Page 18 of The Wing
“Fucking hell it’s cold.”
I turn and find Hemi jumping in place, swinging his arms back and forth.
“Regretting the shorts, Auckland boy?”
“Never. What would you look at instead?” he says, a teasing smile on his face before he glances at the new landscape.
Is he…flirting with me? No. He isn’t. Right? I tilt my head and frown slightly as Hemi skirts past me carefully and takes long steps up the rock path. Hemi flirting with me is entirely too good to be true. I shake myself and follow him to a wider part of the path.
“I feel like I’m inTheLord of the Rings.”
“Like you’re escorting Frodo or a ranger who found him?”
He hums and considers the landscape before answering, “A ranger I think. The forest reminds me of Ithilien.”
“So that makes you Faramir.” Does that make me Éowyn? I scoff to myself. I wish. Just because he’s flirting doesn’t mean he wants anything to happen. I start walking again.
Hemi has a look of disgust on his face when I pass him. “Really? Faramir?”
“What’s wrong with him?”
His sneakers crunch behind me. “Nothing, but he isn’t Bo?—”
“Boromir,” I say, disgruntled. “How obvious for the athlete to prefer him.” Maybe I will get over my crush.
“What?”
“It’s what everyone says.”
“I mean, he’s pretty cool,” Hemi says hesitantly, as if he isn’t sure where I’m going with this. He shouldn’t have brought upTheLord of the Ringswith a fantasy writer if he didn’t want a character arc debate. Even if it is just about the films.
I suck in a breath and ready myself for disappointment and a quiet hike after this, but I can’t stop myself. “Sure, but he succumbs to the ring.”
“Yeah, but then he saves Merry and Pippin.”
I hum in agreement. “Yes, while Faramir has the opportunity to take the ring from Frodo and use it to curry favour with his father. But he doesn’t, even though that’s all he’s ever wanted. He lets them go.” I glance over my shoulder at Hemi to see a contemplative expression on his face. “What more could you want? A character with daddy issues who helps the protagonists despite his own issues. He does it all for the greater good. He’s a quieter and sadder version of Aragorn.” I avoid a large stone in the path and wait for Hemi’s reply. Most people don’t agree with my thoughts about the characters.
“I…” Hemi trails off and says, “Huh. I never thought of it that way before.”
I stumble, and Hemi steadies me before urging me forward. I shoot looks over my shoulder at him. I expected outright hostility, like usual, or Hemi deciding he doesn’t feel like talking anymore. “You haven’t?”
“No. I admit I haven’t read the books in a few years and know the movies better.” He laughs to himself. “I guess I like the drama of Boromir’s death and Faramir’s barely in the films, even with the extended versions.”
Is he…agreeing with me? Or at least considering what I said instead of shutting down.
“His death scene is one of the best. But Faramir is my favourite.”
“I can tell,” Hemi says, with dare I say it, fondness in his voice? “Maybe I need to read the books again.”
I aim a smile over my shoulder. “You should. I’ve got the books at home you can borrow.”
“Thanks. But we have to agree that Aragorn is the best. Swoops in to save the day, quiet competence, only violent when he needs to be.”
“Mmm. The dream. Violence only when necessary,” I say with a laugh. “I’m sorry to say that if we come across orcs, I will not be able to save you.”
“We’d die together then because I’d be fucking wetting myself if we came across orcs.” I smile to myself at the image. “I will admit Aragorn holds a special place in my heart,” Hemi says.
“Oh?”
