She shook her head. "I'd rather go bare ass naked so they can kiss my ass easier later."
He chuckled. "Let's head to the shop I pointed out as we entered the city, it's a bit further out, but I know the owner."
Izzy braced herself for another outright rejection when they walked in.
"Oron, is that you?" An older woman called out.
"It's me Baba, I brought someone to meet you."
All over the city Izzy had seen nothing but golden, young, and beautiful people, it was almost a relief to see an older person.
Oron walked over and helped the woman to the worn stool in front of the counter. "Baba, this is my mate, Izzy. She lost everything in a fire the other day and needs some things to wear."
"And you brought her here?"
"Where else?" Oron asked, almost bitterly.
"I could have told you to come here first, the robes here are a hundred times better than the other shops we went to closer to the palace," Izzy told her mate.
Baba looked at her closely. "It doesn't matter to you that I'm old?"
Izzy didn't know what to say. "Why would that be an issue?"
Oron wrapped an arm around her shoulders. "She's human Baba, she's seen old people her whole life."
Baba cackled. "That makes sense." She wagged a bony finger at Izzy. "I bet you didn't see many like me in those other shops."
"All I saw was a bunch of assholes," she muttered.
Baba wheezed so hard Izzy was terrified she had killed the older woman. "I bet they didn't see that trinket there," she said, pointing to where the bracelet was still tucked under her sleeve.
"No, they didn't," she admitted.
Baba waved to her store. "Pick out whatever you like," she turned to Oron. "I'll charge half to your account."
Oron looked relieved. "Thank you, Baba," he said, leaning down to rest his cheek on the top of her grey hair.
"Quit flirting with me in front of your mate," Baba complained, making Oron blush.
Izzy chuckled. "You tell him, Baba!"
Baba grinned back at her. "I like her, she has spirit."
"I think she is the most beautiful thing I have ever seen," Oron said.
Izzy looked through different robes. "Do you have any that are flame resistant?"
"Get in that many fires?" Baba asked.
Izzy didn't even look up from the vast selection of brightly colored fabric. "Yeah, it's kinda a regular occurrence with me... and explosions."
Oron's smile slipped slightly. "Really?"
"Yeah, I found out the hard way that pressure cookers are not my friends." She held out a bright teal robe. "What do you think?"
Oron gave her two thumbs up. "Love it."
Slowly she made her way through the robes and fell in love with seven different colored ones, so that she had enough for each day of the week.