[Scene: A distressed foreclosure.]
[Dev teleports in and looks around before walking upstairs to the bedroom.]
[Inside, El is fast asleep, wearing pajamas and clutching a pillow. Dev smiles a fond smile, then changes into matching pajamas and slips into bed with her.]
El: [opens her eyes halfway] Wren?
Dev: [pulls her close and whispers] Who's Wren?
[El slowly opens her eyes]
El: Sorry. I wasn't awake.
Dev: [pets her hair] I stayed out late. Did you miss me?
El: [shrugs] Only a little.
Dev: [smiles] I didn't miss you at all.
El: Liar.
Dev: Did you have any nightmares while I was gone?
El: [thinks back] No. As a matter of fact I didn't. I think it was because I had a nice day today.
Dev: As did I. [looks into her eyes] El. If we survive killing Metalia, I want you to promise me something very important.
El: What?
Dev: I want you to promise me you will never marry.
El: [frowns] Why is that? Does this mean you will never marry either?
Dev: Not at all. I intend to have a long string of ex-wives.
El: [giggles and whacks him with the pillow] Hypocrite.
Dev: I'm serious. I'm not strong like you are. I can't just tell the whole world off. I have a pathological need to be loved by everyone. But especially by you.
El: [holds him close] I do love you, Dev. Nothing will ever change that.
Dev: Someday you will find someone. Someone who will want to spend the rest of his life with you. Then you won't need me anymore. Whereas, I will always need you.
El: How can you be so sure of that?
Dev: [heaves a deep sigh] I met someone.
El: Oh? Who is that?
Dev: The perfect woman..jealous?
El: A little. Go on.
Dev: She's big, and she's beautiful, and she lives alone, and she dances, and she cooks, she even wants to cook for you too...but she can never love me. Not the real me. Because every word I tell her is a lie. She can't know who I am, or what I am, or why I'm here, or our real names. I can't even tell her how old I am, or she'll run for the hills.
El: Maybe she won't run. Maybe you'll tell her the truth and find out she's freaky that way.
Dev: Then I'll go running for the hills.
[El laughs]
Dev: I almost got lucky tonight.
El: So why didn't you? [gives him a sly grin] Don't tell me you are developing human ethics?
Dev: Me? Hardly! It's just that in a few days we are going to kill Metalia, probably wiping ourselves out of existence in the process, and I can't give myself an excuse not to pull trigger.
El: I know what you mean.
Dev: But you still haven't promised me that if we do survive, you won't get married.
El: That's because it's a rediculous double standard.
Dev: No it is not. If you have a husband, he won't like it if I crawl into his bed at two in the morning and need to cuddle with you because I had a bad dream.
El: If you have a wife, she won't like it if I crawl into her bed and need to cuddle with you because I had a bad dream.
Dev: That's when I kick her out.
[El chotles]
Dev: I'm serious.
El: That's why I'm laughing.
Dev: Promise me you won't marry.
El: Fine. I promise. I won't get married.
Dev: Good. Because if you ever find anyone you love more than me, I'll have to kill him. And I'd hate for you to have that on your conscience.
El: Don't worry. Nobody is going to want to marry me, anyway.
Dev: In a few years, everyone is going to want to marry you.
[El yawns and closes her eyes]
Dev: [clutches her hand] Good night, my love.
El: [kisses his forehead] Good night, little songbird.
[They fall asleep]