A/N: Tiny little drabble that had to be written. Ridiculously short, but hopefully a few people will enjoy it. :)

Oh, and I guess...Kay-verse? Doesn't really make a difference, though.

She'd forgotten how much she loved the sun.

Of course she loved her home in the cellars, if mostly because of her Erik. Because of his presence, she would be comfortable in any place they chose to live. Even the damp darkness of the lower levels did nothing to diminish her affection for the place.

Erik rarely allowed her to wander the aboveground portion of the Garnier, and when he did it was in the middle of the night, when the two of them were the only ones in the corridors. Those explorations added some variety, as she had somewhere new to walk around. The many cellars and rooms of Erik's house—their house—suited her most of the time, though.

The house by the lake was her home. Still, sunlight was a treat, and it was so easy to forget what it felt like.

She glanced around cautiously, wanting to stay clear of the people on the streets. They might question her presence there, and Erik might be more reluctant to let her go outside in the future.

The sun was glorious as she stepped out into it, instantly soaking into her body and filling her with warmth. She closed her eyes blissfully and turned her face up to meet it, wanting more…

After a while she tired of standing and sat on one of the crates that seemed to perpetually populate the alley. That placement was infinitely more comfortable, and she found herself relaxing to the point of near-sleep, made drowsy by the sun's warmth. She didn't feel concerned in the least when she felt her mind gradually go blank, too focused on the wonderful feeling.

She'd lost track of time when she heard an amused chuckle behind her. "Enjoying the sun, my dear?"

Yes, I am, she wanted to say. But she was so content, so intent on staying like this forever, that she positively purred at him instead. It rippled up her back and rumbled out of her throat, and she figured Erik would understand.

He leaned down to press a light kiss to the top of her head and let one hand rest on her back. It only increased her sense of perfection in that moment, the fact that he only showed this side around her. "Perhaps we should come up more often, then. For now, let's return inside, shall we?"

Obediently, she got off the crate and immediately stumbled, forced to lean against Erik for support. She blinked, confused at the effect the sun apparently had on her.

Erik chuckled again at the cat propped against his leg, blinking dazedly in the sunlight. "My poor Ayesha. Are you sun-drunk?"

Ayesha could only meow indignantly that yes, she was, and he didn't have to laugh at her for it.

Anachronisms? Whatever could you MEAN? Of course 'sun-drunk' was a commonly-used phrase for cats in the nineteenth century...!

Anyway, cat owners should appreciate this. Inspired by a sun-drunk kitten of my own. :) (Ayesha needs more love in fics, in any case.) Reviews are always welcomed!

Thanks for reading,

~ange