Page 31 of Right Next Door
“Why are you thanking me?” He laughed, shaking his head. “I swear, you thank me for the oddest things. If anything, I should be thankingyou.”
“Huh? For what?”
“For letting me be your client! For always making time for me! That’s a big thing, you know. You’re so popular, you must have people fighting for your appointment spots!”
She did, actually. Her braids were considered extremely pretty and desirable, but the problem was that she was only one person. Her braids were too small and intricate to be replicated by the larger hands of the kreecharma, and the only other human on the planet had her own job. Misty couldn’t hire anyone to take more clients for braiding, which was the main draw of her salon. So, her spots were very limited and exclusive.
It did mean she could up her prices, charging more for her styles than she ever could on Earth, though it also meant that she didn't have a large client base. She was exclusive and rare, but her braids were so in demand, she was sitting pretty in terms of cost.
So, for someone to thank her for letting them be a regular client wouldn’t be that strange. If she was on Earth.
Misty had already been teased a great deal by everyone because she was overly thankful. The kreecharma didn't thank people for everything. If someone held open a door or helped you carry something or gave you a gift, it wasn’t cause for saying thanks. In fact, they didn't actually classify things as gifts that she would.
For example, a few people had brought her presents for her party today, but they wouldn’t classify them as gifts. They were just rewards, prizes. They certainly didn't deserve her gratitude.
However, that didn't mean they didn't have a concept of gifts, just that it was a much narrower definition than she would have considered. A gift, for them, was something that made you laugh, brought you joy, enhanced your life. Most times, it was completely immaterial. It could be a physical object, but not usually.
So, therefore, to the kreecharma, her allowing Flik to be a regular client who could always make an appointment was deserving of thanks because it brought him joy and enhanced his life. But her friends putting on this party for her and bringing her gifts did not deserve thanks, because it was something they felt was her due, even if it did bring her joy.
Misty just couldn’t really internalize that concept in her human brain. So, even if people teased her for being too grateful, she thanked them for everything all the same.
Knowing all that though, she was surprised Flik really thought so highly of her services, and enjoyed them so much, that he was eager to thank her for it. In a way, it kind of felt like he was thanking her for being his friend, and that made her feel all warm and sweet inside. So much so that she didn't resist the urge to give him another hug.
Which he accepted with a laugh. “Is this a good time to ask if you can squeeze me in sometime in the next tenday? I have this thing at work, and I want to impress everyone and make them choke with envy that I can get your braids.”
“Of course,” She laughed. “But it’s a bit early, isn’t it? Your braids should still be good by then.”
“Yeah, but I was thinking of maybe moving up a bit. Doing like a bicep ring,” he said, touching his arm with a happy, excited grin.
The kreecharma had fur, and it was a totally different hair type from the ones she was used to. At first glance, it appeared to be fine hair, not like her own at all. She had therefore been nervous about the state of their skin if she started pulling to put in braids. But despite the difference to her own hair, their fur didn't grow like her hair did, so the braids stayed tighter longer. Their skin was also tougher than human skin, so it handled the tension really well.
Her braids, with proper care, could last for a few tendays. Of course, if someone treated them carelessly, didn't keep up with them, they’d fall apart, but her clients all received instructions from her in how to keep them tight and neat. It was a regimen she’d been developing since she arrived, based partially on her own experience, and then with what she was learning about the kreecharma and how well the braids did in their fur since she started working.
Flik just had his cuffs refreshed a few days ago, but if he was eager to expand their placement on his body, she wasn’t going to lose the opportunity.
“I absolutely can get you in,” she promised, waving her combot forward. Standing right there, she made his appointment for five days from now. She squeezed him in between two new clients. And she was experienced enough now to know that she could get him done and out of here in good time between them.
“You’re the best, Misty,” Flik beamed when she banished her holodisplay, his appointment set up. “I’ll take a look at your samples and see what I want. Maybe nothing too extravagant.”
Misty laughed, patting his back. “I’ll have you boasting a full body braid before you know it.”
“No way!” He reared back, laughing along with her. “We’ll keep it nice and simple.”
“For now,” she agreed, giving him a knowing look.
Her braids weren’t permanent like tattoos, but they were considered a bold new look. Confidence was part of the style, and her clients being willing to show off their new braids was what really made them stand out.
She even had a couple really daring patients that had booked fully private sessions so she could put braids in more intimate areas. The leg ones weren’t really super salacious, but she’d already done a couple tails, and one lady even did have her do braids on her lower belly, towards her vagina.
Turns out, shecouldin fact do pussy braids. Who knew?
She got to charge a great deal for that, it didn't take that long considering it wasn’t a huge surface area, and the result was a female who’d walked out of her salon with such a confident gait in her step, eager to get home and show off to her male, that it made it all worth it.
Weirdly, it felt kind of good. Not knowing that her braids were going to get soaked in fluids, but knowing that she made someone feel that sexy and proud. She’d given her that. Given her lover that. She’d contributed to their joy and love, and that was really nice. If she didn't think of the dirty details.
Misty always liked doing hair, but now, seeing how precious it could be to these people who’d never seen her type of braids before, it was even better. She could honestly say that she now loved her job and doing what she did in a way that made it not feel like work.
She threw herself back into the celebration. Chatting with everyone. She opened all her presents and thanked everyone, even as they laughed and told her not to. But she genuinelyappreciated all the well wishes and appreciation. It seemed so strange for people to celebrate her for herjob, but damn if it didn't feel good.
