Emotional Support Human
Story by HomeTome on SoFurry
Sometimes, everyone could use a helping hand.
My heart pounds with anticipation as I stand in front of the apartment door, clutching my assignment papers tightly. The world has seen an unprecedented influx of Beastborn individuals who have become reclusive shut-ins. Due to their pack mentality, living independently has become a challenge for them, and that’s where my role as an emotional support human comes in. We are tasked with living alongside Beastborn individuals, helping them venture out more and engage in social activities. The ultimate goal is for them to eventually start their own families, but sometimes this commitment extends beyond that and becomes a lifelong companionship.
As a first-time emotional support human, I can’t afford to be a nervous wreck. I take a few deep breaths to calm myself, putting on my best smile before knocking on the door. A surprised yelp echoes from inside, but there is no immediate movement. Glancing at the paperwork in my hand, I review the details of my client. Ookami-san. Canis lupus. Female. Twenty-one years old.
She has been experiencing anxiety attacks when outside for prolonged periods, and her last recorded outdoor appearance was over two weeks ago. It seems her condition may have worsened since then. Raising my hand, I knock again, this time with a softer touch.
“Ookami-san,” I call out sweetly. “It’s your emotional support human. Can I come inside?”
I hear a flurry of movement and things crashing before the door flies open. Standing before me is a disheveled female wolf, her fur matted from nervous sweating. She attempts to put on a smile, but it’s evident that it’s forced and insincere.
“Actually, I’ve been thinking maybe having an emotional support human was a dumb idea. Thank you for coming, though,” she says, trying to close the door.
Swiftly, I place my foot in the doorway, preventing it from closing completely. It’s a typical reaction from clients; sometimes, being a little pushy is necessary to help them accept assistance. Otherwise, they would willingly confine themselves to their homes.
“Why don’t we spend just a few minutes together? If you change your mind, I’ll gladly leave,” I suggest.
She looks reluctant, but eventually, she steps aside to let me in. Once inside, I’m greeted by the all-too-familiar sight of chaos. Trash bags are strewn everywhere, and the air is stale. Trained for such situations, I don’t bat an eye at the mess before me.
“Sorry for the state of things,” Ookami mutters, avoiding eye contact.
Without hesitation, I step in front of her, gently place my hand under her chin, and lift her gaze to meet mine. With a genuine smile, I let out a small laugh.
“What am I going to do with you?” I playfully remark before turning my attention to the task at hand.
Without wasting a moment, I stride over to the window and open the curtains, allowing fresh air to flood the room. Next, I tackle the trash littering the floor. Ookami stands there, unsure of what’s happening.
“You don’t have to do that,” she insists, kneeling beside me. “It’s my mess.”
“It’s not bad to ask for help, Ookami-san,” I reply, looking at her with a still-genuine smile. “If we work together, we can get this place cleaned up in no time.”
Her face betrays her hesitation, but she accepts my help, and we work side by side to tidy up her home.
“We did it!” I exclaim cheerfully as we place the final trash bag by the entrance. It took some hard work, but now everything is neatly packed away, and her home looks significantly brighter than when I first arrived. However, the real challenge lies ahead. We can’t just leave these bags here; there’s only one place they can go. I glance at Ookami-san, who looks at me nervously. “Just have to throw them out now,” I say confidently.
Her eyes narrow to pinpricks as she shakes her head. “C-Can’t they stay here for a little while? They’ll be fine, right?”
Attempting to negotiate—a common tactic. I surveyed the room and noticed a gaming console. That might help.
“Is that a Nintendo?” I inquire.
Fear instantly transforms into excitement. “Yeah! I just bought the new Legend of Zelda! Do you want to play?”
“I’d love to... But shouldn’t we get these bags out first? Once we do that, we won’t have to worry about them and can play games all day.”
Conflicting emotions play across her face once again. It’s best not to issue ultimatums but rather to have her weigh the pros and cons of her choices. While she’s anxious about going outside, it will only worsen as the day progresses, preventing her from thoroughly enjoying her game. By swiftly taking care of the bags now, we can set aside concerns about the outside world and indulge in gaming.
“If we’re quick,” she reluctantly agrees.
“Great!” I grab most of the bags, not wanting to make her go back and forth, and leave just a couple for her to carry. “Could you show me the way?”
She takes the two bags I left, walks towards the door, and pauses momentarily. I remain silent, recognizing the significance of this moment for her. She takes a deep breath, exhales, and opens the door. I feel a surge of pride as she takes a hesitant step outside and leads me to the trash cans. Together, we dispose of our trash as I bask in the sun’s warmth for a moment.
“Look at us; we’re both a mess,” I chuckle.
She finally got a good look at me and noticed all the dirt I had collected while working on her room. Not that I minded, but I could tell she was surprised.
“I’m so sorry!” she exclaimed.
I waved it off. “It’s no problem. Let’s head back inside.”
She looked relieved to hear that as we both made our way back to her apartment.
“Ookami-san, is that you?” a voice called out.
I glanced over to see a very tall female equine Beastborn with a sandy mane and brown fur walking out of her apartment. Ookami stood frozen in place. Besides me, this was likely her first time talking to a neighbor in a long time. So, I didn’t hesitate to approach the mare and give her my best smile.
“Hi there! Ookami-san and I were just busy with some spring cleaning. You know how exhausting that can be,” I said, addressing the newcomer.
The mare looked at me, mirroring my smile. “Well, I didn’t know Ookami-san knew such a handsome human. So, you two are living together?”
“Of course. So you better get used to seeing this mug often.” I give a hearty laugh. “But we don’t want to take up the time of such a lovely mare. Have a good day, Ms…?”
“Ferris,” she replied.
“Ferris-san. I’m Anon,” I introduced myself.
“Lovely meeting you.” Ferris waved at Ookami. “Nice seeing you.”
Ookami managed a wave in return, though her anxiety was visible. Once Ferris had walked away, Ookami and I were left standing there. I could tell she was paralyzed, so I moved closer and linked my arm with hers.
“We have some games to play,” I said, trying to ease her back into a relaxed state.
She nodded, and together we made our way back to her apartment. As we entered inside, she let out an exhausted sigh. This was going even better than I had imagined. While things could still be challenging, Ookami wasn’t in the direst situation I had encountered. It filled me with hope that I could help her regain her confidence and get her out and about in no time.
But just as I was about to unlink my arm and head towards the living room, Ookami held me in place. Her eyes were glossy, and she looked at me with a mixture of sorrow and vulnerability.
“I’m really sorry about all this,” she said, her voice trembling. “I know I’m a problem, b-but I don’t think I can do this on my own.”
Her admission was a breakthrough, making me even more determined to make a positive impact here.
“When we fall down, we’re told to get back up, but sometimes, you need someone to offer their hand. You’re not a problem; you’ve just fallen, and I’ll be here for as long as it takes to help you back up.”
That was all I needed to say to cause her tears to start flowing. She buried her face into my chest, seeking solace, and I wrapped my arms around her, providing the comfort she needed. Taking the first step is always the hardest, but Ookami had already shown immense strength, and together we would take each step one day at a time.