It had been a slow day for the Ghostbusters, giving them time to finish up paperwork, as Abby and Erin were doing, while Patty was busy studying for an upcoming exam, Kevin having a staring contest with the cactus on his desk, and Holtzmann was doing… whatever Holtzmann does. Around lunchtime, Abby made her way to the fireman's pole to yell at Holtz, but there was no reply from the brilliant engineer.
"She's probably sleeping," Abby mused. "At least we know we can literally get her anything to eat and she'll devour it."
Erin chuckled quietly as Abby went out to buy their lunch, the firehouse strangely quiet for once.
"It can't be comfortable sleeping on that banged up couch she's got in there," Erin wondered out loud, causing Patty to snort.
"With how tiny that girl is, I think the couch swallows her completely."
Both women shared a laugh and returned to their respective tasks, waiting for Abby to return. When she did, Erin offered to take Holtzmann's lunch up to the lab, using it as an excuse to see the eccentric woman who was slowly starting to steal her heart. Abby gave Erin a knowing look but said nothing, though it still made the redhead blush.
At first, Erin thought that Holtzmann was not in the lab. She definitely was not on the couch, or sitting at her desk. Erin was about to leave when a tiny snore drew her attention. There, on her workbench, was Holtzmann, fast asleep, curled around a Faraday cage.
Erin couldn't help but giggle at the scene, and, for good measure, taking a picture too. She quietly made her way to the sleeping engineer, placed their lunch on the table and grabbed a handful of fries, enjoying the sweet image of Holtzmann's peaceful face. It was very rare that the younger woman was not moving or making noise, and Erin found it endearing that Holtzmann felt so at ease in her lab to simply fall asleep on a workbench.
"You're staring."
Erin jumped at the voice. Holtzmann hadn't opened her eyes or moved, neither had her expression changed at all.
"Sorry, I- I came to bring you your lunch."
In an instant, the engineer flew up, hopping off the table, and as an afterthought she threw the Faraday cage to the side.
"You're my hero!" she exclaimed and pulled Erin into a bone-crushing hug. "My knight in shining coverall's!"
Erin laughed and shook her head fondly as Holtzmann grabbed a hamburger and wolfed it down in two bites.
….
The second time Erin realised that Holtzmann really could sleep anywhere, was after a particularly gruelling bust. Holtz had offered to grab them drinks and lazily made her way to the kitchen, but when she didn't return, Erin went to check on her.
The sight in front of her made her frown. Holtzmann was bent over, head in the fridge, standing completely still.
"Holtz?"
There was no answer. Erin took a step closer and rested her hand on Holtzmann's back, when the tiny engineer suddenly straightened up, causing Erin to jump back several feet.
"Didn't mean to scare ya," Holtz said calmly. "Must have dozed off for a couple of seconds there. Juice or something stronger?"
Erin let out a chuckle. "You really need to stop falling asleep like that. You're gonna end up blowing yourself up. Or burning the firehouse down."
"Now, that would be ironic," Holtzmann smirked. "Can you imagine calling the fire department because of a burning firehouse?"
"That's not funny, Holtz," Erin said sternly.
The engineer cast her eyes down. "Don't worry about it. I never fall asleep on the job. My naps are strategically placed, I make sure there's no danger."
"And your head in the fridge isn't danger?"
Holtzmann beamed. "My dear, if that was only the most dangerous place this noggin has been, then my name is Alfred E. Neuman, and it's not."
Erin didn't get the reference, but she smiled along. "Just look after yourself, okay? I- we wouldn't survive a day without you."
Still smirking, Holtzmann threw a wink at Erin as they gathered all the drinks. "I'd miss you too," she whispered as she breezed past Erin, leaving the older woman a bit flustered.
….
"Holtzy, go to bed," Patty said sternly, making the young engineer shake her head.
The four Ghostbusters were all watching a movie, but Holtzmann was starting to drift off.
Patty tried again. "Listen, you can't sleep on that armchair, and I ain't carrying your ass to bed. You're heavier than you look."
Holtzmann grumbled and got up, but instead of going to bed, she plopped down next to Erin and placed her head in the other woman's lap. "I can sleep right here."
Abby grinned at her best friend's startled reaction to suddenly having the engineer in her lap. "Holtz, nothing exciting is gonna happen while you sleep, in fact, we all might get some peace and quiet."
With another grumble, Holtz flipped Abby the bird and buried her face deeper into Erin, who had now shifted to a more comfortable position, lightly running her hands through Holtzmann's hair.
Abby and Patty chuckled, while Erin nudged Holtz. "I swear, if you fart in your sleep, I will take away all of your blowtorches."
"No promises," Holtzmann's voice was muffled.
When the movie was over, Patty did offer to carry Holtzmann to bed, but Erin declined. Somehow they had shifted – Erin was on her back and Holtz was draped over her, but there was no discomfort in their position.
"We'll be fine here," Erin whispered to Patty, who chuckled in response.
"Ya'll really just need to get together already."
Instead of her usual blush, Erin let out a sigh. "Maybe it is time."
Holtzmann stirred and reached a hand up to clasp over Erin's mouth. "Right now, we need to sleep. Talk in the morning," she huffed out, gripping Erin tighter.
Abby and Patty shared a look, wished the other two goodnight and rushed off to give them their privacy. As soon as the door closed, Holtzmann bolted upright, straddling Erin's hips.
Erin opened her mouth but Holtzmann cut her off. "Like I said, we'll talk in the morning. But maybe sleep can wait."
Before she knew what was happening, Holtz was kissing her, and all thoughts of sleep disappeared from her mind as she pulled the younger woman closer.