One

"…How can a demon

Surround himself in your precious garden of angels …"

Noriko had to be the weakest girl in her poor clan known as Snow for their sickly pale skin and weak chakra. She had inherited all of the worst traits from her mother and father-from her mother, fragile pale skin and clear eyes, and from her father the gentlest, kindest, and forgiving spirit. Because of such inheritance Noriko was sent to the deepest part of a forest, away from civilization-because of fear that she would be crushed by humanity's nature. She lived in an average traditional Japanese home alone, with only the small animals of the forest and the earthiness itself to keep her company. She was so used to being only with nature, in fact, that when Juugo-a large, bulky, man with wild amber hair and fading blood red eyes- came stumbling at her front door, bloodied and on the verge of death. She almost left him there to die, since he was human and she had no idea of how to deal with humans. And it was her worst mistake to help him and allow him to stay in her home until he recovered.

At first he was afraid of being in her presence. He was well aware that if the demon within him awakened from its nap, which could be at any moment, her life would come to an end. But as time passed he had fallen deep in love with her. His previous partners were all dead and he had no one else he could be close to, and he swore on his life that he wouldn't hurt Noriko. Yet he did. When his demon awakened from its nap he would snatch her and carried her to where only brutal passion took place. Because of her bad trait of kindness and forgiveness she would sooth him when his demon slept again and his sorrowful side regained consciousness. Yet each time he would claim Noriko she began to gain a fear for him yet a yearning anticipation of when he would transform again. It was odd to her, that even though she was afraid she felt so comfortable when he would hold her so tightly. Maybe it was because he was the only human to be so close to her. And perhaps she was more afraid of him leaving then the fact that he was harming her. She doesn't know- she's never been around a human.

Juugo woke up alone enveloped in white cotton sheets that covered his naked body. Noriko wasn't beside him and so he grabbed a towel that lye on the floor, wrapped it around his waist and went to look for her. Noriko was in her garden of beautifully blooming roses of all colors that she cared for and loved alone. It was located in a small courtyard built within her traditional home and Juugo waited at the door staring at her beautiful figure. She was wearing a light blue yukata with a small white sash and her luscious white hair was tied into a loose ponytail. Her pale skin was shining from the sun's hot rays causing her to appear even more celestial than she already is- she transformed into a goddess in Juugo's crimson eyes. Noriko noticed him and smiled politely waving for him to join her. He shakes his head no,

"How can a demon surround himself in your precious garden of angels" Juugo said.

"Angels? They're just flowers" Noriko remarks trimming a wilted rose from its bush.

"But they are precious to me" she holds the wilted rose to her lips and lightly kisses it as if her touch would somehow revive it. Juugo sits on the side of the door watching her care for her flowers; when she was finally done she approached him and kissed him on his forehead.

"Did you dream well?" she asked. Juugo ignores the question and glares at Noriko apologetically.

"Does it still hurt?" apparently he had spotted her slight pained expression when walking over to him. She grins and tries to tell him no but he takes her arm and pulls her down to him.

"I'm sorry," he said over and over. Noriko instinctively sooths him, telling him she was fine and he didn't hurt her-yet he had damaged her more than she could even realize.