Their fall for each other happens almost unnoticed. Somehow, Ichigo's clothes migrate into her closet and there are new cups in the Kurosaki's kitchen. She invites him to spar with her, trying to help him as much as she can. Ichigo always knows to wear long sleeves under his sweaters when the weather is cold, because Lilly always forgets she can't regulate her temperature anymore, and she always buys two drinks because their taste in teas and juices is similar.
They spend nights sprawled out on her couch, debating European literature, or trying to beat the other in MarioKart and other competitive videogames. Ichigo asks her out when they're making dinner, and Lilly, in her surprise, blurts out "I don't like kissing."
"Kissing in general or...?"
"On the mouth. With tongue. Pecks are fine." She puts down the salad dressing clutched in her hands, reaching for the chopped tomatoes. "And yes, I'd like to go out with you."
One evening, when they are cuddling in bed, Ichigo tells her how he lost his powers. He's shaking in her arms, and Lilly pulls him closer, pressing her lips to his hair.
"Love, it's not your fault. You were pushed into a war by forces outside your reach. I'm just glad you're still here." Her shirt was soaked, but Ichigo seemed calmer. However, there were some aspects of the story she was worried about. Why would a Shinigami just give up his powers for a random mortal? And what was the extent of that 'Urahara' guys influence on Ichigo's role in that clusterfuck?
They are trying to decide in which direction had Ichigo's friends disappeared to when Lilly spots a pale head wearing a striped bucket hat in the distance. Pulling on his sleeve, she pointed towards his general direction.
"Do you think they went over there to watch the dancers?" His eyes widen, and she digs her nails into his wrist, and his expression turns contemplative.
"Maybe. You think we should search there?" He raises an eyebrow, looking down at her. A smirk blossoms across her face, moving her hand to interlink their fingers.
"Sure, it won't hurt to look." He started walking towards that direction, shoulders brushing and cheeks pink from the heat of the masses. Two booths away from where the blond and his associates were, she stops, pointing at the painted masks displayed there.
"Let's get a pair. Then you'll finally live up to your name, Bakaoni."
"Shame my friends can recognize us by our hair, Bakaneko." She could feel eyes on her, just as Ichigo let go of her hand to walk up to the seller. He returns with two fox-masks, one painted blue and the other red. "Compromise?"
"Compromise. I like the red one, reminds me of your hair. And it even has your glare." He scoffed, tossing said red mask at her. Then he bent down, kissing her forehead.
"He seems to be shocked by us." was mumbled against her skin as he led her away, proprietary hand placed onto the small of her back.
"What can I say, we make a striking couple." She murmured, getting up to her tiptoes to kiss him on the cheek. Looks like she rubbed off on her dear boyfriend.
"How come he didn't notice your Reiatsu?"
"I'm hiding it. First thing I did when I became aware of it was to reel it in. I wouldn't be a great assassin if I would be noticed from miles away." He nodded, steering her towards the direction Keigo was waving at them.
Lilly turned the corner only to see Ichigo waiting for her, sweater held out in her general direction. She quickened her steps, trying to not spill their teas, only noticing Inoue and Arisawa talking to her boyfriend when he was only a few feet away.
Extending his other hand, he grabbed one of the cups. It took some manoeuvring to get the sweater on without putting down her tea, being rewarded with a peck when she's finally done.
"Hey, hon. And hi girls." The Inoue girl looked a bit pale, watching them interact as a couple, but still began to chat with her, Arisawa joining in with a barely hidden sneer.
"Nice pants, love." It was a dark pair of jeans, one side decorated with white stars and moons she had gotten the day before.
"Thanks, they were half off."
"Bet I can get them full off later." He raised one of his eyebrows in a smug look.
"You've learned to flirt!" She toasted him, both of them snickering at their antics.
"When you get your powers back, I want to beat Urahara Kisuke's ass," Lilly tells him one morning over coffee. Ichigo blinks at her over the rim of his cup, still mostly asleep.
"Any particular reason you want to flambe his ass only after my powers will be back?"
"So you'll be able to see it."
"Well, ain't that touching. Sure. Can't wait to see you in action." She loved this man.
A year into their relationship, Ichigo gets his powers back, just in time to beat up some ex-Shinigami's that wanted chaos.
"Are you up for a spar with Lilly? She still hasn't adapted to using her Zanpakuto." Partly truth, partly a lie. Just to hook Urahara into fighting his girlfriend. She's pretty sure he can feel her, invisible and only a soul, watching over them out of worry.
"I might be persuaded." Cocky schmuck. He's a scientist, of course, he'll jump at the chance to gather new information.