Disclaimer: Kubo owns Bleach.

Haha, I am not sure about the theme but when I was writing this came out. And there will be a part 2 for this. Gosh, it's hard trying to write for straight days… I really hoping I can keep up. Also, what's with me writing Ichigo POV all the time… I am thinking to write Orihime POV next time.

And thanks for the reviews, favorites and follows (aiko1991, anonymousP, Saint Sita, Ermilus, Ichihime Kurosaki, Sigoogle, Bekas Strife, KazumaKaname, LS77). Never expected to be this much.

Anyways, please review again and please be kind.

Theme 2: Promise

He tried to remember who had talked him into this.

The room was blazing with a multitude of colors, from crimson to yellow to blue, swimming and circling. His ears were ringing from the loud blazing music and he can feel his heart pound with the musical rhythm of the deep bass. Tons of people already crammed into a little space, dancing and mingling, raising the already heated temperature. His tight fitted black shirt and old regular jeans did nothing to chill him.

The place was a social and cultural experience for young people. He recalled now how his friends dragged him this night in a night club.

Ichigo scowled and tried to navigate his way through swarms of dancing people blocking his way out. He scowled as another, yet girl tried to block his route and started dancing in front of him, grabbing his torso and swaying her hips closer to his center.

It was enough to send him on edge as Keigo gave him thumbs up, clearly pointing to the blonde young woman having her way with him. Growling, he grabbed the girl and politely pushed her away. He muttered an excuse and proceeded to walk out of the middle of the room and to the nearest bar.

Once he got to the bar, he signaled to the bartender for a bottle of beer, which he was promptly given. Getting a full drink from his bottle, he heaved a deep sigh after. It has been a while now since he had come to this party scene. He was not the one to party as being a responsible punk, but he did have his fair share of adolescent behavior before.

"Wow, and I thought you enjoyed this scene." A voice sounded on his right side.

Ichigo glanced at the origin of the voice and saw Uryu standing beside him, his back resting on the side of the bar counter.

"Ishida." Ichigo scowled, not expecting the man to be there. "What are you doing here? Don't you have to be at the hospital or something?"

"I should ask you the same. Your father kicked you out for being a useless intern?"

Ichigo's eyes twitched with annoyance for a second, but he regained his composure as he was used to their usual banter. Being part cousins and both Quincies they do share a bond. It was no wonder that after the war, four years after they retained their semi friendship and now both on their way to become doctors.

"As I have, you know this was not my idea, Miziuro and Keigo dragged me into this." He answered in a reconciled tone. "They were being insistent and practically blackmailed me to be here."

"I know."

Ichigo's mouth opened, "What?"

"I was the one who ordered them to drag you here." Ishida said with coolness.

Barely hiding his annoyance anymore, Ichigo was about to tell him off or do something that will make his hand connect with his face when Uryu shrugged and pointed his beer bottle towards the other direction of the room.

"I thought you will be interested to see that." Uryu informed him, pushing his glasses up then with his free hand.

Ichigo followed Uryu's hand and he released a growl as he saw his object of affection, there, standing in the middle of three other young women. He was really shocked seeing her here and with people he wasn't familiar with either.

Giving her an overall look, his eyes nearly flew out as he saw that Orihime was wearing a tight white mini spaghetti strap dress that stops within her mid thighs, showing her womanly curves. Her auburn hair was drawn into a ponytail showing of her long unblemished neck. The pins given by her brother was neatly tucked at the crown of her low neckline, which was decent enough to cover her large bosom, but still for him it was too much.

His eyes twitched as he saw one of her friends gave her a bottle of beer, which Orihime accepted and took a quick sip. If he knew better she was just being polite, not wanting to upset any of her friends. Clenching his hand and grinding his teeth, he had half of mind walking over to where she is, and start dragging her out of this place while screaming at her friends for bringing her here.

Ichigo could already feel his hollow-self trying to get out.

"So, you saw her already." Tatsuki's voice sounded, snapping him out of his stupor.

""You know she's here?" Ichigo snapped at her childhood friend. "Why didn't you stop her? And why did you not tell me?" Glaring back at her, he hasn't even realized when she arrived.

"She only told me that she was going here an hour ago." Tatsuki snapped back. "Her college friends dragged her here to celebrate their last semester. I can't say no to her, I am not her mother." She nearly shouted at him. "And I told Uryu to be here and he told Keigo and now you are here."

Ichigo was about to shout at her back when he felt a heavy hand on his shoulder. Turning around, he saw Chad giving him a grim looked.

"Just as we thought you are really overprotective of her." Uryu stated after taking a drink from his beer.

"Eh?" he asked and he immediately felt Tatsuki's elbow connected to the top of his head. "Aww! That hurts!"

"You really are an idiot. Why don't you just acknowledge it, so that you can get it over already?" Tatsuki sighed, giving Ichigo almost a resigned look. "You are so protective of her ever since, even when we are just classmates at Karakura high. During when her brother became a hollow..."

"When Inoue was taken to Hueco Mundo." Chad followed, joining the conversation. "Also, with your fights with Grimmjow and Ulquiorra."

"And of course, acting like an obsessive stalker all the time." Uryu lastly added.

"Hey!" Ichigo shouted at his three friends.

Ichigo looked down the floor, slightly embarrassed and remembered all the things they were talking about.

How he had felt that he needed to take her back when she was taken by Aizen...

How he felt how useless, he was not of being able to protect her when he lost his powers...

How he needed to know and feel her riatsu all the time so he can know that she is safe...

How just the thought of her being taken advantage will set him on edge...

"I just can't help it... She... She is someone that I... I wanted… I am in…" Ichigo said mumbling, unable to form any words on how to tell them how he felt for the auburn haired girl.

"She is Inoue and I promised that I will always protect her." He finally said.

His three friends looked at each other and nodded. Tatsuki gave him a slight grin as Chad gave him his usual thumb ups.

Uryu just gave him a smirk and said, "Don't you think you should tell her what you feel. I think she waited long enough."

Looking back at his cousin, Ichigo returned his smirk. Uryu doesn't have to tell him, he was already sure of what she felt for her long before and he was just waiting for the right time.

Glancing back at the auburn haired girl, he knew it would just be the matter of time till he told her everything he felt.

His name was meant to protect, and she was the only one he had promised to protect.

Ichigo nodded at his three friends and took the first step towards her.