#canon is a camera brand and only loosely acknowledged

[secretnimh]

Red Robin (Tim) time travels to the past for a mission and ends up as a 10 year old kid - no matter what, he can’t make any major changes to the timeline, or get caught... In Scooby Doo style shenanigans, Robin (Jason) and Beast Boy (Garfield) end up breaking into his house, which they think is haunted.

If anyone wants to join our DC roleplay discord;

Tim’s trip to the past inadvertently and irrevocably alters the timeline! All DC and original characters are welcome - the server is for ages16+, and just starting out!

Taken characters are as follows; Tim Drake (Red Robin/Civilian), Jason Todd (Robin), Garfield Logan (Beast Boy), The Joker

“Basic Bitch DC RP is an open Detective Comics Roleplay group that's friendly to members of all levels of experience, and set in a very loose, more-or-less canon timeline (Post-Crisis, Pre-A Death In The Family - Jason Todd, as Robin, is about 13 years old).

Pick any of your favorite DC characters to roleplay, or even an original character of your own making, and hit the scene running! From Midnighter to Mr.Miracle, Catwoman to Queen Bee, the world is your oyster!

If your character does not yet exist within our timeline, you're welcome to squeeze them in via shenanigans. Alternate earths, time travel, perhaps they simply hit the scene younger... 

 Every roleplay here should be considered as if it's in the same universe, but you don't necessarily have to roleplay with everyone. Whether you're planning epic showdowns with all your greatest nemeses or a small coffee-shop date, you're free to explore!”

https://discord.gg/VybqX5u3

[manekinoodle]

The Worst (TM) Pathologic Ship

A preamble is probably necessary here. This is written in good fun and is not meant to offend. Imagine me cackling obnoxiously while you’re reading. It’ll set the right mood.

TLDR: Andrey/Mark conceivably works as a ship.

How was this idea even born?

Y’know when you say something funny and then a friend says something funny and it keeps building up? That’s what happened. If you remember my little comic about Andrey teaching Grace to shoot, the dummy was in Mark Immortell’s likeness. The following conversation happened with regards to that:

>Peter was just trying to save Andrey from getting even more on Mark’s shitlist

>mark “oh please, if you want to use my likeness for target practice, just hit me up”

>Sounds like a date

>i mean you can’t shoot mark right

>OH NO

>Andrey/mark

At this point the gears started turning. My first thoughts were “haha cursed” as they are about a lot of things, and then I decided to hit up Wattpad for some terrible x reader fanfiction to help me write a Mark Immortell x reader fic.  I didn’t hit up Wattpad because I’m currently at home with my parents who dictate me a nice early bedtime. I slept on it for a bit.

The next morning, I screamed (internally) because somehow the Mark x reader idea I had slept on became a strong urge to write/draw Mark/Andrey. Ironically, of course. That’s my brand. Heh.

I chewed on the idea until it wasn’t so ironic anymore.

Actual stuff under the cut.

Ok, but why?

Look, this isn’t gonna be full of evidence or whatever since these two don’t interact, but this is a joke post anyway, so why do you care? I’m half-kidding, please keep reading. I used the wiki as a loose reference.

An important note is that I’m mostly taking my points from Pathologic 2 characterisations here, especially with regards to meta.

The Players

Let’s take a look at each character separately first. I’ll bring up important canon personality traits and personal interpretations which will play into the relationship dynamic.

Mark Immortell

The most relevant part of Mark’s character for this is his relationship with control. His relationship with it is straightforward in both the play and the meta. After all, he is one of the few impervious to the plague in the story and as the showrunner in meta. In between games, he wrests control of the metanarrative too, so there’s another point for him. I like how he seems to enjoy exercising his power too! He’s a Utopian through and through; he breaks the limits of the play and exercises control beyond what he should be able to as a showrunner in the game. In short, nothing gets on top of Mark Immortell. Figuratively. I think his back might say otherwise.

Andrey Stamatin

I have a lot more to say about Andrey! We’ll start with what lies on the surface, though we’ll get to the good stuff later. Andrey is the red oni to Peter’s blue; he’s the more outwardly aggressive and impulsive of the twins. In canon, Andrey’s character is about breaking the limits set in front of him. We see him do this quite effectively with the construction of the Polyhedron, but what happens when there’s a limit that can’t be broken placed in front of him? We never see this in either game. While both twins drown themselves in something or other that stops them reaching their full creative potential (at least when we see them), no limits are placed in a way where they’re seen actively having to tackle them.

We can get an idea of how an unbreakable limit might present itself to Andrey by taking a look at his relationship with Peter. There’s a lot that can be said, but I will focus on the aspect of control. Andrey fashions himself as Peter’s caretaker, taking control of the latter in a sense. This isn’t a bad thing, considering Peter can barely look after himself properly. On the other hand, Andrey allows himself to be dragged around by Peter’s creative visions. He’s the driving force that brings those ideas to life, sure, but ultimately his strings are being pulled by someone else. From this I think that Andrey is receptive to being controlled in a relationship. Being presented with an unbreakable limit can conceivably end up with him being pliant.

Let me make a slight detour by giving you a couple of personal thoughts on Andrey. Feel free to disagree on this since it’s all interpretation based on gut feeling. A good first impression to Andrey Stamatin would be having your figurative fangs out. A seemingly pure existence without hidden fangs is something that cannot exist to him (an exception can be made for Eva, since she’s so out there that it’s 100% not an act). I don’t believe he places sole value on honesty, per se (think Grief and how soft he actually is), but it plays a large part in his perception of someone. Basically, put your worst foot forward. Andrey is down for that.

How would this work, exactly?

On one hand, we have the meta-dealing Chris McLean himself, and on the other, Mr Andrey “I break all the rules” Stamatin. Let’s try and tell a short story, and I’ll bring up the points I made above when appropriate.

SCENE 1

Every romance must start with a meet cute. Refer to the comic I mentioned at the beginning. PETER has tackled ANDREY to the ground. GRACE is holding a fake gun. There is a training dummy with the likeness of MARK IMMORTELL.

Enter MARK. He calmly walks past the scene and examines the dummy. Impressed, he turns to ANDREY, who has since stood up.

MARK IMMORTELL:         Quite an impressive dummy you’ve made, Andrey.

MARK snickers. The focus is on ANDREY and MARK as PETER and GRACE slowly back away. They expect a fight. Just let them leave, they don’t do anything. PETER and GRACE decide to get some ice-cream off-stage, or maybe paint at home. Anywhere that isn’t here.

MARK IMMORTELL:         If you really wanted to use my likeness as target practice, you could have hit me up.

This was his attempt to provoke. I read this as Mark acknowledging his invulnerability, but this could also be read as an amorous proposal. ANDREY takes the bait and tries to intimidate this tiny little theatre man. He makes to kick MARK in the shin, but Mark’s valise finds itself under his chin before he can do so. ANDREY stalls. MARK looks satisfied with his reaction. He won’t be satisfied for long.

MARK IMMORTELL:         I hope you don’t mind me taking this. I’ll use it in my next show. Do come to see it, won’t you, Andrey?

He leans in towards the other. ANDREY tries to verbally protest, but he finds he cannot speak.

MARK IMMORTELL:         It would be quite a shame if you didn’t.

MARK calls a tragedian to pick the dummy up. As quickly as he entered the stage, he leaves with the tragedian. ANDREY’s gaze follows him, confused. Fade to black.

SCENE 2

The Theatre at night. Enter ANDREY, somewhat nervous. Well, he is nervous but doesn’t act like it. He’s hoping nobody asks him what he’s doing here. BACHELOR and HARUSPEX are chatting in a corner, noticing but not acknowledging Andrey’s presence. CHANGELING is on the second floor, looking down at the scene. ANDREY doesn’t notice her. She snickers into the camera.

Lights are cast on the stage and a pantomime plays out, featuring Andrey’s dummy. ANDREY watches, spellbound. I don’t have an idea of what the pantomime would be, so use your own imagination. After the show ends, only ANDREY is left in the Theatre. The three healers have left in the meantime. They knew what was going to happen. ANDREY, as if possessed, approaches the stage. MARK enters the stage from stage left and they stop in front of each other. MARK looks down at ANDREY almost derisively, but to his surprise, ANDREY just stares back. Beat.

MARK IMMORTELL:         I didn’t expect to see you here today, little shark pup.

Pet name? It’s Mark being a meanie! Andrey is eating this up, however, because overt control is something he can accept. Mark just established dominance over him in Scene 1 and he’s okay with not fighting back… If this was longer, I would have had him try to push a bit more, but we don’t got time for that. Back to the actual play.

ANDREY tries to say something, but it comes out as an unintelligible mumble. MARK lifts his chin up with the end of his valise so ANDREY is properly looking at him.

MARK IMMORTELL:         Did you say something?

ANDREY expects to be unable to speak again. He hesitantly opens his mouth.

ANDREY:                            (his voice cracks slightly) You… asked me to come, didn’t you?

MARK is taken aback (not visibly) by this honest admission. He (and probably you) expected Andrey to put up a small fight at least. However, this little puppet does not mind his strings being pulled. Mark decides to try and push a little harder.

MARK teleports ANDREY up on stage. ANDREY stumbles a little, but Mark’s valise still being under his chin steadies him. MARK pulls the valise so Andrey’s face is quite close to his again. I don’t know what to do from here, so fade to black.

The way I imagined the dynamic going is Mark teasing Andrey and trying to provoke him. Andrey does get pissy sometimes, but it’s extremely cute and low stakes, like teasing a pet. Then, at some point Andrey doesn’t get provoked which would throw Mark off guard. It’s a moment where two characters are going at each other and suddenly stop, allowing the weight of the moment to sink in. It’s in almost every romance story, but I can’t exactly put a name to it. Have enough of that, and we’ve got a nice rom-com on our hands.

Of course, this is just a theory. A Game Theory…