Nova scoffed as the faint golden light around Apollo's hand faded away, as though it had never existed. A moment earlier, the Supreme God of Light had been ready to use Luman Break over a simple argument. Now he stood motionless, his fingers slowly relaxing at his sides.
"Yeah, that's right," Nova said, the familiar cockiness in his voice only making Apollo angrier. "You know you can't even scratch me, so don't go doing anything stupid while I'm gone. And you better not do anything to Freya."
Apollo's golden eyes narrowed. "I wasn't going to do anything to her."
"Good. Then you won't have a problem hearing this."
Nova's expression darkened. The teasing smile vanished, and the pressure surrounding him changed so suddenly that Apollo took an involuntary step back. Nova hadn't moved closer or raised his voice, but the difference between their strength was becoming painfully obvious.
"Because if you even dare to touch her... no, erase that. If you so much as look at her funny, I'll make sure you receive such a brutal, torturous death that not even Father will be able to help you." Nova paused, allowing his words to settle. "And I mean every word. Understood?"
He nodded, although it took considerable effort to do even that.
"Now," Nova continued, his voice still deep and firm, "I suggest you turn around and go back to your chambers like a good little bitch. And don't even think about laying eyes on Freya with those intentions again."
Apollo's jaw tightened, but he said nothing.
Nova turned away from him. Freya was standing inside the doorway, watching the exchange with a look of unmistakable displeasure. Nova returned to her side, and the two stepped back into her chambers.
"Have a wonderful evening, Apollo," Nova added, glancing over his shoulder.
He shut the door with a loud bang.
Apollo remained outside, staring at the closed door. He clenched his fists. The Divinity of Light pulsed through his body, desperate for an outlet, but there was nothing in the corridor he wished to destroy. No broken wall or shattered ornament would change what had happened.
"They laugh as if they own the cosmos," he muttered.
To the gods of the Outer Heaven and the mortals who worshipped him, Apollo was radiant, flawless, and worthy of devotion. He was the Supreme God of Light, known by countless names as civilizations rose, changed, and eventually disappeared. Very few beings would dare speak to him the way Nova had just done.
And yet, the thing that angered Apollo most wasn't the insult or even the overwhelming pressure of Nova's aura.
It was Freya.
She was the Supreme God of Creation, a goddess who could speak to a newly formed black hole as though it were her own child. Her affection for the things she created seemed almost endless. Apollo admired that part of her, but he also hated the ease with which she offered her affection to Nova.
He had wanted Freya for himself for longer than he cared to admit. In his mind, he deserved someone like her. He was powerful, respected, and beautiful, and he couldn't understand why none of those things seemed to matter to her.
And Nova, that bastard, hardly seemed to appreciate how fortunate he was. He wandered around the Inner Heaven complaining about boredom, neglected duties that others would have considered an honor, and now wanted to descend into the mortal realm simply to experience pain.
The entire idea was ridiculous to Apollo.
What disgusted him more was how Freya supported it, even if she was clearly upset by the thought of being separated from Nova. He had heard enough of their conversation to understand that she would rather wait for Nova than consider anyone else.
His lips curled into a strained smile.
"We'll see how long that lasts," he murmured.
At last, Apollo turned and walked away, though the resentment following him had only grown stronger.
Back inside the chambers, Nova and Freya had little interest in thinking about him. Freya's black hole remained safely suspended within the space she had prepared for it, and the two had settled onto her enormous bed. The soft velvet sheets were slightly tangled beneath them, with several pillows scattered near the headboard.
Freya lay against Nova's chest, listening to the calm rhythm of his heartbeat while his arm rested comfortably around her waist. Every now and then, his fingers moved across her back in slow, affectionate patterns. Neither felt any particular need to speak. They had spent countless years together, and moments like this were among the few things that never seemed to grow old.
"You enjoyed that far too much," Freya said after a while.
Nova looked down at her. "Enjoyed what?"
"Threatening Apollo. You were smiling when you opened the door, and you were still smiling when you closed it."
"He was about to attack me in front of your chambers," Nova replied. "What did you expect me to do? Thank him?"
"No. But you didn't have to keep insulting him once he'd backed down."
"I suppose I didn't." Nova considered it for a moment, then smiled. "But he makes it difficult to resist."
"I don't want him causing trouble while you're gone," she said.
"Neither do I. But you don't need me here to handle him. I know that."
"I'm glad you remember." She lifted her head and pressed a quick kiss to his cheek. "I'd hate to think you were leaving me here because you thought I needed a guard."
Nova laughed and drew her closer. "If anything, I'd worry about what you might do to him if he annoyed you enough."
"Then perhaps he should behave himself."
After another quiet moment together, Freya lifted her head and studied his face with an expression Nova couldn't quite understand.
"What is it?" he asked.
"Nothing. Well, not nothing." She hesitated, then shifted until she was sitting across his lap, her hands resting against his chest. "There's something I've been thinking about since you came to my chambers."
Nova smiled, assuming she was about to suggest spending the rest of the night together. "I'm listening."
Freya took a small breath.
"I want a baby."
"What...?"
The answer came so quickly that Freya almost laughed. Nova stared at her, completely dumbfounded. He had expected a very different conversation, and for once, he had no clever response ready.
"A baby?" he repeated, as though he needed to make sure he had heard correctly.
"Yes, Nova. A child. Our child." Freya's cheeks warmed slightly. "You don't have to look so shocked."
"I'm not upset," he said immediately. "You caught me off guard, that's all."
They had been together for an extraordinarily long time and had never made much effort to prevent a pregnancy, yet Freya had never conceived. Neither of them knew why. Neither had ever found an answer, and until now they hadn't treated it as an urgent concern.
Nova looked at her with growing concern. "You've been thinking about this for a while?"
"I have," she admitted. "But hearing you talk about leaving made me think about it more seriously. I know you'll come back to visit, and I know we'll talk, but it won't be the same as having you here whenever I want to see you."
She glanced down at her hands before looking at him again.
"I want us to have a child, Nova. The thought hasn't left me since you told me you were going. And if it happens while you're living among mortals, I could raise our little one here until you're able to spend more time with us. You would meet him or her whenever you got the chance."
"I don't like the idea of missing everything," he said at last. "What if you're pregnant and I'm not here when you need me? What if our child is born while I'm still down there?"
"Then we'll work something out," Freya replied. "You said we would stay in touch, remember? And I haven't even become pregnant yet. I don't want us to start worrying about every possibility before we've had the chance to try."
"I know. I just don't want you to think I'm leaving you with all the responsibility."
She gave his chest a gentle tap. "Then don't. If we have a child, you'll still be the father, even if you're spending time in the mortal realm. I expect you to take that seriously."
"Of course I will."
"And I don't want a baby because I need something to replace you," Freya continued, her voice growing quieter. "I want one because I love you, and because I want us to have a family of our own. I know it sounds sudden, but I didn't want to keep the thought to myself."
Nova moved his hands to her hips and held her there, giving her his full attention. Her words meant more to him than he had expected. He was accustomed to watching life appear and disappear on a scale few others could comprehend, but creating a family with Freya was something entirely different.
"You should have told me," he said softly. "I would never think of our child as something keeping me from doing what I want."
"And you should have told me how unhappy you've been sooner," she answered.
Nova let out a quiet laugh. "Fair enough. We've both been keeping things to ourselves."
"Apparently."
He studied her for a moment before asking, "Do you think it'll happen this time? After all these years?"
Freya shook her head. "I don't know. I wish I did. But I want to try, and I'd rather try with you than spend another few eons wondering why we never talked about it properly."
Nova smiled at that. There was uncertainty in her voice, but no hesitation about what she wanted. He loved seeing that determination in her, especially when it came to something so personal.
"Then we'll try," he said. "And whatever happens, we'll face it together."
Freya leaned closer, resting her forehead against his. "Even if you're down there getting yourself beaten up by mortals?"
"Especially then," Nova replied, grinning. "Though I'd prefer if you didn't tell our child that I went looking for people to punch me."
She laughed. "I'll tell them everything."
"That's cruel."
"I'm the Supreme God of Creation. I have responsibilities as a mother."
"And apparently exposing their father is one of them."
"Naturally."
Their laughter faded into another kiss. There was nothing more they needed to decide that evening. Nova still intended to enter the mortal realm, and Freya still had her duties in the Inner Heaven. Their plans would be difficult to balance if they had a child, but neither wanted fear of an uncertain future to make the decision for them.
Freya wrapped her arms around his shoulders and kissed him again, more slowly this time. Nova held her close, and the conversation gave way to the affection they had always shared so openly.
They spent the rest of the night together, absorbed in each other and in the possibility of the family they hoped to have. Their divine passion echoed through the Inner Heaven and carried far beyond the walls of Freya's chambers.
And, of course, Apollo heard it.
Of everyone forced to listen, he was undoubtedly the least pleased.