Lions ~~~ An Adopted by Skillet Fic (COMPLETE)

Under My Skin

**TRIGGER WARNING: NIGHTMARE SEQUENCE THAT ALLUDES TO AN ABUSIVE SITUATION. TO AVOID, SKIP OVER THE ITALICS AND I WILL SUMMARIZE THE PART AT THE BOTTOM**

We found ourselves seated near the door. I was glad because if anything happened I could run. I was also facing the door. And John and Korey. Alex was on my left, and no one was seated on my right since I was at the end of the table. We had just gotten drinks (Korey insisted I tried their sweet tea). I found myself looking over the menu as everyone talked. I had never been here before (obviously) and so I needed to actually figure out what I wanted. I thought I heard Alex say something along the lines of the photoshoot, so I decided to listen in.

"I really think Aria should do it for us," Korey was saying.

"Have we seen anything she has done though?" Jen asked.

"I'm one hundred and ten percent sure she would be more than willing to show us," John said. 

I blushed and looked over the entree part of the menu. Pulled pork sounds good.

The waiter suddenly appeared with our drinks and took our food orders. I looked at the adults and then back to Alex and Xavier who were seated close to me to keep me busy I guess.

"Do you have any pictures of outfits you've made?" John asked suddenly, looking at me like he knew I had been listening.

I nodded, pulling my iPod out to show them. John gently took it from me, since he understood just how much it meant to me, and swiped through the pictures with Korey.

"You designed all these?" He asked.

I nodded, "And took the pictures too."

I have never seen a man's neck snap up quicker, "These are professional quality!"

The corners of my mouth found themselves sliding up, "Yeah. I used the camera that Mrs. Cardona used to get adoption pictures, and then transferred them to the computer and then onto there."

John turned the iPod around to show Jen, who nodded while sipping her drink, "That's pretty good. We already have a photographer, but you could totally do the outfit design."

I smiled, "When is it?" 

Korey pulled her phone up, "In a couple of weeks. We should go shopping for pieces though, so we can start working on putting outfits together."

I nodded, "Sounds good."

We got our food soon after and found ourselves on our way home. I rode with the girls again, since we had to drop Jen off anyway, and after about an hour we were at home.

John and Xavier were waiting at the door for us, obviously excited. They had taken all the things from our car to bring to the house to deal with, and from the looks on their faces, they had set it up already for me.

We approached, and John called out "Aria can we show you your room?"

I giggled and nodded, allowing Xavier to take my hand and lead me to my room. As we approached, a pair of hands went over my eyes. I instantly stopped, but John encouraged me to keep going. Xavier led me slowly and paused as he opened the door. John led me closer to the room and finally uncovered my eyes.

The way they had decorated my room was phenomenal. They had taken my posters and hung them up with frames, and had made my bed and desk and put them on separate walls. A sewing area was next to the desk, which I thought was cool. 

I stepped in a little, jaw basically on the floor. It was beautiful.

"Do you like it?" Xavier asked.

"I hate it." I turned back to the duo to see long faces. "I'm kidding, it looks beautiful." The three of us laughed, and the boys enveloped me in a hug. At first, I liked it, but soon after realizing that I was being covered in sweat I squealed and began to wiggle.

"Alright you three, are we going to let Aria actually get ready for bed or are you going to cover her in more sweat than a human can naturally produce?" Korey asked. 

After some grumbling, John and Xavier released themselves from around me. I rolled my shoulders, trying to get the sweat off me. Xavier fist-bumped me before heading back into the living room. John gave me a fist-bump as well but followed Korey to their room. I smiled, going into my room and changing into PJs.

**Trigger Start**

There were screams coming from somewhere in the house. I looked down to see that I was back to my younger self, with what looked to be an extra finger or two. That should have tipped me off that it was just a dream, but I was too focused on the screams to comprehend it.

The difference in this situation was that I was no longer in my childhood home, but instead a more disgusting version of the home that is currently mine, with the Cooper's. The hall that I stepped into seemed to go on forever, but I took off anyway, desperate to help whoever was screaming.

I arrived at the room that John and Korey slept in, which was the room the screaming was coming from. I gently placed my ear on the door, listening for the screams just to make sure. After another one sounded, I was filled with determination once more. But, as I went to open the door, it slammed open to reveal John. My god was he a mess. His beard was matted, and he had blood on his hands. The determination I had in my body left within a second, and I began to run from him. But I couldn't.  The carpet was wrapped around my ankles, and John's hands roughly pulled on mine.

I sat up, panting. The blanket was wrapped tightly around my waist, and I was covered in a thin layer of sweat. My breath couldn't slow itself down, and Scratch was at the end of the bed. I quickly unraveled myself from the blanket and grabbed Scratch, clutching him to my chest. I didn't fall asleep again that night. 

ARIA HAS A DREAM THAT JOHN HAD BEEN ABUSING KOREY, AND WOULD SOON BEGIN TO ABUSE HER TOO.