Matthew clung to his brother, following him so as not to get lost. The crowd moved around them, they'd all heard of the boy and his brother, for even the least magically-adept could feel the potential flowing off them. Even the other kids, who attempted to steal it away by wooing the boys and convincing them to kiss them. Thankfully, both of them were smart enough not to be tricked, even if that meant Alfred giving up his best friend.
And now here they were, standing on a stage in front of a large crowd, getting handed the glasses that would choose their fate from then on. Matthew was jealous of his brother, it was easy to see that he would be Flamous. His pure, innocent heart was shown in every word that came out of his mouth, and everyone knew it.
Matthew was not like his brother, and he never got a chance to be.
With his brother always around him, all attempts to socialize on his part were ignored, for even at a young age, people were attracted to the hearts of Flamous. Any person who approached Matthew, as he learned quickly, only wanted a piece of his potential, even if they were Alfred's friends.
Here he was, holding a drink that would turn his brother into a strong fire-weilder, and him into... He didn't know what. He knew he wasn't Flamous, so maybe Aqair? Natron? Lyf? There were so many others, all known for different types of heart. Yet he didn't feel he fit into any of them. He certainly wouldn't fit Glacia, thank the heavens, as he knew he had a heart in there. He wanted to talk to people, he wanted to join in, he just couldn't.
And so he drank, letting himself space out so his heart could be searched and his potential manifest.
He heard the crowd begin to cheer, and a sudden cold gripped him as they silenced, and he dared return to reality.
His brother, as expected, had his hands out to hold his manifestation, a flame that seemed to dance between his fingers. In Matthew's own hands, a shard of ice which was spreading over his own.
His brother was a Flamous, and Matthew was a Glacia.
A Glacia.
The heartless beings who lived homeless on the streets, kicked at by children and adults alike because they knew they couldn't feel it. The beings Matthew himself had even taken a swing at at times, when he was angry at his brother or at someone who'd tried to take advantage of him. And the Glacia would give him a look that fit oddly well on their faces, even though under normal circumstances it would be perceived as sympathy.
He was officially one of them, and before he knew what he was doing, a scream erupted from his throat and he was dragged off stage, his brother running after him.
He was a Glacia, and he knew their parents would not be happy about it.