Jigme
Sonam had known Jigme for even longer than any of her other friends.
She’d bumped into him when she was three years old looking for Sister Chōrei. They’d both tumbled to the ground, and his hair had been just as soft and bouncy then as it was now.
Sonam had touched his hair then because she could and they were children, so it wasn’t weird.
“It’s so soft.” It flattened beneath her palm. “And bouncy.”
Jigme had pouted at her, but made no effort to evade her tiny head pats. She learned he was fond of them when Sister Chōrei found them, and he quickly grabbed her hand and placed it on top of his head with a lopsided grin.
“Aigoo, aren’t you just the cutest thing.” Sister Chōrei cooed. Sonam hurried over and grabbed her other hand. “Me too!” Sister Chōrei laughed. “You’re in luck! I only have two hands, just enough for the both of you.”
And they orbited each other’s circles after that.
They weren’t close; she thought, so at least. They were friends. Sort of? Sonam wasn’t sure. Acquaintance? They weren’t friends like she was with Mikoto or Ashina. Not like how she was with Torma and Gin, either.
It’s this third thing she couldn’t quite pinpoint. No matter how much she tried, she couldn’t find a word for it. It was uncomfortable, and it was scary.
She’s about to turn fifteen. People always asked questions.
He brought her dango from Roshi-san every now and then after he started earning money from missions. (When did that start anyway?) Always offered to stay longer after practise because she stayed longer to refine her forms. Sparred with her, even when he knew he’d lose every time.
He’d laugh and be all smiling after she’d beaten his face into the dirt. She’d smile, help him up and heal him afterward.
Sonam wasn’t good at healing, but it was something until Torma or any other healer was available. It felt nice to help ease someone’s pain. It felt nice to help him.
Him and his soft bouncy hair.
(It was ridiculously bouncy. No one at the temple had such bouncy hair.)
… She cupped his face as her hand hovered over his bruised cheek. He could’ve dodged that, and yet here she was, up close with him, holding his face in her hand and healing a purple bruise.
Sonam glanced over at him. Jigme’s eyes didn’t meet hers. They were cast off to the side or down. Was he okay? He didn’t say anything, neither did she.
Now that she actually was looking at him, he had stupidly pretty lashes. The recent weather had made his freckles more prominent. He suited them. She’d often caught herself looking at him.
She tousled his messy hair when she finished healing the bruise. He looked startled.
“There, better?”
A soft smile made its way to his mouth. “Yeah! You’re really good at that….”
She might be lying to herself. They were friends. Close too, but not in the same way she was with her other friends. This was different.
Jigme grinned at her from across the temple grounds. Just returned from a mission from the looks of it. She smiled and waved back at him.
He’s annoying. He truly was, but Sonam enjoyed his company. Jigme’s grin sent beats of warmth through her chest, going all the way down to her fingers.
She inhaled, held it for four seconds, and then exhaled. The warmth tingled now.
Did she li-no. Absolutely not.
Sonam wouldn’t think about that now. She’s getting her tattoos next week. There’s no time to be distracted.
She’s cutting her hair short and then shaving it completely two days before the ceremony.
He said he’d come.
She heard Jigme laugh out loud at something another monk said.
She looked forward to her ceremony. What would he bring? Would he cheer so loudly that the teachers had to shush him? Or maybe he’d be so quiet that Gin would give him concerned looks because he was focusing so hard?
Sonam couldn’t help but wonder.
It’s started in a silly way, like how most childish things started.
… Monk Shōran cleared his throat. “The next spar will be between Sonam and Jigme.”
“I’ll beat you this time.” He said while grabbing a bokken. He’d trained extra hard just to beat her.
She didn’t look impressed and held her bokken- her own bokken carved by the temple carver Monk Shinzo, because she was that good- over her shoulder. “As if!” Jigme almost grabbed the front of her robe, because what? He was going to beat her! The first one in the class to do so.
Monk Shorān stopped him with a hand on the shoulder and a look that had him reeling his emotions back in.
“Ready your bokken and… start!”
Jigme lost that spar to Sonam. He lost badly. She bruised his cheek, swung her bokken so hard that it knocked the breath out of his lungs and kicked him up in the air with her bending and drop kicked him back to the ground.
A weird moment to realise you like someone.
And when she helped him up and walked him to the healers, he realised he wanted to be in her life forever.
Jigme didn’t know his place in her life then. And he still didn’t know it now. He hoped it was that of a dear friend, but he wouldn’t drift too close.
He paid more attention, listened a bit more. She was really interesting.
Jigme hoped, of course. Any person in his situation would. It didn’t need to be more if she didn’t reciprocate his feelings. That’s okay. Any type of love was okay.
Sonam was going to be someone great.
He’s content with simply being allowed to be around her.
The master tattoos- those that wanted them, which were most- of Kushidera were similar to the arrows of the Western temple.
Probably more similar than the non combatant individuals would like.
Sonam didn’t think they were that similar, but she knew in the objective sense that they were. Similar blue colour- if a shade lighter than theirs, there were those with darker blue and gray as well- and carefully written mantras and prayers that the eyes didn’t catch at first glance. Sak yant tattoos were also a common sight. She was going to have some on her back and legs done during the ceremony.
Monk Shorān was also going to write a part of the lotus sutra into her arrow.
It was weird to cut her hair.
She’s not particularly attached to it, but still. It was her hair. Mikoto and Ashina liked to braid it, and now they had to wait for a couple of months to do so.
She could always braid theirs, though. Mikoto and Ashina were currently flying back from their other temples, set to arrive somewhere in the early morning tomorrow. She just had to wait a bit longer.
“Dango?” Three skewers of dango on a paper plate appeared in her line of vision. Sonam glanced up at the person. Jigme stood there expectantly. Of course. She smiled and grabbed one.
“Nervous?” He asked and sat down beside her. Sonam shrugged her shoulders and took a bite of her dango. “I… guess? I’m calm, but I’m also nervous. It’s a big event, so being nervous is normal.”
She looked at him when he didn’t say anything to find him already watching her. He was looking at her hair. An unreadable look in his eyes.
“What is it?” Her chest warmed. It felt… nice to have him look at her like that.
“Ah,” he looked away. “It’s nothing. I’ve never seen you with short hair before.” It reached her shoulders currently. He looked back at her, smiled and looked away again. “It suits you.”
Sonam was fond of longer hair. She liked styling it, but she might keep it a little shorter after getting her arrows than before.
She didn’t know yet, but it didn’t hurt to try.
Her skin stung when the tattooing was finished, and Sister Chōrei had to help her up.
Ashina and Mikoto purposely glued themselves to her side throughout the rest of her ceremony and helped her walk to the places she needed.
Jigme sat there in the small crowd of people who were allowed in. Shoulders tense. Eyes intently on her as she showed off her move.
Not really hers, she only modified it to fit her. But by a stupid rule, the move technically was hers now.
Sonam understood now why Sister Chōrei always struggled when Chime or any of her other partners watched her when she practised her airbending.
It put this level of expectancy on her shoulders that she couldn’t control. Messing up wasn’t an option now.
She spun her hands as she created a sphere of concentrated air between her hands. She formed it into the shape of a ball and set it down, watching as it zoomed around the room like an over energetic child.
Jigme’s wide eyes followed it, chuckling when the ball of concentrated air reached him and messed up his hair before continuing on to other people.
He liked it.
She swallowed when he looked back at her. His eyes were so warm.
Ashina leaned close to her, still watching the ball of her zoom around the room. “Did you take inspiration from yourself when modifying Priest Seigyo’s move?” It was easier to ignore how Jigme was looking at her.
She’ll continue thinking about what this was later. After her ceremony.
Sonam laughed. “A little, I guess.”
“Can I spend the night in your room?” Mikoto didn’t expect that when Sonam showed up at her door.
Sonam didn’t really expect it either. Her body moved, she blinked, and then she was at her door.
Mikoto blinked. “Um, sure. I don’t mind.” She said and ushered her in. “Is there a reason?”
“I don’t want to be alone.”
Mikoto hugged her arms around her stomach, careful of the tattoos on her back, as she raked her fingers through her hair, braiding multiple braids and undoing them and braiding them again.
“What is it?”
“…” Braid, braid, undo braid, braid…
“Sonam, what is it? I can tell something is bothering you.”
She stopped braiding and exhaled hard through her nose. “… I think I like him.” She’s never really taken an interest in anyone like that before.
“Who?”
“Jigme.”
Mikoto was quiet, and Sonam held her breath.
“That’s okay.” She said, “You’re allowed to like him. Do you want to be with him?”
Did she?
“I don’t know.” Sonam resumed braiding. “It’s still confusing.”
“Feelings always are. I’ll be with you all the way, regardless of what you end up doing. Give me a heads up and I’ll be a wing woman. I’m sure Ashina will drop whatever she’s doing and hurry over to help if you ask.” Of course, she smiled, she could always count on them.
It’s something gradual, she guessed.
Sonam couldn’t pinpoint where the change started. She went from being able to tease him without getting all warm and butterflies, but now that’s all that happens.
His lopsided grin? Butterflies.
Seeing him from across the temple grounds? Warm and body tingles.
Watching him train and go through forms? Warm, blushing and butterflies.
Simply hanging around him? Warm and butterflies.
Thinking about playing with his hair? All the body tingles.
When did he become so handsome? He’s much more tolerable now than before, still annoying, but tolerable. She liked his company now.
“So?” What??? Oh right. “How’s my form?” Jigme’s bare chested. Skin shiny with sweat and muscles flexing.
Sonam stared. She just turned fifteen yesterday. Her tattoos still stung. They would do so for a couple of months. Hormones. Normally, this wouldn’t be so enticing as it was…
He’s handsome.
“Uh-uh,” she cleared her throat and glanced at his form. Nothing out of the ordinary. Hm, although….
She grabbed his arm and moved it an inch upward. “There.” No one would notice it or actually care about it during practise. This was only if he wanted to follow the scroll’s instructions to the brush stroke.
Definitely not her trying to find an excuse to touch him. Definitely not.
They held each other’s gaze for a second longer than necessary before looking away. He had such pretty gray-blue eyes, too. She could stare into them for hours.
She let go of his arm and backed off. “Other than that, your form is good.”
Sonam continued to watch over his training, her mind wandering off to typical teenage places where she hadn’t really ventured to before.
She dabbed at his face with an extra cloth she brought with her when he finished. She didn’t need to do that. He had a pair of muscley, well functioning arms. Probably wasn’t appropriate either. This was something Mikoto would give her a look for and Ashina would burst into giggles.
Probably. Sonam had known her for the longest.
He blinked at her, brows high on his forehead. Not having expected it. Which, yeah, she didn’t expect it either. Sonam wasn’t the one to do that. “Didn’t Gin have to break both of his arms for you to do that?”
She chuckled, remembering the incident he spoke of well while dabbing at the side of his face. “He did.” She answered. “Don’t get any ideas, I just thought your arms could use a break since you’ve been working so hard,” Lamest excuse ever.
He chose that moment to flex his muscles, and her eyes immediately zeroed in on them. Ugh. She could stare at Gin’s muscles without becoming all warm and blushy.
“Don’t think you’re getting any special privileges here, Jigme.”
He grinned. “No, ma’m. I wouldn’t dare.”
Monk Shinzo had his head in Sister Chōrei’s lap while Chime leaned her head onto her shoulder. Huh, this was the fifth time in all her life that she’d seen Chime visit Kushi.
Like actually seen her with her own eyes. Not a glimpse of a robe or the afterglow on Sister Chōrei whenever Chime was around.
It was a whole different thing when they visited her at the Western temple. She quickly learned that Sister Chōrei was the clingy type.
Sonam sat down in front of them, and Sister Chōrei looked up at her.
“What is it?”
“Um…” she glanced back and forth between the three. “How did you realise you liked them?” Sister Chōrei gave her a look. Sonam didn’t fault her for that. She never asked about that.
“Why are you asking?”
Sonam shrugged her shoulders. “No particular reason, just curious.” Sister Chōrei had multiple other partners. She’d seen her spend the night both in Monk Howa’s room and Sister Amala’s room. And a multitude of others at that; There were a couple at the Western temple and one at the Southern temple. Sister Chōrei had a heart of boundless love. She knew what she wanted and acted on it.
Sonam didn’t know. She hadn't really cared about it until now.
“I thought Shinzo looked handsome one day, and I decided to talk to him.”
“…” not really helpful at all.
“And… I uh…” An uncharacteristic soft blush took over Sister Chōrei’s features, and she looked down.
“Tripped,” Chime supplied, smiling. “You tripped over your feet when you first met me.”
…
Okay, that’s hilarious. Sonam bit her teeth together. She wouldn’t laugh out of the principle that Sister Chōrei was her teacher.
“I tripped over my feet when I first met her.”
“I wouldn’t fault you for that.” Monk Shinzo interjected, a smile evident by the tone of his voice. “Chime is very beautiful.”
“I tripped over my feet and absolutely made a fool out of myself and she found my attempts at getting her attention endearing and she approached me so that I didn’t have to look like a fool again.” Chime giggled and nuzzled into Sister Chōrei’s shoulder. That overtly sweet, ‘I-have-something-over-you-and-will-not-hesitate-to-use-it giggle.’
Sister Chōrei looked at Chime with this exasperated and yet fond look in her eyes.
They’re adorable.
Sonam wasn’t really the one to approach anyone like Sister Chōrei, but it got her the results she wanted. So she might want to bite into it and just ask him.
“Do you like anyone? Is that why you’re asking?”
“I… I think so.” Yeah, definitely. She liked him. Sonam nodded and her face warmed.
Monk Shinzo sat up when Sister Chōrei spread her arms out to her. “Come here. There are enough arms to hug you and then some more.” The more people in the hug, the better. Sonam didn’t have long enough arms to hug the three of them back, but she tried.
“My approach isn’t everyone’s approach.” Sister Chōrei said. “Just do what makes you comfortable and be respectful about it. There’s not much more to it.”
So.
Sonam wasn’t the person to act without thought when it came to something like this. Like at all. She’d normally triple check each solution and run them by Mikoto and Torma at least twice.
“Just a sec!” His voice was muffled through the door.
And yet, she’s outside of Jigme’s room in the sleeping quarters, waiting for him to open up. Her hair reached down to her earlobes now.
The door slid open. “Yeah- oh, Sonam! What is it?”
Just say it, just say it. “Uh, um, would you like, maybe want to get ramen with me sometime?” A tiny smile played on her lips when she heard his mouth audibly drop. And he started stuttering. It took a bit for him to get his words out.
Was this what Chime felt like when Sister Chōrei made a fool out of herself?
“Like-like a date?” He’s blushing, and she had the urge to pinch his cheek. “Are you asking me out?” Was she?
“Yeah,” she nodded, “like a date.”
“Cool, cool,” he nodded rapidly. “I-I, I’ll be- no, I’d love to come. What time are you thinking?”
“Tomorrow, if you’re free, by the stand in Akashima.” She could see the gears turn inside his head.
“Great!” He clapped his hands together. “That’s perfect! I’ll be there.”
Sonam was acutely aware that they were just standing there and smiling at each other.
She was the first to look away. “I’ll see you then?” He grinned again and ugh. That did things to her. “Yeah, totally!”
Mikoto and Ashina found her grinning into her pillow later that day. They couldn’t get anything out of her when they tried.
Sonam had the idea of what a date should look like, but she didn’t know how they were supposed to go.
Jigme showed up in nice gray robes, his staff in the holster on his back and he’d even styled his hair. She preferred it when it was messy and unruly, but this wasn’t bad either.
So handsome.
She had dressed up a bit herself, choosing a blue long robe. Her staff was also in the holster on her back and her naginata was at the blacksmiths because she arrived fifteen minutes before, out of nervousness.
Having her naginata stay overnight at the blacksmiths wasn’t a bad thing. It needed to be sharpened again, anyway.
They ate ramen at the stand in Akashima, a two minutes too glider trip from Kushi temple, and she attempted to shove his face into his bowl of udon when she’d caught him watching her one too many times. Not that she minded, of course. She just wanted him to eat and be full, but there he was, not eating and watching her.
“Will you stop watching me and eat your damn food?”She giggled and playfully shoved his face toward his ramen.
“It’s difficult! You’re distracting me!”
Then they walked around the village for a good thirty minutes talking and laughing before taking their gliders out and flying to grass plains over the Western air temple because she’d tugged at his robe and said ‘I swear the sunset is prettier from there, honestly!’
In her honest opinion, it was. She and Mikoto had camped out with Toshio and Zoen’s bison herd a handful of times over the years, and she’d witnessed the sunset from the grass plains over the temple. It had a different edge to it.
Kushi had the best nights, and the Western air temple had the best days. The light shone differently in mountains and in a canyon.
This was the end of the date, wasn’t it? Was kissing normal, then? Was that okay? She was okay with it. Did he want to? She grabbed his hand and squeezed it while they watched the sun set in the west.
Jigme squeezed back.
Sonam looked at him and admired his side profile.
“Admiring my handsome face?” He bragged when he noticed her.
“Yeah,” she giggled. There was use in hiding it. “I am. You are very handsome.” Adorable. He’s flustered.
She moved her hand up and pinched his cheek.
“Ughm.” He grimaced the more she pinched at his cheek. Sonam only giggled more.
Well, now that her hand already was there… she could go a head and kiss him. And after a bit of deliberation with herself and scanning his face for any negative emotion, Sonam went a head and did so.
Kissing was nice. Her younger self was wrong. So, so wrong. She pulled back after five seconds and watched with great amusement as a vibrant blush explode from the center of his face.
“Um,” his voice cracked and his hands perched on her waist. “One more time, I wasn’t paying attention.” She laughed, grabbed him by the face and delightfully gave him another kiss.
“Tell me if I’m hurting you, okay? I don’t want to hurt you with still healing tattoos and all that.” And she’s smiling so much that her cheeks hurt. “Shut up, Jigme.” She muttered fondly. “I can deal with pain just fine.”