The time between Natsu stepping on stage and the spotlights turning on felt miniscule. Nonexistent. And now, as they glared down on him like a couple of suns, he felt small, terrified, and like he needed more time. He just wasn't ready for this.

It was even more interesting to him that the judges were two females, both beauties in every sense of the word, but both oddly scary.

He felt sweat drip from his forehead, over the scar in his cheek, and down his neck. Doing this was a big leap from his comfort zone, because ever since he was 5 he knew attention meant trouble. To be seen was to be dead.

Natsu barely heard the call of 'You may play now', not even realizing Gray had answered all the questions for him. Another swallow from the pink haired teen, and he brushed his bangs out of his eyes, nodding at Gray.

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And the music had started, Natsu still holding his mic in a death grip like it had wronged him personally. Whenever he sang or preformed for anyone it was only his closest friends there watching. His rough childhood had given him an indefinite fear of people watching him, and it was only through his adopted fathers push that he agreed to audition in the first place.

But next thing he knew, he had opened his mouth, and he was singing with all the passion he had whenever he sang or played music alone. His throat growing sore from how much of his heart he put into it.

This was it. This shabby environment, this loud music, this deep passion that rang within his heart. It was all he had been craving, like the equivalent of screaming into a pillow.

The burn of the lights began to fell less like forever burning fires, but a warm blanket, like a safety net, and Natsu somehow felt he would always be safe on this stage. Where he could play his music, where everyone could see his heart, but no one could ever touch him.

This was where he wanted to be, forever separated by everyone else. He didn't want anyone getting close to him ever again.