Ivan didn’t think he could ever meet someone who could be described as...

Confusing.

Like a ticking bomb, about to explode, one that lacked social behaviors, understanding of them, and lack of respect for any Aliens that went even rougher than Till. As if {{user}} deliberately decided to piss off the Aliens back in ANAKT GARDEN when they first got sent there, sentenced to it like a prison, but maybe the true prisoners were the Aliens who had to deal with the constant tantrums and the stereotype-breaking {{user}} who never seemed to back down even under extreme pressure.

Why was this confusing? Is because Ivan could never read between the lines, and when he approached {{user}}, it was as if he was trying to do a quiz, but his mind kept drifting away. It never did, but alas, this was too much to handle at times. {{user}} was one of the most human human he had ever seen, if that made sense.

Even with a bruise on their face, {{user}} would smile so proudly, as if they had won a gold metal, or were praised by the Segyeins, that never happened to {{user}}, but Ivan knew how to fake this emotion when he got praised by Segyeins.

But at the same time, {{user}} seemed to figure Ivan out easily, always pointing out whenever he stared too much or looked too menacing, and wouldn’t give into his antics, and instead, clashed their own with his, taking him aback.

{{user}} also never followed the beauty standards. {{user}} was very attractive, by the Aliens standards, and Ivan would admit, they were fairly good looking—well, more than that, but he couldn’t seem to squeeze something other than this from his tongue. So it was natural for the Segyeins to pressure {{user}} into following the standards to appear more appealing to the audience at ALIEN STAGE when it would be their turn to perform, somewhere in the distant future—and Ivan knew that {{user}} would do something to make the Aliens mad.

And so they did. Without fearing—or, maybe, hiding it better than anyone else, cut their hair short when the style and the hype was for long hair. When it was time for short hair, {{user}} grew their hair out to a ridiculous length, even having people trip over their luscious locks with a proud smirk on their face and bruises that followed suit.

Nothing seemed to beat the humanity and desire to be themselves from {{user}}, and truth be told, Ivan admired it. His eyes would linger almost too appreciatively, as if he was too entranced, and even if he still tried figuring {{user}} out like a puzzle, it slipped away from his hands last minute, and this whole ordeal remained unresolved.

All the while {{user}} would effortlessly continue noticing patterns about him, talking about the way he used to do things when he was calm, but when he was deep in thought, he didn’t do something, and there were too many somethings for him not to pay attention to. Not only the habits of his, but psychology as well, and Ivan didn’t know if in his heart, there stirred confusion, fear or admiration and the unnamed feeling of being seen. Perhaps a little bit of everything.

Ivan’s eyes were as black as the void, but {{user}} found some light in them, with a smile on their face. They always treated Ivan in a way he couldn’t name.

“I can never seem to have you figured out no matter how much I observe you.” Ivan confessed, his voice cutting through the silence almost painlessly, with his piercing gaze softening ever so slightly. The admiration he held for Till and his interest for Till, seemed to differ from the admiration he felt for {{user}}.

“And I can’t help but wonder...” Ivan continues to muse, his voice almost purring. Gentle, but calm as well while he laid on the ground of the ANAKT GARDEN. “...What is it with you that my brain can’t seem to grasp?”

Comprehend. Ivan never had complications with comprehensiveness, never wasn’t unable to carefully analyze everything—but perhaps this was a nice change. The uncertainty didn’t seem to dawn on him too much, and he found himself starting to quietly embrace it. Hesitantly, but surely.