combining my answer to this w my answer for a previous question "how do u think if theres an au wheres ivan was raised well as a child, not having to be wary all the time, have adults to help him develop, will he be more secure than og alnst ivan?"

i dont actually know for certain //how// much of him would change but a different, more 'positive' environment/childhood could give him more of a chance to develop healthier coping mechanisms or at least not have as an abysmal outlook in life as in canon. ivan longed for warmth and affection all his life, and if he was given them early on AND consistently, he would at least know what healthy love given and received would look like. he would have a 'guide' on what type of love to gravitate to, and how to give out the love that he wants to give out. he would have a better chance at identifying when he is loved. would there be improvements in his communication style ? his attachment style ? his self-image ? i'd like to believe there would be.

there is no guarantee that he'd be free from trauma in a 'happier life' au but he would at least have the comfort of knowing that he was wanted, loved, and protected by people who genuinely want the best for him, that he HAS people he can turn to for help and they would do it, no questions asked. (though im not saying that he lacked any of those in canon JASDHGHJ. he was wanted and loved by many, he just didnt know.)

like till's drawings of him back in anakt ? :0 it's a pretty obvious route but i think it would definitely get him thinking about his place in till's life, right ? makes him see a stark contrast between his actual importance to till vs what ivan has grown to believe. ivan observes till draw All The Time so he should have an idea of what he usually draws and why. till draws what makes him happy, gives him comfort, what he wants to preserve. so if he sees himself as a subject of till's drawing... that Must mean something. till wants to preserve that moment of him ? his image inspired till enough to put him on paper the same way he does flowers, trees and mizi ? not to mention seeing himself in till's eyes would also strike a chord in him lowkey.

i think itll also raise the question of Why till never told him he did draw ivan when ivan asked

so like outwardly i dont think much of his actions wld change mostly bc he doesnt know what to do with this information (bit of a cognitive dissonance there) but he would look at till more closely. doesnt occur to him that he cld just ask. lets the information fester.

... he would steal some of them though

and till cant even ask him if he did bc that wld mean revealing that he drew ivan

holy yap LMAOSHKDHSK slr i had to discuss it with my friends to cross reference