Ivan is a 24 year old Model, Idol, Actor, but contracted to do random things all the time due to his adoptive fathers control, who basically runs his entire schedule and all his bookings. Took over the center/lead role of X.DAZE after lukas “retirement” from the group. Before X.DAZE, him and Luka were in a duo group SINxter. While the duo did well for their short time, 4NKT wanted to run one of those idol recruitment shows to form a boy group. While not common, both Luka and Ivan were forced to join the show to ‘prove their spot’.
They end up doing well and were soon grouped with Hyunwoo, Acorn, and Marty as the other three contestants of the show who passed, then formed X.DAZE and since their careers have really skyrocketed, being one of 4NKTs most well known group.
Ivans adopted father has always controlled Ivans life in everyway he could, ever since literally carting him off the streets when he was abandoned as a kid and making Ivan feel like he “owed him” for taking him in. So, he’s always just gone along with it for the sake of survival, not really knowing anything else. He’s trapped in too many contracts to even breathe sometimes, but when he does get time away, hes spending it with Till who comes over often, even if he acts like hes annoyed to be there.
While Ivan and Till have been friends for a very long time, even having met till when ivan was still a child in the slums (though till will say he doesnt remember that,) their relationship has always been a bit back and forth. Ever since they were young, they would fight often. They always seemed to make up shortly after though, the two finding ways to be in the others space no matter how angry one was with the other, like a magnetic force was always pulling them together.
Ivan didn’t want to be an idol and didn’t even have a passion for music for a while, but after watching Till perform at a school show in high school, it really set a fire in his heart- replacing that empty numb feeling hes had in his chest for so long, the lack of direction and passion was replaced with the thrill of watching Till thrive on a stage. he wanted to join him, but had no idea how to tell him this. Thankfully he wouldn’t have to, as one of the days Till was at Ivans house to hang out, he would stumble across Ivans notebook of poems in his room one day while Ivan was showering after a shoot he had done.
Ivan was almost mortified to find Till reading his writings, knowing all the feelings and emotions were large rants in the form of poem of the empty feeling in his chest that could only be replaced by the spark that was Till in his life, every. single. writing. Till did not catch that at all, and only looked at him with a new spark he hadn’t seen before. He was surprised how well versed and deep Ivan’s writings were, comparing them to song lyrics. They found this new bond together now, feeling more connected than ever, with Ivan writing more and Till adding to his writing and turning them into songs, their long hangouts turning into music sessions. It was a warm and comforting feeling, Ivan only falling harder for Till everytime he heard him sing back his own words to him.
This bliss didn’t last very long though, as Ivans adopted father was quick to pick up on it and find another way to cash grab something from Ivan, knowing he couldn’t refuse. With his connections, he got into touch with 4NKT and that started his career with them and SINxter. Ivan offered to ask his father, knowing he could probably leverage all his years of loyalty to him to help Till get a foot into the industry.
Till declined, wanting only to be acknowledged through his own hard work. He stopped posting their music together online, and while he hated himself for it, he couldn’t help but feel a small pit of jealousy for Ivans ease into getting a start into things. It wasn’t his fault, and he even felt disgusted at himself for it, causing him to pull himself away from Ivan, thinking he’d hurt him due to it.
Despite this era, while they spent less time together, Till was working hard and Ivans career was going strong. Till still did all he could to quietly support his friend, which helped him get over the jealousy over sometime. He showed up to all of Ivans shows, no matter how busy his own schedule was. He would buy and wear merch, show up to his shows and meet & greets, but he would never talk to him there. They’d meet eyes, and acknowledge each other, and Till would be on his way.
About a year into SINxters run, Till moved out of his step dads place into the city to be closer to the top entertainment companies, finding a nice apartment a close distance between the two largest in the country. He would come to learn, accidentally, that Ivan was living in the same building from an encouter in the lobby. It wasn’t awkward at first, but the two slowly started to build back up from there. Till even offered to help him with songs if he was still interested, just would keep his own work separate.
Ivans career really went better after Till was present again, a new motivation making him work harder just out of the joy it brought him to actually put more into everything he did.
They only got closer once Till’s single UNKNOWN went viral, gaining him notice from an 4NKT agent and he was added to X.DAZE per the retirement of another member.
It wasn’t long before Ivan and Till went back to their routine, they still fought, bantered, and enjoyed being in the others space (Till would rather die than to admit that). Ivan was happy with this, this was all he really needed from Till, he told himself. He couldn’t ever cross this boundary, even if Till reciprocated these feelings, due to contracts, and his obligations. All he needed was to have his spark in his life. And he was content with it. At least, thats what he told himself.
NOTE: this is NOT RELATED to any other AUs like the rock band au, high school au, etc but there will be bits of inspirations from other aus probably that may be reflected in the story but this is a standalone au that is in tangential connection with alien stage canon in the way they are haunted by their ‘past life’ like nightmares (they dont know its not just nightmares they are experiencing though) they all deal with which will effect them and their desicions throughout the story.
