My heart began to race again as I gently carried the small crate under my arm and slowly, I walked up the stairs. Sliding my key into the door, I entered my apartment and went to the spare room. I had wanted to use it as an entertainment room but never got around to it in the past, instead using it as storage. Now it had been retrofitted to be where I would keep and play with my new smurf. I turned on the lights and dimmed them to half brightness. Taking a breath, I closed the door behind me softly and then turned to sit at the table. I had spent the days in between signing and now putting the finishing touches on my smurf room, all that was left was to release him and say hello. My hands shaking slightly, I thumbed open the tabs on the cardboard box and slowly opened it. There in the corner was a shaking and disheveled smurf. In its travels it had rolled up into a ball and held its hands up over its head as it rocked back and forth in panic. I gently reached in and rubbed a single finger over its little head. Its skin had a velvety texture with a very fine hair covering the surface. It flinched and cried out in terror when I first touched it but as I continued to pet it began to relax. I could see its breathing begin to slow and it stopped crying after several minutes. It took a tentative look at me from under its hands, not sure what to make of me. After a while, it released its position and was able to calmly sit while it looked around. My heart swelled as it felt safe enough to crawl around, touching around the box with its small hands. It looked up at me and backed a way slightly as I put my palm down but then came forward and bravely grasped at my hand. Its warm little skin gripped at me, as it looked around.
Feeling that I had gotten the infant smurfs trust, I placed my hands underneath it and lifted it out of the box. It was nervous at first, a slight cry escaping it as it ascended, but its fears were alleviated as I brought it to my chest. There, I held the baby smurf with one arm as I reached around for a nearby bag. It hugged me tight with both hands as it watched me fumble. It took me some effort to do with my non-dominant hand, but I was able to bring out several items I needed for the night. The first thing that was pressing was getting some food into the little guy. I took out some specialty powder and made a quick batch of smurfberry infused milk for him to drink. The small creature watched curiously as I brought the bottle towards him and with some coaxing, I managed to get him to nurse. He must not have been fed as he took to drinking the whole amount and seemed to want more as he reached for the bottle as I took it away.
Holding him close I brought him to the bathroom and started to fill the sink. I made sure the temperature was correct, as his sensitive skin could be easily scalded if I were not careful. He was scared, at first from the sound of the faucet, but them calmed at he felt the warmth of the water. Looking at me for assurance, I nodded and made soft hums. Slowly, I came to the sink and knelt down to place him into the water. He stood for a second then became transfixed at the movement he could make by splashing around and within a couple second began to play idly. I smiled as I brought out some smurf cleaning products and a rag and began to gently clean the creature. It paid me little mind as it splashed about in the water and spoke some nonsense. I rinsed and dried him with a warm towel as I took him from the bathroom back to the smurf room. He lay on his back with his mouth in his hand as I began to diaper and clothe the little being. As it lay there on the floor while I worked, I was taken now by just how small the thing was, being no bigger than a wooden clothing pin. Its big head and bulbous nose and ears were the biggest thing about him. It was a wonder then that the adults were not much bigger. The smurf kicked playfully as I finished clothing it, experiencing the warmth of the cotton onesie I had bought for it. Its big innocent eyes looked up at me as I smiled down at it.
With most of the big tasks out of the way, I decided it was time for the one part of the evening that was just as much for me as it was my new pet. Reaching into a nearby drawer, I took out a small item and closed it into my fist. I then brought it in front of my smurf and held it out to him. He excitedly crawled to me and began to pry at my hand with his weak little fingers.
"I know you need one of these, my little friend, so I couldn't leave you without," I said as I opened my hand to reveal a small little white smurf hat. The small being squeaked excitedly as it fell over trying to get at it. Almost instinctively, it seemed to gravitate toward the small bit of cloth and a big smile grew over his face as he slipped it on over his little apple shaped head. It squeezed its eyes with contentment as I picked it up and held it close to my chest.
"You are mine now, Gus, and I will always take care of you," I whispered to the smurf as he clutched my chest. He only nuzzled closer to me as I gave it affection, rubbing his little back and petting his soft little head. I lay my head back against the wall as I breathed out a sigh. This was only the beginning.