Chapter Text
BoBoiBoy’s parents are very, very busy people.
Not surprising, considering they are people whose literal job is to act as Earth’s ambassadors to the entire galaxy, probably, as well as tracking and protecting weapons of possible mass destruction so it does not fall onto wrong hands.
Therefore, it was normal for BoBoiBoy to grow up with semi-absent parents. Sometimes, it’s his mother who is away, and his father would stay behind to look after him. Sometimes, it’s the other way around. Rarely, would he have both parents living with him in the same house.
He has a vague memory, of a childhood long, long ago, when his father would sit him on his lap, as he recounts his adventures as the armoured hero, Mechamato, travelling across the galaxies saving aliens in need. His partner, Mechabot, who is also BoBoiBoy’s uncle figure— yes, his uncle is a sentient, most sought after power sphera capable of demolishing an entire city if he so wills it, a living proof that his father’s stories were not merely tall tales —would sit by his side. More often than not would he interject Amato’s storytelling, either to recall his master's embarrassing moments or to call him out when he seems to take all the glory and left out Mechabot, causing the two to bicker in the middle of the story as BoBoiBoy laughs.
Then BoBoiBoy’s mother would come with a plate of curry puffs, a recipe passed down from Nek Umi, which would be snatched almost immediately by Mechabot. And as Amato reprimands the power sphera’s greed, she would pick up BoBoiBoy from his father’s lap, spinning him in the air and smothering his forehead with kisses.
That was years ago. Before responsibility calls and demands undivided attention from both of his parents at the same time.
And eventually—
“BoBoiBoy, what do you think about spending the school holidays at Tok Aba’s, hm?”
—which ended with him staying there permanently instead of just a month. Not that he minds, at least in Pulau Rintis there’s Tok Aba and Ochobot and all his other friends. Instead of the loneliness of an empty house.
Now, between a son living in a mostly peaceful country on a planet that most of extraterrestrial society has no knowledge of, and planets on the verge of destruction and invasion that will kill millions of alien children, it is obvious which one is more of a priority. He can understand that, and never once in the years of separation had he ever harboured any hard feelings towards his parents.
But the inner child inside of him, one that was forced to mature earlier than he should, yearns for his parents’ constant presence. In the silence of the night, accompanied by the millions stars out of his window, he wonders of his parents’ current whereabouts. Prayers whispered for their safety and swift return laced with longing and desperation.
BoBoiBoy, as selfish as he thinks he is, wishes his parents’ love for him was shown with more than just a postcard delivered to him from the stars.
Time went on. Years passed and he himself had become a superhero alongside his friends. And as his life gets busier, he barely has the time to dwell on his parents’ absence. After all, he had his friends too now, who he had grown to view as family.
That’s more than enough.
“Can we take a break now?”
“No.”
“But my brain is tired,” Gopal whined. Throwing away his pen before placing his head on top of his notebook. “What’s the point of studying if my brain can’t absorb anything anyways.”
“We just took a break an hour ago,” Yaya frowned before saying, “Our next break is in at least another two hours.”
Gopal’s eyes widened as he raised his head. His jaw dropped upon hearing Yaya’s words. “That- That’s way too long! How are you guys still able to study? Are you guys even human?” He complained.
“Well, you’re the one who wanted to join our study session so you best follow our flow,” Ying piped in, rolling her eyes. Even as she chastised Gopal her hands remained focused in writing her essay.
“And besides, haven’t you joined us to study before? You know how it goes.”
Gopal groaned. Yet the sound came out muffled as he had both hands covering his face.
They were studying at Ying’s house. After the events in Gur’latan, and considering they will be sitting for a major examination to finish high school this year, their higher-ups, Commander Kokoci and Admiral Tarung had generously approved of them to be absent on duty so as to focus on their studies.
Due to the frequent missions they had to accomplish, it is undeniable that they are falling behind in their studies. While it is a familiar routine for both Yaya and Ying to study together, Gopal, Fang and BoBoiBoy’s participations are recent. As their examinations are around the corner they decided that they should study more efficiently.
Which includes having someone smart to teach them.
And who else is more qualified to help them out if not Yaya and Ying, literally the smartest students in their school, if not the whole island.
BoBoiBoy, who sat next to Gopal was about to pat him on the back before—
Beep! Beep!
His power watch beeped, indicating someone had initiated a contact with him. The Kokotaims’ power watches are linked through a unique communication system, allowing them to contact each other as well as Ochobot, the creator of said devices.
And since the rest of them are together, which means there is only one person who would be calling BoBoiBoy right now.
“Ochobot?”
“BoBoiBoy!” Ochobot’s hologram appeared on his watch, voice urgent with thinly veiled panic. “You should come home now!”
“Huh? What happened?” BoBoiBoy asked, eyebrows furrowed in worry. His friends were all looking at him with expressed concern.
Ochobot went quiet. His eyes looked away from BoBoiBoy’s as he fidgeted around with his fingers before finally saying, “It’s your father, BoBoiBoy.”
Your father.
He’s finally home?
Those two words were more than enough to send BoBoiBoy rushing towards the door. Ignoring the rest of the Kokotaims’ calls, he immediately activated his thunderstorm power, using his signature lightning speed to return home.
Ochobot’s words echoed in his mind. They ring in his head and cause his throat to close up. He just couldn't believe it.
After years of separation, years of neither news nor contact except for the singular postcard he received when he was eleven years old, he finally heard of his father again.
This was all he ever wanted.
So why…
Why couldn't he bring himself to feel at the very least excited?
It is probably just the nerves. He muses. Once he sees his father’s face, surely the emotions will kick in. Not to mention the thousands of questions regarding his father flooding his mind as of now did nothing to soothe his anxiety.
He decides to ignore the way Ochobot’s voice slightly trembled as he contacted him. It was subtle, possibly unnoticed if it were heard by anyone else.
But BoBoiBoy had known the power sphera long enough to recognize his speech patterns.
BoBoiBoy’s train of thoughts came to a halt once he spotted two familiar figures in front of his grandfather’s house. Three, if you include Ochobot.
Tok Aba, and a face he had nearly forgotten.
“Uncle Pian…?” BoBoiBoy’s voice trailed off as his focus shifted towards the slightly ajar front door, revealing the neat and spacious living room of his grandfather’s.
Spacious, as almost every furniture was pushed to the wall, leaving only the floor covered with carpets at the centre. But that is not what caught BoBoiBoy’s attention. Rather, it was 𝘸𝘩𝘢𝘵 is on the carpet.
A figure, lying still, covered in three layers of plain white shroud, as per Islamic traditions.
Oh.
𝘖𝘩.