Random Obsessions

And then… I saw you.

“I won’t be available.”

Imagine you’re at work and your boss asks you to come in on Saturday. Saturday is usually your day off–coming in Saturdays is not an obligation to keep your job. Maybe you were going to watch a movie with a friend, or maybe you were just going to lie in bed and eat ice cream for eight hours, but either way you really, really don’t want to give up your day off.

If you consider yourself a millennial you’ve probably been raised to believe you need to justify not being constantly at work. And if you’re a gen-Z kid you’re likely getting the same toxic messages that we did. So in a situation like that, you might be inclined to do one of three things:

Tell your boss you’d rather not give up your day off. Cave when they pressure you to come in anyway, since you’re not doing anything important.

Tell your boss you’d rather not give up your day off. Over-apologize and worry that you looked bad/unprofessional.

Lie and say you’ve got a doctor’s appointment or some other activity that feels like an adequate justification for not working.

The fact is, it doesn’t matter to your boss whether you’re having open heart surgery or watching anime in your underwear on Saturday. The only thing that affects them is the fact that you won’t be at work. So telling them why you won’t be at work only gives them reason to try and pressure you to come in anyway.

If you say “I won’t be available,” giving no further information, you’d be surprised how often that’s enough. Be polite and sympathetic in your tone, maybe even say “sorry, but I won’t be available.” But don’t make an excuse. If your boss is a professional individual, they’ll accept that as a ‘no’ and try to find someone else. 

But bosses aren’t always professional. Sometimes they’re whiny little tyrants. So, what if they pressure you further? The answer is–politely and sympathetically give them no further information.

“Are you sure you’re not available?” “Sorry, but yes.”

“Why won’t you be available?” “I have a prior commitment.” (Which you do, even if it’s only to yourself.)

“What’s your prior commitment?” “Sorry, but that’s kind of personal.”

“Can you reschedule it?” “I’m afraid not. Maybe someone else can come in?”

Topics Covered:

Blood loss

Gunshot wounds

Starvation

Fire

Electric shock

Plane crashes

Explosions

Venomous snake and spider bites

Suffocation

Strangulation

Almost drowning

He doesn’t see her for all the scars - from Mindoir, or the grafted patchy skin on her body from Thresher Maw venom on Akuze, or anything in between - and it makes her believe that he could love her for all the parts inside her that are still healing too.

She brushes her thumb against the curve of his cheekbone and presses her forehead to his. Kaidan tightens his grip around her waist and runs his hand up and down her back. 

“You good?” he whispers.

Her eyes water, and she nods, wanting to just be closer to him even though there’s already no gaps. “Yeah.”

He wipes the single tear that drips down her cheek and presses his lips against hers. She sniffles away the rest of her tears and cups his face.

“You know, I haven’t let anyone touch me in a really long time. Not like this. There are things that have happened to me, that I don’t want to talk about. Not now. But you make them feel like they don’t have to matter or hurt so much.”

Kaidan gives a gentle smile, but she’s not quite done yet.

“You make me feel safe. And it’s not something I ever felt I could find again.”

He doesn’t need to say anything, but the words feel written on his face. He’d never hurt her, that he’d do anything to keep her from harm, put himself between anyone who tried to hurt her. She understands and it’s more than enough.

“I… there are things that I feel about you, and I want to say them all,” he starts. “But I also want them to be right. I think you deserve that.”

Shepard laughs and leans herself into his chest. “Okay. The good news is you can take your time.”

He defers to the wisdom of his mother, his sister, his general, his love, the women around him. He was a sweet and loving son who expressed and enjoyed physical and emotional tenderness from his father.

He’s proud but doesn’t ever disrespect anybody. He values family, affection and emotion and expresses it freely, but still retains the poise of a king.

Badass Battle Couple