All the reasons why Kenshin loves Kaoru, in sestina form.
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Seventeen Reasons
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There are seventeen reasons why I love you.
Seventeen reasons why my heart beats wildly and I can't breathe
when I see your face. I love you because your smile
is bright and gives me hope, even when I have nothing to hope for.
I love you because you smell of jasmine flowers,
because of all the things you must know,
.
and because of all the things you pretend not to know
for my sake. And I love you because of the way you
can mess up miso soup and the simplest flower
tea and the nervousness with which you serve it, breathing
slowly to swallow your fear. I know you need approval, for
every time I tell you I like it, you flash that beautiful smile.
.
I love you because seeing you makes me smile.
There is no one else in this world who knows
how to do that like you, no one else who I smile for.
At least, not the way I smile for you.
That smile comes from an emotion that steals my breath
and makes me ache. I love that you do not wear flowers
.
in your hair. You really don't need flowers.
They take away from your bright eyes, that sweet smile.
They keep me from really being able to breathe
in the smell of jasmine and sweat that I know
you got from training, from teaching the boy you
let in, the boy you gave something to strive for.
.
I love you because you gave me something to live for.
You know just how many of the flower
adorned graves I put there. I told you what I was and you,
you just said you wanted me. With an undeserved smile,
you let me stay; you let me be a part of your life like you already knew.
I love you because of the way you breathe
.
slowly and count to ten to try and clam your anger. Breathing
never works, but you do it every time anyway for
you know of nothing better. I love you because you don't know
what I know. Because you stop on busy streets to smell flowers.
Because you can see behind my empty smile.
Because of the way your eyes become fierce and determined when you
.
hold a sword. I love you because you always have something to reach for.
I love you because you allow me to breathe and don't crush me like some forgotten flower.
And your beautiful smile, innocent and full of life, is why I can never let you know.
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A/N: Please review. Does anyone have any requests? Perhaps a list of six words to use?