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DO I WANNA KNOW?

pairings: captain smoker x gn!vice captain!reader synopsis: Tashigi, the new recruit, has already latched onto you like her last lifeline. Unfortunately, your captain isn’t too happy about it. [ao3 link]

notes... SOO one episode in, and i folded.. tags: reader is a motherly figure to tashigi, smoker being the father figure lol, reader has no devil fruit and a sniper, pissed reader, hints of hurt comfort, canon typical violence, and zoro cameo lol

Tashigi was lost again.

Before she knew it, she got sidetracked and ran into a random stranger. In the process, all the paperwork she carried flew out of her arms and spilled onto the ground like a typical scene in a rom-com. Tashigi felt mortified. Not only was this her first mission assigned by you, but it was something you asked so casually of her. It meant a lot to her when you asked for her help. Tashigi immediately drops to the ground, hands scattered to find her missing glasses. She felt helpless without them, and for a split second, she felt the impending doom of failing you, her Vice Captain.

Luckily, the man she bumped into was a nice gentleman. He noticed how skittish she was and how desperate she seemed in a few short moments. The man must’ve felt pity for her, as he casually picked up her glasses and tapped her shoulder just once.

“Here.”

Tashigi turns and reaches her hands around the familiar frames.

“My glasses!” she jumps, and places them back on, finally having a full glimpse of the man who saved her a day’s trouble. “Thank you.”

“Don’t mention it.”

That was it, and the man simply walked away. Tashigi wanted to extend her thanks, but was cut short by the ringtone of her snail radio.

She paused.

Tashigi knew perfectly well who was on the other line. That specific ringtone she pleaded with operators to rearrange for you was unmistakable. It was your favorite melody, of course, something you mentioned in passing, in hopes she would stop missing your calls. You were her superior after all. Another missed call would’ve left her on clean-up duty again. She unclasps the small speaker from her belt and raises it to her ear.

“Vice Captain!” The dark-haired marine greeted with formal hesitation. “I was just going to radio you!”

“Tashigi,” The rookie freezes, recognizing your stern, cold voice. She unconsciously looks down in shame. Even though you weren’t there in person, she knew you could imagine her in the same predicament.

“Where the hell have you been? I told you to radio me when you reached the shop.”

She leans further into the speaker. “I accidentally ran into someone.” Instinctively, she could feel you rolling your eyes. “But I’m here! I promise!”

“You better,” you murmured, the distinctive background noise of super-intendents murmuring about. You desperately wished to be anywhere other than in another meeting. However, your Captain, Tashigi’s mentor, unfortunately, was not present at the moment and left things for you to deal with the consequences. God, you wished he were here instead of you. “Pick up my order and return to bass.”

“Y-Yes, Vice Captain!” Tashigi salutes before catching you hanging up. Relief floods her nerves as the marine rookie turns back and spots the sword shop she had been looking for. The man she also bumped into seemed to have gone in a similar direction. So perhaps she could extend her thanks anyway.

Tashigi did not want to disappoint you; she clearly looked up to you with utmost respect and admiration from afar. Clearly, she did not want to get on your bad side, as that alone was a bad idea. Nonetheless, she ponders these possible outcomes to avoid them at all costs.

You weren’t a difficult Captain to please. In fact, some would say you were nicer than Captain Smoker on a good day. That’s at least if no incidents have happened within twenty-four hours in Loguetown. However, that has not happened since the beginning of the festival for Gold Roger’s anniversary.

Some would say you were a killjoy, never taking any real part in any fun activities. Even in your leisure time, you’re still in the office, doing paperwork rather than doing anything else.

But you are good at your job. Tashigi believes this because she has seen you many times outside of your office. You’d stop by your local bakery to buy cute pastries for the Navy. You even helped a lost little girl find her parents, simply because you saw her standing alone in the middle of the street. You have what it takes to handle a unit full of new rookies. It’s not like you had a choice, though.

For now, you’re stuck playing Captain, at the same time, waiting for the real captain to show up.

Tashigi hopes you will be pleased with your order when she personally hands it to you. You collect swords as a hobby, having a vast collection in your office on display. To say she was jealous, but more amazed by how you were able to collect so many rare items. Part of her wish was that she could ask more about your collection.

From the outside, you were simply the Vice Captain of Loguetown. You showed kindness to locals and greeted business goers with good luck with their businesses. You were confident in the way you commanded the room without the need to shout. When you were on patrol, low-life criminals and pirates alike were scared of you. Not because you had a devil fruit or something up your sleeve.

Simply because you didn’t. What made you more terrifying to pirates was the lack of Devil Fruit. You were good with a long-range shotgun because you had a good eye to lock onto targets.

In reality, Tashigi saw you as someone she wished to strive for. You were the perfect example of what a Captain should be. Caring, providing constructive criticism, you were good at your job because you didn’t boss people around, you guided them, with constant care and support.

That is why she was more than happy to deliver your package. Even though you could’ve picked it yourself, she, many times, persisted in doing it. She might also have added that she was going to visit the sword shop for herself, to make it more convincing. But the way your eyes softened by her persistence makes her relieved that you trust her enough.

She just hopes she could say the same for your captain.

When you ended the call, you felt a headache slowly creep up. You were tired, exhausted from all the interaction you had to put up with since Smoker left. Figures, you knew that the upcoming festivals would require more soldiers and security around Loguetown. This week alone, you’ve apprehended only ten men. However, since then, more and more pirate ships have come to witness the anniversary of Gold Roger’s death.

The others in the room seemed to be background noise for you now. You never paid attention to these kinds of team meetings, especially since you figured they were useless. You thought of backing out many times; however, you were pursued by your subordinates.

You couldn’t help but ponder angrily at how casually he acted when a call from a neighboring island called for him. At first, you volunteered to go there yourself. Yet your captain was persistent and left all of his matters to you.

What a prick, you mumbled. You’re not even aware when he will be back, but for the time being, you’ve done your diligent best to take care of things. It was a little less than twenty hours, but in the Marines, there is always work to be done. Within that time span, you managed to talk on the phone with captains, make appointments, and address status reports from all of your subordinates.

You needed a drink, maybe two. But for now, you wanted to clear your head from all this madness. Tonight, a grand festival will be held in front of Roger's grave. And a celebration of any kind will likely attract a few more pirates. God, you wished you were back in your own office and for a moment, had some privacy.

In the corner of your eye, a young rookie steps beside you. You don’t even blink in his direction; however, you see his hesitation to speak up. Instead, you wave your hand, allowing him to step forward.

“Captain Smoker has returned, and he is looking for you.”

“Great,” you huffed, already your unprofessionalism cracking, revealing your anger. In a quick recovery, you straighten yourself from your seat and look at the young man. Your face held deep weariness; you’ve been awake for nearly twenty-four hours, and it showed. “Well, where is he?”

“East Ports.” He says, completely frozen under your gaze.

You nod, barely sparking the soldier's next thought. Whatever had him so afraid wasn’t your concern. With a small gesture, you dismiss him and step outside the camp.

Not much was ever said about your relationship with your Captain. Still, people around the base had their opinions. Most would say you complemented him perfectly; you were the shield to his sword. Whenever he was away, you stepped in to fill his place. That didn’t mean you weren’t frustrated every time he disappeared for a meeting with the higher-ups, leaving you alone to manage all the work in Loguetown.

Some would say it’s expected for your role as Vice Captain. But you would disagree, and say that your Captain is careless about the way he treats you. It would be best if he talked to you more often. But Smoker has never been talkative. Most of the time, you talk about marine work and petty arguments. Even sometimes, he’d be gone the next morning, with you having no clue of his whereabouts until Tashigi comes to inform you.

To say that communication wasn’t your strongest suit, even as a Marine. You dread speaking to your Captain as much as possible; however, unfortunately, you were the Vice Captain. You were expected to deal with his shenanigans, no matter how long he’s been doing it for hours at a time.

That was when you finally spotted him, having just parked his motorbike, you merely frowned.

Smoker, on the other hand, can read you pretty well. The two of you have worked together for a long time, learning from each other's habits. And with this one, he’s aware where your frustration is coming from. Even though he can’t blame you, he won’t admit it without you explicitly telling him.

“Vice Captain,” he huffs, blowing twin puffs of smoke from his two cigars.

You cross your arms. “Captain.” You look behind him as a few marines take his motorbike back into the nearby garage. “How was the call?”

“Fine,” he says with a sigh, clearly not in the mood for this. “Look, I know you’re upset, so just spit it out already.”

“You were gone for nearly twenty-four hours!” You snap, glaring at him, disgusted by the assumption. “You don’t just disappear and expect me not to say anything about it.”

“I left you a note. What’s more to say?” He grunts, making his way past you. It only darkens your glare. Really? You were fine with your Captain leaving a note about his whereabouts, but his attitude this morning only soured your mood.

“What’s more to say?” You try to catch up to him. “First, you didn’t even warn me of your meeting with Admiral–”

“I mentioned it in the note.” He shakes his head, clearly not having it with your childish outbursts. These were the many rare times your fuse had gone off. On other occasions when he has gone away, you were fine. However, on the day of Roger’s anniversary? You were suddenly fuming at how much more chaotic the island has become. And understandably so, you were.

“So that’s your excuse?” You bite back as the two of you are finally led into a small alleyway. The few bystanders minded their own business, immediately recognizing both of your faces, and chose to respect your privacy. In Loguetown, people saw you as heroes, people who protected them from great danger. Seeing the two of you argue back and forth was a normal occasion for them.

“The Admiral was clearly upset you didn’t show up.”

“Well, you took care of it, didn’t you?”

“Because I had to!” You clapped back, practically steaming out smoke from your ears. Even the other Marines chose not to intervene, knowing the two of you were not in the best moods. “I understand they need you on missions, but come on, on the day of Roger’s Death? On one of the busiest days of the year?”

“I came back, didn’t I?”

You were silent for a moment. “You weren’t there when I had to arrest those three guys in the morning. They were Devil Fruit users, but they left many injured and destroyed a lot of homes.” This time, your voice was steadier, yet held the same intensity. Your Captain was a stubborn man, but so were you. You would be the last person to ever admit defeat. Even if you were on your last breath, you would never yield. Not even against your Captain if it meant it.

Momentarily, your white-haired Captain blinks. “I heard.” He pauses, taking a step back. “How many?”

You pout, looking away into the busy crowd. “Twenty of our own, and twelve civilians.” There was a sense of guilt in your soul for not being able to protect those people. Then again, you weren’t a Devil Fruit user; you were just a normal Marine with good aim and training. You did your best to lead everyone to safety; however, even that wasn’t enough.

Smoker nods, now in deep contemplation. “You did well, though.”

You shake your head. “How can you say that?” Your gaze locks onto his. “Twelve innocent people nearly died, and twenty of our own– I feel like I should’ve done more. If you were here–”

“If I were here, the outcome would’ve been the same,” he replies, with his cigars no longer in his hand, and you realize it's the longest you’ve seen him without smoking a cigar. “You did well, take the credit.”

You don’t take his compliment easily. Instead, you frown childishly.

“I hate you.”

“Yeah, well, you say that to me every day,” he rolls his eyes, clearly with a hint of sarcasm. You can see his faint smile, and even you form a small grin. “Seriously, you did what you could.”

“I know,” you groan, hands covering your face. You rubbed your eyes in exhaustion. “God, I need a drink.”

The smoker couldn’t agree more. He, too, was running on little sleep, and alcohol seemed to be fitting for your afternoon reward. In these small moments, when you are away from the Marines and people, you can be yourself for a bit. You could complain for all you wanted, because Smoker didn’t mind; he, in fact, found it amusing that you were so uptight about keeping a stern and emotionless facade in front of your peers. Even though, on rare occasions, he has seen you break for the slightest reasons. In these moments, the two of you can acknowledge your similarities and mend your frustrations.

Tashigi is running. As fast as she could. She spots you and then your Captain, walking in the far distance. Great, right when she wants to make a good impression on her superiors, she clearly misses the mark and comes crashing in late. With your sword secured around her shoulder, she pauses and watches the two of you.

Tashigi wouldn’t mention it out loud, but the whole reason why Loguetown surprisingly has a good reputation was that the two of you. When you and Smoker work together, you somehow fall into an easy flow, often bouncing off each other’s ideas and handing off tasks to your soldiers simultaneously.

She admires you both greatly. And she’s grateful for how you treated her lately, never once yelling at her or criticizing her clumsiness for the delay. To put it, you were the two people she could rely on most.

For a moment, the dark-haired marine observes the way you talk to Smoker, all sarcasm and dismissive anger. Huh, she recognizes that maybe you were no longer angry at him anymore.

Smoker tilts his head at something you said. He then takes a puff of his cigar and blows it in your face, ultimately making you roll your eyes, smacking his side not too hard.

The rookie freezes, almost unable to comprehend how the two of you can be so genuine with one another. At one moment, you were fuming with rage at Smoker, criticizing and blaming all of your problems on him. And then the next, the two of you were cool, laughing at jokes and making fun of each other.

Were you two married?

“Tashigi,” In panic, the girl glances up to find you and Smoker in front of her. “There you are.”

“Yeah,” she replies, rubbing her arms, unsure.

You raised a brow. “Are you alright?”

She paused. “What?”

“You said you bumped into someone before visiting the shop.” You explain, and suddenly she remembers why she seemed so out of breath. “You didn’t break your head, right?”

“No!” Catching onto your joke, she freezes but then accepts it with a flustered smile. “I’m fine.”

“Good,” you hum, letting the air hang longer than usual. “Have you eaten yet?”

“No, I haven’t!” At the same time, you and Smoker look at her with almost fondness. Much like two parents checking on their child. The white-haired Captain exhales another puff of smoke as you give her a caring smile.

“We’re actually going to the bar for lunch. You can come with us.” You placed a hand on your hip, tilting your head with patient ease. Tashigi is enamored, completely star-struck by the invitation. Having lunch with you? It sounded like a dream, something she had been looking forward to for quite a while. Not many people are invited by you; you prefer to keep your distance from coworkers.

“I would love to!” She shakes her head enthusiastically.

“You’re never excited when I invite you out,” Smoker grunts, playfully. He glances at you, and you’re wearing a smug smile that says it all.

“Clearly, I’m her favorite.” Now you’re pushing it, crossing your arms all proud and mighty. The rookie stares back and forth at your banter, clearly struck by your cheery attitude and Smoker’s genuine amusement?

“We should go now before any more trouble interrupts our lunch.”

Both you and Tashigi nod in agreement. But before you head to the bar, Tashigi stops.

“Wait, I almost forgot!” She reaches behind and pulls out the sword wrapped in linen. “Here’s the sword you ordered!”

“Wow,” you hold the sword in your hands, feeling its weight. “Thank you, Tashigi.”

“N-No problem! If you ever want to go shopping for swords, I would be more than happy to tag along!” she nervously adds, and you respond with a warm smile.

“Sure, if I’m ever free, I’ll ask Smoker if you are.”

Your Captain rolls his eyes. “You don’t need to ask.”

“I know,” you said, clearly pushing Tashigi’s favoritism. Smoker’s glad you’re back to your old self, but now you’re really pushing it. “But just in case–”

“Are we going to get lunch now?” He asks, more annoyed this time.

“Oh! I think I heard they added a few new items to their menu!” Tashigi adds, already leading the way to the bar.