The thing jolted back a little, clearly startled by the sudden outburst. It’s a miracle that it didn’t run away.
“Ggkk!!”
Well, at least he got it.
Tomio Yoshioka ♱ 吉岡富夫
"Gonna take that as a ye—JIKININKI!!!"
He just figured out what it was trying to say. He starts boisterously cheering himself on rather than fully comprehending this revelation.
izou.
It lets out another low gurgle sound, but it seemed pleased that this time Izou technically got it right.
Low standards or not, Tomio does as well. It’ll more than happily be his friend, especially since he doesn’t seem afraid of it.
Tomio Yoshioka ♱ 吉岡富夫
"Homio...? Tsk, I ain't sayin' Homio. How's 'Tomio' sound? Better, right?"
Not like it's sheer luck. He just chose the first name that came to his mind, one that sounded close enough.
"We just met, but I already like ya, Tomio. Let's be friends."
( He has low standards. )
izou.
Being a shut-in originally, the thing has absolutely no idea on the man before it. It doesn’t recognize the name in the slightest.
“Hhoo…mii…ooh…”
Knowing it was another fruitless attempt, the thing huffed through its nose in annoyance at itself.
Tomio Yoshioka ♱ 吉岡富夫
His brows furrow, trying his best to figure out what the yokai is trying to say. But in the end, he's just not that bright. Izou shrugs and sits down.
"Sorry, I got nothin' but I guess it doesn't matter s'long as you're not gonna play nice."
Then, he jabs a thumb sharply at himself. ↷
izou.
Another head nod!
“Hhiikkhii…nnnhkih…”
It can’t verbalize the word ‘jikininki’, but it tries anyway.
Tomio Yoshioka ♱ 吉岡富夫
Something about this behavior clicks in his mind. He leans in, some of his wariness fading.
"...You some kinda yokai?"
izou.
A low gurgling noise came from the creature as it stared at the man with hollow white eyes which seemed to glow in the darkness.
“Ggg…”
Despite not being able to speak in this form, it does show it at least understood Izou. It nodded its head curtly.
Tomio Yoshioka ♱ 吉岡富夫
"You're not so bad, are ya?"
He picks the dropped cigarette from the dirt, brushes it off with a finger, and pops it in his own mouth. He doesn't have the funds to be wasting any, even if it's covered in miscellaneous particles now. Beetle dung 'n shit.
"Nice to... Meet you?"
izou.
“Hhh….”
It slowly took the cigarette again, this time not dropping it.
It can smoke as a human, but… It’s never tried to smoke in this form before.
What a surprise to find out that it can indeed smoke a cigarette—. Guess it does retain some intelligence.
Tomio Yoshioka ♱ 吉岡富夫
He pulls out another, this time lighting the cigarette for it. He holds the cigarette out again, lit side facing himself.
izou.
The thing tilts its head before slo~wly moving closer to sniff it…
Oh! It knows what this is!
It’s taking it in its clawed hands but fumbled with it and dropped it onto the ground.
Tomio Yoshioka ♱ 吉岡富夫
. . . Reluctantly offers it a cigarette.
izou.
It’s staring at { reader }… Seems like someone wandered too far into the woods at night.
