Archive of Our Own

They had finally made it.

His grandpa’s old house.

Residing in the bustling city of Kota Hilir, the small yellow and blue house stood proudly in front of their rental van. It had been about half a year since they had last visited the house, and the autumn atmosphere was a lot gloomier compared to the warm spring when they had last visited here. They had been here in late April for a holiday named Eid al Fitr: to celebrate it with his newfound family and visit his grandma.

It was their second time visiting the abandoned household since they had moved out. This time, Tok Aba had wanted them to accompany him to reminisce on some old memories that the city had to offer. He claimed it was ‘so he could move on’ (Which was a good idea, in Boboiboy’s opinion), But he couldn’t help but feel like there was more to the conversation that his grandpa just wasn't explaining.

Just like the last time they had arrived, they were greeted by the aggressively loving Cone Konchos, who Boboiboy and his family had been close to ever since Boboiboy was a baby. His friends, Gopal, Yaya, Ying and Fang, were initially startled by the Cone Konchos and the other robots in the city, but they quickly grew loving and affectionate over the small and friendly robots.

The soft jingle of Tok Aba’s keys twisting in the doorknob and the door cracking open snapped Boboiboy out of his previously lingering thoughts. Ochobot was staring up at him expectantly, with a slightly worried look on his face.

“Are you okay, Boboiboy?” His robot companion asks, and Boboiboy nods in response. “You’ve been spacing out for 5 minutes, staring at the house…”  

“Yeah, Ochobot, I’m okay.” He smiles while gently rubbing the top of the robot's head. “Why don’t you help me unpack some of the things from the car?”

“Yaya and Ying already unpacked almost everything out of the car.” Ochobot squirms out from underneath Boboiboy’s arms, His robot-wings opening and allowing him to gently hover above Boboiboy’s lap. Ochobot opens the door for him, before flying out of the car. “Come on!”

Boboiboy grins, before hopping out of the car and dashing over to the door. “I’ll race you to the bags, Ochobot! I bet you can’t put the food in the fridge faster than me!”
“It’s on!”

As soon as he came into the house, dust kicked up into his face and he paused.

Had it really been that long since they had last visited?

The house looked exactly as it had just after they had left—save for the absurd amount of dust that had gathered on the surfaces of each object. It was empty. It reminded him just how much time tends to pass. The subtle autumn sunlight beamed through the windows as Tok Aba opened the window curtains, painting a soft light into the old house.

“We get the big room!” Yaya and Ying shout in unison, disturbing the previous peace as they dash up the creaky stairs. An extremely disgruntled Gopal comes stumbling through the doorway with some boxes in tow, and protests the girls’ inevitable demand with a few angry huffs. 

“But you got the big room last time!” He whines, nearly dropping the boxes in his arms.

“Finders keepers~!” The girls teased, blowing him a raspberry to irritate him even further.

The house was soon filled with joyous conversations and the sounds of a new beginning. It may only be a two month vacation (Is it really considered a vacation if you still have to protect Earth from aliens trying to steal your longest-term friend?) but it still felt like things had begun to turn around. A pseudo sense of refreshment, if you will, especially for an extremely stressed hero.

“Boboiboy.”

He heard his name from behind him, a smooth voice that rang nicely in his ears. Every time he heard it, he almost wanted to record it and save it for later. He knew the eyes behind those visors, connected to the person's voice and the praises that he loved to receive. He proceeded to turn around so fast that stars filled his vision and he momentarily felt himself blacking out.

“Yes, Fang?”

Boboiboy’s voice chirps out in an unexpectedly high pitched tone as he regains his balance, to which he blushes and grunts the brief embarrassment back down into his throat. His slightly pinkened face—painted as if it had been brushed with the lightest watercolor, made Fang crack a wide smile at the sight of the embarrassed orange-capped boy in front of them.

“Do you want to go to the park with me tonight?” They inquire, digging into their cute pink bag for some spare change. “We could get ice cream, I think, or donuts, depending on how much I have.”

Why was Fang asking him to go on a walk with them?

“Oh sure! Why, though?” Boboiboy questions, and Fang just smiles.

“Sightseeing.” It was a simple, satisfactory response. “This is the first time we’ve had enough time to actually explore the city. I thought we should do it together. You know,”
Fang scoots slightly closer to Boboiboy, before quickly butting in.

“A-As rivals, we have to always keep each other on their toes!” They’re quick to add words onto their story. “After everyone in this city sees I’m better than you, I’ll swipe your popularity away from you in no time!” The shadow user grinned as they looked into their bag to avoid eye contact, as if they were trying to find something. Boboiboy gets the feeling that they’re burying down some secrets, but he can't decipher what they could be.

So, he shrugs it off and laughs, jabbing Fang in the side with his elbow. “Hehe, sure thing then! What time would you like to go?”

“After dinner? Isn’t your grandpa making Carrot Soup tonight?”

“I sure am!” Tok aba butts into the conversation. “You better be here to help finish all of it, Fang.”

“I will be, Tok!” Boboiboy can almost see the excitement glimmer in their eyes, innocent and truly wanting. He has never seen someone get more excited over carrot soup than Fang, and he finds it adorable.

Wait, what was he thinking?

“Anyway,” Fang continues. “Let’s meet up after dinner. We can clean ourselves up and then go on a walk. Just for an hour and a half, maybe.”

“Sounds good!”

As Fang left the room with their bag in tow, their pleasant conversation and their future plans for tonight after dinner continued to linger on his tongue like the pleasant aftertaste of a freshly baked cookie. 

He felt so giddy whenever he talked with Fang—so happy and so relieved afterwards. It was almost like… he was….

He couldn't let that happen.

As happy as he had just been, it quickly began to melt away like crayons in the hot summer sun. Black ink quickly bled through his bright yellow persona as dread began to fill his senses. He felt fear, the fear that he might be falling in love becoming too close of friends with Fang. Fang was supposed to be his rival . Fang was an alien from another planet , and he was pretty sure Fang wasn’t gay. The possibilities of rejection, aggression and abandonment began to rush through his mind. A million different possibilities that all ended in one conclusion. The amount of times Fang had already betrayed him and his friends (though it was under Captain Kaizo as well as Kirana’s orders) he couldn’t help but imagine that it could happen again.

He felt his mindset begin to grow distant from his hands.

Boboiboy gazed into the empty and dull hallway where Tok Aba stood, staring into the empty kitchen with what Boboiboy could only guess was grief. He couldn’t see his grandpa's face, but he knew exactly what it looked like even from behind him. The dark hallway only added to the depressing atmosphere. It made him sympathize with the house and his grandpa.

He missed her, too.

He missed his-

“Boboiboy!” A peculiar robot rips him back to his senses- and the familiar feeling of being near someone yet so far away from them had only now begun to reveal itself. The sudden contrast between just being distracted by his thoughts and nearly being ripped away from being in control of his own body was once foggy, but had now become crystal clear. “Are you coming to help me put the food away?”

His grasp on reality felt altered. Like someone else was there with him.

He didn’t want them to be.

“Of course, Ochobot.” He finally responds in a voice that doesn’t quite feel like his own, approaching his companion and opening a cooler with food in it. He ignores Ochobot’s worried stare, brushing it off as the anxiety he felt deep in his chest and him just seeing things . Despite the protests in his head- he pushed down his emotions, pushed away ‘his’ thoughts, and forced himself to get back to work. After all, he had a meeting with Fang later!

He should be focused on the present.

–

Dinner came and dinner was enjoyed well by everyone at the table, aside front he occasional bicker when Gopal would take too much of their supper or when Ying would make a half-jabbed comment in Fang’s direction about how “weird” he had been acting earlier (Honestly, Boboiboy didn’t see what was weird about their talk) but the meal was filling and a good social event for the evening.

As they left the house and approached the park, Boboiboy noticed that something about the park was different. There didn’t seem to be as many people as there usually were at the park, and even for the night the place was extremely barren.

Then, he remembered something.

"The park is closed." Boboiboy spoke, a frown on his face. He totally blew it. He had completely forgotten that the park is always closed during Eid, especially when it’s time for iftar.

"Aw, man." Fang sighed. "What are we supposed to do now?" 

"We could go to the food courts and the night market downtown?" The orange-capped boy suggested, a hopeful smile on his face. "Maybe we can find some carrot donuts for you and a gift for Tok Aba." 

Fang thought about it for a moment while thinking of possible gifts they could buy Boboiboy, before deciding that the night market wasn't a half bad idea. They had a few gifts in mind already, maybe some for the other elements as well. They would just have to be secretive and sneaky about it. 

"Sure. " They replied, smiling to themself as they watched Boboiboy's eyes light up. A newfound innocence was quickly starting to show itself through his actions, as he lagged when getting a response out of his throat.

"Really?!" Boboiboy sounded very excited, his voice in a sudden high pitch. "Let's go!" 

The downtown night market was bustling, full of colored lights and decorations in theme with the holiday. Stall after stall was crowded with different customers, buying various items. The moment they stepped foot in it, it was pretty clear to Fang that someone else had switched into front with how childish he was now acting. The present alter was named Duri, they figured. 

"Fang!" The child gasped, pointing over at a familiar stall bustling with sweets. It was the stall they saw during the car ride that Boboiboy told them about; Ms. Bibah’s—the stall he and his father used to go to for cendol. Besides it was another stall that sells plushies and trinkets. "Fang, Fang, Fang! Look here!" 

"I'm looking!" Fang stressed, giving a strained smile before grabbing Boboiboy's hand. "Come on, we can go over there first. Hold my hand and make sure you don't stray too far away, Okay?" 

"Okay!" He chirped, dragging Fang over to Ms. Bibah’s stall. Once they arrived, Duri instantly began to search through the selection of sweets other than the famous cendol she was selling. 

"Hi there!" Ms. Bibah greeted them with a warm welcome. "What can I get for you today?" 

"Do you have matcha sweets?" Duri asked, letting go of Fang's hand so he could talk to the merchant. 

Fang took this as an opportunity. They began to look at the plushies at the store beside them. They were all quite small and expensive, handmade and very cute, though, so they guessed that's what explained the plushies’ high price tag. There were many different options, but there was only one that stood out to them the most.

“How much for this, uncle?” Fang asked, pointing at a soft-looking plush that they were sure Boboiboy would love. It was a green cat, decorated in pink flowers and with a tail that resembled a cactus plant. It kinda looks like Cattus if they squint.

“Ah, kid, that’s RM50!” The uncle replied.

Fang winces after hearing the price, looking through their wallet after. They only brought RM200 with them and they feared that if Boboiboy asked for any more stuff, all of their money would disappear in a blink of an eye.

Ah, whatever. As long as it makes Boboiboy happy, they can empty their bank account.

They hand the merchant their money and they happily receive their gift for Boboiboy wrapped in a paper bag. Maybe, they can secretly wrap it tonight before they sleep and give it to him in the morning or just give it to him now, since it's already in a paper bag. A while later, they comes back to the stall to witness Ms. Bibah pinch Boboiboy’s adorable chubby cheeks as the latter sits on one of her tables, struggling to eat his treats.

“Aiyo, look at you… Scrawny and skinny…” She coos at him as she hands him a free bowl of cendol. “Are you even eating at Pulau Rintis, huh? What about your father? Is he eating well? I bet he misses my cendol.”

She stops her ministrations on Boboiboy and lets him speak. Fang watches the scene unfold from afar as the orange-capped boy swallows his candy and looks away after what she just told him. They didn’t want to get close, they felt like it would invade their privacy.

Why are they even thinking about privacy when they’re here standing as they eavesdrop on the conversation?

“Uh, dad is—”

“Remember when you and your dad used to eat cendol from me after your classes? Mechabot will always try to get his grubby hands from your bowl after he finishes his. Say, Oboi, how’s your dad doing these days?”

In panic, Boboiboy scans the area and his eyes land on Fang, who was just standing around. He got his ticket out, he thinks. This doesn’t go unnoticed by Fang so they quickly hides the plush they bought behind their back, looking away from Boboiboy.

“Ah, uh, aunty! Look, my friend is waiting for me! I promised to show them around Kota Hilir. I'll have this cendol to go. Maybe we can catch up next time?”

Ms. Bibah happily agrees and bids her goodbye to Boboiboy, all while wrapping his cendol in a plastic container. Being the good child he is, he doesn’t forget his manners and says goodbye back to her before running to Fang.

“Hey, Boboiboy, I have something—”

“You wanna explore Kota Hilir more?!” The orange-capped boy cuts them off by shouting at their face, like he was letting someone hear their conversation. “Oh, sure! I know just the tourist spots!”

Before Fang could even protest, Boboiboy grabs their hand and drags them away from the market, leaving them confused and wondering when they can approach the heavy topic ahead of them.

The only “upside” is that it didn’t seem like Duri was going to be fronting for much longer. 

–

"Um, Boboiboy, Aren't we trespassing?" Fang asked out of caution as they used their phone as a flashlight among the darkness. Boboiboy—the original one again, on the other hand, was still jumping down from the window they broke in.

The building they entered was old, abandoned, and probably due for demolition. There was debris and rubble everywhere they looked. Fang only watched as the other boy giddily skips around the area.

How is this even fit for a tourist spot?

"You act like you haven't done something illegal. Remember the Copy and Paste Bot mission?" Boboiboy teased, kicking some pebble he found along the debris while walking. "Besides, what we're looking for is at the back… Come on!"

After a while of searching, they finally found the back door. Fang hesitated to open it, unfamiliar of what awaits them at the other side. However, Boboiboy didn't, and slammed the door open and dragged the other out of the house.

Fang shone their flashlight on their surroundings and found themself amused at the colors in front of them. Boboiboy ran towards one the walls and placed his fingers on it, feeling the faded spray paint on his skin.

"This is when Dad was, uhh fighting? Rescuing? I don't know. But, the name of the robot partly responsible for this was Paintasso." The latter excitedly uttered.

Curious about Boboiboy's choice of words, Fang asked. "Partly?"

"Uh huh, Dad actually mechanized with Mechabot and spray painted Paintasso. The paint got everywhere, Dad said. That's why it's like this."

Boboiboy laughed in fondness. "Can you believe it? My Dad was responsible for this when he's such a bad artist… I even remember crying as a child whenever I saw his drawings…" 

Boboiboy stared at the painting above him, a sketch of his Dad mechanizing with his Power Sphera friend. A melancholic look replaced his fond one, his smile turning into a frown.

Fang didn't shine the flashlight on the graffiti anymore, but instead at the boy in front of them.

They couldn't help but notice how tears started forming in the corner of the other's eyes.

"Okay, next stop!" Boboiboy suddenly exclaimed, walking away from the walls and exiting the art site.

Fang only pretended they didn't see how the other rubbed his eyes with his hands for the sake of the other in front of him. The foggy image of their friend was slowly beginning to reveal itself to Fang.

–

The next stop Boboiboy was referring to was a rundown arcade down the street. A neon sign saying Arcade Centre was at the top of the building, shining in pink and blue colors amidst the quiet dark night. The aforementioned boy beamed, running towards the entrance and opening its door.

Fang only sighed and followed in. What’s with Boboiboy's addiction to breaking and entering?

Once again, Fang opened their phone and shone their flashlight towards their surroundings. There they saw tons of arcade machines in different corners of the building, running different games. They turned to see Boboiboy from the other side of the building, claiming as many tokens as he could from the broken-down token machine.

Fang was stunned, looking around them once again. For a rundown building, this place sure had many options of games to play with.

"Are you familiar with this kind of old Earth technology?" Boboiboy inquired, sneaking up behind the shadow user while tossing a coin in the air and then catching it. He put his head on the other's shoulder from the back, eyeing the place where they directed their flashlight.

Fang was caught off-guard, looking away as they felt their cheeks heat up. They thanked whoever was up there for making it dark enough to not let their face be visible.

"Uh, yeah? Kind of? I kinda tinkered stuff like these in a junkyard back at Pulau Rintis when I first arrived on Earth." They struggled to keep their voice steady, the embarrassment of having Boboiboy so close to them having them quite flustered.

"Then if you’re so familiar, do you think you can beat me in a game or two?"

Fang stared at Boboiboy with a fire of determination and competitiveness in their eyes. If there's one thing that will never change, it's their tendency to compete and try to defeat the latter in every challenge. Keyword: try —Boboiboy was so damn good at everything that it was so attractive and frustrating at the same time.

As they stared into the other's eyes, they had a familiar yet distant glint of someone they had encountered before. A particularly overconfident and determined fellow who never let a challenge slip by him without absolutely crushing it into dust first. "You're really challenging me, the person who's one of the top gamers in the galaxy?” Fang snorted. “Are you being for real?"

“It sounds like you’re scared of a challenge~” Boboiboy chimed competitively with a big, wide grin, and it finally clicked in Fang’s mind who this was.

Solar.

"And sounds to me that you're willing to lose…” Fang was not one to back down from a fight, especially against someone like Solar. “Bring it on!"

It was safe to say Fang lost to Solar in every single game they had played. They never really knew what to expect when competing against Solar in video games. They blame their lack of skill and their lack of knowledge when it comes to Earth technology (they’re heavily in denial). Even begging for a 2 out of 3 was no use.

Sighing out of defeat, they explored more of the rundown arcade center while Boboiboy followed. After a while, they saw some games that piqued their interest.

Well, not exactly games but baby rides.

Fang sneered, a plan brewing in his mind. They might've lost to Boboiboy but they’re still taller.

"Hey, Boboiboy.” They turned to look behind them. “Look here, There's a ride that fits you perfe—ctly…”
They noticed that something seemed off.
“Oboi…?"

They shone their flashlight towards Boboiboy and there they saw him just standing, unmoving, a sad look visible on his face. The previously challenging glint in his eyes had vanished with something more mellow and upset, and Fang was quickly concerned. Using their brain for once, they followed the latter's line of vision and saw a certain ride that caught a certain boy's attention.

Timmy the Tank.

"Let's go home..." Boboiboy suddenly uttered, His voice monotone and dull. He walked away from the scene as abruptly as he had set his eyes on it with his back facing Fang.

"What…?"

"I’m sleepy. Let's go home..."

"Oh, alright?" Fang ran to catch up with Boboiboy, a genuinely confused and concerned look on their face.

It felt like… Tok Aba wasn't the only one missing someone from the family.

–

They arrived home about 20 minutes later, a decent walk in a nice and dark outside world.

Boboiboy insisted on setting up the bed first.

” I got it!"

Boboiboy cheers, in a soft yet enthusiastic whisper. Fang can only stare in utter amazement at the new transformation of the previously L shaped couch. It had turned into a bed- in front of their own eyes, and it honestly reminded them of how Motobot could materialize vehicles out of nothing.

"Wow! That's so cool, Boboiboy!" They exclaim, sitting down on the bed with a soft umph . They sink into it and sigh in relief, burying themself into the blankets below. "I've never seen anything that can do that before, and it's so comfortable! Are you sure it's stable? Did a Power Sphera do this?"

Boboiboy giggles, and Fang feels a gentle blush creep up onto their face. They suddenly felt hot, and their gaze went from focusing on staring into Boboiboy's eyes to the surprisingly interesting floor below them. "Of course it's stable, Fang. You won't fall through it unless you're doing something you shouldn't be~"

An image of Boboiboy quickly flashed across his mind.

"Also, no, a Power Sphera did not do that. It's just made with some metal hinges and springs."

"...Oh."

“No problem, though! Help me set up the bed, Fang!”

“Sure thing, Oboi.”

After setting up the bed with a few pillows and a sheet covering it, Boboiboy and Fang decided that it was time to hit the hay, sinking into the soft and comfortable foam. Boboiboy abruptly sat up after a moment, having remembered something important.

"Wait!" He exclaimed, sitting up from his position. "I forgot something in my bag. Stay here, Fang."

Fang nodded as they saw the latter standing up and running to his bag, choosing to drown himself in the warmness of their makeshift bed by burrowing themself in a bunch of pillows and blankets. If Boboiboy were paying attention, Fang was sure he would laugh. After all, burrowing into blankets and pillows isn’t a common occurrence for humans. At least, they don’t think it is.

Time begins to pass slowly.

The soft rustling of Boboiboy searching through his bag began to blend into the background’s symphony—cars rushing by the street and the gentle hum of a nearby fan creating a noisy but comforting atmosphere. Fang found themself dissociating in the calm and warm grasp of the blankets and pillows on their makeshift couch bed.


They began to doze off, despite fighting their sleepiness off—the comforting grasp of the pillows and blankets surrounding them reminding them of their home. They never really knew what their home was all about- or where they truly came from, but the whole ordeal made them want to fall asleep right then and there.

But, they had to wait for Boboiboy.

Time passed, they almost dozed off a few times, but amidst the static noise in the background they began to hear muffled sniffles and a few hiccups that replaced the noises of the rustling. The shadow user hastily removed all of the pillows from their face and stood up to investigate where the noise came from. Their footsteps grew heavier each step they took with the tiredness in their body dragging them down, but before they gave up they saw Boboiboy sitting by the living room door. He was hugging his knees while his fingers fiddled with some sort of cloth. They then heard the boy sob while gripping the soft item tightly.

Was he... crying?

"Boboiboy," Fang called out. "What's wrong?"

Boboiboy raised his head to see from whom the voice came from. With the dim light of the living room, Fang saw the red bags under the other boy's eyes along with visible tear stains streaming down his cheeks. "Oh, haha, this is nothing, really!" Boboiboy quickly excused, wiping his face with his hands as he forced a smile. Fang sighed, their eyes giving a disheartened look. "You need to be honest with me, Oboi..."

"What's wrong?" They asked one more time, moving just a bit closer to him.

Boboiboy took a deep breath. 

"It's just this... stupid blanket I had as a baby. See, it's nothing! I mean, what kind of hero am I for crying over a blanket?" Fang sat beside Boboiboy with their legs crossed. They processed the information as best as they could for two in the morning drowsiness.

"What do you mean stupid?"

Their voice was so gentle, compared to their usual firm and sturdy tone. They sounded almost as vulnerable as Boboiboy felt, showing Fang the very item that has caused him so much comfort and so much misery over the 15 years of his life. "If it means enough to you that you'd sit and cry holding it in your arms, clearly it isn't something stupid."

"But.. I've had it since I was a baby." Boboiboy sniffles, feeling his throat tense and his eyes begin to water. His face was red from his previous short sob session, and his eyes already felt dry. "My… my dad gave it to me. My Mom, my Dad and Mechabot made it for me... It's practically a rag now." The facade he had been attempting to hold up just a few moments earlier slowly began to melt away under the slight pressure from Fang. He felt broken, ruined from the inside, as if someone had come over just to specifically target him and rip him away from the inside out. "But I just can't let it go..."

Fang put a gentle hand on the boy's shoulder. "You don't have to.. That's okay, Boboiboy." Fang felt desperate to help. "You don't have to let it go."

"But I'm 15!" The thick tension in the room that the two didn't even know had formed until now began to rapidly rise, like the heat of a ticking bomb encased in ice. The inevitable chain reaction had only been only delayed by the freezing of Boboiboy's emotions and the high walls set around it—but now that his walls had been torn down the bomb was about to explode. That's what it felt like, anyway. "I don't need to hold onto some silly... rag.... one of the last things my dad touched before I went to Tok Aba's..."

The room went silent.

"What do you mean, one of the last things he touched?" Fang's voice filled with worry, watching their rival, lover, friend's face begin to warp into an ugly and startling distortion of sadness and despair. They never thought that they could see Boboiboy so... hurt . It almost hurt them in recoil, watching the other slowly begin to cry. It felt like a double-edged knife. It felt as if Boboiboy had stabbed himself in the chest with a dagger made out of his own raw emotions. Fang embraced him in their comforting shadows and ended up getting stabbed, too. 

They could hear Boboiboy’s pent up mental anguish bleed out of his body through his voice. They could feel the other's despair through his trembling hands. They could see the other's' dishevelment through the distressed look on his face. The look that reminded them of how he had looked when Retak’ka had nearly murdered him and ripped his headmates away from him in the most brutal way possible. It reminded them that Boboiboy was just a kid under the superhero persona that he put on.

It reminded them that Boboiboy really, really needed someone by his side.

Someone to really tell him just how much he’s loved .

"Boboiboy..."

They could only watch as the sunshine that Boboiboy constantly gave off in the form of his beautiful and absolutely astonishing personality—golden light that had finally given them a point in life, slowly began to hide itself behind the clouds of his childhood trauma. It hid behind a storm that had been forming for years deep within the confines of his head. Suppressed memories quickly began to flood into Boboiboy's head like a dam that had just been broken. The quickly overstimulating sound of crashing waves filled his ears, It echoed in his head, repeating phrases he had heard over and over again until it all began to bleed into one voice. One voice that he would never get to hear again.

The voice of his father.

"He sent me onto the train." Boboiboy's voice cracked, fading out into a strained whimper. Tears gently began to roll down his cheeks, pattering down onto the floor in slow but quickening succession. His voice seemed so vulnerable, and despite the desperate attempts of Gempa his own inner voice trying to calm him down—it was just no use.

"He told me I was just going to stay for a few weeks... for the summer. That he would pick me up at the end of summer and he would take me to the carnival." His silent crying soon melded into ugly, broken whimpers and gasps for air as he choked on his own saliva. His ragged breaths only broke into mangled syllables and distressed cries for help as he sobbed into the small blanket he had been holding. Tears ran down his face. "He... h-he never came back for me..."

Fang was astounded.

"Qin'ai.. I'm so sorry." Fang wrapped Boboiboy in a comforting hug, rubbing the other's back gently. They had never expected such a fun, lovely, cute, beautiful, kind, caring, thoughtful, tolerable person to hold so much trauma deep within themselves. For so long Boboiboy suffered, and it worried them how now was the moment he just couldn't hold back anymore. Maybe it was the nostalgia of visiting his old home, maybe it was the things they had talked about a few hours before- or maybe, just maybe, he had finally hit his limit. 

The ticking time bomb had finally exploded.

Then, a light bulb went off in Fang’s head.

"Can you let me see the blanket?" Fang asked, patting the other boy's head gently.

Boboiboy was reluctant, hugging the blanket close to him. The shadow user understands - it is a huge part of him, after all. He can't just calm down that quickly. 

So, they are patient, holding out their hand to Boboiboy. They trust he'll give it to them.

After a few minutes of Boboiboy holding on tightly on the blanket, he finally surrenders it to Fang. The latter gives him a fond smile, glad that Boboiboy was able to share this part of him to a friend.

"C-Careful, please..." Boboiboy pleaded weakly, still slightly suffocated by his tightened throat. Fang replied with a nod.

The latter held out the blanket to check for holes or any torn out parts. The dim lighting of the living room was not helping with their sight. Then, finally, after a while, they found a little tear on one of the sides.

Ah, there it was.

"Oboi," Fang trailed off, grabbing the sewing kit that they conveniently brought with them during the trip. "Every broken thing can be fixed. A tear can be sewn back again. We can put glue on a tiny crack. Still, it's okay to cry if things get broken, especially if it's something dear to you."

“Really?” Boboiboy croaked out a small and short response, rubbing at the tears that still persistently ran down his cheeks. 

He had lost the motivation to form sentences, relying on the bare minimum to get him through the dreadful and embarrassing conversation. He had been side-eyeing Fang the whole time like a hawk, worried that they might damage the poor, well-loved blanket further. He got anxious when the sewing kit had been a variable introduced to the already stressful situation.

“Really.” Fang gives Boboiboy a soft smile. “May I?”

Boboiboy gives a bashful nod, looking away from the sight. The shadow user gets it—other people tampering with something so precious to him must be so hurtful to bear, especially when it involves sharp and dangerous things like needles.

Fang loops a thread on the needle as they gently pierce it through the blanket, careful not to damage the cloth further. They are cautious of the fabric as the open tear slowly closes, binded by a soft red thread.

Boboiboy continues to watch Fang like the entire world will collapse on the two of them if one bad thing happens to his special blanket.

By now his tears had slowly come to a stop, replaced by a mild anxiety that lingered deep in his chest. His mind was racing with a million different thoughts. What if Fang only ripped the blanket further? What if the texture of it changes? What if-

"Here…" Fang uttered, giving back the blanket to Boboiboy. They looked at the boy with a smile. They were happy that they were given the chance to try to make the boy beside them happy.

The latter gently grabs the blanket away from Fang's hand, checking for more damage as he holds the fabric up. There was none, it was like nothing happened to it.

Boboiboy bursts into tears again, not because of sadness, but because of relief. He knew he couldn't forgive himself if something drastic happened to the blanket. The thing that makes him cling on to the hope that his father will come back.

"It's okay, tianxin, let it out…" Fang comforts him, patting his back as they guide Boboiboy’s head to lean on their shoulder. Their shoulder is soon soaked with fresh tears, and despite the uncomfortable and cringe-worthy feeling of their soaked shirt they couldn’t find it in them to move. Boboiboy couldn’t find it in him to move either.

As the metaphorical sun set between the two of them- the rainy night sky slowly began to clear as Boboiboy’s sobs slowed to a gentle stop. The occasional sniffle would sound at most, and he had begun to get awfully quiet.

“Boboiboy?” Fang gently questioned, and the exhausted boy stirred.

“Yeah?” He sounded like he had just gotten hit by a freight train. He sounded rough .

“Are you getting tired?” Fang inquired once more, wanting to change out of their tear-soaked shirt.

“Yeah.” Boboiboy replied, peeling himself off of Fang. Now that he got a better look at the saddened boy’s face, they were grateful that it wasn’t them in that situation. Boboiboy was red, his eyes were swollen, he had tears soaking his cheeks, and he just looked miserable as a whole. “Thank you for all of that, by the way. I don’t know how I’ll be able to make it up to you.”

“You don’t have to. I’m just doing you a favor, it’s what friends are for.” Fang nods with a soft smile. “Let’s get ready for bed and go to sleep. I think it’s about 3 in the morning now.”

Boboiboy nods as he sees Fang get up from their seat first. The latter was holding out their hand, a cue for him to do the same. 

Boboiboy quickly follows, trying to stand up as he grips on Fang’s hand despite his jelly legs but inevitably, he stumbles on his feet. This led to the orange-capped boy accidentally pulling the outreached hand of the latter towards him, and placing them in a questionable position; Boboiboy’s lower limbs laying flat on the cold wooden surface as his upper body was trying to stand up, supported by his forearms and elbows. Fang, on the other hand, was on all fours, staring intensely at the other.

“Hah… Wow…” Fang blushed, exhaling a breath they didn’t realize they were holding in. “This is quite awkward, isn’t it?”

Boboiboy was silent, staring back at the boy in front of him. The dim lights of the living room were not an obstacle for the boy’s observations about Fang; their sparkly ruby eyes, shaking like they’re trying to get away from Boboiboy’s gaze, their fuzzy eyebrows raised, their cheeks painted in light tints of pink, their nose that Boboiboy thinks resembles a cat by how cute it is, and their mouth agaped, panting hot air quietly perhaps out of nervousness.

Their lips…

“...can’t stop thinking about them…” Boboiboy uttered, raising up his right hand to reach Fang’s face. He caresses their cheeks and then goes up to their glasses next, pushing them upwards until it reaches the top of their head. Tense silence sat between the two of them, before Boboiboy pulled the riskiest move he could.

“Wha— mmph!” Those were the words Fang managed to breathe out before Boboiboy placed his hands on the back of their head and pulled them closer, crashing their lips together for a kiss.

Boboiboy felt instant regret, until Fang grabbed the back of his head and pulled him in further to deepen the kiss. It felt like his heart had come up into his throat, ready to shout everything he had felt about the boy for months before today's fateful day. His eyes locked onto Fangs for a brief moment, before the latter's eyes closed and he soon followed. 

If Fang was honest, this was all so sudden. Boboiboy was sad and helpless, and the next thing they knew, he was kissing them. Is this a human culture they might’ve missed during the time they were still researching about Earth? As far as they knew, this was done to show romantic interest and happiness. Maybe Boboiboy is happy now?

Or, is he just using Fang to feel temporary happiness? 

The shadow user doesn’t want to know, nor do they want to figure it out. They just want to dive deeper into this feeling, exploring every corner of Boboiboy’s lips. If Boboiboy wanted to use them like this, they’re fine with it. 

It was fine, as long as Fang gets to hold him like this, as long as they can be this close to him.

As they kissed, the rest of the world aside from the two of them seemed to shut down. All of Boboiboy's senses were focused on the quickly growing aggressive kiss. He was out of breath, lightheaded from the other's lips touching his own and from Fang pressing him against the floor. 

Growling, Fang nipped at Boboiboy's lower lip with their pointed teeth. The gasp that escaped Boboiboy's throat allowed Fang to slip their tongue into the other's mouth. 

Boboiboy whimpered from the unfamiliar and startling texture of his tongue. He has never kissed anyone before, but he had heard it described to him by his other friends. 

This was nothing like they had told him. Fang's tongue felt like sandpaper against his own, scraping at his taste buds while making his back arch. It was an amazing feeling—a little pain mixed into their soft intimacy. Fang seemed surprised too, perhaps from having kissed others of their kind like this before and not having expected his own tongue, before diving deeper into his throat. If he was a bit more foolish he could have sworn he could feel the other trying to trigger his gag reflex in the back of his throat. It made him choke on his own lack of air. 

When the hand that was holding the back of his head began to travel a little too far down his body, fleeting touches rubbing gently at his skin while his shirt slowly moved upwards—that's when he had to break the kiss and stop Fang, as much as he didn't want to. 

"Fang—" He was barely able to gasp for air as Fang took him into another greedy kiss. Boboiboy had to separate them for the second time soon after, but unlike last time a thick string of saliva had connected their tongues together. The thick liquid hesitated before beading up and drooling all down his chin. 

"F-Fang…" He gasped again. "Fang, it's Eid! It's Eid, you can't touch me like that!" 

"Oh, shit. Sorry, Boboiboy." exclaimed Fang, blushing sheepishly. 

"Sorry for uh... Um." 

"No, no, no— it's fine!" 

He loved every moment of it, the feeling of the other sandpaper textured tongue lingering in his mouth. He could taste the other's saliva, and it made him a bit sick thinking about it. He tried not to focus too much on it and he swallowed. 

Fang blushed.

“We should settle down for the night…” Boboiboy suggested first, avoiding eye contact.

“Yeah, yeah, Good idea.”

-

After finding and arranging pillows, stock-piling on blankets, finding a comfortable enough sleeping arrangement (and of course, making sure Boboiboy's blanket was right within reach), they settled down. The atmosphere fell into a comfortable silence—the floor no longer felt uncomfortably cold and the fan’s breeze felt so gentle against their hair and skin.

"Thanks for everything again, Fang." Boboiboy spoke, breaking the peaceful silence. "Really, I mean it." 

"It's fine, xiao chengzi." Climbing onto the bed, Fang rolls over and makes room for Boboiboy on the opposite side. "You don't need to do anything for me." They said, trying not to come off heroic as they just did what friends do.

Still reeling in the feeling of their shared kiss earlier, they subtly licked their lips. They stare at Boboiboy, who they notice is acting all normal after their intimate kiss. Maybe they should do the same. Humans probably kiss their friends, they think.

They’re just friends , right?

"How does a dozen carrot donuts sound?" The orange-capped boy removed his hat as he bribed Fang, to which made the latter get out of their thoughts, their eyes widened and they smiled. 

“Make it two dozen and we have a deal!” They joked, the two of them laughing together as Boboiboy climbed into the couch bed with them. 

"Sure. whatever, you bunny." Fang quickly blushes at the nickname, joking or not. They were grateful that the lamp on the nightstand table soon flickered off and the only light that illuminated the room came from the moon outside. Soft rustling sounded as Boboiboy hopped on the bed to accompany Fang. 

"I hope Tok Aba will let us sleep in tomorrow." Boboiboy spoke, his voice was quiet and hushed as the atmosphere grew comforting. “We’ve spent far too long up at an absolutely horrendous hour…”

As soon as he laid down, something felt wrong. He had less than seconds before he could even pull a blanket over himself, as he was grabbed from behind and rolled over to the other side of the couch. 

"Eep!" He let out a surprised squeak, trying to comprehend Fang's actions. Fang covered them both in a large, soft purple blanket while gently wrapping their arms around the former's waist. 

Fang was cuddling him.

"Goodnight, Boboiboy." Fang spoke into his ear—barely a whisper as their warm breath tickled the back of his head. After the kiss they had shared earlier, Boboiboy thought that this night couldn’t get any better, but the sensation of Fang nuzzling into the back of his neck and gently sighing proved him otherwise.

Boboiboy squirmed in slight discomfort. It was too late to escape. Fang's soft snores began to fill the quiet atmosphere not even seconds after they had cloaked them in the soft blanket. 

"Umph– Fang!" Boboiboy protested the new scene with a huge blush spread across his face. He felt so hot from the inside out, especially now that his crush was spooning him into the back of the couch. He almost felt honored at Fang's overprotective actions. Almost was an understatement- 

He truly felt... 

Loved. 

With a gentle sigh, He became comfortable with losing in their endless game of love for just one night. He closed his eyes and allowed himself to melt into the other's warm and comforting embrace. Where would he be without Fang?

"Goodnight, Fang."

His voice became a mere mumble among the other sounds that all mulled together in the living room, and he allowed the sweet sensation of sleep to whisk him away, just as Fang had done earlier when unknowingly courting his heart.

—

The next morning, Ochobot woke up to the sight of Boboiboy's surprisingly empty bed.

It wasn't the fact that it was empty that startled him, it was the lack of blankets and pillows seated on his bed. There were absolutely none.

"...Eh?"

Ochobot groggily looked over at the oher boy laying on the top bunk, Snoring happily and muttering about something in his sleep. He flew up to the top bunk.

"Gopal!" the robot shook the other boy awake. "Gopal, wake up!"

"Ah!" Gopal jolted awake with a startled yelp, rolling off of the bed while simultaneously dragging Ochobot and his blanket down with him. He hit the floor with a grunt, before sobbing loudly.

"Ouch! Uhuhu... Why did you do that Ochobot?!" He dramatically wailed at the Power Spherea, while he wriggled himself out from underneath the blankets.

"Do you know where Boboiboy went?" He asked, concerned as Gopal shook his head.

“Nope!” The now unconcerned, but curious teen replies. “I’m curious about where he went, though.”

Yaya and Ying bust open the door less than a second later.

“Dey! What’s all the commotion about?!” Ying snaps, grumpy. Yaya follows suit with a nod, before looking at Boboiboy’s barren bed. “Eh? Where did Boboiboy go?”

“That’s what we’re trying to find out!” Gopal deadpans, before getting up and storming out of the door. He grunts in aggravation, before stopping at the edge of the stairs. He gasps in shock.

“What’s wrong Gopal?” Yaya asks, concerned as she approaches the edge of the staircase with Ying, too. A squeal quickly escapes Yaya and Ying’s throats as they gasp in awe at the scene down below.
Ochobot, Curious, also joins in on the spying.

At the top of the staircase, the L shaped couch bed was barely visible amidst the rest of the living room. On the couch bed, lay Fang and Boboiboy- cuddling away as if they were two inseparable magnets. Boboiboy was comfortably snuggled against Fang’s chest, while Fang snored somewhat loudly against the former’s head. Fang’s leg had been tossed over Boboiboy’s legs at one point, their arms wrapped around the other's waist. Boboiboy had half of his body draped over Fang’s, his arms sprawled across their stomach. Ochobot briefly wondered how being on top of Fang would be comfortable, especially with how they were snoring and the position that the two were tangled up into.

“Ochobot! Take a picture, please, please, please!” Ying begged, while Yaya nodded feverishly along with her. “Ah! They’re so cute~!” Nodding, Ochobot takes a picture of the scene with a small click.

“Hehehe… I am so going to blackmail Fang with this!”

The death glare that the two girls gave Gopal after his words made him instantly regret being alive. “Eek! I take it back, I’m sorry!” He shrieked in fear.

“You should be!” The two girls threatened in unison, jokingly fiddling on their power bands as a sign for Gopal to stop.

Ochobot only sighed at the other teen's antics and turned his gaze again on the two people sleeping on the couch. He only gave them a fond look.

The power sphere sensed that after coming back here for so long, Boboiboy's sad memories of his family might've been triggered. Not in a human sense though, he has a built-in emotion regulator connected to Boboiboy that was added during his upgrade. The boy's power is dependent on his feelings, after all. 

His father was such a huge influence in this city, it must've made him sad to see, feel, hear, touch, and taste his memories with the missing parental figure.

Ochobot was also no stranger to his whimpers and sniffles at dawn. He figured that it was the reason why the two of them still haven't gotten out of bed.

The robot was happy that even with all the painful memories surrounding Boboiboy, he was able to find solace in the person beside him.

“Okay, okay guys! That’s enough!” Ochobot broke up their squabbling. “Let’s leave them alone so they can sleep. We can go play a game!”

“Oh, yes! I’m going to win, Hahaha!” Gopal cheered in joy as he ran to Boboiboy and his shared room, while the two girls followed suit. Ochobot took one last glance at the two “friends” over on the couch, Luckily still asleep.

Yeah. They weren't going to just be friends for much longer. He could already tell.