*** = listener speaking

Can be monetised, just please link back to either this post or my YouTube!

Gender(s) can be changed if wanted!

~~~

[door opens & shuts; listener walks a little then sits down]

Oh, welcome home, baby! I wasn’t expecting you back so soon!

[sits down next to them]

Did your boss let you off early for once?

You deserve it for all the times you’ve been working late these past few weeks… I’m glad they finally realised that.

***

They… didn’t?

Did you make up an excuse so you could leave early?

***

You don’t need to look so ashamed of yourself for that, baby. I was the one who suggested you should do that, after all.

Like I said, you’ve been working way too much and way too late recently… I hate seeing you always come home at who-knows-when, looking like you’re about to pass out.

You seemed reluctant to follow my advice when I offered it, though… did something happen today?

***

…Oh, baby…

[hug]

I’m so sorry… that sounds horrible.

You didn’t deserve that.

You are the sweetest and most hard-working person I know, someone who deserves much better than the hand life is dealing you at the moment.

[sighs]

You really do look worn-out…

It was your night to cook, but as much as I enjoy the delicious food you always whip up, why don’t we order a bunch of takeout tonight?

***

We can save those leftovers for another night. You’d have to get up and see what you want from them, and then you’d insist on heating them up instead of sitting back down.

We’ve been living together for a while now. I know you.

You really need to properly relax, baby… no more pretending you’re fine.

I’m not taking no for an answer.

***

You’re too tired to even argue with me… oh, baby…

[kiss]

Why don’t you lay down for a moment, baby. Rest your head on my lap if you want.

Are you hungry right now? You woke up late and ran to work without having any breakfast this morning, if I’m remembering correctly.

***

I thought so… it’s got to be illegal that they make you work so much you don’t have time to get food.

I’ll order something to eat now. I’ll get your favourites – don’t worry if you can’t eat it all right now, I can pack it up and we can reheat it tomorrow.

We no stranger to leftovers after all.

[laughs]

Speaking of tomorrow… do you have the day off?

If you don’t, you should call in sick.

I don’t remember the last time you had a proper day off… if you weren’t being overworked, you were helping out around the house or helping out someone else.

I love how selfless you are… but it’s okay to also be a little selfish too, okay?

It’s your life, which means your feelings come before anyone else when you make a decision.

…Especially when it involves people like your boss.

I’ve been worried about you, you know?

[starts stroking listener’s hair]

There are times where you push yourself too much, baby.

I don’t think you should stop working hard, please don’t misunderstand.

No one admires all the effort you put in to achieve things for yourself and us more than me.

Sometimes I get worried that you’ll push yourself so far that you won’t be able to enjoy the rewards, that’s all.

***

[sighs]

I know you can shoulder difficult things – and I don’t doubt that you’ll be able to shoulder stuff like that in the future, too.

I’d never tell you to suddenly give up on things, especially if you consider them to be important.

However, baby, you’re allowed to have boundaries.

What your bosses are doing… taking advantage of your kind nature for their own profit… they’re putting your health at risk.

What is completely normal and healthy is saying ‘no’ at least once in a while – you don’t even need to justify it with an excuse.

…I realise I’m kind of contradicting myself from earlier, but, ah… my ‘don’t say no’ was out of love, I promise.

[clears their throat]

Just keep it in mind, okay? For me? That you don’t have to be so worried about what others will think if you say no.

Don’t be too worried about what anyone thinks of you in general, actually.

I heard this phrase from one of my friends the other day – ‘you put in so much effort to like yourself, so why should you do it for other people? It’s their job to put in the effort to like you’.

In simpler terms if you’re too tired to think much: relationships are a two-way street.

If they aren’t putting in the same amount of effort to appreciate you for who you are as you believe you’re worth, then don’t worry about what they think of you since it means they’re the ones who aren’t worth it.

You are worth so, so much baby.

Everybody is so lucky to meet someone as amazing as you.

And getting to be your girlfriend makes me the luckiest person on earth.

[kiss]

I love you more than you can ever imagine, baby.

And I’m just as proud of you for everything you do for us.

You do so much for everyone around you, you bring so much positivity into this world, even just by being yourself.

You know that, right?

I’ll keep saying it over and over again until you its etched in your mind forever.

You are amazing, you are beautiful, you are kind, caring, supportive, loving, the most wonderful person in my life...

And I love every part of you.