DWTS Imagines

Athletica

TW: anorexia athletica

Val x female reader

QUOTE TAKEN FROM TheMeadowGlade :)

You sat up and scratched the sleep out of your eyes. You blinked a couple times and looked to your side, realizing that Val was gone.

You knew that he'd gone on another workout. The gym seems to be the only place he is nowadays besides rehearsals.

You were also a professional ballroom dancer on Dancing With The Stars, and you were all preparing to go on tour soon. Today, however was your day off.

Mandy was always good about giving the dancers every Sunday to rest and recover. However, for the past seven weeks of tour rehearsals, Val had not taken his break day. He, in fact, had only been using the free time to workout and exercise harder.

On top of these workouts, Val had been seriously restricting the calories that he was consuming.

It was obvious, everyone knew. It wasn't hard to tell that Val had been fatiguing a lot easier and a lot sooner.

Lindsay had whispered to you after rehearsals that Val's grip was faltering during one of their samba duets.

Val was sick, and you all knew it. Nobody knew how to address him about it. Being his girlfriend, however, you felt like it was your responsibility.

Mandy had offered to take it up with him, thinking that if Val heard it from a professional, he would take the fact that he was damaging himself more seriously.

You told Mandy that while you appreciated her offer, you felt that it would be best to have him hear it from someone loves.

You sat up in your bed and did a couple sitting stretches. Your back and hips popped satisfyingly and you shifted your weight around to work out some of the soreness in your muscles. You'd roll them out one by one in a while.

You leaned over and lifted up a book that was on your bedtime table to reveal a small pamphlet that Whitney had slipped into your bags during lunch break yesterday.

UNDERSTANDING ANOREXIA ATHLETICA

You took a deep breath and opened up the thick pamphlet. The text was small and the paragraphs were lengthy. You were shocked at the amount of information in this small book.

~~~~~

You were yanked away from your reading by the sound of your phone ringing loudly.

You placed your thumb to save your place in a book by the paragraph you had yet to start.

"Experts have found that anorexia athletica is often seen accompanying cases of bulimia or anorexia, with sufferers using excessive exercise as a way of getting rid of excess calories...Rather than purging via laxative or diuretic abuse or self-induced vomiting, individuals exercise for an excessive amount of time or in extreme conditions to such a point that it is a compulsive obligation with no benefits or enjoyment."

You closed the book on your thumb and picked up your still ringing cell phone.

It was Alan.

"Hello?" You asked, slightly worried since Alan did mention going to the gym with Val when you all were talking over lunch yesterday.

"(Y/N)?" Alan's voice trembled. "(Y/N), you need to come down here! Now, Val's in trouble!"

Your eyes widened. "Why, Alan, where are you guys?"

"Hillside. Hospital. Off 9th." His words were punctuated by hiccups and hyperventilations.

"Okay. I'll be right over." You nodded rapidly. "Stay safe. Stay put."