Pregnant Hoeru hiding his condition from the others and being absolutely miserable.
Tired, sore, barely able to stay on his feet and focus at work between the nausea and nosebleeds. Slowly getting sicker as the baby takes whatever nutrients he manages to scrape together, his stomach barely poking through his shirt even into the second trimester. The occasional flutters are the only sign he has that it’s still in there, still growing in spite of it all. Still surviving.
He knows it’d be better for both of them if he just got it out but he can’t bring himself to. He doesn’t want to lose another family member, even if he knows he can’t give them the life they deserve. And asking for help now would be too great a burden for him to ever pay back. His only option is to stick it out until he can give ‘em up to someone more competent (if he’ll even be able to part with them when the time comes).
Joji finding out first, after rushing him to the hospital when he finds him collapsed in his room, and swearing to support him and his pup from now on. He has plenty of experience tending to children after all and knows how nerve-raking it can be even when the mother is healthy. His funds may be limited now too but they’ll manage— especially when the others learn the real reason why their pet has been doing so poorly lately. They’ll make sure his pup enters the world safely and warm. It takes a “village” after all.
