The codes are too simple, the equations too easy.
Rangi is looking at him in awe and he pretends not to notice. Connecting the cables, the engine comes to life with a loud rumble and the boy is fucking ecstatic. Hunk resists the urge to roll his eyes.
"Oh my god, Tsuyo! Thank you so much, you're amazing!" Rangi practically cries, engulfing him in a hug and Hunk only shrugs before giving him a heavy pat on the back, "Nothing much, bro. Just call me if it acts up again."
The boy beams and Hunk only smiles and shakes his head, walking away. Heading back to the house, he waits until he's past the threshold to let his shoulders slump and his smile slip away.
Fuck.
He scrubs a hand over his face and winces as his finger catches on the headband wrapped around his head. He takes it off, staring at it before grimacing. It was given to him by a family member, he can't remember who but that doesn't answer his question.
Why does he still have this? Why is he still even wearing it? He stares at it for a moment longer, actually considering throwing it away but something in him holds him back. He can't do it, he's become too attached to the darn thing. With a huff, he stuffs it into his pocket and makes his way towards the kitchen.
As he nears, he can hear the sound of voices carrying and immediately, he perks right back up as he enters. His smile returning and his posture improving. He catches sight of his tina(mother) and mama cooking alongside with his tinamatua(grandma) and his smile becomes a grin at the way the elderly woman looks at him. Her disapproval is clear, " E leai, shoo, shoo, ia o ese mai. E faaleagaina ai le meaai(No, shoo, shoo, get out. You spoil the food).
"Tiiinnnaaa!" His mama whines in clear disapproval and exasperation as she regards the old crone with a mild, irritated look, " Leave the boy alone, e te iloa e mafai ona kuka faapea foi I mafaia( you know he can cook as well as I can.)
"Yes, tinamatua," Hunk encourages as he eases forward further into the room, hopeful. "Fa'amolemole(please), let me cook."
His tina only laughs but his tinamatua remains insistent, " E leai, e leai, e leai, tele naua mea manogi e le tatau ai(no, no, no, too many unnecessary spices), he spoils the flavour."
And Hunk only sighs, his shoulders hunching slightly, "Whatever you say, tinamatua." He retreats from the room and his smile now small, slips away completely. They don't see that, he doesn't allow them to. He takes the long way around the house, taking care to avoid anymore family members because no one can see him like this.
He doesn't want them to and he is so tired of pretending. Pretending to be happy and cheerful when all he really feels is complete and utter boredom. He is empty and the world has lost all its colour, wait... He ponders for a moment, did it even have colour to begin with? He can't remember.
He finds his bedroom and upon entering, Hunk immediately flops down on the bed face first with a sigh. He is so fucking tired! His hands make fists in his bed sheets and he just wants to scream, to just fucking rage but he can't. Because this is a nice family he has here and he doesn't want to ruin that, he can't let them see what he has become.
This empty creature that sees the world through films of grey. He loves repairing stuff, anything mechanical but that too has become a chore, it's not fun anymore. No longer challenging and the food, the food! He doesn't want to talk about that. It's not his fault he puts in too many spices, everything tastes bland to him. He scrunched up his face at the memory of what he had for breakfast and cringes. He's craving something else, something he's sure he's never tasted in his life but he wants. Something exotic and exploding with flavour but whatever he tries to make, he can't get that and it's so fucking frustrating.
