Hey everyone, I am so sorry for the delay. This class is killing me! I will not forget about this story, though, so no worries there…no matter the break between chapters!

Chapter 13: The Bedroom

"And now, the bride and groom will share their first dance."

The air was lighter, the mood more carefree as Éponine accepted Enjolras's outstretched hand, and followed him to the dance floor. Over the past few hours – ever since their realization that they both had feelings for each other – the world felt…easier. Simple. Straightforward.

The beginning of the reception had passed in a frenzy of food, drinks, and photographs. In most circumstances, Enjolras would have been annoyed by the spectacle, by the self-indulgence. With Éponine by his side, though… nothing really seemed that bad. He had always assumed that women were a distraction, but he now felt capable of anything, as if her very presence had inflated his own capabilities.

And now, as he took Éponine in his arms, Enjolras felt everything melt away. They swayed to the music – neither of them were good dancers – as Éponine rested her head on Enjolras's shoulder. As the song ended, she nuzzled her nose into his neck, her breath hot on his skin.

"I'm really happy," she confessed, even though it was obvious; she thought her face may break she was smiling so much.

"I am, too." Enjolras murmured. He had already grappled with what exactly they were; not in love, certainly, but also more than friends. Dating? But they were married. It was all very complicated. "Question for you," he said finally.

"Yes?" Éponine hummed.

"I've been thinking…what exactly are we?"

"Humans," Éponine replied smartly, to which Enjolras rolled his eyes.

"Okay, smart ass."

"You told me earlier that we would figure it out as it came, remember?"

"I remember," Enjolras allowed. "But still…I was just thinking about it, and – "

"Of course you were thinking about it," Éponine teased, and Enjolras laughed, his nose scrunching at the slight insult. Two weeks ago, he may have taken offense to jabs toward his overactive mind. Now, however, the tease was fresh, and warm coming from Éponine's lips.

"Anyway," Enjolras plowed on. "What are we?"

"I don't know," Éponine confessed. "We're married, for one. But really…we just started dating. So…we're just…together. Learning. Figuring each other out." Falling in love, she added in her own mind.

"And what happens if we figure out that we don't like each other as much as we think we do?"

"We'll figure that out, too."

Later that night, after all the dancing and drinking was done, Enjolras and Éponine waved to their friends as they entered a taxi. They were staying the night in a hotel near the Paris Orly airport, as their flight to Dublin for their honeymoon was the next morning. Once the car started moving, Éponine took a deep breath.

"That was fun."

"It was," Enjolras agreed, surprised at how relaxed he felt. As evidenced by his bachelor party, he was not one for too much drinking and debauchery. The night, however, had been a fun one, especially after his parents, Éponine's foster parents, and Sebastian and Henri had left for the evening. Enjolras, Éponine, their friends, Gavroche, and even Azelma had welcomed the opportunity to dance and drink once they had the room to themselves.

The newly married pair settled into a comfortable silence in the backseat of the taxi. Éponine snuggled into Enjolras's side, his hand resting lightly on her thigh as the Paris lights whizzed by their window. The airport was only a twenty minute drive from the Musain, but even so, Éponine felt herself falling asleep.

"Wake up," Enjolras whispered, his hand gently shaking her leg as they pulled into the hotel. He could see the lights of the airport runway in the distance, the blinking signals guiding the way for landings. Éponine stirred, her dress rustling as she stretched. She blinked, lifting herself off the seat to peer out the window.

"We're here already?"

"We are," Enjolras affirmed, reaching to open the door. Their taxi driver was already pulling their bags out of the trunk as Enjolras stepped out of the car, holding a hand to help Éponine – and her dress – onto the sidewalk. Enjolras took their two bags, nodding his thanks to their driver. The pair turned from the car to the hotel, and entered the lobby.

"Hi, one night reservation under Enjolras?"

The concierge nodded as she entered the name into the computer. A few short moments later, she handed over the room keys, and a pass for the airport shuttle for the next morning. Éponine yawned, leaning her head on Enjolras's shoulder. He smiled gently, before guiding her to the elevator, and pressing the button for level four. The ride was short, and it wasn't long before they were standing in front of their door.

Enjolras turned the key and paused, grabbing Éponine's arm before she could enter. She turned to him, her hair slightly askew, her eyes questioning.

"I…um…have to carry you over the threshold." He stuttered, to which she smiled, stretching her arms out to allow him to pick her up. He dropped their luggage, and hurried to gather her in his arms, one hand wrapped around her back, the other on the back of her knees. She leaned over to kiss him on the cheek, smiling as he stepped through the doorway, pausing to click the light on.

"Oh…lord." Éponine said, blinking as her eyes adjusted to the room. There were several stains on the walls, a strange smell in the air, and the carpet appeared to be from the time of the French Revolution.

"Ah." Enjolras said, still gripping Éponine in his arms. "I was going to throw you onto the bed, but I'm not sure it's clean." Instead, he set her gently on the floor. Éponine approached the bed cautiously, leaning down to smell the sheets.

"Detergent." She affirmed, pulling back the comforter to check the sheets. "And no bugs. Check under the bed." Enjolras obliged, dropping to his knees to look, and finding nothing.

"Okay, we can deal with this for the night." Éponine said, as she sat on the bed, her fingers already working to pull the pins from her hair. As loose waves tumbled down her back, Enjolras gulped, his face reddening as he considered that this was their wedding night and holy shit they might have sex.

"Well, it's probably low wages, you know? The help at this hotel probably gets paid close to nothing, so they don't take much care to do a good job. And if there's no wages for the help, then there's definitely no money to fix things like the walls or to replace the carpet. Since it's next to the airport, too, there's probably no guests that stay longer than one night, so who's going to complain about that, right?"

When Auguste Enjolras was nervous, he rambled. Specifically, he rambled about human rights, the one subject he knew back to front. When he felt out of sorts – which he definitely did as he watched Éponine relax on the bed – he needed to fall back on something. Anything.

"You're right," Éponine sighed, seemingly ignorant of his internal torment. In reality, she was just as nervous. She had been acting when she fell asleep in the car earlier; it had been the only way to calm her racing heart.

Enjolras took a seat next to Éponine on the bed, his shaking fingers beginning to loosen his tie. Combeferre had tossed a condom at him as they left the rehearsal, and he had seen Musichetta winking at Éponine. He wanted to have sex with her, of course, but he was nervous as all hell. They had just made things official – wedding notwithstanding – and this was a big step.

"Enjolras?"

"Hmm?"

"What's the matter?"

"Why?"

"You're shaking." Éponine pointed out. Enjolras looked down to see his hands shaking, and his knee bouncing.

"Uh. Well…"

"Is this about the sex thing?" Éponine asked bluntly. Enjolras closed his eyes briefly, before turning to Éponine.

"Yes."

"If you're that nervous, we don't have to." Éponine said shortly. Enjolras furrowed his eyebrows in confusion.

"No, I mean I want to, I'm just – "

"I know. I'm sorry. I'm nervous too." She apologized.

"You are?"

"Yes."

"Okay," Enjolras let out a large breath, his anxiety lifting slightly. If Éponine was nervous too…well, at least it wasn't just him.

"I mean, I haven't…you know…done this in…awhile." Éponine said lamely, refusing to meet his eyes as her fingers picked at the quilt on the bed. Her last remotely sexual experience – before the heated movie nights with Enjolras – had been two Christmases ago, with a man she had met through Musichetta.

"I haven't either." Enjolras affirmed. It had been nearly two years since he had last been somewhat serious with someone. He wasn't one to spend much time out at the bars, so the opportunities for one night stands had been sparse. Not that he had ever really been interested in them anyway.

"I feel like we're overthinking this." Éponine admitted. Enjolras nodded.

"I don't think it's a secret that I'm attracted to you," he said, surprised at how easily the words fell from his mouth. "Before our…falling out we were…well, you know."

"I know," Éponine smiled, hesitantly reaching over to rest her hand on Enjolras's thigh. He looked down at her hand, and then back to her face, throwing caution to the wind as he surged forward to attach his lips to hers.

It was a frenzy of lips, hot breath, and tongues fighting for control as the pair fell onto the bed, Enjolras's weight on Éponine. After several moments, Éponine pushed on his shoulders, and he pulled back, worry creasing his brow.

"What's wrong?"

"I can't feel you," Éponine said, glancing down at her dress, with its multiple layers of fabric. Enjolras blushed slightly, pushing himself off the bed to rest on his knees, still straddling Éponine's hips. He took her hands, pulling her to a sitting position, his fingers moving to her back. After several seconds of struggling, he sighed, moving forward to rest his chin on Éponine's shoulder, his eyes searching down her back for the start of the ribbon holding the bodice together.

Éponine, taking full advantage of Enjolras's position, began to nibble at his neck, the first couple bites eliciting soft groans from his throat. The fumbling of his fingers at her back became more frenzied, and Éponine chuckled as she blew cool breath over trails her tongue had left on his skin.

"Is that necessary?" Enjolras growled, his knees tight around her hips as he finally found the end of the ribbon. He pulled it free, the bodice of the dress loosening as he straightened, sitting back on his heels as he considered his wife.

"Very necessary," she said smartly, before pushing him off of her lap and standing. A wiggle of her hips, and her dress fell to the floor. Enjolras let his eyes roam her body, feeling the pool of lust in his pelvis. She was wearing simple undergarments – a white lacy thong and matching bra – but on her…

"You're beautiful." Enjolras said firmly, causing a blush to spread across Éponine's cheeks. She self-consciously looked down, stepping out of her dress to stand in front of him. He raised a finger to her chin, tilting it up until they were eye to eye. "I mean it."

"Thank you," Éponine said, her hands raising to rest on Enjolras's belt buckle. She undid it slowly, her gaze still trained on his face as she unbuttoned and unzipped his pants. She pushed them down his hips, and Enjolras quickly removed his shoes, kicking them off to the side, along with his trousers. He was aware of his already growing erection as Éponine began to unbutton his shirt. When Éponine reached the bottom button, Enjolras shrugged the shirt off his shoulders, allowing it to fall to the floor behind him.

Éponine threaded her arms around his neck, pushing herself onto her tiptoes to reach his lips. She pecked them, a smile spreading as she felt his skin meet hers, the feeling of his desire pushing against her own. With his hands on her hips, Enjolras spun Éponine toward the bed, pushing her gently back onto it, before climbing on top of her. Resting on his elbows, he looked down, brushing his nose against hers.

"You're sure about this, right?"

"I'm very sure," Éponine affirmed, her hands gripping his shoulders. He nodded in understanding, before leaning down again to press his lips to hers. It started slow, and gentle. Enjolras reached under Éponine to unclasp her bra, surprising them both when he got it on the first try.

"Good job," she praised, and he shrugged modestly as he dropped the garment on the floor.

"That was just luck," he promised, smiling as he kissed her lips, before moving to her neck, her chest, and finally to her breasts. He was gentle, and restrained as he experimentally swirled his tongue around one nipple, raising his eyes to gauge her reaction. Her eyes were closed, and her mouth slightly open as her breaths came more quickly, which Enjolras took as a good sign.

Cautiously, he skimmed his nose past her breasts, down to her navel, his breath hot on her skin, his fingers hesitantly hooking around her thong. He felt her breath hitch as he tugged, her hips pushing off the bed to allow him to pull the garment down her legs. He cleared his throat, heat flooding to his cheeks as his eyes met her… down there, Jesus Christ Enjolras for the love of God if you can put your face near it you can certainly say vagina.

"Uh…" he stuttered, trailing off. Éponine pushed herself on her elbows, her cheeks flushed as she regarded Enjolras. "How do you…"

"Circles. Just circles. With your tongue. Please."

Enjolras felt his erection twitch as the word 'please' fell from Éponine's mouth; was she begging him? Ego stroked, Enjolras moved forward, positioning himself between her thighs, his tongue protruding slightly from his mouth, hesitantly flicking her clit.

"Higher."

Okay, so not her clit. Enjolras obediently readjusted, a satisfied feeling enveloping him as he felt Éponine's thighs twitch around him; he had clearly found the right spot. He moved his tongue in circles, slow at first, relishing the sound of her quiet moans. A glance upward, and Enjolras could tell that she was gripping the sheets, twisting them in her hands, which he took as a very good sign.

A second later, he increased his tempo, still working his tongue in circles. Éponine's moans became louder, more breathy, as if she was having trouble drawing air from the small hotel room. Enjolras reached up, grasping both her hips in his hands, trying to get – if possible – closer to her. She blindly reached forward, tangling a hand in his hair, her pelvis grinding into his face.

"Ah, shit, fuck, shit…" Éponine swore, her body convulsing as orgasm hit, the wave of cold sweat breaking over her body, her heartbeat stuttering, her toes curling, her fingers twisting painfully in Enjolras's hair. After several seconds, she fell back onto the pillows, her breathing still labored, her hands relaxing their grip on the sheets and her husband's hair.

From his position – still between in legs – Enjolras grinned. A sense of self-pride washed over him as he dragged himself up Éponine's body, his eyes crinkled in a smile as he regarded her. She looked flushed, and content as he lazily pecked her lips, before collapsing his body onto hers.

"That was…amazing." Éponine said with conviction, noting the tremor in her legs, the last aftershocks of her orgasm. "You…wow."

"Hmm." Enjolras hummed in acknowledgement. Éponine pushed gently against Enjolras's shoulders, rolling him onto his side and facing him. She glanced down at his erection, pushing against his boxers, suddenly conscious of her own nakedness. She hooked a finger around the waistband of his boxers, tugging them toward his feet. Enjolras got the hint, lifting his hips, and wiggling out of the garment, before tossing it to the floor, and laying down to face Éponine again.

She gently wrapped her hand around Enjolras's shaft, the first feeling of her skin on his eliciting a small gasp from his lips. He rested a hand on her hips, his lips parted as she began to work a steady rhythm, pumping him from base to tip. She could soon feel precum – he had already been aroused – and took it as evidence that he was ready.

"Do you have a condom?" Éponine asked quietly, hooking a leg around his hips and gently rubbing his tip against her folds, the action causing his whole body to twitch in anticipation.

"Yes," Enjolras said breathlessly, reaching forward to peck her lips, before rolling sideways off the bed to retrieve his pants. He rummaged through one pocket, producing the square package, which he ripped open hurriedly with his teeth, before rolling the condom down his length. He approached the bed slowly, sinking back down onto the mattress, resuming his former position.

"Do you want me to – "

"I can get on top – "

Both Éponine and Enjolras giggled, the tension lifted slightly as Éponine shrugged her shoulders, pushing Enjolras down on his back. She swung one leg over his hips, her entrance poised over him. She leaned forward, one hand resting on his shoulder, the other wrapped around his shaft as she guided him into her, slowly, testing his size, feeling herself stretch to accommodate him. Once he was fully inside, she stopped to take a breath.

"Are you okay?" he asked, trying to sound concerned, even though all of his focus was on how totally enveloped he felt.

"I'm fine, I'm just taking it slow," Éponine said quietly. This feeling – the fullness – was somewhat foreign, and she needed to get used to it.

"Take your time," Enjolras said quietly, though he knew it wouldn't be long before he was finished. In his defense, it had really been a long time.

"Okay," Éponine breathed, pushing herself up again, waiting until she reached the tip, before lowering herself again. A couple seconds later, she increased the tempo, finding her rhythm, a smile overtaking her face as she leaned up to press her lips to his.

His arms wrapped around her back, his hands following her motions as their tongues tangled together. Enjolras could feel himself getting close; his breaths coming quicker, his heart pounding as she rode him, his hands unconsciously pulling her harder onto his hips, until finally it was too much, and he felt himself lose control, the orgasm hitting him hard, washing over him as he emptied himself into the condom. The speed of Éponine's motions slowed down until she stopped, Enjolras's twitching member still inside her, her hair falling over his face as a smile spread across her lips.

"That was…" she trailed off, unable to find the right word.

"Too short?" Enjolras remarked, and Éponine slapped him playfully on the arm.

"No," she said, lifting her hips to allow him to fall from her. She hovered over his body, leaning forward to kiss his lips, his cheeks, his eyelids, and the tip of his nose. "It was perfect. Perfect first night with my husband."

Enjolras grinned, in spite of himself, stretching to peck her lips again. Éponine rolled to one side of the bed, walking toward the bathroom. Enjolras stepped off the bed as well, leaning down to slide the condom off, careful not to spill on the floor.

"And hey," Éponine said, leaning out of the bathroom, a mischievous look in her eyes. "We've got plenty of time to practice."

phew! That was a long chapter! Hope you guys enjoyed; I tried to make it as realistic as possible for a first sexual encounter…these things are never fluid, and almost ALWAYS awkward, so I tried to portray that. Next chapter is the honeymoon in Ireland! Let me know what you guys thought of this one! xoxo Brittany