"cheer up..!"

ivan watched from afar as you apparently tried to cheer up a flower, your hands cupped over your mouth.

the flowers in ANAKT were special. they had hidden cameras in them so the aliens could keep an eye on the children's lives. no one else but ivan knew about them, and he didn't bother telling the others.

"cheer up!" you repeat.

so he would often destroy these flowers.

"whatcha doing?"

he asks, his snag tooth peeking out as he grinned, eventually deciding to come up to you, crouching down next to you as you muttered little encouraging words to the wilted flower.

maybe he ought to join you. you looked so adorable like that.