The Blood Prince

Chapter 20: A deal

Waiting was difficult. Ichigo was had started pacing, Renji was tapping his foot, Rukia was twiddling her thumbs. The elder Shinigami were just as tense but were much better at hiding it. And Rangiku just kept her eyes on the sleeping boy resting on her lap gently running her hand though his hair.

"He hasn't changed,"

The silence was cut it two and their heads shot round to the new comer. A smirke on his marked face his crimson eyes resting on his son,

"Just the same as the day I created him."

A white and red suite clad the demon, his wings much larger and more impressive than his sons. His white and red hair was pushed back the black markings his son had on the left had a symmetrical set on the right.

"Lucifer," Yamamoto stood.

As expected the other went for their zanpactou and Rangiku held the little prince tighter.

Lucifer titled his head for a moment focusing on the head captain before breaking out into a grin.

"Yamamoto!" He beamed, "The years have not been kind to you. Look at you."

"Not all of us have the gift of immortality," Yamamoto growled.

"The way you keep going you do," The devil replied, "I keep expecting you down here just to be disappointed. On that note, what are you doing down here you old codger?"

"Wait…don't you want us dead or something?" Kyoraku questioned.

"If I wanted you dead you already would be," Lucifer replied very matter-of-factly, "I am hell there is no where you could go that you would be able to escape. Now answer me, why in the world has my child expended himself to bring you all down here?"

"You're creation was tampered with," Yamamoto replied and seemed to take pleasure in saying, "Both Daygon and the Collar."

"Terial has reported of Aizen's double-crossing but I can safely assume it wasn't him." The demons eyes narrowed.

"Gin Ichimaru," Ukitake came in after glancing to the head captain, "He created a fake collar that forced Hitsugaya to bring us here."

"Hitsugaya?" The demon blinked, "Is that the name he took? Anyway…" It was easy to see the years trapped here had not boded well for the creatures sanity as he clapped and looked up, "A deal."

"Like we're dumb enough to make a deal with you," Renji snapped.

"Abari!" Yamamoto scolded and Renji blinked at him.

"Master you're not seriously considering…?" Ukitake blinked.

The devil chucked, "Unlike you he's dealt with me before. He knows as long as I'm here I'm unstoppable and that if you don't at the very least listen to me you'll all die."

The shinigami froze, eyes glancing to a very tense Yamamoto.

"Good girls and boys," He smiled, "My boy would just be heartbroken to wake up to your bodies."

For a moment they completely lost the winged demon and looking round Matsumoto found her face right in his,

"You especially I can bet," He was bent in front of her staring into her icy blue eyes, "You have her eyes, it's horrible."

Recovering the Lieutenant pulled the boy closer, "Get away from us."

"You even act like her," The cheery face they had been shown began to fade, Lucifer's expression slowly darkening, "He must like you."

"Lucifer!" Yamamoto barked snapping the demon out of it, Lucifer looked round with a smiled again, "Speak your deal."

With a longing glance to the little prince the demon rose to his full height and turned to the group.

"I will help you get out of here," He told them, "With my help Daygon with recover quicker and will be able to take you back."

"But…" Kyoraku pushed.

"But Daygon needs to send Gin Ichimaru back here for me to play with."

"That's it?" Rukia asked sceptically

"That's it," He nodded,

"One condition," Yamamoto said sternly,

"Well you don't have much choice but I'll hear you out old man." Lucifer replied.

"We do not allow you to be alone with Daygon during our stay." He stated

Lucifer rolled his head back, "Age ain't got to your brain old man but I'll go with it as long as said watcher does not question every tiny little thing I do."

The group looked between themselves uneasily. There had to be something they were missing. Something Lucifer could use to his advantage but in their position they couldn't ask for much more. If even the head captain did not want to challenge him then it was wise just to agree.

"Agreed."

"Old man." Ichigo said warily,

"I have agreed, Kurosaki." The man snapped.

"Good, now then," The devil bent down in front of Matsumoto, "Let me take him."

"No." She snapped pulling him back.

"Is it so wrong to want to hold my child?" The demon titled his head.

Matsumoto faltered a moment. His eyes were like her captains. A surface for all to see and truth underneath hidden away. He was trying to make it look like he had some evil intention, like he only wanted Toushiro in his possession again because he felt he owned him, but after the years of reading her captain and now finding his father wore the same sort of mask she knew that wasn't true.

He cared.

A mortal emotion he was probably in denial about feeling, but he cared.

She sighed, "Alright."

The others looking to her in shock as her grip loosened, and Lucifer took Toushiro into his arms with surprising gentleness.

"Rangiku what are you-" Renji went to protest but she put a hand up to it.

"It's fine," She smiled knowingly, "He'll be fine."

"Right!" Lucifer stood suddenly with a new burst of energy while holding the boy close, "To the palace!"

They were taken by surprise the setting around them just changed and before they could really register they were in a grand black and red hall with flames lining on the walls. Lucifer just chuckled as they stared round.

"Did you think I pulled his powers out of mid-air?" The man asked sitting down comfortably on the thrown in the room Hitsugaya on his lap, resting against his chest, "Everything about him is a variation of myself."

"He is not like you," Ichigo snapped.

"Oh you mean that he cares for mortal life," The man looked down and ran a hand though the boys hair, "He will come to realise his mistake soon enough."

"Mistake?" Ukitake questioned,

"When he has to watch you all die," Lucifer looked up, "When he realises no matter how much he cares, no matter how much he protects everyone will fade away from him because like me he has the curse that is immortality, and that is what will bring him back to me in the end."

"That's a long time to wait," Shunui spoke, "Especially since he chose to live in the Soul Soiecty."

Lucifer sat back eyes resting on his child again, "Something to look forward to."

There was a silence. A surprise on the Shinigami's end that the devil just sounded so bored. It was most likely his reason for wanting to escape. Pure boredom.

"Were you not going to help wake the child?" Yamamoto spoke.

"He needs at least a day to regain some strength naturally before I do anything," The devil replied simply, "Until then I suggest you make yourselves comfortable."

That was asking the impossible. For all bar the head captain this place was irritatingly hot and now gave them a clear reason for why Hitsugaya never really liked the heat. Rukia looked at her captain and noticed that he didn't seem to be suffering as much as the rest of them. Little did she know it was because of the long katana he kept hidden under his captain's hiori. The ice dragon listening and watching as his little master lay in the arms of his father.

Authors notes: I do not own Bleach

Now you've all met Toushi's daddy. Not as bad a guy as he seems but you have to wonder about that deal. Sure he get's Gin but does he want more.

sorry if Yama seems a bit off, I've usually avoided writing about him exept for meetings cause i stuggle with it :/

anyway thanks all for your reviews love hearing from you