Repeating History

[#]: These indicate additional notes related to the content of the story, you may notice them as you go and can find the correlating notes at the end of the chapter it appears in. There's one per chapter.

Disclaimer: I do not own any of the characters present in this story. (Love you Aoyama-sama~! And all the beautiful helpers!) Cover art is also not mine, but unfortunately there's no signature and it's been passed around online so many times that I really can't find who it's by. ^^;

Now, without further ado….

~*~ Enjoy! ~*~

Chapter 1: A Call from Past to Future

Kudo Yusaku didn't have many regrets in life. Nearly every case he's worked, he'd solved. His books were a huge success, his wife was a charm, and while his son was completely reckless at least he was also a kind and somewhat intelligent young man.

But for all the success he'd had in life, there was one regret that ate away at him. For years it's weighed heavy on his heart, and hide it though he might, he doubted it would ever fully go away. Regrets like guilt just didn't fade so easily, especially when he could still see the aftermath of it all unfolding in the newspaper he was reading. Every time the young KID announced a new heist those old memories came drifting back. If only he hadn't trusted that damn magician all those years ago, that ridiculous man dressed in white who tutored his wife. Yusaku used to believe in Kuroba Toichi, but now he really wished he hadn't.

Yukiko stepped up behind her husband, who was sitting in his usual arm-chair by their American home's fireplace. "You're up so late again tonight, what are you reading this time?" She leaned over the back of his shoulder to see the paper he was holding. "Ah, Kai-chan has another heist tonight, neh?" She asked sweetly, smiling at her husband.

He smiled back and nodded, appearing as easy-going and relaxed as ever, but his wife noticed the little crease in his brow. She frowned and poked it. "Hey, don't make a face like that, I don't want my husband to get old and wrinkly too soon while I stay young and beautiful. Just what will people say about me if that happens?" She teased. ".… You can always ask Chikage-san when we go out for lunch tomorrow how he's doing." [1]

Yusaku nodded slightly. "I know, I know. I'm sure he's doing fine." Still, he couldn't help but feel he'd made the mistake of believing in a Kuroba before, and part of him still wanted to avoid making that mistake again.

But this KID wasn't his KID anymore. Yusaku knew he didn't have the right to get involved in things this time. He may have failed when it was his turn, but now it was Shinichi's time to live his life, to have a friendly rival and see how things would end.

Maybe Yusaku couldn't justify getting too involved in all this, but still…. He hummed and rose up out of his chair, setting the newspaper face-down on the table beside him as he went.

His wife pouted. "Heeey, where are you off to now you inconsiderate man?" She asked, angry that he'd brushed her off his shoulder when he stood.

"Just going to the bathroom dear." She scoffed, as if she'd believe something as obvious as that. Did he think she was like Shinichi's friends, always believing it when he ran off at a crime scene to 'use the restroom'? She crossed her arms and huffed as her husband retreated, but didn't follow him. Whatever he was up to, she'd grill the information out of him later.

Just to make a point Yusaku did go into the bathroom, but not to use the facilities. Instead he locked the door behind him before leaning against the tiled wall and pulling out his phone. He dialed a number and let it ring. As he'd expected, it took quite a while, at least six or seven rings. He thought for a moment that the call would go unanswered before the person on the other end of the line finally picked up.

"Who is this?" His son's voice, the teen voice of Kudo Shinichi. As Yusaku had expected, he was using his voice modifier to pick up since he'd called to Shinichi's phone and not Conan's.

"You don't recognize the number of your own father? I'd expected better from you, son," Yusaku replied in way of answer.

"How am I supposed to know? You get a new number all the time so you can avoid calls from your publishers. If you'd just submit by your deadlines on time you wouldn't change phones so often and I'd know if you were calling." This time the voice had gotten higher in pitch, back to the voice of Conan. There was no point in using a modifier with his own father who knew his secret.

"Ah, I suppose that's true," Yusaku laughed. When he didn't say anything more the boy on the other end huffed.

"Hey hey, if you just called to bug me I'm not interested, I have things to do soon. Go bother someone else," Conan muttered. "I'm going to hang up."

"The heist doesn't start for another hour, you have some time," Yusaku countered. "We haven't talked in a while, you should really call your mother more often you know. She'd be angry at both of us if she knew I was talking to you without her right now."

"You wouldn't call me without a reason. What do you want?" Shinichi never had been a very patient boy, always rushing off without thinking first and bored if things were moving too slowly for his liking. Not that Yusaku could really blame him, since he was the same way. A little less reckless, a little more keen, but easily bored all the same.

"They say those who cannot learn from history are doomed to repeat it. I wonder, if my son knows how to learn from my mistakes?"

Conan was quiet for a few moments on the other end of the line. "George Santayana, a philosopher from the 19th to 20th century. This isn't like you old man, to be saying such things like this…. What am I supposed to be learning here?"

Yusaku chuckled lightly, but it wasn't as full and bright as the younger Kudo had grown to expect from his easy-going father. "I called to help you with that thief you're after tonight, that's all."

Conan snorted. "What, him? Don't be ridiculous. I don't need help with that guy! I can handle him on my own!" He was indignant, how could his dad be calling him as if he needed help dealing with KID? Besides, KID was a nonviolent criminal, Conan wasn't in any danger tonight. What was his father thinking?

"I used to have a friend like him too, you know. You met him once upon a time."

"…. I remember," Conan muttered. "What about it?"

Yusaku didn't answer, but continued. "You respect that thief of yours, don't you? He's a fun rival to have, if he's anything like the one I knew."

Conan shook his head in denial, a flustered blush of embarrassment creeping onto his face. How dare his father accuse him, a detective, of being friends with a thief?! "What?! No way! No, I-"

"I want to warn you," Yusaku cut off his son's stammer. "Don't respect him too much. I made that mistake once, and there was a heavy price to pay for it. Those thieves are capable and cunning, aren't they? They've both been talented in what they do, but don't let his confidence and smiles delude you, it's a dangerous game he plays. I left mine to himself, I trusted he could handle it alone, or that he'd ask for help when he really needed it, I didn't keep a close enough eye on him. If you don't want to lose yours like I lost mine, you should look out more carefully than I did."

Shinichi was speechless. This wasn't the first time his father had issued him warnings when there was danger lurking, but it was a rare occasion, and to be concerned about KID? About a thief's wellbeing? He knew his father had been a friendly rival for the current KID's predecessor sure, but what exactly had happened in the end? Did it have to do with the original KID's sudden disappearance? There were pieces of the puzzle missing for sure, and though he didn't want to admit it, Conan knew the sudden air of danger unnerved him. Particularly, to think the thief was perhaps in peril gave him a strong sense of uneasiness. And damn it, leave it to that infuriating and benevolent thief to make him worry!

"Dad, what happened back then when-"

"Well, I should go, your mother will be suspicious soon and I'm sure she'll be angry if she finds me talking to you without her! Good luck catching your friend son, talk to you later!"

"Hey! If you hang up now I'll send this number to your publishers I swear!" Conan yelled, but it was too late, the line had already gone dead.

[1] Little backstory for anyone who doesn't know the lore: Kaito's mother, Chikage, and Shinichi's parents are all in America. We also know Shinichi's mother Yukiko was a student of the late Kuroba Toichi, aka Kaito's father, and that Yusaku knew Toichi was KID. In the show Chikage also says she's in America hanging out with her friends. Based on this it's my personal theory that she's with the Kudos. Maybe, just maybe, after Toichi died she began hanging out with them to quell her loneliness? Maybe even so Yusaku could protect her from danger in case the organization comes after her again since it's safer in America? Just my thoughts on the matter. ;D I like to think maybe he's trying to help her out of a sense of guilt for not saving her husband too. I just feel like he might be that kind of friend, the type who acts like they don't care but is secretly still looking out for you. :)

Hope you enjoyed the chapter! If you have a moment, reviews are much appreciated~! ^^