Work Text:
Beatrice followed Jeanine to the elevator. Although it would be midnight soon, Jeanine insisted that she didn't mind getting salve for Beatrice's cut.
They went up to the 6th floor and walked to Control-A. Beatrice recognized the room from when she went on the tour earlier that day.
"You had a long day," Jeanine said as she went to a drawer.
Beatrice gave a small nod in agreement.
"I still remember my Choosing Ceremony," Jeanine said as she pulled out a few folders.
"What was it like?" Beatrice asked.
"That's a story for another time, perhaps. Ah, here it is," Jeanine said as she picked up a small, flat, circular container. She sanitized her hands before dipping her fingers into the ointment. "Take it off."
Beatrice blushed. She knew what Jeanine was referring to, but it sounded like Jeanine wanted her to take off her clothes. What surprised Beatrice was the fact that she felt perfectly willing to undress for Jeanine if that was what the woman wanted her to do.
But Beatrice didn't want to think about that or what it might mean. She pulled off the bandage, wincing a bit from the pain but remaining silent.
Jeanine found this reaction interesting.
"You have a Dauntless-like reaction to pain," Jeanine commented as she pressed her salve-coated fingers firmly against the cut, rubbing it in until it started to burn.
It hurt, but it was easy for Beatrice to focus on the pleasure instead — if pleasure was the word for it. She definitely felt some kind of satisfaction from Jeanine's touch, and that satisfaction greatly outweighed the pain.
"It's deep," Jeanine observed. "Most people don't cut this deep. Usually, it's scarcely deeper than a paper cut."
"Oh..." Beatrice murmured, not knowing what else to say. While Jeanine was focusing on the cut, it was easy for Beatrice to focus on Jeanine's face and the way her golden hair fell on either side, framing it perfectly.
"Tell me," Jeanine said, her fingers rubbing a little lighter against the cut, "what did you get on your aptitude test?"
Beatrice swallowed and looked away. The test was inconclusive because she was Divergent. She wanted to tell Jeanine, she wanted to understand what it meant. Certainly, Jeanine - the person who created the aptitude test - would have the best insight into what Divergence was.
But Beatrice remembered that the test proctor specifically told her not to tell anyone about being Divergent. Not even her family. It was dangerous. It could ruin her life forever.
"Abnegation was my result," Beatrice answered.
"Mm," Jeanine said, running lazy circles against the cut on Beatrice's palm. "Did you know that your result was handwritten?" Beatrice didn't know how to respond, so she remained silent. "Do you know how unusual that is?" Beatrice resisted the urge to shake her head. "That only happened to one other person, and he was also from Abnegation. Don't you find that odd?"
"I think..." Beatrice frowned. She didn't mean to say anything.
"Go on," Jeanine encouraged. The way she was rubbing into Beatrice's hand made it very difficult for Beatrice to keep her guard up.
"I think it occurred too infrequently to draw any conclusions," Beatrice said.
"Interesting." Jeanine stopped rubbing Beatrice. "Spoken like an Erudite."
"That's good, isn't it? Since I'm an Erudite now," Beatrice said.
"Not yet," Jeanine said, pressing her fingers hard into the cut until Beatrice gasped out in pain. Beatrice didn't yank her hand away, but her hand had twitched a little. The gasp and the twitch were enough to satisfy Jeanine. Letting go of Beatrice's hand, Jeanine added, "For now, you're just an initiate."
"Right..." Beatrice said, watching as Jeanine retrieved a new bandage.
"I wonder..." Jeanine trailed off. She looked expectantly at Beatrice's hand until Beatrice held it out again. "Why did you choose Erudite?"
"Because..." Beatrice thought about the Choosing Ceremony. Right before the ceremony started, Beatrice met Jeanine Matthews in person for the first time. She wasn't sure what drew her to the older woman, but something did. All Beatrice knew was that she wanted to see Jeanine again, and that wouldn't happen unless she was at Erudite.
"Because of you," Beatrice said because it was the truth and she was too tired to think of a lie.
Jeanine lifted her eyebrows. "Because of me?"
"Yes," Beatrice said.
"How so?" Jeanine asked as she carefully put the bandage on Beatrice's cut.
"You told me that my decision should be guided by the test, not dictated by it; that I was free to choose any faction I wanted, so I did," Beatrice said.
Jeanine wanted to dig deeper. She sensed that there was more to know, but she saw the clock on her computer monitor. It was midnight, and the initiate had a lecture to attend in the morning, and Jeanine had to give that lecture.
"There," Jeanine said. "It shouldn't bother you again. Do you need me to escort you to your dorm? Or can I trust you to find your own way back?"
Beatrice wanted to spend a little more time alone with Jeanine, but she also wanted to seem like a capable adult in the women's eyes.
"I'll be fine. Thank you for the offer. And thank you for this," Beatrice said, lifting up her bandaged hand.
"You're welcome," Jeanine said as she cleaned the rest of the salve from her hand. "Good night, Ms. Prior."
"Good night, Ms. Matthews."