**More lovely work by morbidEmpire !!
I love the Mean Girls quotes! Anyway, I hope you guys enjoy the tenth chapter of Learning To Fight!**

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"I want to know," I argue, trying to find out why he couldn't stay at his place. Natsu Dragneel, one of my school's hot athletic guys who doubled as a fighter in a gang, of sorts, was staying in my house for a now unknown amount of time. He was sprawled out on the living room couch and I was sitting on a chair, my hands griping the seat between my legs.

"I'm not saying," Natsu mumbled from his relaxed position. His eyes where closed and his arms where resting behind his head.

I let out a dejected sigh. "Why not?" I pout.

"It's too dangerous for you to know," he rolled over to be facing the back of the couch, showing he was done talking. I, on the other hand, was just getting started.

"How is it dangerous for me to know why you're staying here? Did you and your gang break the law or something?" I question further. Natsu doesn't respond. I scowl through a long silence, before getting up and walking over to him. I leaned over him so he couldn't ignore me.

"Answer me," I demand with authority.

Natsu chuckles and responds, "You're cute when you try and take charge." I blush and glare at him.

"That wasn't an answer!" I fold my arms. His smirk was dark and calculating. His eyes seemed to bore into my eyes and I shifted uncomfortably.

"What, why are you staring at me you creep?" I scoff at him, wondering if my little amount of makeup had smeared. Considering I had even put effort into how I looked by putting makeup on said enough on its own. Natsu then grabbed me by my waist and pulled me down on top of him.

"Natsu! What the hell!" I squeak as he lays me on top of his own body. I was facing him with my flushed face, and it was suddenly very warm in the room. I could feel his muscles tense as he laughed at my flustered looks, making my features twist into a scowl.

"Quit avoiding the question, why do you have to stay here?" I stammer sounding breathless, damn him and his instantaneous effect on me. He sighed with a small smile still played on his lips as he did so. I stared at him with intensity now - I wanted to know and I was going to get my answer one way or another.

"Lucy," he said steadily, as if trying to keep the atmosphere placid, which it very much was not. I raise my eyebrow to indicate that I was waiting, impatiently mind you, but waiting none the less. The look he had the night he kissed me returned, the wild look of something stronger and more intimidating lurking beneath the surface. My own breath seemed to hitch, that look sending all sorts of tingles down my spine: and they weren't good ones.

"What have you gotten into?" I mumble my question almost inaudibly but I know he heard it the second it left my lips. He closes his eyes and doesn't respond to me making my impatience levels spike to even higher numbers.

"Natsu..." my voice held warning and showed my fast thinning patience. He opened his eyes again but he didn't meet my gaze this time making me nervous. His assertive ways normally didn't waver, so this small gesture had me worried.

"The leader of another fighting group, a boss, well they aren't happy that an outsider is being let into a classified gym. Word got out that I'm pinned as a target, and you are too. The guys are keeping hold of the place until this is taken care of but for now I'm not letting you out of my sight," he finally says looking me in the eye when he finishes. I gape at him dumbfounded and at a complete loss for words.

"Y-you mean someone is coming after me?" My eyes are wide and I've visibly gone rigid. Natsu nods solemnly which only makes my heart race and my blood run ice cold in my veins. It seemed Lisanna wasn't the only person out to have my head, quite literally.

"They don't wanna k-kill me...do they?" I ask with panic practically dripping off my words. Natsu didn't respond to me, he only sat up and readjusted me so that I was straddling him, taking my mind off the situation and making me realize what a vulnerable position I was in. My cheeks tinged pink and I avoided looking at Natsu. He chuckled and kept his hands around my waist.

He leaned in and murmured against my neck, "They won't lay a finger on you." I bit my lip and closed my eyes, leaning against him on instinct. His arms wrap around me completely and his words answered my question indirectly. Lisanna was second priority on my list of pains in the ass. I wanted to scream in frustration and tremble with fear of this whole situation at hand. Natsu seemed to sense my uneasiness at the moment, or he just knew I'd react inwardly the way I have. He pressed his lips on my collarbone and tingles spread across my skin from that spot.

"This will all blow over soon Luce, I promise," Natsu reassures me softly as I calm my racing heart. At this point I wasn't sure if it was racing because of the fear and angst or if it was from my closeness in proximity to the guy before me, leaving me breathless and trying helplessly to collect my scattered thoughts.

"But before we take care of the bastards coming after you," he leans back and looks at me seriously. "You are going to confront Lisanna."

Natsu. She's smarter than that, she will avoid it and pass me on to her minions who I'm helpless against. Did he not see the basketball players she pinned on me?

"I don't care what it takes, you're facing her. No more being pushed around by Lisanna," he said firmly. I gulped and didn't try arguing, there was no point. His mind was set on this, so it would happen. I'm going to face Lisanna, and then we will figure out how to tackle this other gang leader who had it out for me.

What kind of mess did I let this idiot drag me into?