The vibe I get off that video (which is one I've felt about Gary/Robbie before) is very much based on the clever song choice - that Gary is 'the last high', that being involved with Gary is actually sufficient stimulation for Robbie to free him from all the drugs and alcohol, that for Gary he will change. When Gary and Robbie went around singing 'Shame' there was this way Robbie would stare at Gary, like he felt safe as long as he was watching him, that I just adored, similar body language to what one sees at Children in Need (my theory is that, generally, when Robbie's feeling confident he flirts with Mark, when he needs reassurance he flirts with Gary... *g*). Whereas, as you say, there's no sense that Mark is a person to give Robbie that stability and reassurance - that's why in a sense I like Gary/Mark/Robbie, with Gary as the missing ingredient, although the dynamic is strangely hard to actually capture (perhaps because it's so unequal? - what I usually end up with is one of the three on the outside looking in)

If I'm feeling in a mood for something a bit angsty, I like the conception that Mark and Robbie had a thing, Robbie left, Mark got together with Gary, less exciting but stable, pleasant and then Robbie comes back to get his Markie and ends up falling for Gary and taking him away from Mark - there's quite a classic noir in there somewhere... I'd never write something that sad though.

Mark/Howard/Jason with h/c elements is just awfully pleasing, isn't it? *g* One of the reasons I loved writing that fic so very much!

Oh goodness, if anything's eaten my brain today it's the extra THREE hours I spent at work today after hometime dictating discharge letters (we dictate onto a dictaphone and get them typed up - I would be so much faster just typing directly but that's the system, designed for very non-computer-literate consultants) - easing my tired mind with TT pics now! *g*