Disclaimer: I don't own MMFD or the characters.
Little frustrated noises and huffs of breath escaped Rae as she stared into her body length mirror. She turned slowly in order to see herself from each angle only to find that each view was as unflattering as the next. Taking a deep breath, she sucked in as much as she could and prodded at the flab around her midriff that she couldn't get to disappear with any amount of pulling in. She was so preoccupied with sucking in her cheeks and pressing at where she thought her cheekbones might be hiding under the fat on her face to notice Finn standing in the doorway watching her with a small frown playing on his lips.
Rae only noticed his presence when he chapped the door and entered the room.
"Alright?" he asked, smiling at her in that way that made her stomach feel like it was going to drop right out of her arse. "You look really beautiful today," he told her before placing a quick kiss on her lips. "You always do."
She flushed hotly and shook her head, "Liar. But thank you anyway."
The scowl that crossed Finn's face went unnoticed as she turned away to put a CD on.
Dear diary,
Finn's been a complete weirdo this past week. I mean, it's nothing bad but he keeps telling me I'm beautiful and that I look nice every five minutes. I'm not complaining, it's really nice and it's actually making me feel a bit good about myself and I know we're going out now so he can say stuff like that if he wants but I just find it a bit strange is all. I think he's up to something sneaky. I'm off to the pub now, so I'll update you on the situation later.
It was late on a Friday night and Finn's parents were at some hotel for the weekend so they were tangled up in each other, kissing on Finn's bed. They had been going out for a few weeks now so their relationship was still new to them and so were the things that came with it, like being physical. After chatting about it they'd decided to take things slowly so that their friendship wouldn't be compromised which meant they hadn't slept together yet.
Rae was secretly glad about that because as much as she wanted to have sex with Finn the thought of being naked in front of him, or anyone, made her heartbeat stutter nervously. Still, that didn't mean she didn't want to see Finn without his clothes on. She tugged his t-shirt up over his head and took a moment to just appreciate his shirtless chest, raking her fingers over the muscles there almost reverently before returning her lips to his.
When she felt his hands curling round the hem of her top, poised to pull it up every sexy feeling she'd been experiencing disappeared instantly.
"Finn," she reprimanded, swatting his hand away.
"What's wrong?" he asked, moving his hands to cup her face gently. "I thought you were ready, I mean you were ready to see me anyway."
The little smirk on his lips caused affection for him to stir in her chest. She ducked her head so that she wouldn't have to look at him before grabbing his hand and whispering, "I don't want you to see me."
When he looked puzzled she began to trace the words, 'I'm too fat' onto his palm.
"Rae," Finn said, sitting up so that he could look at her properly. "You're beautiful," he told her firmly, his eyes blazing with conviction.
"Why do you keep saying that? It's not true. You know it, I know it, everybody knows it."
Finn let out a little frustrated growl and stood up and began taking off his jeans.
"What the hell are you doing?" she questioned, feeling utterly confused.
"I'm going to show you how beautiful you are. Now, get up and strip down to your underwear."
She laughed a little hysterically in reply, "Very funny."
"I'm bein' serious, Rae," he told her. "Take off your clothes, I've already seen you in a swimming costume, it's not much different from that."
Rae stayed still for a moment, caught between complete panic and intrigue, between wanting to run and doing what Finn had asked.
"Please, Rae. Don't leave me standin' here in my pants like a complete knob."
She snickered lightly before standing. "This better be good, Nelson, or I swear I'll hurt you."
He grinned back at her, that crooked smile that he seemed to save for her only and raised his hand, "Scout's honour."
Shakily, she lifted her top over her head and willed the hot blush creeping up her neck to disappear. She kept her eyes on the floor as she opened the button on her jeans and shimmied them down her legs until they were pooled at her feet.
Wrapping her arms tightly around her middle she took a huge gulp of air into her lungs before finally looking up to meet Finn's gaze.
The way he was looking at her made her feel a little breathless. Rae could only describe the look on his face as one of pure adoration and it really threw her for a loop. Sure he'd told her he loved her and he was her boyfriend but she had always expected him to run away screaming when faced with what was under her clothes. But there he was, not moving and looking at her like she was the greatest person in the world.
After what felt like a lifetime of just standing there he finally held out his hand to her and murmured, "C'mon, beautiful."
Keeping one arm firmly wrapped around her middle, she allowed him to lead her out into the hallway where there was a full length mirror. When they were right in front of it, he stood behind her and rested his head on her shoulder.
"Rae, look at yourself," he told her, his voice soft but commanding. When she reluctantly looked up at their reflection in the mirror he continued to speak.
"There's not a thing wrong with you," he said quietly, skimming his rough hands down her sides with a gentleness she didn't know he possessed. "Why don't you like yourself?" he asked, looking genuinely confused.
She let out a breath she didn't know she had been holding and exclaimed, "Look at me, I'm so fat! What is there to like?"
Finn looked almost offended at her words.
"What's wrong with being fat? Who decided that it was a bad thing?" he questioned angrily.
She wasn't sure how to answer him, so she stayed silent.
"Look at my ribs poking out, they're horrible," he said and stepped out from behind her and prodded at the visible bones. "And my legs are scrawny as fuck like a chicken's."
"Shut up, you're like model gorgeous," she scolded him.
"See, even though I think I'm mingin' you don't and it's the same for me. I love everythin' about ya, Rae. I love your sense of humour, your taste in music, how caring you are, the fact that you're my best friend but I love the way you look as well."
He slid his hands down to touch her thighs, "I love your thighs, even your scars."
She cringed but didn't stop him when he moved his hands to touch her belly. "I love your stomach and how your hips are dead soft."
Then he was grinning cheekily and sliding his hands round to cup her bum, "I love your arse."
She laughed aloud when he moved his hands to cup her breasts and whispered into her ear, "And I especially love your boobs."
She looked at their reflection and was shocked that the first thing she noticed was how happy she looked in Finn's arms, not the fat that was hanging over her underwear a little.
Finn turned her round so that she was facing him and knelt down and began tracing, 'You are beautiful' over her stomach and although she didn't believe it, for the first time in years she felt that maybe someday she would.