#I hate writing dialogue

[headlessgrasshopper]

Mr King Dice, do you have any family? And if so, are you in contact with them?

(I NEED TO EAT YOUR ART!!!!❤️❤️)

⚠️ TW mentions of abuse

Yall ever just casually trauma lore dump while drinking?

I went a little off topic ik

(Also yes I named her Jolene, canon she a ginger if she had hair.)

(Edit: thank you btw, forgot to say that)

[kozh-lucium]

Ravenweave ch.3 “Impressions”

Done. I hope I don’t bait people into thinking that this chapter will be exciting and action focused like the previous :v

[qwimblenorrisstan]

hey guys,

so I’m really hoping I don’t sound ignorant or anything while saying this, but I don’t know a word for it. so you know how when people that are native to other languages learn english and they just have that way of talking? like it’s not like they aren’t fluent, they are, they just have a different way of phrasing things that interests me. like the grammar and structure of their native language carried over a bit into their english

anyways, if you understood that first part and are a fellow writer (or literally anyone who can help) I have a few characters I need to write that are not native english speakers and I can’t get it down right (prob bc english is the only thing I speak :( ) but yeah if anyone can help me I’d reaaaally appreciate it <3

[teine-mallaichte]

"Do you know what conditioning is?"

Sam explains what conditioning is to Alex (Set a few weeks after their escape from complex 27) Inspired by this post by @paingoes

Complex 27

Sam

Alex

"Do you know what conditioning is?" Sam asked, trying to keep his voice casual as he looked over at Alex sat on the worn sofa staring out of the broken window.

Alex shrugged, "Heard of it," his voice was flat, uninterested, "Charlie’s mentioned it. Ash too, I think."

Sam nodded, his gaze drifting over the sparse, decaying apartment. It was cleaner and tidier than when they first arrived, but still a long way from what he'd call a functioning base. "Yeah, that tracks," he murmured, running a hand through his hair. "It’s… hard to explain, but it’s what the facility did to us. To all of us. Not the same for everyone, but it was all about control." He leaned back in his chair, glancing briefly at Alex before looking away again. "What they called 'training'? It wasn’t really training. It was conditioning. It wasn’t about teaching us skills - about making us react the way they wanted us to. So deeply that we didn’t even realize it was happening."

Alex’s brow furrowed, his expression unreadable but Sam couldn't help but notice the way the frontliners hand twitched. "So... brainwashing?"

"Kind of," Sam replied, hesitating as he searched for the right words. "It’s… closer to creating automatic responses. Patterns that are so ingrained, they override your choices. You know how when you hear a sound you reach for your weapon? Or when you’re in a new room, you start mapping exits without even realizing it?"

Alex’s lips pressed into a thin line, he seemed to study Sam for a moment before replying, "Charlie called that hypervigilance," he muttered, his gaze turning away again.

Sam let out a soft laugh, "Yeah, that’s part of it. But hypervigilance is just a symptom. Conditioning’s deeper than that. It’s like…" Sam leaned forward, trying to find a way to explain. "Remember when we first got here... when Ash was yelled 84 at you? Even when you were hurt, he ordered you to stand, and you just... did it?"

Alex’s jaw tightened at the memory. His fists clenched, the command still echoing in his mind, the instinct to obey so deeply ingrained it made him sick. "Yes…" he growled, "It... it was like I stood before I even fully heard him."

Sam’s eyes softened, he leaned forward just a little more. "That’s conditioning, Alex. You didn’t have a choice. Your body just reacted. It wasn’t about choice, only response."

Alex’s hands trembled slightly, his chest tightening. "So all those times I just… followed orders without thinking? That wasn’t me. It was… just reflex."

Sam gave a slow, deliberate nod. "Exactly. It wasn’t you. It was the conditioning. It’s like muscle memory, but for your mind. You hear your number, you move. You hear an order, you obey. No hesitation, no room to question. You’ve been trained to react that way. It’s not even about your choices anymore. It’s about what they made you."

Alex stayed silent for a long moment, the weight of Sam’s words sinking in. His fingers twitched, and the familiar anger and helplessness rose in his chest. "I should’ve just told him to fuck off."

Sam exhaled through his nose, his voice softening. "Charlie and I yelled at him for that. If that helps at all." He paused, watching Alex with a quiet understanding. "But you didn’t have control over it. It wasn’t about obeying because you wanted to. It was… just how you were trained to react."

The silence stretched between them, heavy and thick. Alex’s gaze dropped to his clenched fists. The memory of those reflexive actions - obedience without thought - gnawed at him like an itch he couldn’t scratch. His hands trembled slightly, "Ash is right then? We are 'broken'?"

The words came out slowly, reluctant, as though admitting to something he wasn’t ready to face. Sam’s eyes narrowed, a flash of something sharp crossing his face. He pushed himself up from the chair, his crutch left forgotten on the floor as he limped closer, closing the distance between them. His voice dropped to a low, protective growl. “Ash told you that you’re broken?”

Alex didn’t answer right away. His gaze remained fixed on his hands, fingers curling into tighter fists as the words Ash had spoken echoed in his mind. We’re not like 83 and 85, they weren’t broken like we were. They are not killers. The words were blunt, harsh, but they weren’t entirely wrong. In Ash’s own detached way, he wasn’t trying to hurt Alex. And Alex could almost understand it. Ash wasn’t trying to be cruel—at least not consciously. He was just trying to connect, in the only way he knew how.

But the more Alex thought about it, the more it made him question everything. What was real. What was simply Ash’s own broken perspective. How much of his own understanding was true?

Finally he exhaled harshlyfrustration creeping into his chest, making the words come out heavier. "Yeah… He said it. He called us broken. Said we’re different from you and Charlie. That we’re… messed up." He stopped, his breath coming a little quicker as he tried to make sense of it all. “But… he’s dealing with his own shit right now. I’m not sure how much of what he says is accurate, or… even true.”

The hesitation in Alex’s voice, the uncertainty, was not lost on Sam. His stance softened a little, though the protective edge didn’t completely leave his expression. “Ash’s got a way of saying things, doesn’t he?” Sam’s tone was quieter now, more thoughtful. He took a step closer, his eyes never leaving Alex’s face. “But Alex… you’re not broken. You’re not messed up. You’re… hurt. We’re all hurt. What the facility did to us doesn’t define who we are now. It’s just something we have to unlearn.” He paused, letting the weight of those words settle between them. “I know it’s not easy, but I’m telling you, you’re not what they made you.”

Alex's jaw clenched as he met Sam's gaze. He felt a flicker of something inside—something raw, fragile, and almost foreign. Hope, maybe, or the beginnings of it. But he wasn’t sure if he could believe it. Not yet. Not after everything they’d been through. "Can we undo it? Can we ever get rid of this… 'conditioning'?"

Sam stood there for a moment, he didn’t speak for a long while, unsure how to answer. Finally, he let out a long breath, his voice soft but firm. "I wish I could say yes. But I don’t think you can just undo it, like flipping a switch." He paused, leaning back as he searched for the right words. "It’s too deep, too much a part of us. But…" He met Alex’s gaze. "We can push back against it. We can try to change the way we react. We’re not stuck like this."

Sam was quiet for a moment, shifting uncomfortably, the weight of Alex’s question pressing down on him. He stood there for a long time, finally letting out a sigh as he leaned back in his chair, looking up at the cracked ceiling. His voice was quieter now, more uncertain. "I don’t know if we’ll ever know for sure." He paused, his eyes flickering to the window before he looked back at Alex. "But maybe it’s less about what they made us and more about what we choose to keep. Maybe we get to decide what’s worth holding on to."

Alex held his gaze, and for the first time, Sam saw a glimmer of vulnerability behind his stoic exterior. "So… how do we know what’s us and what’s just… what they made us?"

Alex looked at Sam, a flicker of something new in his gaze—a tiny seed of understanding, or maybe just the first signs of a question that could grow into something more. "You really believe that?"

Sam offered a slight smile, tired but genuine. "I want to. I’m still figuring it out myself."

Alex gave a small, bitter laugh, the sound soft but sharp. "Not exactly reassuring."

Sam chuckled, shaking his head. "No, not exactly the pep talk you were hoping for, huh?"

Alex’s lips twitched slightly, almost imperceptibly, and he returned his gaze to the window. "Guess I was hoping for more of a plan. Like, step one: ‘Recover your free will.’ Step two: ‘Enjoy a nice, peaceful life.’" He shot Sam a dry look. "Or as peaceful as it gets when everyone’s armed and seems to want us dead."

Sam’s laughter was genuine this time, a low, tired sound as he gazed out the window with Alex. "Yeah, I’d take even a little peace at this point."

[im-normal-about-everything]

Writing dialogue is the bane of my existence. Someone please save me I'm going insane.

[chxrrywines]

what if i just post fics with no dialogue forever

[baby-fever-anon]

another snippet

[complete-clownery]

Okay guys

INPRNT!!

[dolphin-writer]

Arthur just saw a being with the tail of an orca, which wasn't great to begin with, just casually brake the summoning and containment circle. So yes he was a little too shocked to attempt to stop said being from leaving. But did he really deserve the lecture he was receiving. Honestly they were there too they could've done something as well. Plus he should be home briefing his guards and not sitting listening to a coworker who doesn't understand the significance of what they just witnessed. Yeah, he doesn't have to sit through this. He'll just leave. But Mera will be disappointed if he does that. She always says it's good for him to have surface dwelling associates. He could just speak up and share with them the significance of an orca tail at least.

"May I interrupt for a moment?" Everyone quieted down so he continued, "See while I appreciate your concern for my people, there is information you do not have. Orcas are natural warriors of the sea, so for that being to have such a tail is concerning for several reasons." He did not bring up the old stories about an orca god. It was a children's tale and should not be taken as fact. Something he knew some of his colleagues might do.

"But I believe our biggest concern is the fact that the being was able to simply brush aside the containment circle so easily. Do we not have contacts who specialize in this type of situation? Should we not inquire their thoughts on the matter? In the meantime I must return to my people."

Batman did not look happy as Arthur was leaving but he rarely could read the man. It mattered not anyway. He got out of the lecture without conflict, truly a win. Now to go see what Mera thought of it all.

***

Constantine was not ignoring his communicator. No siry, he was simply busy with something more important. Like the two extremely annoying teenagers in his house. Surely the bat could sympathize, what with the hord of them that he kept.

Danny and Billy were currently in the lounge doing homework. How they came to be there he could barely tell you. Just one day demons were after him and than the next this teenage king was in his kitchen to discuss responsible soul ownership. Then not a week later he finds him with another kid playing video games he doesn't even own in his lounge. That's how he met Billy, who Danny had adopted as his little brother. So no we was not ignoring his communicator, he was busy.

DC x DP: An Atlantean death cult summons Danny to usher in the end of the world. The biggest obstacle to this is that Danny doesn't speak Atlantean and as such has no idea what these weird fish people want.

(Unfortunately, I missed MerMay this year, or y'all would've been gotten soooo much mermaid!Phantom Family stuff istg)

Danny tried not to groan as he stared at the other cultists who wanted him to... do something. Probably evil, but how would he know?

He couldn't understand Atlantean, after all.

But it definitely looked evil, with the wounded dolphin in the middle of the circle with its blood dispersing into the water.

Danny gave a silent prayer, hoping that Cujo could perhaps guide it towards a better afterlife.

Danny sighed, rocking from side to side as he looked down at himself, where his legs had merged together into an orca tail.

At least he was badass as hell while he was summoned as a merman.

He watched blandly as the cultists continued to dance and chant, trying to do something with their ritual that he couldn't understand. He didn't want to rain on their parade, but while he couldn't understand them, it just looked several times more ridiculous.

One of them swam forward to present to him a closed cup full of an unknown thing and Danny just stared at it before turning away.

There were some cries of shock and despair.

Danny looked around for a way to escape, but he would feel bad if he left and these cultists wrecked havoc within the ocean, so he stayed there, watching the reeds move in the water.

Out of the blue, the underwater temple that Danny was in suddenly rocked. A whale crashed into the side of the place and shook the entire ground, causing screams to erupt from the cultists. Danny gave a sigh of relief as he saw a crowd of people swim inside and attack the cultists.

It was finished up rather quickly, as Danny bent down to smudge the rune markings keeping him in the circle.

He looked at the various crowd of people, some of whom he recognized were part of a hero group called the Justice League in this world. In front of them was a blonde man in orange and green, who was staring at him in horror and shock.

Danny gave a reassuring smile and waved goodbye.

"Thanks for taking care of them! See you never! Bye!"

And then he was gone.

[churochoru]

If you don't Mind, the continuation of this is that All of the Starscreams find out that it's Bumblebee and tries to harm him (excluding Es S1 and Armada) but IDW Starscream defends Bumblebee, while Bumblebee on the other hand hits them with his cain then comedically electrocuting one of them as chaos ensues till everyone is calm down. After that we also see what Starscreams reaction when it's revealed that IDW starbee are together with Bumblebee's personality isn't like their own. Jealousy and Envy becomes apparent to them when realising it.

You can make this into a long comic or not, It's your choice and I wouldn't mind being patient with this, I don't want to be anonymous so I hope you wouldn't mind.

Continuation to this post

[k3nnjamin]

Adding onto this because I love playful sibling fights. You're not really saying anything meaningful, no one's feelings are hurt. It's cathartic. And Stephanie takes full advantage of it. She's an instigator, loves to rile up her siblings and watch them duke it out. So it's only natural when Steph, stressed after a rough patrol, picks a nothing argument with Tim. They bicker quietly in the medbay, poking and flicking each other. And then Jason rides into the Cave (he ran out of bandaids at home and came to steal some other shit from Bruce).

It's almost immediate how the three of them click into place. Jason sighs dramatically when he catches sight of Tim. Tim says something sarcastic just loud enough for everyone to hear. Jason snaps back. Steph retorts. Tim turns on her. And then all three of them are fighting. For ten, fifteen minutes maybe, until the last of their stress is yelled out and they devolve into giggles. Later, they're all asleep on the couch and Bruce remarks to Alfred how he has never seen the three get along so well.

As much as Jason and Tim don't hate each other- they're passed the whole "you replaced me" feud especially when Tim joins Jason in the "previously robin" camp- they do still ACT like it. They are outrageously mean to eachother in a group setting. And they both think it's hilarious. Bickering, hurling the most ridiculous insults at each other, side eyes, fist fights, everything, you name it. Ever fought with your sibling? Crank it up to 11.

But the moment another family member steps in to diffuse the situation, suddenly they're banded together to demean the new guy (Dick or Bruce, usually, but Duke got caught in the crossfire once. Never made that mistake again).

At the end of the day, Jason and Tim are buddies. They hang out occasionally, have civilized conversation, bond by doing stupid shit when no one's around. The works. It especially freaks everyone out when Jason makes some snide remark about Tim and everyone, anticipating a major blowout, prepares to leave the room or hunker down. But instead, Tim doubles over with laughter. He manages to get out something like "Wow! You've been holding onto to that one for a while. Perfect. Really out did yourself this time." between fits of laughter as he holds onto Jason's arm for support.

And thats when everyone collectively remembers that Tim and Jason are huge trolls and they should've realized this was actually some weird sibling bonding ritual years ago.

[buttercupshands]

Sketch dump of month old sketches I forgot to post

[scealaiscoite]

new year’s prompts ˗ˏˋ ꒰ 🪩 ꒱

-ˏˋ. dialogue ˊˎ-

¹⁾ “i couldn’t care less where i am tonight, so long as i’m with you.”

²⁾ “hell, you do whatever you like but i’m sure as shit not going into next year with a hangover.”

³⁾ “this is so much better than getting pissed in someone’s apartment.”

⁴⁾ “i’m still in the market for someone to kiss at midnight, if you’re up for it.”

⁵⁾ “it’d you to ring in the new year from a hospital bed, you know that?”

⁶⁾ “god, did we sleep through it?!”

⁷⁾ “although i’m scared about what it says for me, you were the best thing to come out of this year.”

⁸⁾ “i don’t care that it’s new years, it’s still a tuesday! why are there people running down the road in glitter miniskirts on a tuesday?!”

⁹⁾ “let’s just stay home tonight. the only people i care about ringing in midnight with are right here, anyway.”

¹⁰⁾ “if you get hauled off by the cops tonight, i’m sure as shit not bailing you out.”

-ˏˋ. actions / scenarios ˊˎ-

¹¹⁾ getting too tipsy too quick, and ending up at home in bed for midnight

¹²⁾ being stuck at work for the night, watching everyone else celebrate from afar

¹³⁾ finding a stranger to kiss as the ball drops

¹⁴⁾ getting lost on the way to a party

¹⁵⁾ friends kissing at midnight totally just so they won’t be alone. definitely no reasons behind it. nope none at all

¹⁶⁾ choosing to stay comfy at home for the night rather than party

¹⁷⁾ being stuck in traffic as the clock ticks down

¹⁸⁾ darting to them across a crowded room as the countdown begins

¹⁹⁾ waking up the next morning in the wreckage of last night’s party

²⁰⁾ watching the fireworks together

[radioroxx]

i do not have . the energy or time or motivation to make Whole comes for how scenes and bits would play out in the bonnie in the loops au. this one i did for a lil fun :)

also important note but not really important bonnie was nooooot invited to the loop hangout :/ they came anyway which complicated things but dw about it

[ilostthewar]

So, I’m a big believer in Ghost going out of his way to hide his relationship. He’s not embarrassed, but he’s a relatively private guy in the first place and it’s no one’s business what he does when he’s not at work. Not to mention, his team is annoying on a good day, they’ll only be worse if they know you exist.

Of course, he can’t hide you forever, despite his attempts. There are hints of you being in his life, but nothing concrete that anyone can hold up and point to. When you reveal your person, it’s very obvious.

Ghost is good at his job, but that doesn’t mean he doesn’t get injuries here and there. Normally, he’d be able to damage control beforehand. He didn’t like the hospital calling on his behalf, would much prefer to just do it himself. It saves you the panic and anxiety of pacing a hospital room while waiting for answers. It also gives him time to wiggle demand his way out of medleave. But no, this time he hits the tarmac and he’s taken off. His team hovering around to answer questions and be there for the inevitable horrible patient that Ghost is going to be.

And then you kick down the door like a bat out of hell, hauling an overnight bag with you. Ghost is still fucked up on anesthesia and pain meds when he sees you, his grumpy expression lightening just slightly when he sees you approaching his bed.

Gaz is the one on bedside duty, momentarily confused. Considering that this is a military hospital, it’s incredibly unlikely that you just… walked in here. But why you are in here, in Ghost’s room leaves many questions. He barely gets his mouth open to question you before you turn to Ghost with a displeased expression.

“What did I tell you?” Is the first thing you say as you drop the duffel bag onto the foot of the bed. You’re tearing the zipper open, pulling out a myriad of items. Some type of blanket, a black thermos with stickers all across it, a container with some type of food. “What did I tell you before you left?” It’s clear the question is directed at Ghost.

Ghost drags his tired eyes from the duffel to the bird standing at his side. Gaz almost expects his Lt to start spitting fire. But Ghost simply exhales heavily as if this conversation was already exhausting him.

“…don’ get shot.” His voice is heavy and low. Both from the meds pumping through his system and the fact he spent the past few weeks barking orders and huffing less than pure air. But there’s something softer there as well, not quite apologetic, but soemthing similar.

“And what did you go and do?” The bird demands, tucking the dense blanket around Ghost’s body. Ghost is quiet once more before answering. “… got shot.” Is his lame reply as you baby him.

“Exactly. Cant leave you anywhere.” You huff as you smooth his hair away from his face, examining him before sighing. “Bastard. Terrifying me in the middle of the night.” You complain, but Gaz hears the affection. He can see it as you fuss over Ghost, going over all the things you brought for his stay.

Gaz has no idea who you are, well… he can take a few guesses. But he’s wise enough to keep his mouth shut unless he wants you to whip around and force your ire onto him.

[anatomicaltheatre]

in 2025 NOBODY is going to talk about "consuming media" or worse "content". in 2025 we are STRICTLY ENGAGING WITH ART