Local Science Loser

Before they even meet, Alina is a nihilistic and cynical individual. She usually just spends her time at work (she works as a genetical/molecular bioengineer for a big pharma company loosely inspired off of Monsanto—I still need to actually write them, although I’ve been thinking of creating a morally corrupt version of the GDA for Sinister’s universe, since it would make the most sense regarding later events). She’s literally running off of fumes and nicotine and caffeine, with the occasional breakthrough high pushing her to keep working.

She has this side project where she wishes to create genetically modified humans that superior to your average Joe, but she’s come at an impasse.

That’s when the whole comic comes in, she finds the picture, blablabla, boom she remembers Mark’s existence. She still has no clue he actually has powers, but that comes in later.

Flash forwards to an attack on the lab, she actually sees Invincible (not Mark—she doesn’t know two and two are connected yet), and just has this…sudden boom of admiration. She’s stunned. Literally, a colleague has to yank her away.

Her focus is completely shifted the next few days: she’s scrounging the internet for more info about this strange, caped individual—mostly on her phone or in a library because she doesn’t actually have access to a computer at home, and she can’t possibly afford to get caught at work.

She makes a whole ass board, comparing him to countless other superheroes and villains, and eventually attempts to stalk him down.

Plot point after plot point (because somehow a crazed non-superpowered scientist with delusions of grandeur can find the equivalent of a literal demi-god—which is why I want to make her work for some corrupt version of the GDA, they would definitely at least have ONE file on him) she eventually finds him and confronts him. She still has no clue Mark is under the mask, but he definitely recognises his childhood friend—because let’s be for real, how many albinos even live in Chicago?

Their relationship slowly develops: she follows him closely, taking notes of his prowesses, sometimes takes him down to the lab to do some molecular testing on him (throwback to their science bee project when they were kids). She’s practically manic and going insane at the thought of reaching her goal, Invincible being perfect for everything she needs.

Mark hates to admit it but he most definitely has some unchecked feelings for her, to the point where he’s always hanging around, a hand on her hip or on her shoulder, always maintaining some sort of physical contact. Alina really hates it, but since he is a dangerous individual, she kind of…lets him. She grows used to it.

I want at some point in the story to have Mark force Alina to consume human flesh to prove she’s “safe”/show his enthusiasm to her? It’s a bit murky so far.

Flash forwards to Mark revealing his identity: I’m thinking it would’ve been an accident, like he sleeps over in her apartment and naps on top of her or something (cause again—I’m a sucker for romance and romantic tension) but he’s got like his mask off.

I want her to feel some sort of betrayal, angry—for the omission of his identity all this time, and for ‘abandoning’ her back when they were young.

So their relationship sours quite a bit: she’s distant again, hurt, and if anything, tries to focus back on her job at her pharma company.

This is about when they start working together after a few more fights, but their relationship turns friendly instead of strange acquaintances attempting to force the other into doing their bidding.

Comes the day they confess to each other, blablabla, lalala, boom they’re in love.

They’re really intimate with each other in every sense of the word, literally, and their communication skills still need improvement but it’s definitely on the way. It’s important to mention, Mark does NOT improve on his cannibalistic/murderous tendencies.