He looked at her with eyes that only got wider in his gaunt, skeletal little face. Valeria was a country of snow and ice, full of people who were, as far as Fai knew, as pale and cold as the world around them. They were sharp and tall and everything Yuuko was not.

Long, cat-lazy Yuuko, who looked at him out of a cloud of smoke with eyes and smiled. He had no idea what she meant by it, and tensed, gaping, as if she would bite. Yuui would know. Yuui would never mislead him.

"H...hello," he tried, glancing up at Yuui for confirmation. This person was safe? "I'm Fai."