#How to Set up WIFI Router

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Wondering how to set up ZTE Wifi Router? Simply, connect it to power and your modem. Connect your device to the router's default WiFi. Open a web browser and enter the router's IP address (often 192.168.1.1). Follow the on-screen wizard to configure your internet and wireless settings.

[neverendingford]

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[joelalorian]

neighborhood watch

neighbor!frankie morales x f!reader | wc: 5.7k | masterlist

Summary: When someone - or something - starts causing mischief around your new neighborhood, you and your neighbor Frankie are paired up for the new neighborhood watch.

Warnings: Not much, just cursing. Though this fic is rated T for Tame, this blog as a whole is 18+ mdni. Fluff and humor. Reader is a blank slate. No use of y/n.

A/N: This is my contribution to @punkshort's AU August Challenge to celebrate Shortie's 1-year tumblrversary. I was given the AU prompt neighbor!Frankie and ran with it. Hope you enjoy!

Palm trees lined both sides of the road, fronds gently swaying in the sea breeze as you drove through the picturesque neighborhood of bungalows to your new home. After a long and winding journey nearly halfway across the country to get there, you sighed in relief when you pulled your Wrangler into the small driveway. With all your – admittedly limited – worldly possessions shoved into the backseat, truck, and every other available crevice; you couldn’t wait to get out of the cramped space.

An old Florida 2/1 painted the color of green sea glass, the bungalow greeted you with a charming porch and two large windows bisected by the front door. The gabled roof offered taller ceilings and the wood flooring was original. By far, your favorite feature was the reading nook nestled into the living room with built-in shelves for books and the comfiest cushion to lounge on while reading or simply staring out the bay window.

Yeah, everything about this place beat what you left behind. Shitty apartment in a shitty part of a shitty town and an even shittier ex-boyfriend. Not that you were bitter about that or anything. You were still in awe that you managed to dig yourself out of that toxic situation before it completely destroyed you and scrounge up the money for this place. Thankfully, it came furnished. You didn’t have much money left for anything else.

You spent the afternoon unloading your belongings, organizing, and rearranging the place to your liking, blinds open to let the natural light in – anything to save on electric when the AC unit would be running nonstop. With the router and wifi connected, you curled up in the reading nook and watched as your new neighbors started coming home from work or set about walking dogs and mowing their small yards. A few glanced curiously at the sight of a vehicle in your driveway, no doubt wondering about the new resident.

Was this the type of neighborhood where neighbors would bring you casseroles to introduce themselves? Surely that was something only done in television shows and cheesy movies, right?

No less than an hour later, a kindly looking older woman knocked on your door, a covered dish in her hands. She greeted you with aged eyes and a toothy smile when you opened the door.

“Well, hello dear. I’m Stella and just wanted to welcome you to the neighborhood.” Stella casually peeked into the house as she spoke, not bothering to hide the blatant snooping, and you shook your head in amusement.

“Nice to meet you, Stella,” you replied, offering your name. “Would you like to come in?” The woman practically craned her neck to get a look, how could you not invite her in.

“Oh! That would be lovely, dear. As long as you don’t mind. Maybe we could snack on this key lime pie I made for you?” She bustled right in, making herself at home at your tiny dining table and you shut the door to follow her, grabbing plates and forks along the way.

“Would you like something to drink, Stella?” you asked from the kitchen. “I don’t have much yet, but I made lemonade.”

“Lemonade is great, thank you.” After a moment, she added, “Will anyone else be joining us?”

“Unless there’s a ghost hiding out in this place, I doubt it,” you replied, taking a seat across the table from her.

For the next hour, Stella grilled you for information – where were you from, what brought you to this particular neighborhood, were you single. The list of questions went on and on, but she was so kind and friendly about it that it didn’t feel intrusive. Still, relief washed over you when she changed topics from you to sharing information about the other neighbors. Much of it went in one ear and out the other until she got to someone who piqued your interest. Stella talked A LOT.

“There are two men about your age a few doors down. They are the nicest boys, always offering a hand when they can. Benny and Frankie are their names and they have been friends since they served in the military together. Quite handsome, too.”

Stella watched you as she spoke, keen eyes gauging your reaction, and she smiled when you perked up.

“Oh?” you said wanting to hear more.

“Mmhmm, thought those two might get your attention,” the older woman chuckled merrily. “Frankie is the one with dark hair and soulful eyes. He’d run into some sort of trouble a bit ago, which is why he lives with Benny while getting back on his feet.”

You hummed. “I know how that goes.” You wondered what kind of trouble he got into, but you didn’t ask Stella. That was something you’d want to hear firsthand from Frankie, if he ever wanted to share, not the rumor mill.

“Don’t we all,” Stella agreed. “Benny is the blonde one, a little younger and full of energy. Comes home with a bruised face a lot. I think he boxes or something. I’ll never understand young men and their desire to beat each other up.”

You smiled dreamily, mind wandering as Stella continued talking. While all the neighbors sounded normal, you looked forward to meeting Benny and Frankie from just the little Stella shared. They seemed most like your kind of people. The broken souls just trying to make it through life one day at a time.

It took a week to fully settle in and meet most of the neighbors. Stella lived right next door with another older couple, Ann and John, next to her. Benny and Frankie lived next door to them. One the other side of you lived a young couple, Kara and Matt, newlyweds who moved in not too long ago, followed by a quiet woman by the name of Lynn, and a busy couple in their 30s with two small children, who you referred to as “The Kellys”, finger quotes included. They scurried to and from their house like cockroaches afraid of the sun, never stopping to interact with the neighbors. You found it oddly amusing.

Across from you was another eclectic bunch of neighbors – an artist, two retired teachers, a retired cop, an insurance agent and housewife, and a variety of others whose names you were still learning.

You met Benny pretty quickly, crossing paths one morning while going for a run. Stella hadn’t lied, he was cute, but in like a golden retriever kind of way that made you want to scratch his head and throw him a ball to fetch. He was just not your type, if you even had a type. Given your track record… nah, you weren’t going down that road.

Frankie, on the other hand, was an elusive creature. He tended to work a lot if the hours were available, Benny told you. It took an extra week to meet him, and it happened completely by accident while going to check your mail. A collective mailbox area sat next to the small clubhouse, and you started swinging by at the end of your morning runs to check your mail. It gave you some time to cool down and get rid of the junk mail before you got home.

Eagerly awaiting the severance package from your last job, you excitedly rushed around the corner after that morning’s run to get to your mailbox. The collision with a hard chest knocked you right off your feet, leg muscles too fatigued from your three-mile run to stabilize after the impact.

“Oomph,” you grunted at the initial impact, quickly followed by, “Oh, shit!” as you fell backwards on your ass.

“Fucking hell! I’m so sorry!” came the rushed, masculine reply as strong arms shot out to catch you just a moment too late.

You stared up, wide-eyed, from your seated position on the grass – at least you didn’t crash down on the sidewalk – to meet the prettiest pair of baby cow eyes you’d ever seen, the irises a shade of coffee brown you could just drink in for days. Your eyes roved the man’s face, meeting tanned skin flecked with stubble and pouty lips, dark locks curled out beneath a ball cap, twisting around the backs of his ears and along the absolutely kissable stretch of skin on the back of his neck.

One large hand moved to rub along that exact expanse of skin, a nervous tic perhaps, as the other reached out to help you back to your feet.

“Are you alright? I’m really sorry ‘bout that. Wasn’t watching where I was going,” the man said once you stood before him.

Brushing the grass off your ass and the back of your thighs, you waved him off. “No, no, I’m fine and it was completely my fault. I charged around the corner like a bull in a China shop.”

The man laughed in relief, blush still visible on his pinchable cheeks. “Yeah, you kinda did. Almost knocked me off my feet, too.”

Eyeing his exceptionally broad form doubtfully, you shook your head. “I’m your new neighbor, by the way,” you said, reaching out a hand and giving him your name.

“Oh! I’ve heard about the pretty addition to the neighborhood,” he winked at you, taking your hand in a firm grip. “I’m Francisco Morales, but everyone calls me Frankie. I think you met my roommate Benny already. He’s the one who said you were pretty. He wasn’t lying.”

Heat rushed your face at the rambled compliments. Frankie was a delightful mix of flirty, nervous, and shy which you found incredibly endearing. He was also gorgeous.

Flustered and overheated, the need to flee overwhelmed you. “Well, it was nice to finally meet you, Frankie. I’m sure I’ll see you around,” you called over your shoulder as you moved to your mailbox in the back corner of the space.

“You can count on it,” he called back before departing. He didn’t notice you peek around the corner to check out his backside as he walked away. His jeans hugged his ass in a pleasing way and his shirt stretched across his shoulders, the seams hanging on for dear life.

Frankie was going to be trouble; you could feel it. The best kind of trouble, yes, but trouble none the less.

Working from home allowed you to keep a great schedule. No more long commutes to the office, getting caught in traffic on the interstate, spending too much money on gas, or racking up the mileage on your car. You loved the Wrangler, but fuel economy was not its best quality. Instead, you could sleep until a respectable hour, still get a morning run or walk in, and have time for a shower and breakfast before plopping down at your desk for the workday.

And you loved your new job. Not only did you get to work from home, but you were paid to learn and develop learning programs for corporate trainings all day. The nerd in you danced with joy every time you learned something new or received feedback on something you put together.

The only downfall to this new life of yours?

Loneliness.

Sure, video calls with clients and colleagues peppered your days and you occasionally ran into a neighbor on your morning runs. But real human connection? No, there was none of that. Aside from talking to the plants or yourself, you didn’t even have a pet to provide companionship.

Three weeks after settling in, you found yourself at the shelter browsing adoptable animals. Growing up loving animals but never allowed to have pets – even your asshole ex was adamant about not having any in the house, which you should have seen as a giant red flag much sooner – you were finally able to add a furry little being to your family. You weren’t picky either, going in completely open-minded and letting the universe choose a fur friend for you.

The universe delivered ten minutes after arriving at the shelter when a big-eared, blue-eyed, black and white shepherd looking dog bounded up to you excitedly, darting directly between your legs and goosing you so hard it felt like your soul left your body with the yelp that burst from your lips.

“Joshua! No!” a harried volunteer called out, rushing over to you and the overly eager four-legged fiend. “I am so sorry! He loves people and picks out his favorites with a little too much zest.”

The woman wrangled the dog, which was no easy feat. Bigger than a breadbox but smaller than a German Shepherd, Joshua was a sturdy boy – and strong, based on the visible muscles in his hind legs – presenting a challenge when he put his mind to it.

Right then, his mind focused on you, and he refused to leave your side, licking at your hands with his pink tongue, booping you with his snout until you scratched his head, ears perked up as he gazed at you with those ice blue eyes.

You fell in love instantly. Plopping down on the ground, right there in the middle of the kennel walkway, you ruffled Joshua’s short-haired fur. He practically smiled in delight and melted into you as you pet him, tongue lolling out of his mouth as he presented his belly.

A pile of paperwork and a small fee later, you and Joshua the two-year-old McNab Shepherd headed to the pet store for goodies to start your adventure together. Joshua herded you around the store with single-minded determination, choosing his toys and treats while you spoke to the staff about the best food to feed him. Hundreds of dollars later, a gangly teenager helped you load a large dog bed, 50-pound bag of dry food, and two bags full of toys and treats into the Wrangler. Joshua sat shotgun, head hanging out the window as you drove home.

Joshua settled right in with minimal fuss, spending his days laying under your desk while you worked, booping you with his snout when he needed attention or walkies, and – worst part – chomping on your right ass cheek when you weren’t going in the direction he wanted. That was a habit you needed to break, asap. With Joshua at your side, you found yourself outside more, stopping to talk to all the neighbors and being recruited to join the new neighborhood watch. Suddenly, you no longer felt lonely or left out.

Tim, the retired cop who lived across the street, started the neighborhood watch out of boredom, you reckoned. He served the public in larger cities for much of his law enforcement career, and the small-town life took a while for him to get used to. Thus, Tim liked to patrol the neighborhood, self-identifying as the Sheriff of Paradise, keeping an eye out for mischief.

Recently, Tim noticed evidence of some mischief in the form of knocked over garbage cans and missing or broken lawn ornaments. Minor things that could potentially be explained away by blaming the occasional trash panda searching for a midnight snack. Like a dog with a bone, Tim was unwilling to chalk it up to mischievous racoons and began recruiting neighbors to join him in keeping an eye on the neighborhood.

That’s how you found yourself seated on a couch in Tim’s living room, squeezed between the broad shouldered forms of Benny and Frankie, with other neighbors scattered around room. Tim stood in front of the small group with a dry erase marker in hand; a large whiteboard perched on a chair next to him.

“Thank you all for your interest in keeping this neighborhood safe. There have been several concerning things happening lately and I would like for us to make a collective effort in heading them off before things escalate,” Tim began.

His speech continued and the sudden vision of Scruff McGruff the Crime Dog popped into your head. You barely managed to stifle your laughter.

Out of the corner of your eye, you caught Benny flashing Frankie an incredulous look and mouthing “Is this guy for real?”

You wondered the same thing but kept those thoughts to yourself and listened as Tim continued.

“I took the liberty of assigning teams of two and setting patrol schedules,” he said, turning to the whiteboard. The sound of the dry erase marker squeaking across the board was the only noise in the room for a solid five minutes as you all stared at Tim’s back.

This dude was intense.

Frankie’s knee started bouncing next to you, jostling the cushion a little. Smiling warmly, you reached out a hand, placing it just above his knee to get him to stop. The warmth of his skin flowed through his jeans, igniting a fire inside your belly as his wide eyes shot to you, a hesitant smile on his face as he mouthed “Sorry”.

Tim spun around and called out the pairings then, breaking the eye contact between you and Frankie. Your breath caught when he announced your name and Frankie’s as the third team. Frankie beamed at you and bumped your shoulder.

“Looks like we’re a team,” he said, dark eyes shooting to frown at Benny over your shoulder for a moment. You turned to see what Benny did, but the man just grinned and winked at you.

“Yeah,” you replied, still a little flustered from the heat bubbling in your core. Jesus, could you not think of anything witty to say?

Tim called the meeting to an end ten minutes later – thank the fucking Lord above! – and you followed Frankie outside. He and Benny basically walked you to your door just to say hi to Joshua.

Your happy fur baby bounded down the front steps to say hi the moment you opened the door, tail wagging so hard his whole booty shook with the effort.

“No jumping, Joshua!” you called with a laugh as Benny practically fell to the ground to play with him.

After getting a few pets in, Frankie left the rambunctious pup to wrestle with Benny while he moved closer to you. “He’s really just a big kid,” he said with a chuckle.

“I can see that,” you replied, meeting Frankie’s chocolate eyes as a smile spread across your lips. Damn, he was gorgeous, and you could easily get lost in those eyes.

“So, uh, looks like our first neighborhood watch shift is tomorrow night from 9 ‘til midnight,” Frankie said as you both watched the makeshift WWE match happening in your little front yard.

“Yeah, that’s past my normal bedtime so it will be your job to keep me awake,” you responded with a laugh and a shrug of the shoulders. “Sad, but true.”

“Not a night owl? Me either. I’m sure I can come up with a few ways to keep you awake,” Frankie replied boldly, though a blush crept up his neck into his face.

You shot him a mock scandalized look before collapsing into laughter. “Yeah, I’m sure you could.” After a beat, you steered the conversation back to the neighborhood watch. “What do we need to do on this shift? I’ve never been part of something like this and, to be honest, I tuned out half of what Tim droned on about.”

Frankie’s smile widened until the dimple in his cheek popped, drawing your eyes. “That guy sure could talk, huh?” When you nodded, he added, “I guess we just walk around and make sure nothing’s happening. I’ll meet you here tomorrow night with flashlights in case we need them, feel free to bring Joshua. Nothing will get past the three of us.”

True to his word, Frankie stood at the base of your walkway at five minutes to 9 pm with a backpack containing bug spray, water, snacks, and flashlights. Joshua bounded towards him the moment you opened the door – you should have known to put his leash on first, but you were just as eager as the pup to see the handsome man waiting for you.

After handing you a flashlight, Frankie gestured for Joshua’s leash, clipping it to the dog’s collar and gripping it tightly in his right hand. You let Joshua lead the way, stopping every so often so he could sniff at something interesting.

You weren’t nervous, per say, but you did have some concerns about how awkward these three hours might be. Those concerns were all for naught as conversation flowed easy and free between the two of you as you both asked and answered questions about each other.

Frankie told you a little about his time in the military and how he met Benny and his other friends. He shared about his current job working on helicopters and trying to get his pilot’s license back after some misunderstandings. You told him about ditching your old life to start fresh, how your ex turned out to be controlling and isolated you from your friends. You told him about your new job and how happy you were to be in control of your own life again.

“Sounds like that guy was a real asshole. Me and the boys could go kick his ass for you, if you wanted.”

You appreciated the offer but turned it down. Instead, you asked about his love life. “You mean my complete lack of one?” Frankie replied teasingly.

“Hmmm,” you hummed distractedly. Something seemed off about Stella’s front garden. Your eyes narrowed, searching the shadows from the streetlights and Frankie followed your gaze, brows furrowed.

“That wasn’t like that when we passed by on our last lap,” he said as you both took in the destruction. Potted plants toppled over, some clay pots shattered, leaves ripped from shrubs, flowers crushed, and sporadic holes dug in the topsoil.

In a word, it was a mess.

“No, it most definitely was not,” you replied and immediately glanced around searching for the culprit. The street was empty save for the two of you. “I don’t see anyone. Whoever did this is hiding or long gone.”

“We better write this down in our notepad for Tim. He’ll want full documentation, so we can’t leave out a single detail.” Frankie pulled the small, spiral bound notepad and a pen from the front pocket of his backpack, handing them to you. At your raised brow, he shrugged with a boyish grin and added, “I’m holding a flashlight and your dog’s leash. Besides, you probably have much neater handwriting.”

“You’re lucky you’re cute.” Rolling your eyes, you accepted the items and flipped the notepad open to the first page. Noting the date, time, and location, you wrote a few notes about the destruction in Stella’s garden. After a moment, you pulled your phone from your back pocket and snapped a few pictures. Tim would appreciate the effort.

“You think I’m cute?” Frankie teased once you finished, sounding pleased as punch at the idea. You ignored him.

The rest of the night passed with no further incidents, and you waved to Frankie as he walked back to his house after handing you Joshua’s leash. Despite the exhaustion plaguing your body, your mind fixated on thoughts of Frankie for two more hours before you finally fell asleep with Joshua snuggled against your side.

Things only got stranger the next two nights you patrolled the neighborhood with Frankie.

“So, what do you do for fun, Frankie?” you asked, making conversation as you walked along the sidewalk.

“The usual, I guess. Hanging with friends, listening to music, playing the occasional video game, and having a few beers. Mostly just hang with the boys and reminisce about the old service days. Oh! And flying, of course. Can’t wait to get my license reinstated.” Frankie ran a hand along the back of his neck, a little embarrassed about how boring he sounded. “How about you?”

“Oh, you know, the same stuff,” you laughed. “I lead a very exciting life. I read, lounge on the couch watching reality tv shows, run in the mornings. Stuff all the cool kids do.”

“We’re an exciting pair, huh?”

“It only goes downhill from here.”

You bantered back and forth as you worked your way through the neighborhood, keeping an eye out for signs of mischief. Frankie was the first to spot the trouble in the mail area. A few mailboxes were wrenched open with envelopes and magazines ripped and scattered across the ground. Joshua sniffed at them unhelpfully.

“How’d someone even get these open?” you questioned. “They need a key.”

Frankie shrugged. “Must’ve pried them open with something. Wouldn’t be too hard, actually. These aren’t the best locking mechanisms. Here, write it down while I take some pictures.” He fished the notepad from the backpack and handed it to you, snapping photos of the mess while you jotted down observations.

“How long have you lived here?” you asked Frankie once you tidied up the mess into a small pile for the other residents to sort through in the morning.

“A few years. You?” He froze, realizing the stupidity of the question, and grimaced. “I clearly have foot in mouth disease. Forget I said that. Please.”

Waving him off with a chuckle, you told him not to fret. “Have you noticed anything like these shenanigans happening before?”

Silent for a few moments, Frankie thought about it. “Not that I recall, but I’m not too sure I paid much attention.”

“It’s weird though, right? Like all of this seems like something a couple of middle school kids would do but they wouldn’t be out this late. Shit, I haven’t even seen kids that age in this neighborhood.”

Frankie nodded. “Come to think of it, we haven’t seen any footprints or litter either. Kids always leave a mess, right? Like candy wrappers and soda cans and shit.”

The next night, things got more bizarre. Joshua stayed at home, exhausted after visiting the vet that afternoon and getting a few shots, leaving you and Frankie on your own.

Frankie spotted a light on in the detached single-car garage at Kara and Matt’s house after a few laps through the neighborhood. Both of you swore the light had been off the other times you passed by. It wouldn’t be so odd if it was a weekend night. But you knew the couple got up really early for work and there was no way one of them would be tinkering in the garage after 11 pm on a worknight.

The pair of you approached the garage warily, sounds of rummaging and glass breaking coming from inside the wooden structure. You looked to Frankie for direction. He gestured for you to stay put a couple yards back, shrugging the backpack from his shoulders, and pulled a handgun from the front pocket.

Your eyes widened at the sight of the weapon. “What are you gonna do with that?” you whispered as he handed you the bag.

“Nothing unless I have to,” Frankie replied quietly and edged closer to the garage. He crept up to the garage door, trying to peek through the dirt smudged windows, but it was impossible to see anything. Instead, he slowly made his way around toward the side of the garage.

A few steps from the corner, his foot caught on a stray cinderblock, causing him to trip with a yelp. The sound within the garage ceased, immediately followed by a scramble and rustling in the wooded area behind the garage. By the time Frankie righted himself and turned the corner, who- or whatever it had been in the garage was gone. A small window on the side of the garage sat open and Frankie peered inside, finding utter destruction within the garage.

“Well?” you inquired from your position. “Anything?”

“Nothing but a mess. I didn’t see anyone and there was nowhere for someone to hide.” He motioned you over now that it was clear. Slipping the weapon back into the bag, Frankie pulled out his phone and took photos through the window.

Gazing at the window, you said, “I can’t imagine they leave this open like this. It must be a person, right? How would an animal get a window like this open? Or turn on the light?”

Frankie shrugged. “I have no fucking clue. We should let Tim know about this. He’ll want to talk to Kara and Matt in the morning.”

Sliding the window shut, Frankie led you from the property.

“This is just getting ridiculous,” Benny muttered from the backseat. “I can’t believe that dickhead has us on a fuckin’ stakeout on a Friday night. Who died and made him Sheriff of fuckin’ Palmingham.”

“Sheriff of Palmingham,” you repeated with a guffaw. “Good one, Benny boy.”

You, Benny, and Frankie were parked at one end of the street in Frankie’s truck, with a few other neighbors stationed at the other end. A stakeout was Tim’s brilliant idea to finally catch the culprit terrorizing the otherwise quiet neighborhood. He created a few teams and stationed them at the end of the two main streets of the small neighborhood. Tim wanted the culprit caught tonight.

The first thing you learned about stakeouts was they were boring as fuck. If not for the company of two handsome men, you’d have been banging your head against the dashboard after the first fifteen minutes. After the first hour of staring through the windows, you and Frankie resorted to playing a variation of twenty questions.

“What is your favorite food?”

“To make or to order out?” you questioned. When Frankie rolled his eyes playfully, you added, “What? There’s a big difference!”

Nodding his head, Frankie laughed. “Ok, if you say so. Tell me both then.”

Sitting back in your seat, you tapped your chin with a finger. “Salmon to cook and beef wellington or scallops to order out. What about you?”

Benny watched from the backseat as the two of you went on and on. “For fuck’s sake, I feel like a third wheel on a first date,” he complained. “Will you just ask her out already?”

“Damnit, Benny,” Frankie growled. Enjoying the conversation with you so much, he almost forgot his friend was even there.

“You want some cheese to go with that whine, Ben Ben?” you teased. “I know little girls who whine less than you.”

“You want some cheese with that whine,” Benny mocked in a high-pitched voice. Leaning forward in his seat, Benny perched his chin on the back of the front bench seat, a shit-eating grin playing across his lips. “You know, if you like Salmon for the omega 3 fatty acids, my boy Fish here has some mega D fatty acid for you. It’s a lot better, or so I’ve heard.”

“What the fuck, Benny?!” Frankie exclaimed as your mouth dropped open in shocked amusement. He glared over his shoulder at the younger man before looking at you with dark, pleading eyes. “Please ignore this fucking idiot.”

“Come on, man. That shit was funny!” Benny insisted, broad shoulders shaking with laughter.

You patted Frankie’s thigh reassuringly. “I mean, it is pretty freaking hilarious, I’ll give him that. And Fish? Is that your nickname or something?”

“At least your girl has a sense of humor.” Benny slumped back in his seat at Frankie’s scowl.

Still staring down his friend in the rearview mirror, Frankie explained the call signs from their army days. Movement down the block drew his attention mid-sentence and he drifted to a stop. “Can you guys see that?”

You reached for the binoculars sitting on the dash, raising them to your eyes to peer into the distance. Something darted from the shadows into an area of the street brightened by a streetlight, and you gasped.

 “It’s a fucking monkey!”

The rest of the night turned into a shitshow as the three of you chased a small monkey – a capuchin, you guessed – around the neighborhood. After a quick call to Tim, the other neighbors on stakeout joined you in the effort to capture the mischievous little bugger. Shortly before dawn, someone found the monkey asleep on a low-hanging tree limb and scooped the thing up, quickly containing him in a travel pet crate.

Exhausted yet exhilarated, you walked toward your house when a sudden commotion sounded a couple doors down. Ann and John rushed from their home, frantically searching for something in the yard.

“Where could he have gone?” Ann called out to John.

“How did he even get out?” John yelled back, moving to search the backyard.

Pausing mid-step, you turned toward where Frankie stood talking to Tim. The capuchin monkey sat in a pet crate at the former cop’s feet as they talked about what to do with it. Eyes narrowing, you looked back at the older couple scouring their yard.

The pieces clicked into place, and you rushed over to Frankie. “Hey, uh, I think this little cutie belongs to Ann and John,” you said, pointing over your shoulder. “They’re searching for a missing pet, and it seems awfully coincidental.”

Sure enough, the older couple were searching for the little monkey named Cosmo, who they were pet sitting for their grandson. The little rascal had been sneaking out each night to wreak havoc on the neighborhood out of boredom. Cosmo was used to a much higher level of activity than the older couple could offer. Thankfully, the grandson was coming later that day to take Cosmo home.

“Hey, you wanna come over for some brunch?” you asked Frankie once all the drama wrapped up, not wanting to part from him just yet. You really enjoyed his company and wanted to get to know him even more. “I’m thinking pancakes and mimosas. What do you think?”

“I, uh, think that sounds like a perfect first date,” he replied with a shy smile, one hand lifting his cap as the other combed through his curls.

“Oh yeah? I think this might count as a third date given all the time we’ve spent alone together this week.”

Frankie’s lips spread until his smile split his face and his dark eyes burned with want. “Third date, huh? Do you have a rule about third dates?”

“Why don’t you come in and find out?” Grasping his large hand in yours, you led him inside.

[flowery-mess]

Hi, it’s me again with another nerd boy thought because I love him 😭

What if you live with nerd Noah? He’s your to-go guy when anything breaks or glitches in the house. And I mean anything.

He’s chilling on the couch, soft music in the background blending with the rapid tapping of the buttons on his controller as he’s fully absorbed in the game he’s playing. Utter bliss.. Until—

“Noowaaaah…”, your voice echos from down the hall in that familiar drawn-out whine.

He pauses the game right away, already chuckling. He sets the controller down with a sigh, one that holds exactly zero annoyance and gets up. He walks to the bedroom where you’ve cozied up under the blanket, lights dimmed, your laptop on the bed next to you, a buffering wheel on the screen as it sits frozen mid-scene on the show you’re watching. He leans against the doorframe, with an amused smile, his arms crossed as you look at him with a desperate frown.

“The WiFi is DEAD! I was just about to find out if they kissed and it froze. I need to know if they kissed, Noah.”

He can’t hold his chuckle as he hears your whiney overdramatic pleas, your head falling back on the pillow in an exaggerated attempt to show him how important this is to you.

“Did you try—“

“Turning it off and on again?”, you interrupt him, knowing exactly what he’s gonna say, having heard him ask that same question countless times at work, “Yes, I did. I refreshed it, turned the WiFi off and on, even tried threatening it. And nothing!”

“Did you unplug it?”

Pause.

You were too cosy in bed to get up and unplug it. He knew that. He leans over kissing the top of your head before he crouches next to the wall outlet unplugging the router and plugging it back in. And in a few seconds, lo and behold, the WiFi is working again.

“My hero!”, you clap your hands excitedly and that never fails to make him feel like the most important person in the world. And no matter how many times you’ve said that before he’s still blushing and smiling like the first time. You tug at his sleeve looking up at him with pleading eyes, and he knows what you want without you even having to say it. He lifts the blanket getting into bed, opens his arms for you so you can snuggle up against him while he takes the laptop onto his lap and presses play. He also kinda wants to know if they kissed or not.

Hi, so you just described what would it look like if I lived with nerd Noah🤓

He just sat down and let out a big sigh “Finally!” after long day of work, finally he has some time for himself.

Well, for like 10 seconds. Because it was busy day at work for everyone and you’re maybe still not really used to living together, so you both go and do your own thing separately to gain energy to spend the evening together doing something fun.

You just laid down and wanted to finish the episode from the previous night, to finally find out if they’ll kiss, but the wifi connection is not working.

You wait a few seconds to hear if Noah says something or if he gets up to fix it, but it seems like his game is working just fine.

So you yell “Nowaaah” with the last energy you have in you, knowing he will come with a smile on his face, because he always does when you call him Nowah. He won’t admit it, but he’s always smiling and blushing, he can’t hide it.

He leans against the doorframe (a/n: hot) and there it is, the smile on his face. And of course he’s gonna ask you if you turned it on and off (a/n2: why do they always ask that?).

When he sees your pout and falling back into your pillow he thinks about how he managed to pull someone like you. You’re in HIS bed, in HIS hoodie, asking HIM for help and you’re gonna fall asleep next to HIM.

He definitely laughs at “even tried threatening it”, because he caught you many times talking to any device with threats like “I’m gonna throw you out of the window if you don’t start working right now!” and he finds it adorable.

Pause - may I add that the pause included the most innocent smile and little head shake “no” under the blanket.

He unplugs it, waits a few seconds and then plugs it again, he waits for the lights to stop blinking and turn to green. After they do your show starts again and he can hear your little clapping you always give him when he fixes something. To him it’s always an easy fix, so he finds your reaction funny.

You tug at his sleeve and give him the pout and puppy eyes that always work, always.

You cuddle into his side and feel butterflies in your stomach, because he loves to play video games with his friends every night, so every time he does something with you instead, even if it’s watching your favorite show, you feel them in your stomach.

Either way if they kiss or don’t, you hold your breath and then yell “I knew it!”

And then Noah realises that he hasn’t watched a few episodes with you so he asks you what did he miss. You sit up, because it’s serious business, and tell him about the storyline from what he saw last. He doesn’t really care, but he loves it when you talk about your favorite things, he likes how you talk passionately about it, tell him about every detail he missed, how you add your little thoughts on the scenario and how in the end you ask him for his opinion.

He doesn’t really realise it, but he loves it the same way you love when he’s talking about his things. You both listen to the other one and watch them with hearts in your eyes. The other one always thinks they’re being annoying and talking too much, completely oblivious that the other one would listen forever

[raindownforme]

Overheard

Ted x reader (they/them)

Ted wasn’t late to things. He made a point to be on time. He planned out to the second when to lock his door. When to start his car. When to pull into the parking lot. When to turn off his car. When to walk through the door. He planned when he should eat in order to have time to do dishes, and when to have time to maybe get a coffee before recording.

Today he did just that. Ted ate lunch at 11:45. He did his minimal dishes at 12:30. He started in his car at 12:45 and drove away by 12:47. He had a coffee in his hand by 1:03. He was parked back in front of his house at 1:16. He was inside his house and had locked the door by 1:19. He was upstairs in his recording room, shoes off, keys set in the kitchen, coffee in hand, by 1:28. And he was ready to join the discord call in t-minus two minutes.

Ted breathed a sigh of relief. Taking a celebratory sip of coffee, he closed his eyes for a brief second. In that second, there was a small pop sound in the distance, and every light in the Recording room flickered.

Ted paused. He’d seen California loose power before, he’d lived here through the wildfires and some minor earthquakes. This wasn’t any of those, but it was still off somehow.

Ted pulled his phone from his hoodie pocket. The time read 1:29. And, in the top right-hand corner of his screen, Ted saw that the little wifi symbol had disappeared.

Ted knew his router was fine, it had been working before he left. He looked over in the corner of his room where the router sat, and saw the router had seemed to shut off. Ted felt panic on fade in slowly. He required a router to do his job, to make rent and pay bills.

Maybe it’s just off for the day, He thought. Maybe just give it an hour and they’ll fix it.

Ted went to open his phone and-

Shit. 1:32.

Ted hurriedly opened the settings icon on his phone, moving quickly to turn on the Hotspot. If he could get his computer onto the hotspot, he would be able to join his friends like he should’ve two minute ago. His PC still had power, which was good. It was just the router that had died.

After a minute, Ted finally had his PC and web camera connected to the wifi. He smiled to himself, triumphant against the internet. Ted went to turn on discord, and saw his friends Charlie, Schlatt, and y/n waiting in a call for him.

y/n? Was y/n recording with them today? Are they the guest? Fuck. FUCK. Him being late is totally gonna help his stupid crush on y/n. I bet they think he’s sooooo cool being late to his own podcast.

Just as Ted clicked into the call, 1:41, there was a knock at his front door. He glanced back at the screen where he could see y/n excitingly talking to Charlie and Schlatt, and quickly muted himself and turned off his camera.

{Sorry}. He typed into the small chat bar. {BRB}.

Ted fled down the stairway in his home, and eagerly opened the door. Standing at the other side was Ted’s landlord, a very nice, very short man.

“Hey kid.” His landlord spoke with a deep, gruff voice. “Some idiot hit a pole down the street. Whole neighborhood’s out of internet. Should be fixed tonight or Tomorrow.”

“Okay. Is that it?”

Ted’s neighbor gave a soft wave and walked away towards another door in the apartment complex. Ted sighed, locking his front door, and went back upstairs.

As Ted made it to his recording room, he heard Schlatt laughing disastrously loud. He paused, standing in the doorway trying to figure out what Schlatt was laughing at.

“It’s not that funny!” y/n’s voice rang loud and clear through the speakers.

“Yes it is!” Ted could see a goofy smile break on Schlatt’s face. “You’re so embarrassed. It’s hilarious.”

“Schlatt I swear to god-“

“How long?”

“Schlatt! He’ll hear you.”

“He’s not even back yet, tell us.”

y/n chewed their lip, thinking. “A few months. I don’t know. I just— Schlatt stop laughing at me.”

“Don’t be shy now.”

“You’re the one with a crush on our friend.” Charlie finally piped up. “We want all the juicy details.”

Crush on who? Ted’s eyes narrowed. He walked into the room, silently taking a seat the desk and watching y/n. He took another sip of his coffee, thinking. Who could they have a crush on? Charlie’s friend? Charlie and Schlatt’s friend. It has to be someone I know right? Who do they both know that I don’t know?

“Sooo, how’d you hit it off?” Charlie played up a very much gossipy tone, almost trying to get y/n to spill over on the details.

“I don’t know we-“ y/n sighed. “I don’t know how to talk about it. I haven’t told anyone yet.”

“Then tell us! We’re great secret keepers. Right Schlatt?”

Schlatt burped in agreement.

“Fine. Well, we’ve never really been in-person friends. I think I met Ted on a server or some discord call years ago.” Him? You were talking about him? Ted unconsciously leaned in closer to the monitor. “And I mean, then we just hit it off. I kept trying to look for him in my friends’ streams, I looked for him in my games, and eventually we kept talking more. He’s just so nice you know? I mean, he’s really cute. He’s so pretty. And he’s so nice! He’s so fun to do streams with and he’s always funny.”

Ted’s phone buzzed on the table, and he looked down to see a text from Charlie: {are you here? Please tell me you are}

Ted’s fingers hesitated over his phone’s screen. He knew that if he looked up, he’d see y/n rambling on about him. He stared at the flashing bar on the digital screen in his hand. {I’m here. Is this real?}

{do you want it to be?}

Ted exhaled fearfully.

{Yes}

Ted's eyes flickered between the monitor and the small screen in his hands. y/n was still rambling, giggling every once in a while when Schlatt interjected. Ted cleared his throat momentarily, taking a sip of his coffee to accompany the action. y/n seemed to gasp, and ted turned towards the screen. He analyzed the call with a confused face, his camera wasn't on, Charlie or Schlatt hadn't said anything harmful. He went to turn on his mic and-

Oh. Charlie had turned it on.

"H-Hey!" Ted wasn't sure why he was stuttering. He had no reason.

"Hey Ted!" Charlie waved as Ted turned his camera on. Though Schlatt's mic was muted, Ted could see him heartily laughing. "Welcome back. Got everything you need?"

For a second, he thought Charlie winked at him through the screen. "Yeah I'm all set."

"That's great- oh nooo. Oh Schlatt." Charlie peeked down at what was supposed to be his phone. "We have that thing with Connor like, now. remember?"

Schlatt said something, but he was still muted and still visibly laughing.

"We'll be back in like 30 minutes."

Charlie and Schlatt logged off the call, leaving Ted and y/n alone.

"A- uh- car took hit a pole in my neighborhood. Took out the internet. It's why I was late."

"Oh! That's awful. I'm sorry."

y/n and Ted fell into a strange silence. How much was he supposed to know? Should he say anything? Should he just leave?

"How much did you hear?"

"Uhm... All of it?"

"Fuck." y/n chuckled, leaning down to put their head in their hands.

"y/n?"

"No, no it's okay." y/n sat back up. "We don't have to do this. I don't have to finish the episode."

"y/n-"

"It's okay I don't want to make it weird for you. I mean I knew that it would happen but god not so soon."

"y/n!"

"What, Ted?"

"I have a crush on you." y/n paused, watching Ted through a screen. "I was worried about being late because I thought you wouldn't like me. I sat here the whole time listening because I couldn't believe what you were saying. I just-"

y/n giggled, smiling through the monitor. "You what?"

"Do you wanna go for coffee? Sometime?"

"Yeah, I would love that."

-----------

my masterlist

[gunnrblze]

pls yandere keegan hcs....🙏🙏

Sorry this took so long my dear! I’ve not written yandere shit in a millennia, so if it’s corny I apologize💀 also this turned into a little drabble rather than hc’s. MDNI, 18+, dark fic

big TW below the cut: obsessed,possessive Keegan, reference to violence/murder, stalking, manipulation, reference to sexual activity (no actual sex/assault), home invasion, kidnapping, drugging, mentions of being tied up/caged. it’s dark & fucked up, that’s the warning, please heed it don’t come for me

He sees you one day, his heart melting and his cock throbbing in his jeans. You’re so pretty, so precious, and he feels something light him up from the inside out. He wanted to have you. All to himself. He figured you probably didn’t even know how lost you were, not until he stepped into the picture. He was retired from the forces now, he’d been looking for a new project anyways. This would be your rebirth, that’s the way he saw it at least when he decided to follow you home that day.

Scoping out what he’d be working with, your home, how many entrances and exits there are. The neighbors, if you have any roommates/family, pets, alarm systems, etc. To his sheer pleasure, you lived totally alone. He’d change that soon. Don’t worry, honey.

You had a couple ring cameras set up, child’s play, nothing he couldn’t get past. Not that he really cared, of course. He’d have you any way he could get. He’d just hate to have to involve anyone else with his affairs, lest he need to find a more permanent solution. Cop killer isn’t a good look, but if they sniffed around, they’d get what they’d get, he figured.

Taking you would be easy, that wasn’t a problem. He was a silent, experienced man, you hadn’t even noticed how he’d been following you home for the past week anyways. How he’d sit in his truck across the street and watch your figure move around from behind those curtains that were way too sheer. Hell, if he wasn’t planning to rehome you, he’d have to get you new ones. People could see you like that, sweetheart. People that don’t deserve you. Ones that you don’t belong to.

It didn’t matter, really, when exactly he took you, you’d be living a new life with him anyways. He’d already set up such a nice, cozy little spot for you in his basement. He’d snuck in one day while you were at work, he had to know more about you of course. And he knows your favorite color now, so all the blankets and pillows he bought just for you will suit those tastes. He knows your favorite snacks and drinks, he’ll want you to be comfortable of course, especially when you resist at first.

He made sure to memorize all your products, too. So when he helps you wash your hair, you’ll be using the right shampoo. And when he lets you bathe, you can have your favorite scent of body wash. He loves the way you smell anyhow, that scent was wafting off you when he accidentally bumped into you at the grocery store a few days ago.

All the things you enjoyed, he made sure to make a mental note of them. Music, clothes, books, games, any and everything that you filled your space with. He couldn’t believe how lovely you were. Such a beautiful soul, no? You’d be the best addition to the new home and land he’d purchased after retiring, the acres and acres of property, free of any imposing neighbors.

He’d left your home in the exact condition it was in before he broke in, of course. He’d disabled your cameras through your WiFi router, not the best home surveillance, he reckoned, but he had something much more up to the task on his property. Thank god for military training, no? You didn’t even seem to be too concerned when he watched you come home that evening and check them out yourself. Going back and forth between the app on your phone and the camera near your front door in an attempt to figure out why the connection had cut out for a couple hours.

It almost killed him to watch you get so frustrated before finally giving up, going back inside to simply fix your WiFi. He wished he could tell you that sooner rather than later, you wouldn’t have a problem in the world. He’d take them all from you, give you any and everything you need.

He was expecting a fighter, of course. From what he learned, you had an attitude, didn’t take much shit. That asshole in the mall parking lot got an earful when he almost rear ended your car last week, fucker tried to blame it on you. Thankfully he didn’t, but Keegan took care of it anyway after you left.

Had you noticed the missing man on the news was that same guy? Did you realize what he’d done for you? Nobody would ever get to speak to you like that again, sweetheart. Not when he’s around to take care of you.

He packed extra rope in his truck just for you, just in case you were a smarter cookie than you looked. You can never be too careful, always underestimate your enemy, some of the lessons he’d learned during his career seemed to apply here too. Not that you were an enemy, god no, but you’d certainly consider him one for a while. He was just thinking logically, of course.

Thankfully you still had that spare key in the planter next to your front door from when he’d checked for one the first time he went to your house. He thought it was cute, really. How you figured putting it somewhere else, rather than under the mat, was safer.

He wasn’t stupid enough to take you during the day, but he could’ve. He just figured the darkness would hide his figure more easily. It was almost pathetic, how he walked right into your house without making a sound. He knew you were in bed already, part of your night routine. He felt a little bad for turning the WiFi off again when you were in the middle of your show, but it lured you out of your bedroom, thankfully.

Although it was for the best, he understood that you were scared when he silently cupped a hand over your mouth and locked an arm around your waist from behind. So he made sure to replace his hand with the rag very quickly before you fainted in his arms.

It took him a bit longer to get you into his truck than he’d initially planned. Finally getting his hands on you, laying your limp body down on the living room floor to brush the tears off your cheeks, he almost couldn’t stand it. The sight of his sweetheart, finally in his arms, looking too peaceful for words. He wasn’t one to get distracted, certainly not during a time like this either, but he didn’t account for the time it’d take him to get himself under control.

He had to excuse himself to your bedroom for a moment to jerk his rigid dick off into a pair of your dirty panties. He’d hate to drive with a hard on of course, especially when you’d be waking up around the time he arrived home. He didn’t want to be distracted while he brought you inside, considering you’d no doubt be more combative.

And it’s a good thing he knew how to think ahead, because your wrists were already raw against the rope as he dragged you through his front door. He hated to see you cry, hated the way the gag was soaked with your tears and saliva, but he tried telling you it was okay. You didn’t listen of course, flailing like a fish in his arms as he walked down the basement steps. But he’d wait. He’d wait until the day you thank him, until the day you reciprocate his love.

Until then, you can stay shackled to the wall. Please, just don’t make him put you in the cage again. Really, there’s no need to bite, sweetheart.

[messyzoranablog]

Zorana's Guide To The Poke Classic Network!

Do you want to connect your DS Pokemon games to the internet long after Nintendo shut down their servers? Do you wish to trade and battle with your internet friends who play the gen 4 and 5 Pokemon games? Do you have a desire to watch and upload battle videos like you used to years ago?

If you said yes to any of these questions then I have the thing for you!

The Poke Classic Network!

This is a fan server for Pokemon DPPT, HGSS, BW, and BW2 that's running with the help of the Kaeru WFC! Not only does it let you connect your games to the internet again, the site will let you see what Pokemon are up on the GTS for both the gen 4 and gen 5 servers!

Below is my guide on how to get this working for you so you can bring a new life to these wonderful Pokemon games. Also I thought this would be shorter but it's rather long, so under the cut it goes! Please let me know if I missed anything in here! I'll try my best to fix it if I can.

Getting Started:

Before you get connected, make sure you are using the device you plan on doing all of your online connections with! For some reason you are locked to one device for this stuff and using another one will wipe your PalPad, and assign you a new friend code. Since what's available in the GTS search function is based on SEEN Pokemon the most reliable way to get particular pokemon (without marking everything as seen via cheating) would be trading them from people you've registered in the PalPad.

If you only plan on using the GTS then you don't need to worry as much about this.

The Poke Classic Network works on ALL DS/3Ds systems!

I will note that the Gen 5 games are easier to set up if you're using a 3Ds since they can see and read the Wifi settings of the 3Ds and can just have the DNS swapped without additional set up.

Connecting DPPT/HGSS on all systems and BW/BW2 on the DS/DSi:

I will go over connecting via Emulator in another section, this section and the next one is for if you're PHYSICAL HARDWARE.

What you'll need:

The console of choice

The game of choice, preferably played to the point where you can access the GTS for testing purposes. --- In DPPT you can find the GTS building in Jubilife City. --- In HGSS you can find the WFC building in Goldenrod City. --- In BW/BW2 you can access the GTS in the top part of every Pokecenter. --- I don't remember when exactly the GTS is unlocked for the games unfortunately.

Some way to create a Wifi network point with a compatible WEP (password type) or just no password. --- The easiest way I've found is just using a hotspot without a password. --- I know some modern routers will let you create an extra network like this if you know how. I do not and it'd likely be different for each router anyways. --- There are also some programs that can make one using your computer. I've used one for a bit before it locked what I needed behind a paywall.

What to do:

The first step is setting up the connection!

Start up the Wifi network point so it'll show up on your system.

I recommend using a hotspot that doesn't have a password on it. Make sure you change the bandwidth to 2.4 GHz, since 5 5 GHz doesn't seem to work. DO NOT PUBLICLY OPEN YOUR HOTSPOT IN A PUBLIC PLACE! You do not want someone deciding to eat up your data while you're trading pokemon, so only do this in a place you know is safe to do so, like at home or at a friend's place.

Once you've done that you'll want to open your game and go to the Nintendo WFC Settings. The button will look like one of these depending on the game you're playing:

This will take you to the DS wifi settings that are saved to the cart!

Next you'll want to tap on the big blue button which will take you to this screen.

You may or may not have connections here already if you've played before Nintendo's servers shut down. Erase them now if you do as they will no longer work. Then you'll want to tap the None button for Connection 1.

I'll be demonstrating using Connection 2 myself, but stick to the first connection.

Tap on the Search for access point button. This will bring up a list of nearby connections that your system can see. You'll want to tap on the one you started earlier. It will test the connection and the boot you back to the screen with the big blue button. Tap the big blue button and then the Ready button that's now showing up for the first connection.

Now scroll down to the very bottom and turn off Auto-obtain DNS and change the primary DNS to 178.62.43.212. You can also change the secondary DNS to the same one as well or keep it all 0s.

Once you're done it should look something like this:

Save the settings, close out of the Wifi connections menu, start your save, and try connecting to the GTS!

If you connect to the GTS then congrats, you are now able to use the Poke Classic Network! If it doesn't work the first try don't worry and try again. You can also swap the secondary DNS to the other one you weren't using and try again that way.

Connecting BW/BW2 on the 3Ds/2Ds:

This one is super simple and doesn't require any additional set up! Sorry I don't have any pictures for this one atm. I may edit this to add a couple later.

What you'll need:

Game of choice

Console of choice

What to do:

Open the internet settings on your 3Ds and tap on Connection settings.

Tap on a connection you know is working, tap Change Settings, then go to the next page.

Tap on DNS and tap No, then tap Detailed Setup. Change the primary DNS to 178.62.43.212 and either keep the secondary one as all 0s or use the same DNS address you put in the primary DNS slot.

Save your settings and go start your game, then try connecting to the GTS.

If you connect to the GTS then congrats, you are now able to use the Poke Classic Network! If it doesn't work the first try don't worry and try again. You can also swap the secondary DNS to the other one you weren't using and try again that way.

Connecting any DS Pokemon game using MelonDS (emulator):

This method will let you connect to the Poke Classic Network if you don't have the physical hardware or can't connect your system to the internet for any reason and know how to back up your save to your computer.

What you'll need:

The MelonDS emulator [Link] --- Desume doesn't have Wifi functionality so you'll need to move your saves over if that is your primary DS emulator. --- If the latest version doesn't work for some reason try again with the second newest one.

Game of choice

What to do:

The steps are nearly identical to the first section once you have the emulator running! Instead of using your own connection though you'll be using the one MelonDS makes for you, so there's no need to worry about finding a way to make one yourself.

The access point will look like this when searching for an access point:

[fanficfish]

Space Anchor Theory (3.0 HSR spoilers)

reddit post: https://www.reddit.com/r/HonkaiStarRail/comments/1i26c8f/space_anchors_a_full_theory_30_spoilers/

barring the fact that now i can say "I was right!" (Here is my old post- partway in is my space anchor theory summarized: https://www.reddit.com/r/HonkaiStarRail/comments/153ftnd/comment/m2yfxu4/?utm_source=share&utm_medium=web3x&utm_name=web3xcss&utm_term=1&utm_content=share_button )

So how do space anchors work? Let me do my best to explain. A little, anyways.

What is a Space Anchor?

As Dan Heng says, it's a mark of the Trailblaze. Like our abilities to acclimate to harsh climates and stay awake for long periods of time with boundless energy, space anchors are how we "trailblaze', or set up contact points.

These are set at different intervals during our travels., depending on need. They also act as a way to help the Nameless communicate with the Express according to the 3.0 story. See below for more on the WIfi theory.

How is it placed?

In this cutscene, we can see the MC holding out his hand and a space anchor unfolds.

This is assumingly how we canonically place these. If we get near, they also activate. Simple as that. And presuming locals can't change this. I'm guessing they also "burn out" over time like torches.

How does it work and who can use it?

The space anchors are handled by the Nameless, and it's highly likely they need to be placed/activated by a Nameless to work properly.

They probably act like teleport waypoints in Genshin. The Nameless can use them to get around fast and if there's enough power they can use it to "hop" around.

Other people, such as the researchers on the HSS, are most likely able to use it for minor things such as healing or, as I mentioned above and more likely to be the case, as a type of Wi-Fi signal. Potentially, since some of them are Nameless or former Nameless, they may potentially be able to use them to also move around the station. quickly.

It's also likely that if you are a Trailblazer you have to actually encounter the waypoint before being able to use it more freely.

Also this is the most likely way how trailblaze power is gained- new space anchors = land "explored" = express fuel

The wifi theory

I've mentioned these anchors' main function is communication with the Express.

A quest in the HSS has a researcher ask us to activate a space anchor. This is a time when systems on the station are down so activating a space anchor could be a way to help restore some communications. I haven't seen the quest in a while so I probably missed anything else that was mentioned, so let me know if I did.

On Amphoreus, Dan Heng mentions we can use these to communicate with the Express once enough are down and our traincar is gone (rip). Considering our attachments to people like Herta and Asta and the IPC uses the "holes" the Trailblaze pokes through when trailblazing, we can probably assume they can also be used as a type of signal generator. Like portable Wi-Fi.

TLDR: space anchors = portable wifi for all and a way to contact the outside world. Hmm maybe don't tell Aglaea that her people can now text IPC DoorDash.

Conclusion

Space anchors for the Nameless make "power" for the Express and give us a way to get around. Or at least mark where we've been.

Space anchors for everyone else act as giant routers they can't move. Good luck explaining this one, Aglaea and Phainon.

Thank you hoyo writers for finally confirming what I had suspected for a long time. Let me know if I missed something. This was just a quick dive into it anyways I'm off to go grind for Lingsha some more.

[mintyflavoredtea]

sorry im back

set up new router and dad set up app so can ses how many devices using wifi

dont know how to hide phone

wont be as active

[oksurethisismyname]

Hiiiii as a queer person living in the Bible Belt of the USA, I’m envisioning a “Christian trauma AU / general theology AU” because you know my main focus is always Sanji. This assumed that we’re in the USA, modern era, and I guess maybe a college or post grad AU for how they meet each other? This is a lonnnnnnnng text post so scroll at your own risk. To keep it from being toooo long I’m also sticking to east blue crew.

Hear me out:

There are a million different sects of Christianity so we’ve got a ton of angles to use.

Garp is catholic (but think FRENCH laïcité instead of American Amy Coney Barret Supreme Court justice weird catholic cult), Dragon straight up rebels against the strict structure and goes about his atheist ways. Neither of them really raise Luffy anyway so 💁🏻

Luffy ends up being agnostic. It’s not that he doesn’t believe in a higher power but he knows he needs to take action and that he can’t rely on a higher power to fix the problems of the world. Very Albert Camus, revolting against the absurd and holding himself to a higher responsibility in life

Zoro comes from a Shinto or Buddhist background. He’s not judging anyone’s religious beliefs unless they’re harming others.

Nami has religious trauma from the Baptist church that set up in her town and made it impossible to be herself. Belle Mere is so clearly queer and she’s harassed and dies at the hands of some zealous bigots who were emboldened by the words of the local Baptist church pastor (Arlong)

Ussop comes from a chill Protestant background (maybe Presbyterian?) But he’s more of a CEO (Christmas Easter Only) in terms of actually attending any sort of church. Honestly, with his dad out of the picture and his mom dying, he just had bigger things on his mind like living every day.

Finally, Sanji. Oh boy, Sanji has major “Quiverfull movement Christian” trauma from Judge. For those who don’t know, quiverfull is a Christian extremist movement where the idea is to have as many kids as possible and adhere to very strict purity rules and gender roles. Contraception isn’t allowed. Women wear long skirts and non fitted shirts to hide their womanly form (ew), and most of the time these parents homeschool there kids to avoid the “temptation” or “impurity” of modern society.

Judge had these 5 kids who he’s raised in this faith but Sanji never liked how Judge treated his mom. Why was Sora supposed to be “seen and not heard?” Why was it ok for his brothers to use scripture to bully and hurt and spread hate? Why would a loving god create women just to subjugate them? Judge wouldn’t like this, and once Sora passes away (probably because Judge wouldn’t let her seek medical care post birth of the quadruplets, so her health deteriorated for years), Judge locks him up and makes him do all sorts of horrible “prayer” and “repentance” practices, which are really just abuse.

Sanji would maybe escape when they go into town to get something mundane like a printer or a new wifi router (which only judge is allowed to use the internet). He’d probably bolt first chance he gets and when he meets Zeff, Zeff can recognize the signals of abuse. He takes Sanji in and even though Sanji never believed women were less than men, he still has years of trauma and gender roles beaten into him that he has to unpack.

His choice to cook? That’s a huge rebellion. Wearing tight fitting suits that look sinful? That’s a middle finger to his dad. He always treats women like goddesses because he feels so much guilt for the sins of his father. When he finally joins the Strawhats, he’s so overwhelmed with how free and nonjudgmental they are (of important stuff, obviously they’ll still poke fun at small stuff) that he feels comfortable dropping little comments here and there, opening up.

Ussop will be comforting Nami about something and sanji will tell him is so refreshing to see a man be so nurturing. He goes to Ussop often, asking how he’s so confident sharing his emotions.

Nami will be ordering them around and he’ll do everything she says with a smile, just happy to see her free to do what she wants (which is be a bossy bitch)

Zoro will talk about Kuina one night and Sanji will sob, overwhelmed with joy that she got to have all that strength and a friend like zoro even when faced with hurtful gender expectations.

Luffy above all is the most jarring for him. He grew up hearing about sin and sinners and temptation and evil but when he sees Luffy doing his thing, taking down bad people, fighting for the underdog, he knows that if there is a God (he she it they? Who cares), Luffy is doing their work.

——————

Bonus Gay Cherry on top is that Sanji meets Iva and gets into drag, starts performing, does some events, and through that gender liberation is able to find some peace in who he is, tucking away all the hate he was born into. And he ends up with zoro the end bye

[reginaldqueribundus]

the year is 2048. a smiling young farmer in a power wheelchair sells me the biggest bag of muesli I've ever seen out of a market stall built from repurposed drone parts. he sees the toys in my reusable bag and insists on throwing in some homemade cat treats “on the house”. I get an email from the wind farm: they've deposited another $20 in my account for using up excess electricity outside peak hours, so I decide to splurge on some flavoured honey and boba tea. I tell the barista I feel like a billionaire today and she smiles politely and asks me what a “billionaire” is. I run into an old friend handing out free insulin packets and we spend some time catching up. I've got a new gig at the organ printing depot and she's on rotating job assignments with the Workers' Cooperative: this month is insulin distribution, last month was reprogramming robot dogs as automated planters for the pollinator farm, next month she'll be on a work crew converting the old football stadium into a greenhouse. She's been sleeping in the park (by choice, of course, the local housing co-op has tons of suites open) but the climate bureau is cloud seeding this weekend and we're expecting a lot of rain. I invite her to crash at my place. She smiles and says she would like that. Our trolley ride home is briefly halted by an impromptu pride parade and the sun is setting as we pass the ivy-covered sign advertising the golf course that once existed where my neighbourhood now stands. A friendly technician explains she's just finished replacing the faulty router on our block so we can use the public WiFi again. I start a fire in the fireplace and sort through some mail: a postcard from one of my exes in Hawaii installing carbon dioxide scrubbers that double as frog habitats, a flyer for a music recital at the rehab clinic, and a letter from International Blood Services declining my donation because they are fully stocked. I ask my Global Music Archive uplink to select a random decade, country and genre and it starts a playlist while the two of us snuggle together on the couch under a hand-knitted blanket and my cat makes biscuits on top. On TV, a newscaster says global temperatures are at their lowest point in the last 40 years. I flip channels to some standup comedian saying kids these days don't know how to conceal when they're high because there's no cops anymore. We laugh until the rain softly falling on the roof lulls us to sleep.

[queerhawkeyes]

my sister and I are moving this week. I have scheduled an IKEA delivery for a bed frame, mattress, dresser, comfy chair, desk, and desk chair (I either don't have these things currently or they are in very bad shape because I got them from a previous tenant several apartments ago) this thursday, which I have taken off work. we went to IKEA a few weeks ago and tested everything out. then friday after work I will bring over the cats and sleep over. movers will bring everything else saturday and the cats will be shut in the dining room. I have already brought over some bedding and most of my yarn, bought a standing clothes rack and set it up because my closet doesn't have a bar, bought new cat litter boxes and set them up, bought cleaning supplies and a new mop, and cleaned the floors (all hardwood) and bathroom--it was NOT left move in ready. I ordered a new modem and router because our wifi is currently going out several times a day, often several times an hour. my sister hired movers, has been packing up the kitchen, scheduled wifi set up, and canceled my xfinity for me.

all that is left is to switch the utilities to our names, buy renter's insurance, and set up mail forwarding. also buy new curtains and curtain rods, which is proving to be more difficult than I expected because the windows are all 63+ inches wide. and getting the cats over there will be complicated because of little baby's tendency to shit when she's scared. I have gabapentin for her though, and will probably drug both of them friday afternoon before bringing them over.

this has been sooooo expensive. I've never bought new furniture before or hired movers, or had to pay double rent because of leases not lining up. and the new apartment is bigger but has some issues (supposedly the correct number of smoke detectors will be installed before we officially move in) and is nowhere near as good as the one with the discriminatory landlord that changed his mind about our application. it is exciting getting to design my room from scratch for the first time ever, but I kind of wish we had waited a bit to sign the lease and looked at a few other places. given how expensive this was I don't want to have to move for another couple of years, but it feels like that's a bigger risk with this apartment than other ones we looked at.

[havenesc]

trying to set up a new wifi router when your apartment is in a dead/SOS zone is how batman villains are incarnated holy fuck

[monster-noises]

Did i ever tell the story of how my router, after a month without internet at my then new apartment, Didn't Work?

You could get internet by hard-wiring

But no Wifi... Despite everything being set up correctly

Until.....

Unt i l...........

I fucking dropped a picture frame on it

Shattered the frame but suddenly i had wifi lmao

Which probably explains why my connection is such dogshit

[os2warp]

diy router update:

finally got it to assign ip addresses to wifi! the problem was that for some reason the wifi adapter on the computer had no ip address therefore nothing could use it. this might be because i was trying to have second ethernet and wifi on the same subnet and apparently that might not be allowed? i sure hope i can find a way around that. networking between computers on different subnets is complicated.

but now nothing can connect to the internet. but now that ive figured out how to fix the problem that was causing it to not work i can go back to the first thing i was trying and set it up again. i was trying a different dhcp server today. its more complicated but it's error messages are more verbose as well. i might even be able to try the pihole software again and use it's built in dhcp server instead.

[nan0-sp1der]

{ Life at home is great. WI-FI has been disabled indefinitely until I can figure out how to set up the router again. replies will be slow until then--at work at the moment, using wifi from a bookstore nearby. }

{ I am fine. }