Part 23

Beyoncé and Ryan had fallen asleep watching films and Ryan woke up to the dvd player graphic bouncing around the screen. She looked over to see Beyoncé fast asleep peacefully beneath their shared blanket. It was a beautiful sight, her chest rising and falling, lips barely parted and her eyelids shut, that thin layer of skin just loosely covering her eyes.

How did someone look so beautiful just breathing in and out? Ryan honestly could've watched her sleep forever.

But, she was hungry. She thought about waking Beyoncé up. She knew she was fast asleep, she could hear her breathing. It wasn't quite snoring but it wasn't not snoring. Breathing heavily enough to wake a small animal. She'd had a long day with everything that had happened though. She deserved to sleep.

Besides, Ryan really didn't want to wake her. She hated waking people up. She probably watched too many horror films but people were unpredictable first thing in the morning. That was when the veil between the two worlds was at its thinnest.

Still, she couldn't help herself from leaning over to plant a small kiss on Beyoncé's cheek, and if she wasn't mistaken Beyoncé smiled back in response.

Ryan descended the steps into the kitchen to look around and find something she wanted to eat. There were several snacks but she was actually really hungry. She wanted a full meal instead of just a bag of chips. She looked at the time and saw it was 3:11AM. Would cooking at this time in someone else's house be insane? Maybe but she decided to do it anyway.

If Beyoncé got mad at her she'd just go home early or something. Bey could buy her another ticket. Or the airport could change the one she had. Whatever.

She looked around the giant kitchen for something she wanted to eat. It was such a beautiful kitchen, cooking in here would probably make her actually enjoy cooking. Much better than cooking in her student accommodation. Brooke was the only one who liked to cook in there. But Brooke just liked to cook in general.

Ryan couldn't figure out whether this was breakfast or dinner time but she didn't want cereal and she wasn't about to cook something too heavy. She spotted waffle mix and decided on breakfast. There were sausages and eggs in the fridge as well.

When she was finally done with most of the frying, she was still waiting for the waffles to finish, and decided to take a quick look around the house. She peeked into all the rooms that Beyoncé hadn't shown her yet. Several were just bathrooms and some of the rooms were empty with just a bed and a dresser or something simple like that. Then she found a room that had to be Brookes.

It was painted in all pastel colours and she had a set of framed photographs up on the walls. It was a cute room, very much suited to the girl she knew Brooklyn to be. Ryan was about to close the door so as to not invade her privacy too much, but then she spotted a familiar image.

It was the four of them — Brooke, Justine, Zendaya and herself. It was the selfie from the day they'd all moved in and she smiled, remembering taking that picture. She'd been so nervous meeting them, knowing she was about to be living with these girls.

The wall didn't have that many pictures but Ryan had somehow made the cut. She'd seen heaps of images scattered all over the house. There were so many pictures of Brooke as a baby, as a child, as a teenager, and even now. There was no stepping into this house and forgetting that Beyoncé had a child.

Ryans family home was different. There were pictures of her and her sister, of course. But they were all school pictures or pictures from their graduations. None of these pictures at the beach or on vacation. They didn't have that same energy that Brookes house had.

Ryan looked up and she saw a harp over in the corner and raised her brows. She knew that Brooke was musical. She played violin and piano but a harp? Damn, she thought to herself. Why hadn't Brooke ever mentioned that? Then again, Ryan had never even heard her play. She just knew that she was on the school band. Though if she thought about it, did the band even have a violin or a piano? Either Ryan didn't pay attention or Brooke played more instruments than she realised.

Finally, when she felt like she'd snooped enough, she went downstairs to eat, dishing up two plates just in case and sitting at the table on her phone. Justine's last story was from 10 minutes ago and she was pretty sure that was Brooklyn in the background throwing back what looked like water.

Ryan couldn't help but laugh. Those two were so perfectly matched. Ryan was always happy to go out with them both. Brooke was but responsible enough to go home when it was time and Justine was always dragging people out, never content to spend a Friday night inside.

As Ryan ate her early breakfast, Beyoncé came up behind her resting her palms on the dark haired girls shoulders.

Ryan jumped almost flying out of her skin and locking her phone as if it was the feds. Beyoncé had been so silent coming downstairs, Ryan had no idea that she was even there.

"Sorry," Beyoncé tucked her lip behind her teeth. "Didn't mean to scare you honey," her voice dropped to a low whisper.

Ryan caught her breath, "it's okay I— sorry did I wake you up?"

Shaking her head, Beyoncé sidled into the chair beside her. She'd woken up restless, as if something was wrong or missing. It probably had something to do with her sleeping on a sofa.

"You cooked?" Beyoncé raised both brows wondering what time it was. Ryan had the dimmer lights on the lowest setting possible, not trying to get a headache this early in the morning, and there was no light coming in from behind the curtains.

Ryan nodded, finishing up chewing the food in her mouth before she spoke. "I got hungry. I made you some too, it's probably still hot."

"Thank you honey," Beyoncé got up and got her plate. "I didn't know you could cook?" She said it as a question.

"Barely," Ryan rolled her eyes. "I can survive but I hate cooking."

"You and me both," Beyoncé laughed trying not to think about it.

"Your kitchen is great though, you basically have everything."

"Yeah, I like to make things as easy for me as possible if I have to do it."

"That's why you're always ordering or going out," Ryan raised a brow.

"Yep," Beyoncé shrugged. She loved a home cooked meal but she couldn't cook that well so it really wasn't worth it. She wished that she could cook like her mom. Growing up, that was the one thing her mom did for her. She might've been useless in every other way but Beyoncé could always count on some really good food when she was around. She missed that.

The two ate in silence for a while, both shrouded in the blanket of darkness around them. There was an ease in the silence, a softness in the darkness. There were no expectations. Just food and each other.

Beyoncé got up to get them both drinks and when she sat back down she couldn't stop just watching Ryan eat. Her lips closed around the fork in what felt like slow motion, then it slid out no longer covered in food, clean with only remnants of her saliva on it. Then she was chewing and Beyoncé couldn't look away. How did she manage to make masticating look so sexy?

And Ryan just continued eating, completely oblivious to the effect she had on the older woman. Beyoncé swallowed, trying to ignore the feeling. But she wouldn't be able to hold out for much longer. She needed Ryan in a way that scrambled all of her thoughts and warped her logic. Primal, she breathed.

"What'd you wanna do later honey?" Beyoncé asked, forcing herself to look away from the other woman and focus on eating the food on her own plate.

Ryan shrugged, she really didn't mind whatever.

"Ryan pick something," Beyoncé said. Usually she would've chosen for them but apparently all she could think about was how the younger girl would taste with her morning coffee. Ryan's plump lips around that fork made Beyoncé want things she hadn't even known she wanted. Things she knew would be so sexy on Ryan.

"Um," Ryan paused wondering if they should be worried about Brooke's dad. What if he saw them out together? He could recognise her or something. "Are you not worried about your ex?"

Beyoncé shook her head, "he's probably out of the country by now. He never stays in the same place for too long. Besides he has no real reason to be here other than to annoy me."

"Oh"

"Yeah come on baby, we're going out."

They ended up going to the aquarium after getting ready. It was "almost like a boat," Ryan argued when she picked it. That caused Beyoncé to laugh because it was nothing like a boat and she knew Ryan just wanted to be somewhere on the ground where she felt safe.

"You know I'd take care of you honey?" Beyoncé stood behind her now, watching a fever of stingrays go by as she swiped some hair from Ryan's neck.

"I..." Ryan hesitated as Beyoncé's lips met her neck. "We can go on a boat, just don't tell me that's what we're doing until we're already there."

A slow smile spread across Beyoncé's face, holding the smaller girl tighter around her waist. "What if I blindfold and tie you up in the middle of the night so you just wake up on a boat?"

Ryan turned her face and raised a brow. Beyoncé tucked her lips in, dimples popping as she realised what she'd said. "I guess you'd probably like that huh? My little masochist," Beyoncé whispered in her ear, still holding Ryan around her midsection.

"You know I've never..." Beyoncé trailed off seeing a group of kids nearby. It was probably a family with a lot of cousins. They all looked quite different.

Ryan was smiling now in a way she couldn't hide. "Huh?"

"I'll tell you later, honey. Is it bad that I want seafood now?"

"No! I was thinking the same thing," Ryan admitted looking around at all the fish.

They continued walking around, both looking at the tanks and talking about food. Somehow they started talking about the holidays and Beyoncé started telling her a little about their traditions.

"Brooke always gets me to bake a  pumpkin pie at least twice a year. I don't even think she likes them much, she's just used to it. Every Thanksgiving even when we have the whole meal catered, she had me in the kitchen because apparently 'mom makes them the best', ugh kids..." she sighed.

Ryan loved seeing that little twinkle in her eye when she talked about her kid, even if it did make her feel a little strange about Brooke. "That actually explains a lot. She always gets this one pumpkin candle that smells exactly like fall. I swear she'd burn it all day long if not for the fact we aren't even supposed to have candles."

"She always loved candles," Beyoncé smiled. Maybe they could talk about Brooklyn without it being weird.

"What's your secret recipe?" Ryan asked.

"Not mine, it was my mom's. One of the only things I ever picked up on when she cooked." Beyoncé smiled wistfully, reminiscing about her mom. "She was an amazing cook. Probably still is. I'll make it for you some day."

"One day soon," Ryan hoped and the blonde one nodded in agreement. She could see Ryan fitting in easily. Maybe she should invite her to their Thanksgiving this year. Probably not but maybe...

Beyoncé spun her so they were facing. A tingle ran through her spine as she pulled her close planting a kiss softly on her lips. God, Ryan was so perfect.

"Ewwwww they're kissing," a small child entered and began pointing at the two. They pulled apart after a moment, laughing as they leaned in again. If Beyoncé wanted to stick her tongue down Ryan's throat then she would.

It was one weekend with Ryan. She was going to make the most of it. The kids disappeared to the next exhibit, being scolded by their guardians, and Beyoncé and Ryan were back to looking at the fish. "Do you even like fish?" Beyoncé asked.

"Yeah I used to have goldfish, I literally cried when they died."

"How old were you?"

Ryan narrowed her eyes thinking, "16 when the last one died. I had him since I was like 5," she explained.

"Aw I'm sorry baby," Beyoncé felt bad now. She definitely thought it was one of those pets won at the fair and then accidentally flushed down the toilet.

"It's okay, he's in a better place now."

"Yep fish heaven with all the sushi I've eaten over the years."

"Bey!"

"What? It's true."

"No it's not."

"You don't think all fish go to heaven?"

"Nope, just Goldy and Goldilocks."

"That's what you named your goldfish?"

"Shut up, I was five."

"All my pets had real names when I was five," she raised that signature eyebrow and Ryan could almost imagine a five year old Beyoncé doing that exact same thing... back in the eighties...

"Uh huh, what'd you call them?"

"Well first we had 2 dogs, Bee and Beyonté. Then they had babies and I named them all but they weren't with us for long so I don't really remember all of their names. We got two more dogs, and I called them Beyvon and Beyanna. They also had babies and we kept one, I named him B.B. There were more dogs in and out of the house but I don't think I got to name them all, my dad had named them all alright. Oh and we had a bird, that I called Bey-Bird and before you say anything Baird is an actual name," the eyebrow stayed raised as if she was trying to prove a point and Ryan just burst out laughing because that was insane.

"Stop laughing... okay fine it's kind of funny."

"You had so many pets, I guess you've been rich your whole life then?" Ryan asked.

Beyoncé chuckled, "the opposite actually. My dad was trying to breed them I think. I don't remember that much but it was so bad how we kept them, I just remember they all had these tiny cages we'd put them in at night. It was disgusting in the morning, there'd be piss and shit all over them," Beyoncé almost gagged at the memory. "Then I think animal control came and took most of them. It was only Bey Bird and B.B left. We had the bird for like a year before my mama said he flew away."

Ryan gawked at her and Beyoncé just shrugged. That was so many years ago now, she barely even thought about it.

"Wait back to the point, your pet names were way dumber than mine."

Beyoncé gasped, "what do you mean? They were so creative!"

"Bey bey bey, everything's about Bey."

"Well, I don't know if you've noticed but I'm kind of amazing."

"Mhm," Ryan laughed. "Beyonté is the only good one honestly."

"Ghetto...."

"You named him." They went back and forth about who had the better pet names before Beyoncé found herself pressing Ryan up against a wall.

As much as she was enjoying that conversation, she wasn't winning the argument and so she leaned into Ryan with her whole body just to distract her. Ryan felt her whole headspace fill with Beyoncé. She couldn't smell anything but the perfume she wore. So strong she could almost taste it, taste her, so smooth and delicate in her mouth. Even the saltwater smell seemed to fade as she breathed Beyoncé in.

"You ready to go?" Beyoncé asked, biting the inside of her lip as she looked at Ryan.

Ryan took a minute for her brain to catch up "uh... y- yeah," she said as Beyoncé took her hand.

"Oh wait. What do you want from the gift shop?"

Ryan managed to convince her that she didn't need anything from and they went back to Beyoncé's place to chill before dinner. Beyoncé had plans to take her to her favourite restaurant. When they got in, she turned on the tv and Ryan climbed into her lap, wrapping her arms around Beyoncé's neck

"What were you going to say earlier by the way?" Ryan asked.

Beyoncé racked her mind trying to remember what she was talking about. "Oh," she smirked, letting her eyes drift to Ryan.

"What?"

"I've just... I've never been with someone like you. Sexually I mean, I didn't even know I could do all that stuff and it would be so good."

Ryan raised a brow. She'd always been a little bit submissive in the bedroom but she definitely let her guard down even more so with Beyoncé. "What like the handcuffs and toys?"

"All of it," Beyoncé breathed. "If I'd told anyone I wanted to spank them before they'd probably have called me a deviant or something. I've never really done any of this before..."

Ryan frowned. Beyoncé seemed so comfortable with it. And she was definitely not the first person to spank her. She was the second. But she was the first person to make her feel like that when she did it. "What about like choking?" She asked. That one was so normal.

Beyoncé shrugged, "that type of stuff has never really been a thing for me, at least not in the way it is with you."

"What do you mean?"

"My ex husband wanted to try all those things like that a couple years ago. I said I'd let him do it to me if he let me do it to him... turns out neither of us really wanted to give up the power," she shrugged. But that was around 15 years into their marriage. The rest of the sex had been pretty regular. Good but nothing quite so adventurous.

Ryan scrunched up her face. She did not want to think of Beyoncé having sex with that man. She remembered him from the dinner — he was not the most attractive guy.

But she nibbled her lip in thought, imagining Beyoncé being submissive. She couldn't picture it. Her personality was so dominating. Beyoncé being submissive felt like something out of a fever dream — a very very wet fever dream. Ryan didn't know if she could do it but she loved the idea of Beyoncé as the one with her legs in the air.

"What are you thinking honey?" Beyoncé stroked the pad of her thumb over Ryan's skin.

"You don't wanna know."

"Oh I extra want to know now."

"Sounds like a you problem"

Beyoncé rolled her eyes. "Mmm," she hummed. It always turned her on when Ryan acted like that. She hated it but at the same time, all she wanted was to flip Ryan over and put her tongue inside of her. "We'll see about that."

———————-[A/N]

Cute lil chapter. Thoughts? Brookes room, the aquarium date, their childhood pets, Beyoncés parents, her past sexual experiences.

Next chapter is probably gonna be a sex chapter, I feel like it's been a while