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Over the years, Ladybug thought she’d gotten good at picking up the signs that Chat wasn’t as okay as he said he was. For starters, whenever he was injured, his breath would hitch at the slightest of movements. His cat-like green eyes would shutter, and his voice and smile would become strained.
Most of his injuries happened during a battle with the latest Akumatised citizen, but there were many times when he came to patrol, barely holding himself up. Whenever Ladybug asked what happened, Chat would laugh and explain how much of a clutz he was. While she couldn’t quite call him out on his lies, she had no definitive proof. Some of his comments about his home life over the years didn’t spell anything good, but there was nothing she could do.
Ladybug tried asking him several times, but he kept his mouth shut. She’d learned over the years that Chat Noir wasn’t one to talk about himself freely. Oh, sure, he was talkative, but only about things he wanted you to know about.
His romantic feelings for her, for instance. Chat Noir had made it quite clear how he felt about Ladybug. Every chance he got, he flirted and said the worst puns just to get a reaction out of her. She knew it by the way his lips would curl into a cheeky smirk right before delivering the punch line. The more annoyed she was, the worse he’d get. Of course, he did know when he was getting too close to the metaphorical line, but he always walked just on this side of it.
When it did get to be too much, Ladybug never hesitated to tell Chat to knock it off. The first time she did, she remembered how he flinched and threw his arms in front of him as if expecting her to hit him. Even now, sometimes he’d wince and take a step back, though nothing as severe a reaction as the first time.
(Having to explain to him that she would never intentionally hit him had been one of the hardest things she’d ever done.)
If that didn’t solidify some evidence about his upbringing, she didn’t know what did (not that she’d ever outright ask). But back to the issue at hand.
Now, Ladybug knew Chat was skinny. The suit did little to hide how the boy’s hipbones practically jutted out or how his middle was just shy of concave. It’d always been that way, ever since she could remember. Except, she didn’t think it was this bad.
It was while defeating another Akumatised citizen. Chat had dived at her to get her away from the villain of the week before they tumbled on the ground in a heap of limbs. However, it was then she noticed just how thin he was. Chat’s bony hips dug into her stomach, his ribs easy to feel against her side. Ladybug swore she could smell the faint tang of vomit from his heavy breaths. Before she could confront him, Chat leapt back into battle, and she had little choice but to follow. The whole fight was full of constant worrying.
How did she not notice he had an eating disorder?! She’d known for years how slender he was, but how could she not have seen the signs when they were right there?!
After finally defeating the Akuma, Ladybug decided it was time for an intervention.
“Hey, Chat, can I talk to you before you go?”
“As long as we make it quick,” he says, his ring beeping.
“Ah, probably best not to since you’ll transform back soon,” she compromised. “Can you meet me at the top of the tower tonight? Around eleven or so?”
“Anything for you, M’Lady.”
Ladybug rolled her eyes, but she didn’t comment any further.
Later that night, true to his word, he met her at the top of the Eiffel Tower, his legs dangling over the edge.
“You wanted to talk to me, M’Lady?” he grinned.
She bit her lip. How did one broach the subject of something as sensitive as one’s health?
“Ladybug?”
“I’m sorry,” she spoke. “I just don’t know how to bring this up. There’s just something I finally noticed about you, and I feel like an idiot for not figuring it out sooner.”
“Did you finally realise you’re totally in love with me, Buginette?” Chat teased.
“Iknowaboutyoureatingdisorder!”
At that, both parties froze.
“Could… Could you repeat that?” Chat rasped. “I didn’t fully catch that.”
“It’s just…” Ladybug sucked in a deep breath. “I know you aren’t well. I know about your eating disorder.”
Chat looked as if he’d been sucker punched in the stomach.
“I—” Chat swallowed reflexively, “I don’t know what you’re talking about.”
“All these years, I knew you were lean,” she said. “Except, you’ve never been this thin until now. And I thought I smelt vomit on your breath.”
The poor boy looked like he was about to throw up.
“You did,” he spoke slowly. “But not for the reasoning you’re thinking.”
“Care to enlighten me?” she near growled.
His teeth bit his lip hard enough that she was worried he’d draw blood.
“I… My occupation outside of being Chat Noir requires that I be on a diet,” he started. “I didn’t know I was allergic to any foods until recently. Eating raw shellfish and drinking Champagne makes for a very sick kitty. It’s been a rough few days. Anything I’ve eaten has pretty much just come right back up.”
“Oh, Chat,” Ladybug cooed.
“Yeah… After not eating much of anything,” Chat paused, “well, even less than usual, you can see the result.”
“Less than usual?”
“As I said. Outside of being Chat Noir, my occupation requires that I be on a specific diet to keep me lean.”
“Like what?!”
He hesitated.
“I’m a model.”
Oh. Oh.
“So, you’re not underweight?”
“Ladybug, you should know the laws say I can’t be. My BMI is eighteen point eight, which is considered healthy. It might not look like it, but I promise I’m okay.”
“And as I should know, a BMI of eighteen point five is considered underweight, and you are very close to that!”
Chat had the decency to wince. Ladybug took another deep breath.
“I just worry about you, kitty,” she murmured.
“And I appreciate it,” he smiled. “Really, I do. I’ve just been a bit under the weather recently, that’s all. Give me a bit, and I’ll be back where I need to be in no time!”
(She hated how right he was. A couple of weeks later, Ladybug checked up on Chat and was pleased to hear [and see] that he wasn’t as bony as before. Chat revealed he talked to his father about how people were concerned about his appearance [apparently, Ladybug wasn’t the only one], and his diet was altered to allow more food while keeping a healthy regime. He was still thin, but she couldn’t see his hip bones as much as she used to. His abdomen was flat, but it wasn’t borderline concave anymore, and for that, she was grateful.)