Chapter Text
Holtzmann hasn't moved in two minutes, mouth still hanging open. Erin's shifting awkwardly on her feet, feeling everyone's eyes on her.
"Hi." She repeats, this time tearing her gaze away from the blonde to look at everyone else. "I'm Erin. I'm Jillian's-" She stops, not sure what to say.
"Girlfriend," Holtzmann says then, snapping out of her thoughts and pushing herself up from her chair. She walks over towards the redhead and slips an arm around her waist. "She's my girlfriend." Erin notices how the blonde looks at one woman in particular when she speaks, so she figures that must be the engineer's aunt. She also feels how the blonde's grip around her waist tightens when the woman looks at them, a scowl on her face.
Erin feels how everyone's still staring at her, and she wonders if she's made the right decision by coming here. "Sorry to just barge in." She starts, "I uh- Jillian sort of invited me, but I don't mean to intrude." The redhead looks over at Holtzmann then, directing her last words towards the blonde. "I can totally leave."
"Nooooo." Holtzmann says, staring at her as if she's crazy. "Told you I saved you a plate, didn't I?" She winks then, and Erin can feel her cheeks heating up.
Holtzmann's mother walks towards her then, smiling softly at her. "Shall I take your coat then?"
Erin looks at the blonde one last time, noticing the hopeful smile on her face. Fuck it, she thinks. "Yes, please. Thank you, Mrs. Holtzmann."
The woman helps her out of her coat, smiling when she notices her outfit.
"Your dress is stunning, dear."
"Thank you." Erin replies, smiling softly at the older woman. "I was told to wear one."
The other woman is chuckling now, and Erin can actually hear how Holtzmann groans next to her. She frowns, not knowing what she said wrong. Then, Mrs. Holtzmann is glaring at her daughter. "Jill." She says, "Tell me, how exactly did your girlfriend know to wear a dress? I thought you 'didn't get the memo'?"
Holtzmann actually pouts. "I don't like dresses, mom." She whines, causing the older woman to laugh even harder. Mrs. Holtzmann walks away then, leaving the two of them standing awkwardly next to each other.
"Well, sit." The woman says, already slipping back into her own seat at the far end of the table. Holtzmann looks at Erin, smiling reassuringly before pulling back her chair.
"Thank you." The physicist says as she slips into her seat. Apparently, the blonde hadn't been joking, there was an actual plate of warm and delicious looking food in front of her. She stares at it, clearly surprised, before looking over to make eye contact with the blonde. She winks, leaning in closer to Erin. "Told ya."
Erin smiles at her. "Thanks, Jillian."
The blonde actually winces. "God, you sound like my mom. Holtzmann is fine, seriously, or Holtz."
Erin laughs. "It's not going to be weird in front of your family?"
"Oh, it is. That's what makes it fun." Then she smiles at her, almost wickedly, reaching over to grab her beer. "You could always call me babe, if you really wanna freak them out."
The redhead laughs once more, well aware that some members of Holtzmann's family members are glaring at her by now. "Maybe later." She says, throwing in a wink of her own. The blonde almost chokes on her beer.
"Thank you so much." Erin says, talking to Mr. Holtzmann now. "I'm awfully sorry for joining like this, I thought that Holtzmann had informed you that I would be coming as well."
The man looks at her, clearly confused at the use of his daughter's last name. "No." He starts, then clears his throat before continuing. "She didn't." He looks away then, and Erin feels how the smile fades from her face.
"Hey." Holtzmann says, nudging her with her elbow. "You should know that's more than he's said all night. Really, you should feel honored. All I got was a hello."
Erin smiles, relieved to hear it's not her fault. "So Erin." Someone speaks then, and she turns around to look at the person next to her.
"Uncle." Holtzmann whispers into her ear, because she's pretty sure Erin should probably know this if they were actually dating.
"What do you do?" The man says, still chewing on his food as he speaks.
Erin almost grimaces, but then Holtzmann is pushing a beer into her hand, as if she knows she needs it. She accepts it, maintaining eye contact with the blonde's uncle when she does. "I'm a professor of particle physics at Columbia."
Slowly, he nods, reaching over for his glass of beer and taking a big gulp. The frown on his face tells her he doesn't have a clue what she's talking about.
"I make things go boom, she helps to figure out why they go boom so it doesn't happen the next time." Holtzmann explains, smiling fondly at the woman next to her.
"Right, yes." Erin says, somehow finding Holtzmann's explanation utterly adorable.
"Okay." The man says, then standing up to get another beer. Finally, Erin's able to take a bite of her food. She closes her eyes as soon as she tastes the delicious meal. "Mrs. Holtzmann," She says after she swallows her first bite, "This is truly amazing."
"Thank you so much, dear." She says, returning Erin's smile. Then, she looks at Holtzmann. "I like this one."
The blonde laughs, then shifts her gaze to Erin. "Me too."
The physicist is happy she's doesn't have any food in her mouth, because she's pretty sure she would have choked on it. She shifts awkwardly in her seat, suddenly aware of how close the blonde is sitting. Holtzmann seems to understand, and stands up from her chair. "I'm gonna get another beer. I'll be right back."
Erin smiles, relieved to get a bit of a break. Which, apparently, doesn't last very long, because a woman slips into Holtzmann's empty seat.
"So, you are a gay as well?" Holtzmann's aunt says, and Erin looks around her to see if anyone else is hearing this as well, but they're all too wrapped up in a conversation.
"No, uh, I'm bisexual."
The woman stares at her, a puzzled look on her face.
"It means I like both men and women." Erin explains.
Suddenly the older woman places a hand on top of her own, squeezing it gently. "It's going to be alright then, honey. You can just find a man and marry him. You seem like you're getting older, so you should probably start looking soon."
Erin's sure her jaw has hit the floor by now, and she's not even what to say to this woman. It's Holtzmann family, so she can't yell, though that's all she wants to do right now. Then, the blonde is by her side, surprising her by pushing four fingers against her cheek. She frowns, then sees her own reflection in a mirror at the other side of the room. She chuckles as she sees the small rainbow flag, then makes eye contact with Holtzmann's aunt again, just glaring at her now.
After a couple of seconds, Erin reaches for the blonde's hand, each finger still covered in a different color of paint. She uses her own wrist to guide Holtzmann's own hand to her face, creating a matching set of stripes on her face.
Then, she presses a kiss to the same cheek, just below the stripes.
“Thank you, babe.” Holtzmann says, and Erin’s hoping that the flag somehow hides her blush.
She can hear how Holtzmann's aunt mutters something under her breath before leaving the two of them alone.
"So.." Erin says, trying to gain some control over herself. Holtzmann is still smirking at her, clearly aware of how her behavior is affecting the redhead. "Already time for the paint?"
Holtzmann places a hand on her chest, pretending to be offended. "Already?" She says. "I lasted way longer than last year, just so you know."
About thirty minutes later, they're sitting on the couch, a glass of wine in both of their hands. Luckily enough, Holtzmann's aunt has left them alone since the whole 'flag' incident, though her uncle seems to be getting drunker by the second.
"Okay!" Mrs. Holtzmann suddenly says, catching everyone's attention. "Time for the annual picture." Erin notices how the blonde groans next to her, and she can't help but smile.
"Everybody on the couch." The older woman says, and quickly Erin stands, making room for Holtzmann's aunt and uncle.
"Erin." Holtzmann's mother says, pulling on her arm, successfully stopping her in her tracks. "You sit next to Jillian."
"Oh," She responds, startled, "I figured this was going to be a family picture."
"It is." The woman says, then smiles softly at her. "So get your butt on that couch and sit next to my daughter."
Erin can't help but stare at the woman, completely taken aback. She can only nod in response, now sitting down next to Holtzmann again. "I thought your mom was kind of against the whole 'gay' thing." She says, quiet enough so only the blonde can hear it.
The blonde nods, and for a second Erin thinks she can see tears in her eyes. "Yeah, I thought so too." She whispers.
The redhead feels her heart pounding rapidly in her chest, surprised to see this softer side of Holtzmann.
"Everybody smile!" Mrs. Holtzmann says, drawing her attention back to the older woman. She smiles into the camera, and it's the most honest smile she's smiled in a very long time.
Mrs. Holtzmann takes about twenty pictures before the engineer finally says something. "Mom. I think you got it."
"Are you sure? I mean I think your father blinked in that last one."
Holtzmann looks over towards the end of the couch, where her father is sitting. "Yeah I'm pretty sure dad fell asleep five pictures ago."
The woman sighs. "Okay then."
Erin moves, ready to get off of this couch, but then Holtzmann's mother holds up her hand, now reaching for a polaroid camera. "Not so fast, you two. I want a picture of the two of you together."
"Mom!" Holtzmann says, "I think my vision is still blurry from the last five hundred pictures, I honestly can't handle another one."
"Jillian." She says, glaring at her. Immediately, the blonde relaxes into the couch again, knowing not to argue with her mother.
"Okay, okay, Jesus." The engineer says, not being able to stop her lips from curling up. Erin smiles at the conversation between the two, happy to see how positive Holtzmann's mother seems to be responding. Feeling bold, she wraps her arm around the blonde's shoulders, awkwardly pulling her closer towards her own body. Holtzmann immediately bursts out into laughter, completely taken aback. Erin smiles too, not noticing that Holtzmann's mother takes a picture.
An hour later, everyone has gone home, and Holtzmann's father is in bed already. Erin knows she should probably leave as well, but obviously, she has to help clean up, right?! She's currently washing the dishes, and Holtzmann is next to her, towel in her hand. It's the first time they're alone, but neither feels the need to talk about any of this, happy to pretend that all of this is real for just a little bit longer. Just as Erin opens her mouth to say something, Holtzmann's mother enters the kitchen.
"Thank you so much, Erin."
"It's no problem, really." The redhead responds, looking over her shoulder to smile at the woman.
"So," Mrs. Holtzmann says, leaning against the counter. "How did you two meet?"
"Abby." Both say at the time, then turning to smile at each other.
"Your lab partner?" She asks, and Holtzmann nods. "Yeah, she and Erin are old friends. I saw a picture of her, working on some kind of equation, and I was so," She pauses, looking down as she tries to find the right words, "I was so taken aback by how beautiful she looked, I just had to get to know her."
Erin raises her eyebrows, surprised by the sentiment. "It's the truth." the engineer says, smiling softly. Erin's mouth is dry suddenly, now realizing that the blonde is in fact speaking the truth, and she can't get herself to say anything.
"Erin?" Mrs. Holtzmann says, snapping her out of her thoughts.
"What?" She asks, clearing her throat when she hears how hoarse she sounds. "Sorry, excuse me?"
The woman laughs. "I asked you how you felt?"
"Sorry." She says, blushing when she notices the smirk on the blonde's face. "I uh.. I knew her too, but only from stories Abby had told me. She kind of annoyed me into going out with her."
Holtzmann laughs, a teasing smirk on her face. "That's true. Aren't you happy I did, though?"
The redhead smiles as she shakes her head, splashing a bit of water towards her as she finishes cleaning the dishes. "Stop it, babe." She says, watching how the engineer almost drops the plate she had been holding.
"Are you okay?" Erin asks, a teasing smile on her face. Mrs. Holtzmann seems to be completely oblivious to what was happening, a small smile on her face as she watches how her daughter beams at her girlfriend.
"You're evil." The blonde says as soon as her mother leaves the kitchen.
"Yeah well.. you deserved it."
The blonde actually pouts then, and Erin has to admit it looks adorable. "So.. this was probably the weirdest date ever right?"
Holtzmann smiles softly. "Maybe."
There's a silence between them, both not sure what to say suddenly. "I had fun, though. Thank you, for annoying me into coming."
"Yeah, I was wondering, why did you come?" Holtzmann asks, clearly curious.
"I just-" Erin starts, not sure where to look, "I guess I wanted to mess with you. You were being so cocky, and I thought that you would be surprised."
The engineer laughs. "Well, I definitely was."
"I'm sorry, though, I hope you didn't mind."
Holtzmann chuckles. "You probably saved me from what could have been a catastrophic evening."
"I'm sure it wouldn't have been that bad." Erin responds, rolling her eyes at the younger woman, both of them now walking towards the front door. Erin turns around as Holtzmann helps her into her jacket.
"Dr. Gilbert, do I need to show you the pictures of last year again?"
"Pictures? As in, there's more?" Erin asks, her eyes widening.
Holtzmann grimaces. "Shit. I forgot I only showed you one."
"I definitely want to see the rest as well." The physicist says, taking a step closer towards the blonde.
"Yeah well.. maybe some day." Holtzmann says, and her voice sounds somewhat hopeful. Before Erin can respond, though, Holtzmann's mother is walking into the room again.
"Erin, before you go, I have something for you." She hands her a small package, and the redhead stares at it.
"Wow, Mrs. Holtzmann, thank you! That's really nice." She smiles at her.
Holtzmann's mother returns her smile, "Don't worry about it. It's just a small Christmas present, everybody got one.”
"I really appreciate it." Erin says, still staring at the package in her hands. Then, suddenly, she's being pulled into a hug.
"It was really nice to meet you." The older woman says, then, more softly. "Take care of her, okay?"
Erin smiles, even though she knows the other woman can't see it. "I will." She whispers.
For the second time that night, she's alone with the engineer. "Thank you, Holtzmann, I had a great time." She shifts her weight awkwardly from one foot to the other, avoiding the younger woman's gaze.
"Yeah well.. I couldn't let you celebrate Christmas all by yourself." The blonde says, though it lacks her usual confidence.
She chuckles, finally looking up and making eye contact with Holtzmann. She has her hands in her pockets, a clear indication that she's feeling just as uncomfortable as she does right now. Erin leans in then, pressing a quick kiss to the blonde's cheek. "I really have to go, but uh.. text me later?"
When she pulls away, Holtzmann is beaming at her. "I will."
Twenty minutes later Erin arrives at home, immediately letting herself fall down onto the couch, tired after the long day. She remembers the present then, and retrieves it from her purse. She opens it, smiling at the small chocolates in the shape of Christmas trees. "Merry Christmas, Erin." It says on a note, attached to the small bag they’re in. Erin moves to place it down on the coffee table, noticing how something else falls out as well. She frowns, reaching down to pick it up.
It's a polaroid picture, a picture of her and Holtzmann to be precise. She remembers the moment, but she doesn't remember this picture. She's sitting on the couch, smiling down at her 'girlfriend' whom she has just pulled - quite awkwardly - into her arms. Holtzmann is laughing towards the camera, her eyes closed. She stares at the picture for about ten minutes, the buzzing of her phone finally pulling her from her thoughts.
Holtzmann: So, is there any chance I could annoy you into going on an actual date with me?
Erin smiles, staring at the picture once more before typing a reply.
Erin Gilbert: I'd say your chances are pretty good.