Eat Your Heart Out (Smoker X Reader)

Back to the Grind

"It's official, we're going no where fast."

You'd spent the past few hours in Smoker's office, going through data bases and literally everything else both you and the police had at their disposal to search for Bartolomeo's helper. You'd found one thing when searching through existing warrants for anyone fitting his description, a man called Gambia.

He seemed to be the guy Buggy saw at your place the other day but the issue was, no one knew where he was. He was wanted for several accounts of theft, arson, and murder. The more you read in on him the more you felt he was going to be the guy you needed to get a hold of Bartolomeo. You just weren't sure what to do to catch him.

With no knowledge of where he was hiding, it was like you were back at square one. Sure you had more information than before, but you couldn't figure out how to put it to use.

"You've got a name, that's something." Smoker said as he worked at his desk. Akainu had given him a bit of office work to do on the side today so it was just you looking into the cannibal case.

"A name isn't going to help me find him. I gotta bring him in so Buggy can confirm it was him and we can move on with this." You sighed and put your computer on the edge of the desk.

Smoker had a window cracked open to let out the white tendrils of smoke from his cigar but the stuff was still laying heavy in the room. You needed to get out of it for a moment. Sure you had gotten pretty accustomed to it, but hot boxing it was a bit too much for you.

"I need some coffee. You want one?" You stood up and headed for the door.

"Sure." He nodded as he stared down some papers.

You headed out and made your way to the break room. There'd already be coffee made. They liked to keep some always on hand with the rule of whoever finished the pot had to make a new one. You liked it.

The building was relatively peaceful. Some officers were behind desks, filling out paper work and clacking away at keyboards. A couple were bringing someone in, a giant man with long wavy blue hair and a Glasgow smile. He stared at you through sullen eyes as you passed. If he wasn't in cuffs you didn't doubt he would have been dangerous. There was a slight singed smell about him, like he'd gotten too close to a fire and burned some hair. He had to be in for arson.

When you got to the break room it was practically empty. There was only one other person in there, a petite woman with long black hair piled on top of her head in a loose bun. She was hovering over the coffeemaker, waiting for it to finish brewing. She made eye contact as soon as you walked in and smiled from behind a pair of red framed glasses.

"It's going to be a minute if you're waiting for coffee. I'm afraid someone didn't follow the Golden rule."

"Kill the Joe you make some mo'." You said, making her laugh.

"It's sad that some of our own men don't know that." She offered you a hand. "I'm Tashigi."

"(Y/n)." You gave her hand a shake. Her grip was firm and she radiated confidence, you liked her already.

"So you must be the private investigator everyone has been talking about." She said.

"Yep." You didn't like having to think about the case right now. Not with being stuck in a rut.

"Not going how you'd like it to?"

"No," You sighed and listened to the coffeemaker sputter for a second. The thing was on its last leg. "I'm a little stuck at the moment but I'll figure it out."

"I don't know how you do it, all the investigating and research."

"More of a woman of action?" You asked with a slight smile.