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There had been too many close calls.
Conan was always in some kind of danger. Sometimes being a detective was dangerous, sure, but things were different now that he was seeking out the Black Organization that forced him to shrink back to a seven-year-old. He was prepared for that from the beginning. Although his parents, Agasa and Haibara had warned him otherwise, he was determined to do whatever it took to bring down the evil Organization and return to his normal body.
But this rashness put other people in danger, too.
Living with Ran and Kogoro had been a gift. Ignoring the fact that he lived with his childhood friend that he truly cared about, but with her father being a detective of his own (albeit, maybe not much of one by himself), Conan had found many leads, sending him closer and closer to that shady Organization.
But everything came at a heavy risk. While he did everything in his power to protect the people close to him from danger, sometimes it came closer than he would have preferred.
And just recently had Kogoro almost been completely eradicated by the snipers of the Organization over a simple mistake.
Conan had saved him in the nick of time, sure. But the guilt and anxiety wrecked him for the next week. Gin was much too perceptive for Conan to have slipped up as badly as he did.
Kogoro had nothing to do with the Black Organization. He was just a stepping stone for Conan's selfishness. A pawn in the deadly game between Conan and the Organization.
Conan had protected him this time. But what about next time?
The bespectacled boy gazed at Kogoro sleeping soundly on the couch. The older man could never sleep like a normal person, always strewn about and snoring with this mouth wide open. Conan glanced upon the table at one, two, three…a few too many of Kogoro's favorite beer littered around, some knocked onto the floor.
A newspaper covered him, unlike what a blanket could do to keep him warm. Ran had warned him about taking a snooze down in the office for he could catch a cold.
"Geez, oji-san…" Conan brought down Kogoro's comforter from his room, since moving the drunk from down here in the office up all of those stairs to his bedroom was not possible for the shrunken teenager. Ran was out at karate practice, so getting the sleepy man to his own bed was not an option until later tonight.
Conan reached from behind the couch to throw the thick blanket over the older man. As if Kogoro had become aware of the action, he twitched a bit and turned to his side, actually in a normal sleeping position.
The small detective tossed the remaining beer bottles on the table onto the floor, making a note to trash them in a bit. He sat himself upon the tabletop, crossed his legs and gazed at Kogoro for awhile. Thoughts of Chianti aiming her rifle at Kogoro as the countdown began. Five…four…three…
Conan shook his head. There had been some close calls before, but this one had been haunting him all week.
This was getting too dangerous. He would never admit defeat, but he could not continue to get outside people mixed in with his issues.
If something terrible, irreversible happened to Kogoro…Conan would never be able to forgive himself. Ran would be devastated, heartbroken, shattered. Never again could Conan face her, much less as Shinichi.
But it wasn't just about Ran. While Kogoro had his fits with Conan's mischievousness during cases and his need to bash the boy on the head, Conan grew attached to the older man. They had their moments, especially when Ran wasn't around. They spent a lot of time together eating at new cheap restaurants or wandering the neighborhood. Occasionally, Conan would even join Kogoro on the couch and watch TV with him.
He had to protect everyone at all costs. He had to protect Kogoro at all costs.
Conan had to continue to us him as a pawn, and he hated it. But he had no choice. Nemuri no Kogoro brought in cases.
He had to keep going.
"Oji-san," Conan breathed softly, although he knew the man couldn't hear him anyway.
"I'm sorry."
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Kogoro blinked a few times, suddenly startled awake. A nightmare, perhaps? He was sure something had definitely troubled him while he slept, but he had instantly forgotten the second he woke up.
"I was sure…Conan was in trouble," he said aloud. He suddenly felt drool upon his face and quickly wiped it away.
"Huh?" he had glanced at the pile of empty beer cans on the floor, noting how he had yet again passed out in the office after downing the alcohol a bit too fast. But usually he would wake up shivering, the room unlit.
But right now, the light above him was still lit, and a comforter rested upon his body. Had it been Ran? Usually if she couldn't wake him, she would bring the blanket and turn out the light.
Kogoro discovered the real answer as he spotted Conan on the couch opposite of him, lying down fast asleep. His glasses were askew on his face, and he slept without any covers.
Did the kid…? Kogoro glanced back at his own blanket, imagining the kid bringing it down and covering him.
He suddenly thought back to a week ago when Conan had broken one of the windows of his office by kicking a soccer ball into it. Of course at the time, Kogoro had screamed at Conan for his recklessness and inconsideration. But after having some time to think about it, Conan…didn't usually kick the ball hard around here, since they lived in front of a main street.
He was always doing silly things that Kogoro always reprimanded him for on the spot, but he had been helpful. Several times. Too many times, even.
After Conan had kicked the ball, Kogoro had spotted some unfamiliar people in black on the roof across from him. Had those mysterious people been targeting him and maybe…Conan broke the window to get his attention? Besides, how had Conan known that he was listening to the horse races?
As much as Kogoro treated him like an obnoxious seven-year-old, the boy was always serious when it came to protecting or saving people's lives from danger. Just like Kogoro, he would never want to see anyone hurt.
Especially the people he cared about most.
Kogoro stepped over to Conan and placed the blanket over his small body. He removed his glasses and set them on the table.
The dream from moments ago was slowly coming back to him. A dream where Conan was in danger.
"Oji-san, I'm sorry."
I promise I will protect you, too, Conan.