just little kenshin things he does with ‘i have hitokiri battosai around my finger’ - kaoru kamiya-himura:
he eventually throughout their marriage drops the ‘this one / this lowly self / sessha ‘ ( it all means sessha ) and essentially just says ‘i ‘ with her because she makes him feel validated and safe to just..talk normally. the ultimate sign of his trust in her and ability to see what she sees, a man, not a legend nor monster.
he teases her relentlessly. he loves being scolded by her and the ‘kennn-shinnn!’ she makes when she’s mad at him he actually loves because her face lights up like she’s so utterly alive and nothing can beat the glow of her face. he’s in love all over again.
he starts tentatively asking for things. ‘can i have a kiss for breakfast instead, that is?’ and learning that kaoru is okay with him doing so, learning it’s okay for him to do so.
the biggest thing is kenshin drops [kaoru-dono] and [sessha/this one] with her.
also, he loves her the way you revere something sacred, careful reverent touches, but in the same breath loves to tease her in both words + physical love and affection.
kenshin becomes a vulnerable, ordinary man with kaoru and that is something he never was able to be after tomoe and before he met her.
a quick list of things Kaoru does with japans scariest/cuddliest dragon
♥ she’s not a very good cook, but during special celebrations like Kenshin’s birthday, Kaoru will sneak away to Megumi’s kitchen and bake dozens and dozens of small treats until finally gets a good batch. that’s his gift every year and they’re getting better each time. she jokes that she’ll “at this rate become a pro baker when they’re old.”
♥ Kaoru kisses his scars so he can associate them with something pleasant, too. she knows he won’t forget them, but at least he’ll have some other memories that aren’t just about how he received them.
♥ she enjoys the pet names he gives her, ‘dearest’ is her favorite.
♥ affection never came easy with her, so it took her a few weeks into their marriage for Kaoru to get comfortable and adjusted to it. one morning she heard him humming while cooking breakfast and thought “wow, I get to hear that voice every morning.” she gave him a hug and touching him became as natural and easy as breathing.
♥ she’s very defensive of her husband, and she has no qualms about picking a fight with someone talking badly about him. one man even ended up in a tree! but she also understands he’s hurt people in the past, and if someone is grieving their loss that her husband caused, she’s more gentler towards them... doing her best to explain he’s not that man anymore. she has never turned a blind eye to his past -- she just knows he’s not that person anymore. she loves him no matter what.










