Simple Complexity

Part 1

It was on their usual fortnightly shift that Holtzmann looked up at Erin from her junk-filled desk, the woman was turning the Swiss Army knife over and over in her hands, twirling the gadget between her fingers. The blonde recognised the motion, it was something Erin did when she was stressed, she had never questioned why she would do it with the knife, only that she did it when she was worried about something.

'Er?' Holtzmann said softly, watching as the woman continued to twirl the object, playing with the contraption, flicking the knife in and out, letting it snap back closed, reopening it and then letting it snap back again. Erin seemed to be staring, just looking at the contraption in her fingers, fumbling with it.

Erin didn't reply, and Holtz wasn't sure if she had heard her, so she stood from her stool, and walked towards the woman, Erin looking up as she snapped the knife again suddenly crying out and jumping up from her seat, the tool falling to the desk, and she clutched her fingers in one hand. The woman gasped, blood already seeping from her hand.

Holtzmann was instantly by her side, grabbing her hands with her own.

'It's okay, okay,' Holtzmann said soothingly, the clutched fingers with one hand and dug with her free hand into her pocket, tugging out the cloth she had stuffed in there for her injury emergencies, which weren't few and far between.

'Ouch,' Erin breathed and she winced, 'ouch, Holtz..'

'It's okay,' the blonde said, looking at Erin, 'look at me okay, focus on me.'

Erin nodded as the blonde looked down at the woman's hands, Holtz feeling the gaze of Erin's eyes on her as she unfurled Erin's fingers.

'Just breathe,' the blonde said looking at the cut and wrapping the rag around it, wiping some of the blood with the loose end.

The brunette's eyes focused on her co-worker, eyes trailing over her sprinkle of freckles that sat like a constellation across her nose, her dark lashes, perfectly perfect skin. Her eyes trailed the dimple and blue eyes as they gazed up to her own briefly then back down. Erin's eyes moved to her blonde hair, how it always sat atop her head, soft tendrils sometimes coming loose around her forehead, and Erin thought she was the most beautiful woman in the world. Erin was aware many other women thought the same thing, watching as they could never tear their eyes away from her when they all went out, the way she looked at them, the way they looked at her. The way she softly spoke to them, softly kissed them. She was always soft with her kisses, well that's what Erin thought from her observations, they were so tender, so meaningful.

'What are you worrying about?'

Erin looked at her perfect lips as they moved, the way they curled into a smile, the way they always looked so soft, always plump, inviting almost. Erin knew she was staring at them, but she didn't care, she could feel her cut finger throbbing, stinging. And the pressure Holtzmann was placing on it almost felt soothing, it was gentle, caring. Holtz's skin was surprisingly soft, and although her fingers were calloused, she was gentle with them. Erin loved how the blonde was never afraid to touch her, slip her arm around her shoulder when she was explaining something, showing her a new device, or just talking to her. Her fingers would sometimes absentmindedly stroke her arm, trailing their way to her palm, Erin opening her hand, fingers stroking as they talked, or Holtzmann showed her something. The way her fingers trailed her skin was intoxicating and the physicist always welcomed the touch.

'Erin?'

The brunette looked quickly away from the woman's face, shifting her eyes down to her finger that was wrapped tightly, Holtzmann's hands still holding hers.

'Sorry, Holtz, I don't know, I don't know exactly, maybe it's just the work, so..much..to...do.'

'Well sit down, let me go grab the first aid kit and maybe you can tell me what I can help you with, okay?'