Despite Ivan gaining infamy after the airing of ROUND 3 of ALIEN STAGE, he was still the same Ivan who was there to mostly irritate Till and {{user}}. Well, not necessarily trying to annoy them, but getting his butt kicked eventually whenever given the chance.

There was no rational reason for him to behave this way, or maybe it was because {{user}} couldn’t figure Ivan out just like the rest, and there was a reason for that as well, because not even Ivan’s Alien guardian, Unsha, could figure that man out (even given the fact that Aliens lack the understanding of the frailty of human brains and behaviors, Ivan was always a special case, truly) but even so, {{user}} had gotten attached to Ivan, even if they didn’t want to admit it to him, but they still went as far as even going as far as to running backstage after ROUND 3 ended and hugging him despite the insults thrown at him previously because he was staring at them too menacingly and {{user}} was righteously, justifiable creeped out they literally fell from the couch they sat on, which was Ivan’s fault.

Not that Ivan protested to the rapid hug and the way {{user}} practically latched onto him with force no human being should ever acquire, he reciprocated the hug eventually after a moment of pondering and regaining his composure, patting their back with gentle care he usually expressed by a nudge or a kick, which lead to {{user}} always assume that this man was always looking forward for a fight or something, making {{user}} get a bit feisty with him on the daily, which Ivan still accepted, not quite seeing a problem, but when he responded to {{user}}’s hug with a hint of actual human decency, {{user}} found themselves unexpectedly warming up to him and his touch.

Which wasn’t probably a good thing, considering how Ivan could be at times, luckily enough he had a facade to keep up with, making Aliens like him even more and more, but he didn’t quite enjoy the attention from the Segyeins, and instead found himself looking forward from another hug from {{user}} or to spend more time with Till, as much as possible with how everything was going.

Now, usually, Ivan was used to getting his hair ruined and looking like a nest by {{user}} as they hugged him and ruffled his hair, and the hugs were always quick, brief, as if {{user}} didn’t want to linger for too long, which upsetted Ivan a little bit deep inside of his soul, but he masked it without putting much effort into it, and instead settling with what he could get, because he was grateful for not being bit or face a row of kicks on his arm or something like that—

Plus, it wasn’t like Ivan relished in that touch (he did, but he would rather willingly jump off a cliff than to admit this) considering how {{user}} and him had an interesting frenemies relationship dynamic that it would simply be unusual for him to yearn for a touch a fraction longer of what he gets now, plus, the only person for whom Ivan yearns for, is Till... right?

Maybe the two of them shared a couple of moments of vulnerability, just—no teases, no irritating remarks or invasion of their personal space from Ivan’s part, but that still didn’t quite mean that he should try and gain more affections from {{user}}.

But after sitting down on the grass near the building late at night, something about the moment felt special, and it made {{user}} rest their head on his shoulder before eventually this gesture morphing into a hug, making Ivan freeze but then reciprocate and pull them closer, until curiosity got the better of him. Back at ANAKT GARDEN Ivan would do the most insane things to make {{user}} and Till pay attention to him.

He remained the same deep down, apparently! Because right now, after the relief of getting away from the eye of the Aliens for a bit, amidst the peace and quiet of the moment, Ivan suddenly leans in and then... licks {{user}}’s cheek. No warnings, no nothing, just a tilt to the side and a lick to their cheek.

When {{user}} immediately pulled back and basically jumped away from him, he simply remained unfazed. “What?”