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It had been about 2 months after Tessa’s second surgery when she started to reach the insecurity phase of her recovery process. Lately, people had been showering her with “You’re so strong!” and “You look so healthy!” and quite frankly, she didn’t feel either of those things right now. She felt gross, and the scars on her legs from this surgery didn’t help.
Tessa and Scott had just finished their time at the gym; Tessa in physical therapy, and Scott lifting weights. They went home separately, but planned to have dinner at Tessa’s later in the night. Tessa removed her clothes and prepared to take a shower, not before catching a glimpse of her naked body in the full length mirror in her bathroom.
Tessa had always been petite, but not being able to work out has been taking a toll on her body in what she felt was a negative way. Her normally protruding abs were becoming more and more hidden every day and the muscles in her arms were suddenly things of the past. Her hips were wider, her thighs were bigger, and her scars. Those god awful scars that she couldn’t help but be reminded of every time she went to physical therapy. Tessa didn’t know when she started crying, but the tears seemed to intensify just as soon as they started. She sank to her knees and started sobbing into her hands. Tessa heard her door opening and realized that Scott must have let himself in.
“Hi, T! Where are you?” She heard Scott yelling from her doorway. After a few seconds with no response, he asks again. “Tessa? Are you alright?” His voice eventually gets louder and he turns the corner into her bedroom and catches eyes with hers in the mirror. He is dressed in a simple navy button down and jeans, holding a bouquet of roses she can only assume are for her, but his only concern at the moment is his ailing girlfriend. He drops the roses on the floor before rushing to her side. “Babe, what happened?”
“Can’t you tell? I look and feel gross. I’ve gained weight because I can’t work out, I’m even more pale than usual, and the scars. These fucking scars are a constant reminder of how weak I am.” Scott’s heart broke at her confession. Tessa always appeared so even tempered and it seemed as if nothing ever got to her. Now that he knows that she’s been hiding this lack of confidence from everyone, including him, he knows he has to do something to make it better. Scott stood up and put out his hand for her.
“Tessa, stand up.” She put her hand in his after a few seconds of staring at it and stood up so she was looking at herself again in the full length mirror. She put an arm across her stomach and over her breasts, shielding herself from both of their gazes. Scott walked behind her so his front was pressed against her back and he lightly grabbed her wrists, removing them from her body and placing them at her side. He looked at her eyes through the mirror, but she was yet to meet his gaze since he came into her bathroom.
“Since you seem to forget how beautiful you actually are, why don’t I show you?”
Scott started his journey at her long brown hair, currently pulled back in a low ponytail. He reached for the hair tie that was holding her caramel locks back and pulled it out of her hair, setting it free. “This hair has not always looked the same, but it’s always been the same hair that frames your face beautifully and is stunning no matter the color.” His hands move out of her hair and onto her shoulders, his fingertips running up and down her arms, sparking goosebumps. “These arms are so important. They are not too muscular, but so, so strong. And your hands. These are my favorite because way back when, when little 7 year old Tessa wouldn’t make eye contact with me, she still gave me her hands. The second you put your hands in mine, I knew we had something special.”
“We hadn’t even skated together yet. How could you have known that?” Tessa interjects, unable to meet Scott’s gaze as he ventured around her body.
“Because I just knew. What we had was something special, Tessa Virtue was something special. And that mentality hasn’t failed me yet.” He moved his hands away from her arms and put them directly over her breasts. This motion is what caused Tessa to finally meet his eyes with a gasp. “And these. I’m pretty sure you know how I feel about these.” Scott said with a small chuckle.
“Feel about what? There’s nothing there.” Scott could not understand what had her feeling this bad about herself, so he continued on his mission. He turned her around so she caught his gaze and their faces were directly in front of one another. He gave them a squeeze and lowered his hands and replaced them with his mouth, placing a peck on each breast. “Pretty sure I didn’t just squeeze nothing.” He replies with a smirk and brings his hands from his side to hers, grasping onto her hips with purpose. “You have the most beautiful figure I think I have ever seen. Not too slender, but so slim and gorgeous. And these abs,” Scott ran his hand up and down her stomach. “I got to say, I’m a little jealous.” Tessa displayed the slightest hint of a smile before putting her chin to her chest, shutting herself out from him again. Scott kneeled down in front of Tessa and pressed a kiss to each ab protruding from her thin stomach. Scott grabbed onto the back of her thighs and kissed his way down her left one, being sure to show her right one the same love. He moved his hands from the back of her thighs to the sides and held on to them.
“These thighs are so powerful. They weren’t always this strong, but they always helped you glide across the ice with grace unlike anything I had ever seen before. These, baby, are pure muscle. I would be so proud of these.” He then sat all the way on the floor and came face to face with Tessa’s scars. In actuality, her scars were healing right on track and should be cleared completely in another month or so. Why Tessa was so ashamed of them was still a mystery to him. Tessa started to take a step back, so he grabbed her leg and kept her in place.
“Your scars may make you feel weak or inferior. I think that these are your most beautiful feature.”
“Scott, you don’t have to-”
“No, let me finish. Tessa, you have never been weak in your entire life. Not when you fall at competitions. Not when you skated through Vancouver with pain, to go on to win an Olympic gold medal, might I add. Never. Not once. These,” Scott presses a light kiss to every single tiny nick, not without noticing Tessa tense up in the process. “These are a sign of your strength. These show me you took the leap to get surgery and risked never being able to skate again. Your arms are strong, your legs are strong, but these scars are the strongest thing about you.” Scott finally stood up and lifted Tessa’s chin so her eyes were on his once again. He didn’t hear her silent sobs during his showcase of affection, so he was met with her watery eyes and cheeks. He took his thumb and wiped them away.
“Do you finally understand how beautiful you are?” Tessa silently nodded and leaned in for a kiss. They separated and Tessa had a million thoughts in her head, but could only let out a few.
“Why did you do all of this for me?”
“I cannot stand seeing you cry. Especially not when it comes to you and your beauty. Because I could rave about that forever. You are the most gorgeous woman I have ever met in my entire life, Tessa Virtue. You needed to know it, just in case you didn’t already.” Scott concluded with a wink and a small giggle from Tessa.
“I love you so much, Scott.”
“I love you more. Always. Let’s get you cleaned up and ready for dinner, okay?”
Tessa really lucked out with Scott. He was always the shoulder she could cry on and he treated her like an absolute princess. This goes down in Tessa’s history books as the most romantic thing any man has ever done and will ever do for her. Scott Moir was a prize, and Tessa was honored to be the winner.