When Emi blinked awake, she took a moment to survey her new home. Her enclosure was more than she'd expected for a hedgehog—it was thoughtfully arranged, spacious, and filled with cozy nooks and play areas.
The enclosure had a soft bedding section in one corner, where fleece blankets were piled up to make a warm nest. Beside it was a small, hollow log-shaped hideaway, perfect for curling up when she wanted privacy. In the middle of her space, she spotted her food dish and a shallow water bowl. And on the other side, a "play zone" featured an exercise wheel, a couple of tunnels, and some colorful toys to keep her entertained.
Not bad, Silas, she thought, amused. You've put real effort into this.
But as she waddled over to the food dish, her enthusiasm faded. Inside the bowl were dried mealworms and a small scoop of hedgehog pellets, neither of which looked remotely appetizing. Oh no, she thought, wrinkling her nose. I may be a hedgehog now, but I'm not about to eat bugs.
At that moment, Silas entered the room, dressed casually in a t-shirt and jeans, a small smile lighting up his face as he leaned over her enclosure.
"Morning, Bluey," he greeted her, his voice warm. "I set out some breakfast for you. Hope you're hungry."
Emi looked up at him, then back at the mealworms, giving him what she hoped was a clear look of distaste.
He chuckled, scratching his head. "Not a fan of hedgehog food, huh?" He watched her back away from the dish, clearly amused by her picky behavior. "Alright, picky eater. Let me see what I can do."
He left the room briefly and returned with a small dish containing a slice of apple, a couple of blueberries, and even a tiny sliver of cooked chicken. "How about this?" he asked, setting down the new offerings.
Emi perked up immediately, trotting over to sniff the fresh fruit before taking a big bite of apple. Now this was more to her liking.
"Thought so," Silas said with a grin, watching her nibble happily. "You're not into bugs, are you?"
With her belly full of sweet fruit, Emi looked up at him, feeling pleased with his understanding. I have my standards, she thought. And they don't include mealworms.
After she finished her snack, Silas opened the top of her enclosure and reached down, scooping her up carefully in his hands. She curled into a ball for a second, still instinctively shy, but as she peeked up at him, his warm smile put her at ease.
"Ready for some playtime?" he asked, carrying her over to his desk, where he'd set up a little "playground" just for her. The desk held a couple of ramps, tunnels, and even a small ladder she could climb if she felt brave.
He placed her down on the desk, settling back to watch with an encouraging grin. "Alright, Bluey. Let's see what you can do."
Emi sniffed around, inspecting the setup. She carefully made her way through a tunnel and popped out the other side, glancing up at him as if to say, Did you see that?
"Oh, very impressive," Silas said, nodding with playful approval. "You're a natural."
Feeling a small burst of pride, she continued her exploration, scaling one of the ramps and batting a small, colorful pom-pom back toward him. Silas laughed, his eyes crinkling with amusement as he watched her tiny paws go to work.
After a few minutes, he held out a blueberry in the palm of his hand. "Here's a treat for my little adventurer."
Emi trotted over, taking the blueberry from his hand and nibbling on it as he watched, his face softening. "You really are something, Bluey," he murmured with a chuckle. "I've never met a hedgehog with so much personality."
Once she'd finished her snack, she nudged his hand with her nose, as if to say, More, please?
"Oh, so now you're asking for more?" he teased, reaching down to give her a gentle scratch between her tiny ears. "I'm already wrapped around your little paw, huh?"
Emi let out a contented little squeak, pleased with the attention. Silas seemed to genuinely enjoy their playtime together, and she found herself looking forward to these moments, too. He was gentle, patient, and had a knack for reading her cues, which made her feel surprisingly understood.
After their play session, Silas carefully scooped her up and placed her back in her enclosure. He added a couple more pom-poms to her play area, setting them down with a smile as she nudged one experimentally.
"More toys for my favorite hedgehog," he said, watching as she pushed the pom-pom around with her nose. "Consider them a thank-you gift for being such good company."
Emi entertained herself with the pom-poms, rolling them around her enclosure, occasionally glancing up to see his reaction. He laughed, seeming genuinely delighted by her antics, and she found herself basking in his attention.
As she settled down in her fleece bedding, Silas leaned over her enclosure, giving her one last gentle scratch. "Thanks for playing along, Bluey," he said softly. "You're the best roommate a guy could ask for."
With a contented sigh, Emi curled up, feeling a warmth that went beyond the blankets around her. Silas wasn't just her caretaker; he was becoming a friend—someone who saw her for more than just a hedgehog.
And for now, she was perfectly happy to be his "Bluey."