The One

TWELVE

Morten was clinging to his morning fruit juice, staring into space.
He'd been trying to think of something, anything to say.
They had been told, just now, they were supposed to give a gift to one of the five.

He wasn't good with girls and the way Agnus had addressed him yesterday,
had he been extremely violent?
Had he already made himself look like an absolute dunderhead?

He wasn't violent, he wasn't even sure how he'd done what he'd done.
He remembered deciding on doing the same as Agnus had done, use Roran's own velocity against him. He had just, done it. If you'd ask him to repeat it now he wouldn't have the faintest clue where to start.

Teddy had been sitting with him for the last 10 minutes, knowing he had not been noticed,
just looking curiously at Morten while eating his fruits.

A plate clattered loudly on the table, full of food even the frozen wouldn't fit into the concept of breakfast.
Agnus sat down. Looked from Teddy to Morten, who hadn't even flinched.

"What's up with him?" He said, eying Morten.

Teddy shrugged, "he's been like that since I got here."

Agnus squinted at Morten, then looked around to see what he was staring at.
Concluding there was nothing there he snapped his fingers in front of Morten.

"Oh, sorry, Agnus.." Morten blinked, almost dropping his cup.
"I'm all in. I mean, I'm... "

Agnus waved a hand, "oh stop it. What's going on with you?"

"I, I am. Ready to.. well no." Morten seemed to search for the right words,
"I don't know how to court to save my life! I can't let Roran win because he can!"

Agnus just stared at him for a moment, Teddy frowned too, slowly bending into Mortens vision.
Teddy didn't have a clue what this was about exactly.

"I like how you absolutely buried a guy yesterday, in front of a crowd.
Today you are having a mental breakdown over giving a girl a gift? "
He snorted and shook his head.

Agnus turned to Teddy, sticking some meat on his fork.
"Tell me Teddy, what's your plan?"

Teddy smiled at being asked, "I plan to court someone in my brother's stead.
So I'm going to try and pick the right one, give her a gift and tell her it's from him. "

Agnus had stopped chewing halfway through and just stared at Teddy.
Morten couldn't believe his ears either.
It wasn't that he thought it was a ridiculous notion but, Teddy sounded about half his age saying it.
He was so incredibly endearing.

"Well that's it.." said Agnus, turning to look at Morten, "whomever he tells that story is taken."

Morten smirked at that, he was right.
There was no way any of the girls could withstand such a story from this .. man child and not decide to adopt him.

"I won't pick the one with the wolf!" Teddy started, looking worried at Agnus.

Agnus sat up straighter at this, "you better not!" He barked.
"I'm practically married to her already, I will take your head off!"

Morten frowned, "How are you... practically married to her?"

"I? Have been playing my cards right!" Said Agnus, sitting up straight.

Morten raised an eyebrow, "You don't have a clue, do you?"

He hadn't seen Agnus look doubtful before, but here he was obviously unsure but trying to play it off as if he was fine.

"Agnus, you do know you're the one to beat?" Morten suggested.

Agnus looked at him stiffly, stuffing more food in his face.
He chewed, swallowed and spoke,
"Even if that's somehow true, it doesn't really explain the situation I have found myself in.
But, I will tell you sometime. "