewn across the thoroughly claw-marked cushions. He nudged one of the offending limbs with his knee, continuing to scratch behind the ear of an increasingly vocal Nancy. "Move."

Gavin huffed indignantly, although a playful roll of his eyes assured it wasn't serious. He raised his legs, allowing his partner to sit before casually slumping his feet across his lap. Nines, having anticipated this, lifted up the fluffy mound that was purring appreciatively in his arms. Once settled, he placed the cat in the junction between his feet.

As he replied to Tina, the android claimed the forgotten remote and proceeded to flick through channels, searching for something of interest.

 

You:

How very lesbian of you.

Yes its too early you freak.

 

Actually Decent:

:( Sad.

we could have had a joint wedding.

When you and Nines get married, are you gonna take his name, or are you gonna keep yours?

 

You:

Nines doesn't have a last name 

and he's basically taken mine already

 

Actually Decent:

Awww, that sucks. I thought Gavin Serial Number 

313 248 317 - 87 had a nice ring to it.

I'd definitely take Jas’ surname. Mrs and Mrs 162 441 229. Really rolls off the tongue don't you think <3 

 

"I'm not seeing anything I think we'd particularly enjoy," Nines commented, as he made a subtle gesture towards the TV.

Gavin looked up to inspect the screen and was assaulted with a visual barrage of rapidly changing images, blurring into each other at a dizzying rate. His eyes ached, and his forehead pulsed as he vainly attempted to process what he was seeing. "Jesus , slow down. We don't all have advanced optical units; I can't take shit in that quickly."

The pace of the flicking decreased, albeit marginally, as Nines glanced over at him—a mischievous smirk pulling at his lips. "I'm struggling to recall the last time you asked me to slow down."

The seductive resonance of his voice betrayed the double meaning with transparency. It left Gavin to splutter incredulously, mouth gaping in disbelief before he matched his partner's expression with his own crooked smile. "We literally did it this morning, asshole. God, you’re insatiable."

"I see no reason why we can't also partake this afternoon. It is my day off, after all." Carefully so as not to disturb the cat, Nines had begun trailing his free hand across the inside of one of the man's legs. Starting at his ankle before migrating up the taut muscle of his calf. 

It didn’t matter how much time they spent together; the seemingly endless endurance of his libido was something that Gavin was still adjusting to. The android had been permitted decidedly less time to indulge in carnal pleasures, and had made it clear since the beginning of their relationship that he was intent on making up for lost time.

"Easy, Casanova," the man said lowly, suppressing the emergent groan that was building in his throat as the hand brushed the inside of his thigh, seemingly intent on trailing further. "Let's watch a movie first, and then I'll think about it. Give my body a chance to recover."

He squinted at the television again, making another attempt at assigning sense to the disorientating mess being hurled in his face. The rate seemed to have increased significantly in the wake of their playful exchange, and he knew for a fact Nines was doing it on purpose.

Having had some fun at his partner's expense, he eventually relented, handing the remote back to Gavin with quiet complacency. The frenetic blur of images halted, settling on what seemed to be an antique evaluation show. A well-dressed couple engaged in an animated conversation with a heavy-set man in a garish bright suit. They were sharing a bewildering level of enthusiasm over what looked to be a teapot.

Oh, Hell no.

Gavin switched the channel quickly, grimacing as he did so. The sour expression only deepened as the next show involved another suburban, button-down couple chatting menially with a dour-looking host. The only discernible difference seemed to be that the subject of interest was now determining which shade of indistinguishable beige paint should be used to decorate a downstairs bathroom.

After breezing through a few more channels of equally mind-numbing programming, he grew increasingly defeated, grunting under his breath in frustration. "Ugh, you're right. This is all trash—the joys of Daytime TV, I guess."

"If you would pay for a streaming service or two, then you wouldn't be at the mercy of public broadcasting."

"What do I look like, a millionaire? Those sickness paychecks only go so far. I don't have streaming money."

"You'll be back at work and earning your full pay soon enough." The android reclined back in his seat as Nancy kneaded her claws into his lap, seeking a comfortable position. Ultimately, she sank down, curling into a tight ball. "Perhaps you ought to treat yourself; I'd be happy to split the cost."

"Animal shelter money doesn't really constitute ‘rolling in it’ either, Nines."

His partner tutted at the persistent pessimism before seeking out another compromise. "Alright, fine. Then we can watch one of your DVDs."

"We've watched the entire collection more times than I can count. I wanna find something you haven't seen yet."

"Truly, I don't mind what we watch as long as we do it together."

Gavin pointed to his throat and made a prolonged retching noise. "You and the sappy crap."

Nancy, who had begun dozing against his leg, roused slightly, her tail bristling and amber eyes scanning her surroundings. The noise was not enough to prompt her to flee, as a soothing stroke from Nines ensured she settled back down. 

He shot his partner an incredulous look, to which Gavin responded by prodding a heel into his abdomen. "Oh, don't give me that look, I'm kidding."

"I know you are. You'd be utterly devastated if I ever relented on the ‘sappy crap’" There was a brief crackle of static, which marked a shift in tone towards the end of the sentence. The typically smooth, measured resonance of his voice adopted a more abrasive quality. 

Gavin scowled, noting the uncanny familiarity as he sunk further into the cushions. "I do not sound like that."

"You sound exactly like that—It is a sample of your voice."

"Bullshit. You pitch-shifted it, and now you're just trying to mess with me." Returning his attention to the television, the man continued to trawl through the increasingly dire options. He was on the brink of admitting defeat when an unwelcome image asserted its presence, filling the screen from corner to corner:

 

Dimitar Petrov stood at a wooden stand, fixating on something out of view. His hazel eyes appeared relentlessly cold, darkened with detached cruelty. A nervous-looking man in an ill-fitting blue suit stood to his side, running his fingers anxiously through spiked black hair. Gavin felt his chest tighten as the once-jovial air surrounding the couple dissipated, replaced by an unpleasant tension.

He’d forgotten what day it was—and suspected he had done so consciously, at least to some extent. Not wanting the unwelcome reminder of the events that took place several months ago to dampen the mood.

After the initial shock waned, he sat himself upright, focusing his attention on the screen. The camera panned over to a gallery filled with solemn faces, with the corresponding attendants sitting in respectful silence. A few voices broke through, with the laboured sobs of one attendee proving particularly disruptive. Gavin recognised her as Stephenie, the sister of Jennifer Parkins — the Reaper's only human victim. 

Focus then shifted to an older man on the opposite end of the room, looming over the proceedings with a stern expression. "Ladies and gentlemen of the jury, have you reached a verdict?"

"We have, Your Honor."

 

An anticipative breath lodged in his throat as Gavin leaned closer. The forgotten remote was still clutched in his grasp, trapped in an increasingly tightened vice. Then, a hand found his forearm, stirring his attention just enough that his focus pulled away from the screen.

As their gazes locked, Nines gave his arm a tentative squeeze before softly addressing him. "I suggest we find some lighter viewing. Perhaps a psychological horror."

"Doesn't get much more horrifying than this fucker," the man seethed, glowering at the television as the camera focused back on Dimitar. He quietly reassured the android, resting a hand across his in a placating gesture. "It's okay, I wanna hear what they say."

 

Any lingering noise in the court dissipated as an effort was made by the more hysterical onlookers to quiet themselves. The foreperson stood from his chair, a paper clutched in his hands. His eyes were narrowed as he gave it a cursory scan before finally addressing the courtroom. "In the Case of The Androids Of Detroit Versus Dimitar Petrov, we find the defendant… Guilty of all charges."

The gallery stirred back to life as ripples of sounds echoed through. Gasps of relief mingled with more vocal affirmations as tearful spectators embraced each other. 

"The court accepts the jury's verdict. Dimitar Petrov, you are hereby convicted of sixteen counts of first-degree murder. Given the severity of your crimes, the court sentences you to life in prison without the possibility of parole."

With a defeated sigh, the blue-clad lawyer slumped in his chair, casting a weary glance at a man on an opposing bench. The figure in question, decked head-to-toe in ostentatious maroon, quietly gathered his papers, nodding in measured satisfaction. Dimitar seldom reacted to the verdict save for a cruel sneer. A set of bailiffs emerged at the stand, flanking him on either side before placing their hands on his shoulders and leading him away.

 

"Fucking good," Gavin remarked, exhaling the fraught breath that he had been holding during the deliberation. "Exactly what that piece of shit deserves."

As he said this, a high-pitched ding could be heard from the kitchen, which he recognised as the microwave. The man stood up from his semi-reclined position, grunting as he did. Though he made an effort to withdraw his feet slowly, the action proved enough to finally disturb Nancy. She dropped to the floor and plodded away towards the kitchen, presumably in anticipation of food. Nines was visibly saddened by her departure as his hand hovered longingly where she had been resting.

"Need to get a new couch; the support on this one is terrible." Gavin craned forward, pressing his hands to the small of his back as the bones emitted a soft crack. "My back is killing me."

The android transitioned from displeasure to amusement in rapid succession as he let out a terse snort.

"Hey, don't laugh," the man retorted, levelling him with an accusatory look. "It's completely reasonable for me to want to sit on a comfortable couch."

"I'm not laughing because it's unreasonable. I just think you're being a tad dramatic."

Gavin scoffed, spinning on his heel in a deliberate show of theatrics, accompanied by a flagrant eye roll. Advancing toward the kitchen, a distant mewl could be heard, accompanied by a more exuberant yowl of impatience—easily recognisable as Tiffany. 

"It's all part of ageing, Nines, and it's only getting worse from here. You still gonna want me when I look like a wrinkled ball sack?"

"That would imply you don't already."

"Ooo, harsh .” He emitted a sharp hissing noise, clutching his chest in a show of exaggerated offence. "I'm thirty-six, you smug asshole."

"Thirty-seven in a few weeks.”

"Yeah, don't remind me," he growled as his playful demeanour started to wane. "I found another grey hair this morning. That's five now."

"Ahh yes, a sure sign that false teeth and an orthopaedic pillow loom closely on the horizon."

"If you keep teasing, I'll have to bump my midlife crisis ahead a few years."

Emerging into the kitchen, the sounds of anticipative yowls grew, and he made a detour en route to the microwave. A growing congregation of hungry cats gathered at his feet, glassy eyes staring up in anticipation.

"Gavin, none of that matters to me," he heard Nines protest from the other room. The playful joviality of his voice was absent, replaced with something more sincere. “Your appearance may change, but you will be the same person—and I will continue to adore you.” 

"Easy to say when you're gonna spend the rest of your life looking like an underwear model."

As the cupboard creaked open, he heard a flurry of movement from another room, followed by the frantic plodding of feet. A frenzied blur of black and white came screeching into the kitchen, thunderous paws losing grip as the cat collided head-first with a wall.

 

Goddammit Richie. 

 

"If you knew I would age the same as you, that my physical appearance would also be subject to change, would you feel any differently?"

His hand stilled on the handle. Bristling at the unexpected question, he swiftly abandoned his current task, much to the vocal chagrin of his pets. "No, of course not. Why the hell would that change anything?"

Then a realisation struck him. He had never been one for overt sentiment, with Nines having comfortably taken that role in the relationship. That being said, the negligence he had demonstrated at failing to express that particular affirmation—several months after its emergence—couldn't really be excused.

"Nines…I love you. You know that, right?" 

The confession was met by a weighty silence, which left Gavin with a disquieting sense of unease. He quietly receded back through the kitchen and peered his head around the corner of the doorway, seeking to gauge his partner's response.

Nines was staring at him, eyes glossed with ill-concealed sentiment, as his lips were pulled into a small, grateful smile. Everything about his softened expression seemed to exude adoration—and unyielding devotion. "I do, but it feels truly wonderful to hear you say it."

The draw of his voice was magnetising, compelling the man to abandon everything he had been doing. He hurried back to the couch and, without another word exchanged, straddled his partner's hips, capturing his mouth in a fervid kiss. The android groaned appreciatively, mingled with a static-like charge, as he kissed back with matched enthusiasm. 

"What about the popcorn?" Nines gently teased, having pulled back just enough that the words danced enticingly against the man's lips.

"Fuck it, that can wait," Gavin murmured, his mouth running a languid path across the length of his jaw. "The movie, too. I've had enough rest."

Then Richie—who the couple had long since surmised was the embodiment of chaos tenuously masquerading as a cat—barrelled his way through the living room. His trajectory was only halted as he jumped onto a windowsill, knocking over several ornaments with a brush of his tail.

Rather than stopping there, he somehow managed to scamper his way up one of the curtains, getting his claws embedded at the top and marking it with sizeable tears as he tried to wriggle free. In the process, the rail above dislodged, collapsing to the floor, taking the curtains, and a still-attached cat with it. 

Anything that remained on the windowsill was promptly displaced, including a succulent that Tina had gifted Gavin as a Get Well Soon gift. The plant hit the floor with a crack, shattering into a mess of dirt and ceramic.

 

Goddammit Richie.

 

He emitted a deep groan into his partner’s shoulder as the android shared in his discontent, albeit with a more subdued resignation. "That's a shame; I rather liked that plant."

Carefully, he encouraged his partner off his lap so they could both stand to inspect the damage. As he did so, Wendy came charging out of the kitchen, being chased by Carrie, dashing in front of the couple and almost sending them toppling over. 

"You know, with all these additional bodies, conditions are getting rather cramped."

Picking up the curtains, Gavin noted in frustration that the flimsy support beam had been warped as a result of the impact. "I'm gonna move out soon…before I lose any more of my fucking deposit."

Nines stood to his side, conducting a survey of the room. His attention was drawn to the distinctive scratch marks etched across nearly every wooden surface, as well as a large indent in the plasterboard beside the door. "I’m afraid it might be a bit late for that."

Gavin grumbled in begrudging acknowledgement. He set the mangled curtains back on the floor, determining them to be beyond salvaging, as he folded his arms over his chest. "Don’t get me wrong, this place is a shithole, but it kind of sucks to leave so soon. I only just moved in."

"You’ve been here for almost a year," Nines smoothly corrected.

"Yeah, but I only just finished unpacking."

There was a lull in the discussion as his partner fell silent, lips pursed thoughtfully. At times like this, he missed the days when flickers of light on his forehead would seek to betray his line of thinking. The android was much harder to read without his LED, although he respected his decision to remove it —seeking to shed all superfluous reminders of his past. 

Mercifully, this had extended to his CyberLife jacket, which had found itself on the receiving end of Gavin's lighter. It had been an extremely cathartic evening for both of them.

"Well, my home is larger than yours," Nines eventually said, his voice carrying with it an air of measured rationale. "You could always stay with me for a while. Until you find other living arrangements."

The invitation caught Gavin off-guard as his folded arms slackened, falling limply to his sides. "You’d let me move in with you? Seriously?"

"I see no reason why we could not reach some sort of ‘agreement.’"There was a teasing edge to this as the android leaned forward, deftly cupping his jaw and capturing his lips in a stolen kiss. "On the promise that you might make some effort to be a touch more organised."

The man snorted at the suggestion, brow raised incredulously as he leant his weight into the affectionate touch. "Not happening. Nice try, though."

"The arrangement needn’t be temporary…" Nines continued, his gaze flickering to the side as though claimed by a sudden rush of uncertainty. "You could stay indefinitely, should you like."

It was Gavin's turn to fall silent. In his previous relationships, moving in together hadn't even been a consideration until a full year of established dating. Even then, he had met the suggestion with marked resistance. 

With Nines, nothing about their relationship had ever run as conventional, making the swift progression seem oddly fitting. Any fleeting reservations he may have held soon deserted him, yielding to the trepidation in his partner's eyes. 

It occurred that he had never felt so deeply compelled to commit himself to someone, and it would be foolish to dismiss the significance of that. 

"I guess we’re together most nights anyway, so it makes practical sense. Might take you up on that offer."

"I hope you will," Nines replied, his voice airy and drawn out, like a gracious sigh. He wrapped his arms smoothly around his partner, pulling him close. "I love you, Gavin."

"I know you do—schmaltzy bastard."