"Tris? Are you alright?" Jeanine threw her jacket onto the end of the bed, sighing softly as she rolled out her shoulders with a pop. It had been another depressingly long day of trying to convince the council of her plans and being met with the blank stares of idiots. She stepped up behind Tris, who was looking at herself critically in the mirror.
The girl had always been fascinated by her own reflection, ever since leaving Abnegation, but usually her expression was one of open curiosity. This… was different. She looked dissatisfied, and Jeanine couldn't have that. "What is it, honey?" she asked gently, wrapping her arms around the girl's waist and kissing behind her ear.
Now it was Tris' turn to sigh, as she leaned back into Jeanine's embrace. "It's nothing," she mumbled unconvincingly, shoulders dropping as she realised the woman wrapped around her was far too intelligent to accept anything but the truth. "I want to try something," she admitted hesitantly. Jeanine nodded, waiting for her to speak again. "You always look so beautiful," Tris blurted out suddenly. "I want to look like that. I want to fit in when I work with you." She chewed her lip nervously, an anxious blush colouring her cheeks.
Jeanine tightened her arms unconsciously, dropping fluttering kisses along the girl's neck. "You look perfect," she murmured, voice warm. Tris frowned, a tiny furrow forming between her eyebrows, and Jeanine added, "But, if you want to try it, of course you can. Come on." She took Tris' hand, leading her away from the tall mirror and sitting her down on the bed. Going over to the dresser, she retrieved her makeup bag and went to sit beside Tris, offering her a reassuring smile.
Tris smiled back, blush fading though she was still uncertain. It felt ridiculous to need this, just to feel less out of place. But Jeanine didn't seem to think she was being silly, so she sat very still, waiting for her to begin.
Deciding to keep things simple this time, Jeanine gently applied a layer of foundation, smoothing it along the natural planes of Tris' face. Dotting the tip of her nose almost playfully, she moved on to apply a hint of blush, highlighting the girl's cheekbones. She smiled. The anxiety in Tris' eyes was endearing, though she would rather it was not there. She was quick about applying the eye makeup, then set about finding the perfect lipstick. The most important element, in her opinion. "You have beautiful lips," she explained, "I want to find the right colour to complement them." Tris grinned at the comment, relaxing a little.
Finally settling on a soft, warm rose, she eased the lipstick over Tris' slightly open mouth, resisting the urge to kiss her. That could wait until she had at least seen the finished effect. Sitting back, Jeanine surveyed her work with a critical eye, smiling fondly. Nodding in approval, she found a hand mirror and passed it to Tris, waiting with fluttering nerves for her opinion.
Tris gasped softly at the face looking back at her. The combined effect of the makeup, her tidied up haircut, and the delicate blue necklace Jeanine had given her made her look... like an Erudite. She smiled, turning to Jeanine. "What do you think?" she asked quietly.
Jeanine took her hand. "I think," she replied seriously, "that we have to go out for dinner tonight. I want to show you off." Her eyes twinkled, giving Tris a second's warning before she was on her back, mumbling half-hearted protests about her lipstick through a kiss so deep it touched her heart.