Title: High Heels

Summary: Yuki discovers the discomfort of women's shoes.

Genre: Romance

Rating: K+

Word Count: 1,425

Dedicated to all the poor feet trapped in high heels.

Tohru wobbled after Yuki as he eagerly tugged her across the room towards a middle-aged man conversing with an elderly man. She firmly held onto his hand, trying to force her feet to continue moving her forward, and she had to fight to keep the smile across her face. She just hoped she didn't wince when she stopped before the man, who stopped talking as soon as Yuki arrived. Tohru bowed politely as Yuki introduced her to the two with a big smile on his face.

They were at a small dinner party Yuki's boss was throwing in celebration of a successful contract their company had reached, and Yuki was exhibiting her like a treasure. She was flattered, really, that he was so proud to have her as his wife. Ayame had worked hard, after all, to make the long cream-colored silk gown she was wearing and had found her an elegant pair of matching shoes. Unfortunately, those shoes had four-inch heels, and they had been here for hours already. Her feet cried out to her every step she took. Her toes were jammed against the pointy tip of the shoe, and she teetered rather than walked after the first half hour. She had quickly progressed from daintily holding Yuki's hand to grasping desperately onto his arm.

Yuki was a loving husband. He cared about her and loved her. He treated her like a goddess. He probably would have torn those shoes off her feet and tossed them out the window if he knew how dreadfully they hurt her. Too bad he was rather oblivious about things like the pain of high heels. She bit her lip to keep from letting out a cry as they concluded greeting the two men and he began leading her towards a couple on the other side of the room. She knew he would never, but it felt as if he were purposefully torturing her by dragging her back and forth.

With her throbbing feet, she couldn't even enjoy the food Yuki brought her, even though he had presented her with all her favorite treats. She could only smile after she reached the car after the party ended and she managed to limp all the way out. Yuki helped her into the car as usual, but he seemed too distracted, telling her about how he was sure everyone at his work had loved her, to notice the pain she struggled to hide, but she didn't want him to worry. Besides, she'd have the hour drive as a respite before she'd have to attempt to stand again, so she just smiled at him the whole time.

When he stopped the car in their driveway, however, she discovered the hour had not sufficed to revive her feet. After he opened the door for her and she took his proffered hand, she stumbled when she tried to place weight on her right foot. She would have fallen had he not used his other hand to grasp her shoulder. Alarmed, he lowered her back into the car seat, and she didn't protest.

"Tohru, what's wrong?"

"Nothing… My feet just hurt," she meekly admitted.

He studied her scrunched up face and shaking hands for just a second before he slid his arms under her legs and behind her back, hoisting her up easily. She could only wrap her arms around his neck before he closed the car door with his foot and carried her inside the house. He quickly slipped off his shoes and kicked them into the corner before waking over to the living room and carefully setting her on the sofa. Kneeling down on the floor in front of her, he ever so gently slid both shoes off her feet and tossed them aside. He lifted her red and swollen feet onto his lap and practically glared at a blister forming on the side of her left foot.

"What happened, Tohru?"

Tohru shyly grabbed one of the throw pillows lying on the couch and hugged it tightly, afraid to look at him as she spoke, "Nothing… Those shoes just aren't the most comfortable."

Yuki seemed to think about this as he sat on the ground and cradled her feet. Peeking at him from the top of the pillow in her arms, she was about to slide her feet off his lap, but before she could, he hesitantly lifted one foot and gingerly rubbed it. Gasping, she nearly writhed with pleasure. She sank back into the sofa cushions with a content sigh, her eyes shut, and a wide grin across her face. Taking this as a good sign, he more confidently massaged her feet with half a smile. While Tohru silently allowed him to expertly restore her feet to normal, Yuki scrutinized the heels in the corner.

"Why do you wear those shoes if they hurt you?" he asked, peering at her quizzically.

"Because… You had a formal dinner party, and Ayame worked so hard to make this dress and find those shoes… And you looked at me like I was a princess…" she confessed in a whisper.

"I hope I treat you like a princess often enough that you don't feel the need to torture yourself like this."

"Mmmm… You always treat me like a princess, but I just feel special when you feel like you can show me off to everyone," Tohru said with a blush.

"Tohru, I'd show you off even if it were a pajama party."

"Oh Yuki… That's just what girls' shoes are like. It's nothing to worry about."

"But shoes shouldn't hurt you," Yuki protested.

"It's all right, Yuki-kun. Besides, if they weren't uncomfortable, I wouldn't get a foot massage, neh? Everything has a good and a bad side."

Yuki didn't seem satisfied with her answer, or so she deduced from how the wrinkles that marred his forehead still hadn't relaxed, but that didn't stop his hands from fondling her feet deftly, so she couldn't think very clearly. It made it quite difficult to try to figure out an effective way to assure him that the shoes probably weren't as bad as he suspected. The small furrow of his eyebrows and the downturn of his lower lip really did pain her, but sinking into the couch cushions with her feet caressed so lovingly, Tohru really felt as though her brain had disintegrated into mush.

"Don't they make comfortable shoes for girls?" he queried hesitantly, as if afraid to hear a denial.

"Of course they do!" She giggled.

"Then why don't you wear those instead?"

"They don't look as nice as high heels, and I really would hate to have wasted all of Ayame-san's hard work by wearing the wrong shoes!"

"I think those shoes look just fine. What's wrong with them?" Yuki asked, gesturing to a chunky pair of sneakers she usually wore to work.

"With this dress?" she asked with an expression of pure disbelief.

"Your dress touches the floor. No one would have seen them."

Her expression softened as she smiled at him. She slid her feet out of his hands and carefully set them on the ground with a small cringe. Yuki looked up with her and his eyebrows furrowed further with confusion. Tohru leaned forward and took his hands in hers. Seeing that he still looked at her with a frown, Tohru let out a soft sigh and shook her head with a small smile. Warily, she stepped off the couch, hiding a grimace at her throbbing toes and ignoring his alarmed expression, and seated herself on his lap. While he wrapped his arms around her waist, she pressed a kiss to his cheek.

"Oh, Yuki… I love you, and I love that you care about me so much, but haven't you done something that's not exactly pleasant because it makes someone you care about very happy? Like how you always carry me into the house?"

"Tohru, you're not exactly the heaviest thing… and besides, how can something that hurts you like this make me happy?"

"Well… maybe it makes Ayame-san happy!"

"I should hope that you aren't placing Niisan's happiness before mine."

With that, Tohru's head dropped, and she knew she had lost.

By morning, they had gathered all the high heels Ayame had given her over the years into a large garbage bag and though Yuki was rather privy to the idea of taking the bag and repeatedly smashing it against Ayame's head, Tohru managed to convince him just to drop them off at a donation center a few blocks away.

Because this is something I assume Yuki would be ignorant about. More cute and silly and sometimes serious oneshots should be coming your way c: