>Be anon
>5 months ago you ended up in a world of anthros
>You weren't the only human of course, but you were still a rare sight
>A restaurant in the city had hired you after a few weeks
>They really admired your skill
>And boy could you cook an amazing spaghetti bolognese
>It didn't hurt that you didn't have fur to get in the food
>The pay was enough for you to rent a decent apartment not too far from your work
>And you still had a decent amount of money to do whatever with
>Today is your first day off in a while and you were going to enjoy it

>Nothing beats a cold glass of lemonade on a hot summer day
>Luckily you had a little balcony with a view
>You were just setting up a chair in the sun when you hear a knock at the door
>A look through your peephole tells you who it is
>A tall grizzly bear wearing slim fitting pants and shirt waits patiently on the other side
>"Oh hey Susan, come on in."
>She squeezes in, barely shorter than the door frame
>"Can I get anything for you?" you ask her as you open your fridge
>"Cream soda if you have it," she rumbles.
>You chuckle
>After the time she nearly threw a chair out the window, you make sure to keep some in your fridge
>You toss her bottle and she pops the top off with a flick of her giant thumb
>"So what can I do for you"

>"I was just wondering if I could use your balcony"
>Is that a blush you see
>Her fur is brown enough that it's hard to tell
>"Sure I was just going out myself" you gesture to the chair you were setting up
>"Thanks Anon"
>She grabs one of the folding chairs you have by the door on her way out
>One flick and the chair is up
>The chair sinks under her considerable weight as she flips out a pair of shades
>She is almost pure muscle, you wonder how often she works out
>You take your seat and take a sip of your lemonade
>Your balcony gives you a view of the edge of the city and beyond
>The roofs of suburban houses and rolling hills for miles
>Days like these remind you why you like this place so much
>Things hadn't always been this good though
>Memories hit you

>It was a couple days after you arrived
>You were basically homeless
>No money
>No job
>And no one wanted to hire a human
>You were considered a freak, a fur-less disgrace
>It was raining, you remember
>With nothing but your jacket to stop the rain you were soaked
>A pair of dogs walk by and you can hear them laughing at you
>All you could do was glare at them
>But that just made them laugh harder
>Frustrated almost to the point of tears you sit down against the wall of the building
>You feel a break in the rain and look up
>There's an umbrella over you
>and holding it is a bear

>You sniffle
>This is the first time someone has been kind to you since
>well you aren't sure
>She offers you a paw and you gladly take it
>"You look cold, let me get you something warm to eat"
>"What's your name, human?"
>Her voice is deep, but oddly comforting
>"A-A-A-Anon" It's hard to speak when you're shivering so much
>"My name is Susan," she continues "It seems like you could use some help."
>Making sure the umbrella stays over you, she walks you to her building
>Stepping inside she shakes herself dry
>As you walk to the elevator she strikes up a conversation with you
>"So, how long have you been here?" She asks
>The elevator doors open
>"Oh, about 4 or 5 days" you respond as she hits the button for the 11th floor
>As you take the elevator (this thing was slow) you talk about yourselves
>Turns out she works as a news anchor for the local network
>And while you don't have a job here, you used to work at EataBurger™
>She tells you what it was like growing up in the city and not liking being cooped up
>Whenever she got the chance, she'd go outside for a walk or play with the neighbor's kids
>You tell her about your more suburban upbringing
>Video games and indoor activities were more of your kind of thing
>Though you remember you joined a LARP group once
>(You'll never tell anyone you did that. NEVER)
>You continue to talk until the doors open on her floor

>She pulls out a key ring and fumbles with the lock for a little bit
>The door opens with a slight squeak as you enter
>It's well furnished with everything you'd expect, and then some
>A leather couch faces a 40 inch tv on a stand
>What is probably faux wood covers most of the floor
>The exception is the bedroom which has soft looking carpeting
>Some posters and paintings hang on the wall
>She leads you into her sparkling kitchen and turns on her stove
>Soup is simmering on the burner before you know it
>"Let me take that for you Anon; You must be cold" She coaxes
>Swapping your wet jacket for a warm blanket she makes sure you are comfortable
>She hums a tune you don't know while hanging your jacket in the bathroom
>The two of you chat a little while longer while the soup cooks
>As she pours the soup into two bowls you realize what she's done
>She got you out of the cold
>Invited you into her house
>And made food for you
>A tear rolls down your cheek at that thought
>"Anon, don't cry please; I hate to see people cry." she protests
>You can barely choke out a simple "thank you" through the lump in your throat

>You spend the next couple of days in her guest bedroom at her request
>A couple days rest and good food brings you back to normal
>It isn't long before you feel ready to get back into the world
>Susan surprises you by putting in a good word with a friend who works in a restaurant downtown
>Before you know it you've got an interview scheduled
>You put on a smart looking outfit that Susan helped you buy (with the promise that you'll pay her back)
>The interview goes great and you're hired on the spot
>You start by washing dishes, but in a few weeks you're a full fledged chef
>And that means you can afford your own place
>Looking through the papers you find an ad for an apartment in the building
>Though there are a lot of places you could go, you know that there's no place you'd rather be
>Had it not been for Susan's help, you might not have lasted your first week here
>But now, you're the happiest you've ever been

>"Hey Anon"
>Susan's voice brings you back to reality
>"Did you fall asleep?" she looks a little worried
>"No, just reliving some memories." you say with a smile
>"Good ones I hope"
>"They most certainly are"
>You raise your glass
>"To summer"
>"To summer" she agrees