You hear a strange sound

You're quickly interrupted however, as you hear a distinct rustling coming from somewhere in the room. You look around for a few minutes, utterly confused.

You hear it again, and this time you're able to pinpoint the source of the noise. It's coming from underneath your roommate's bed!

You cautiously approach, nervous that it might be a rat or something that could attack you when you pull up the sheets.

You quickly pull up the sheets and step back so whatever is in there can't get at your face, but you immediately stop worrying as you see the tell-tale orange glow of a heat lamp.

You look under the bed and notice that the frame has been greatly modified. There's a large gap where there would usually be solid wood down to the floor, and it's been bolstered with what looks like aluminum.

You sit down on the floor and take a look in the cage. Unfortunately, you can't really see much, so you try to pull the cage out to get a better look.

Unfortunately it appears to be built into the modified bedframe, so there's no dice with that. As you're about to let go, you feel the cage shake and hear the rustling again. You pull back in surprise, and take a moment before deciding to try opening the cage.

You're stopped by the door being flung open and a futa running in, and you immediately withdraw from the cage, realizing that you were going to open the cage without the owner's permission. Your cheeks flush in shame.

You take a moment to size each other up in awkward silence. She's about your height, with fair skin, dark red hair, green eyes and a ton of freckles. She's wearing a small pair of glasses that makes her look more like a college student than a faculty member.

“Get away from there!” She hisses, rushing over to check on the cage.

“I guess you're Laura?” You ask as you go to the door and shut it.

“Yes,” she sighs, sitting down next to the bed with a small frown. “Ugh, you scared him!”

“Uh, sorry,” you mutter, feeling a bit awkward. “Hey, I promise I won't tell anyone about your pet, okay? Just to… Clear the air.”

“Wouldn't matter if you did, they can't replace me,” she scoffs. “I'm the only one that understands how the intra-net works here. If anything goes down and I'm not here, they're fucked.”

“Oh, uh… Okay.” You look around awkwardly. “So...I guess I'm your roommate now?”

“Yeah, but not for long,” she grumbles. You watch curiously as she opens the cage and begins to try to coax whatever is in there out of hiding.

“Huh? Why?”

“As soon as I heard that you'd arrived, I rushed over to make sure you weren't fucking with Typhon - and seeing as how you can't mind your business, I don't think we'll last very long as roommates.”

“Oh,” is all you can say. What a pleasant young girl… But you can't say that you blame her.

“There you go buddy, come on, I've got you…”

You approach the bed so you can see what she's pulling out. She gives you a stink eye, so you pull back a bit.

She pulls “Typhon” the rest of the way out, and you gasp in delight.

“Oh my God, a bearded dragon!?” you ask, ignoring her previous warning as you hurry over to her side and plop down. She scowls at you in apparent distaste. “I love beardies!” You softly inform her, trying not to scare Typhon again.

“Good for you,” she grumbles. You grin at Typhon, and giggle as he briefly sticks his tongue out, sniffing the air.

“Aww! Hi little guy!” you reach out to pet him, but stop yourself, looking to Laura for permission. She rolls her eyes with a sigh.

“Yeah, sure, just don't hurt him.”

You nod, and eagerly pet the little cutie patootie. He initially reacts in surprise at the new hand touching him. You let him smell you with his tongue for a bit. Apparently, he decides that he likes you, as he presses the crest of his nose against your hand.

"Hm… Maybe you're not as bad as I thought."

You pull away and let Laura put Typhon back into his cage.