#hellsgate

Happiness is simple.

Jake followed the same routine every day since the war, it was always wake up, give his mates kisses on the cheeks then getting ready to start the day as clan leader. He always started with learning from Mo’at about being Olo’eyktan and the spirit of Eywa, even though he has been Omaticaya for a few months there is still much to learn. Then he goes hunting with the other warriors in the forest, after catching prey it was eat then spend time with his girls.

While it wasn’t unheard of for a tri-relationship in Na’vi culture, it was extremely rare. Mo’at says they must be blessed by their great mother to continue with the ritual, and bless them Eywa did.

Neytiri was the first one to find and welcome him to the clan, she taught him the ways of the people and bonded with him under the tree of voices. Jake thought that one mate was it, they are bonded for life and needed no other. But along came ___, she was the same age as Neytiri at the time and a good friend to her.

They both went to Grace Augustine’s school when they were children, they played together and was raised together as friends. But Neytiri always stated she felt something different when around her, something she always felt around Jake. Never with Tsu’tey and never with any other men or women in the clan.

___ was sweet, she was a skilled hunter and a warrior, already passing her Uniltaron when she was of age to. Jake saw why Neytiri liked her, and decided to get to know her himself. As time did pass by over the weeks he fell more and more in love, with both woman. Neytiri, Jake and ___ bonded under the tree of souls. A union that could not be forgotten.

“Ma Jake?” a tired voice broke out from the hammock, “what are you doing up so early?” ___ sat up and rubbed her eyes, yawning and glancing at how the sun just started revealing itself over the planet they orbited.

“I was just thinking, yawnetu” he reached over and grabbed the back of her head, pulling her flush to his chest and kissing her hair. “Besides, our wife wants us up to hunt. Remember? she has been craving a lot of strange things lately…” he glanced to where Neytiri usually slept beside her and found the space already empty, assuming the woman was down in the forest already.

“You can go without me. I am too tired” ___ snuggled deeper into her mates side, breathing in his scent. Jake however, looked at her with raised brows, she never passed the opportunity to hunt with her partners. ‘Maybe she really is just tired’ he didn’t want to worry himself with anything too deep and slowly moved her arm to get out of bed. His mate scooted to where he slept and snuggled into the warm spot, tail curling around her body.

Jake chuckled and put on his cumberband, grabbing his knives and making sure they’re sharp enough he strolled out their hut, climbing down the tree branches and landing to the ground. He sniffed and looked around, saying good morning to the already awake Na’vi and humans. Walking towards a part of the forest he saw a footprint and went to track it.

Jumping above roots and ducking under others the Olo’eyktan moved around skilfully. Dreads swinging from side to side, ‘man i should have put it up’ he groaned in annoyance. Usually Neytiri had a band on her and would put it up for him and he was thinking of asking her, but he’d have to find her first.

He stopped in a clearing where the footprints disappeared and found no dented grass or snapped twigs. His trail was lost. He stomped his foot like a child, Neytiri must’ve gone up but he couldn’t track her like that. A hand slapped the back of his head and he screeched in shock. Whipping around he came face to face his his other mate.

“Like a baby” she tsked in English, having seen him throw his mini tantrum. Jake’s cheeks flushed, he was a leader, a warrior and yet sometimes he acted like a child, he was silly and his head sometimes became airy, easily forgetting customs and rules he was taught. Norm called him a himbo, whatever that meant. “Come” snapping out of his thoughts he was dragged away from their spot and towards the river that was nearby, seeing two dead yerik with an arrow lodged in each neck “I need help with bringing these back to the clan”

‘Jeez how long has she been up’ he scratched his head and tilted it to the side, staring at the hexapedes in thought. He walked up to one and his mate the other, grabbing the animal and hauling it over his shoulder. Grunting at the weight of it he watched Neytiri tie up its legs and do the same, the two slowly walking back home. Jake pouting the whole way, he didn’t even get to shoot anything…

___ was up and about, the sun high in the sky and shining down on the Na’vi that resided by Hellsgate. She was helping with simple chores, deciding to take rest and not do any extraneous activities. Mo’at has let her know of joyous news and told her to take it slow today as the elder can see the exhaustion on her daughter in laws face.

Hearing yipping she turned to the sound, seeing her mates back from their hunt with two large yeriks on their backs. She dropped her basket of fruits and rushed towards them, some hunters already grabbing the animals and prepared them to skin. “‘Tiri” she hugged her mate, excited to finally have seen her this morning. Waking up without her was upsetting, she usually liked basking in the warmth of both of her mates and not just one.

“Yawntutsyìp” Neytiri responded back, wrapping her arms around her mate and kissing her unbraided hair. She would have to redo it for her. Jake watched in great love, and a little bit of jealousy. So he intervened and grabbed ___, wrapping his own arms around her. Neytiri glared at him.

“Hey now, where’s my greeting hmm?” he nuzzled his face against her hair and breathed in, the scent of Pandoran flowers hitting his nose. ___ giggled at the look Neytiri was giving him, she always found their little rivalry funny.

“My beloved, we greeted each other this morning. ‘Tiri and I have not until now” the woman in his arms gently pushed him away and went back to their wife’s arms.

The Tsakarem smirked at their husband and he only stuck his tongue out in retaliation, “nì’eveng” she rolled her eyes.

“Why have you gone out so early?” ___ interrupted and moved away to glance up at the other woman, raising her eyes and giving her a knowing look. She knew the condition Neytiri was in, it was the same as her but a few days further along. But her wife did not know that she was the same, having been a recent discovery. Jake did not know at all about either of them. Men.

“I was craving yerik and decided to catch two for us and share with the clan” to be honest she just wanted the yerik for herself, selfishly. But her wife and clan came first, even if she knew the rest of the hunting party were out now gathering more meats. ___ thanked her and held her hand, turning to their husband who was still pouting at them.

“I want some too…”

“No”

___ laughed and dragged Neytiri away before she could evoke more chaos, leaving Jake who was called by his human friends. “I have some news my love” she started when they where further away, bringing Neytiri’s hand to her belly she grinned.

The Na’vi could only blink, staring at her hand in silence. Then she grinned and giggled “I cannot believe it”

“Believe it”

“We are both..at the same time..the great mother has truly blessed us” She pulled her wife closer and put their foreheads together and breathed in, closing her eyes “oel ngati kameie”

Jake could only watch from across the camp in confusion, ‘was their separation really that much of a big deal? Women’ his tail hit Norm behind him who was out of his avatar, deciding to go human for the morning. “Hey!” he complained and swatted the appendage that was still hitting him “what’s gotten you so worked up?”

“You see my mates over there? Why are they acting so lovey dovey”

Norm and Max turned to one another and deadpanned “Buddy..they’re mates. It’s normal”

“But i’m their mate and i’m not getting any attention” he pouted. Norm could only roll his eyes and slapped the aliens leg, Jake turned to look down at him in question.

“Lemme get into my avatar, then we can go have bro time. Max, link me up”

Jake and Norm strolled through the foliage, after breakfast the clan separated to do some more chores like cleaning, making clothes or patrolling the area. They’re not in hometree anymore, being out in the open could be dangerous for them.

“So, any idea of why my wives are basically disowning me?” Jake started, thinking back to breakfast when the two woman where basically all over each other, whispering loving words and piling food onto one another’s leaves.

“Women are complicated, maybe something major happened for them to act this way” Norm thought back through his Pandoran knowledge, trying to remember anything about Na’vi females and their biology.

“Maybe.. I mean Neytiri said she was craving yerik and woke up at fuck knows what time in the morning to catch them. And ___ was too tired to do anything physical at all” Jake huffed and sat down on a large rock, picking a fruit that was nearby and tearing into it, throwing one at Norm who barely caught it.

The avatar then realised the fuss, the cravings, the fatigue. It doesn’t take a genius to figure it out, but then again Jake has a below average IQ…

“I think you should talk to them” Norm finally concluded, he won’t tell his companion directly, it wasn’t his place to say, he bit into the fruit and watched Jake. The Olo’eyktan nodded and stood up, patting Norm on the shoulder and leading them back.

“I just hope they’re ok”

“By the sounds of it i’m sure they’re more than ok”

The two woman devised a plan together, they would tell Jake then announce it to the rest of the clan tonight. They could not wait any longer.

They were sat waiting in their pod, chatting and updating their song beads, one more to signify their new journey into motherhood. Jake rounded the corner and barged in, his feet slapping onto the ground heavily. “So you two gonna tell me what’s going on?” ‘smooth Jake smooth’ he mentally scolded himself, coming across as too harsh.

Neytiri just threw a piece of twine at him “mawey ma Jake”. ___ stood up abruptly and padded towards her husband ears wiggling and head spinning, she was nervous. Telling Neytiri was one thing, but telling Jake was another.

“Ma Jake..we have something to share with you” the man in question raised an eyebrow, finally he was gonna get some answers to their weird behaviour. ___ grabbed his hand and rested it upon her still flat tummy, pressing it into her a little so he could feel the tiniest bump in her skin.

Jake blinked.

He blinked again.

Then he grinned “No way” he pressed again into his mates stomach and laughed out in glee when he felt it more. ___ nodded and beckoned their other mate towards them, grabbing his other hand and holding it to his other wife’s tummy. If Jake’s grin could get any wider it had “No way” he voiced again in disbelief.

“Srane skxawng” Neytiri hit his head lightly, chuckling at his expression. He felt tears well up in his eyes, he had two kids on the way. His wives were both pregnant, at the same time. It was a miracle.

“Jake?” ___ saw the tears in his eyes and cupped his cheeks, her face contorting into worry “nga tam?”

“yawne, oe nì’ul to tam” He grabbed his girls and nuzzled them, kissing both of their heads, cheeks and lips. Crying out of happiness, he gives his thanks to their deity “irayo si Eywa”

Their clan held a great feast that night, their leader was starting his own family, two children on the way was a blessing and their Tsahìk made sure to say great prayers over the fire.

Jake was in bliss, his hands never left Neytiri’s or ___’s tummies. Not even to eat, the latter having to pop food into his mouth every so often to make sure he doesn’t starve. Neytiri could only slap her tail against his back at his silliness, but she cannot deny the happiness she felt in that moment for her mates.

“Oe tsìlpey fi’u ‘evenge” the love struck man tapped Neytiri’s belly with his hand, she merely spared him a glance and waved him off, disagreeing entirely.

“It will be boy. I can feel it”

___ finished her food and rested her head against her mate, the glow of the fire making her look ethereal “yes, he will be strong warrior. Like his father” Jake just sniffed in reply, feeling more tears come up. The woman on his other side hit him on the shoulder and called him a weakling.

But he couldn’t ask for anything more, this was his family. His fortress. He wasn’t gonna let anyone else take it away from him.

The click of frantic heeled steps on tiled floors. Panicked breathing. What had she just found—?

Her co-worker. Well; not her co-worker. Or at the very least, something parading as him. She hadn’t even had time to process what she’d seen—

‘Vera?’

A voice rang out, distracting her from her thoughts.

“Harley.” She replied, voice slightly shaky, uncertain.

“I— Have you seen—?”

‘Seen what?’

“Just-.. Have you seen Dr Woods, recently?”

‘No, I can’t say I have. He always liked to hole himself up in his labs. Why? Is something wrong?’

A pause.

‘Vera?’

“Oh- right, yes. I-, … stumbled on.. something.”

Vera breathed, her thoughts racing, fragmented bits here and there.

“Out of- out of curiosity, what exactly did Ivan work on? Do you know?”

‘Oh, not particularly. I didn’t really pay attention. If something went wrong, spit it out — I don’t have all day.”

‘Yeah. Right. I, uh. Follow me.’

Once again, the click of heels on the tiled, pristine floor. But this time — it felt wrong. Uncanny. Harley could tell; he was always an observant man. He prided himself on it.

‘Vera? Did something happen to Ivan?’

“—“

A shaky inhale.

“I’m.. not sure.”

‘What do you mean, you aren’t sure?’

“I’m not sure, Harley. I don’t know.”

A sigh.

‘Alright. Fine.’

Hiss.

Access granted. Welcome, Doctor Harley Whitlock.

‘Ivan?’

A gurgle from the other side of the room. Harley stopped in his tracks— it felt as if his vision was giving up on him, not allowing him to see what had happened to his lover.

‘Ivan? Are you okay?’

“Don’t.. go any closer. I’m.. not sure what happened to him, but—“

A startled cry. Harley backed away, almost tripping over his own feet.

‘Ivan—! What happened to you? You told me your work was fine, was— completely.. I told you not to…’

The sentence remained unfinished, cut off in sheer disbelief, anger, yet most of all — devastation.

The one man Harley truly felt he could confide in, replaced by a monster’s façade, one of Ivan’s own making.

-

“… Harley?”

‘What, Vera?’

“I know it might be.. too early, but, I found something. Looks like Ivan meant to give it to you.”

-

“But that’s enough. What about we get coffee next week? :)”