So sweet! Great character development

HHHH I’m so sorry it took me so long to review this. Spring semester took a lot out of me.

Anyways, this last chapter was amazing. I’m Momo’s sucker so obviously my favorite part was knowing she’s engaged. I’m sure she’s happy with whoever she’s with (especially if it’s with Renji, Izuru, &/or Shuuhei ;DD.)

I SERIOUSLY ATE UP TOUSHIROU GETTING JEALOUS. I doubt after all they’ve been thru, Toushirou gets jealous often or has a reason to continue being jealous, but Toushirou getting emotional is delicious.

I loooved Karin in this. I love her sexual expression? She’s a lot like me in that respect in this AU, and you handled it kindly. I dunno why slut-shaming is a thing in fanfiction but it is and it means a lot when people don’t make that out to be something we should be guilty about.

I love how sweet their relationship is when they’re together. The last scene where Toushirou proposed made me melt. They’ve been thru years together & it’s all come to this sweet, beautiful end.

It’s been amazing following this story. You’re a fantastic author, and I’ve looked forward to every new chapter. You didn’t disappoint when Momo & Toushirou were dating and broke up, when Toushirou confronted Karin about her sexual activity, when they finally slept together. I can’t stress how much I loved this.

This was the perfect ending to the story!

It's taken me a couple of days to review this and I want to apologize. I recently entered a relationship and it's become an delightful yet enormous distraction from my online presence. Nonetheless, I was excited when I saw the email notification for this update. I've looked forward to how you'd execute Momo and Toushirou's relationship for awhile and this was satisfying.

I'm so glad Momo and Toushirou split peacefully. I've mentioned this, but I've noticed authors of these kinds of AUs sorely misunderstand Momo as a character as well as her romantic dynamic with Toushirou. I've noticed they make Momo codependent, hypersensitive, and extremely jealous, especially of Karin.

I'm also really glad Momo was the one to break it off. I know, realistically, Toushirou is equally likely to break it off, but just looking on past executions of these AUs, it's always made Momo out to be inferior to Karin and that's far from the truth. Momo and Toushirou just... don't mesh romantically. Momo needs someone who adores her. Toushirou, while completely enamored with Karin, is not very romantic.

Look, I'm not saying these qualities are incorrect, I've just noticed they executed horribly. I could literally write you a publishable thesis paper on how ignorant of abuse and misogynistic these characterizations are buuut I have botany homework I should be doing instead so I won't.

Summarily, I'm just glad this AU is playing on a typical trope in an atypical fashion. It's incredibly refreshing.

I loooved the scene where Karin and Momo met. I'm a sucker for platonic KarinHina. I was a little disappointed we didn't get to see more of them, their personalities are surprisingly complementary. That said, their continued contact wasn't a huge loss to this story. That's just a loss to my fangirly perspective, haha.

There were a couple of areas where quality was shaky and this chapter didn't feel as poetic as chapters prior. Overall though, it wasn't a big deal and it didn't detract from the beauty and eloquence of this so much so that I despised it. It was still professional, and most importantly, delightful.

I can't wait for the next chapter. Thinking back on Karin's chapters, I'm literally going to die reading Toushirou pine for her. In this case, I think he'd need Karin more and more. I'm always a sucker for Toushirou's enamoration of Karin. Keep up the good work!

My, this was a treat reading! I remember you saying Toushirou was more cerebral than Karin. With Karin, you managed to portray so much emotion in so few words but what you can do with someone more elaborate like Toushirou is honestly stunning. There wasn’t a lot of flourish so this was still pretty easy to read but there was more introspection than their was with Karin and it was spectacular.

It felt really weird for it only to be Toushirou and his grandmother. I’m sooo used to familial HitsuHina, it took me a moment to remember that you actually pair Momo and Toushirou romantically in this plot. That said, I adored the exchange with Toushirou’s grandmother. You portrayed their affection for each other splendidly. I was actually reminded of the extra chapter where Toushirou is still living in the Rukongai and runs into Rangiku who convinced him to enter Shin’ou Academy. He smiled in that chapter and for some reason, it’s burned in my memory. Well done!

I looove Ichigo’s ragtag team. You meshed the group together splendidly. They’re still children, so they’re more tolerant of difficult personalities I think, but Toushirou is still opinionated and needs some time and a reason to like people like Grimmjow.

I’M SO EXCITED SEEING KARIN AGAIN! She’s such a brave froot and I adored the depth you gave her in prior chapters. Toushirou’s burgeoning affection for her makes me meeelt! You gave him such softness for Karin, it’s breath-taking. He admires and respects her drive and moxie. It’s slow, quiet affection, and he doesn’t realize it yet, but he supports Karin through her trials unlike Ichigo, who tries to coddle his sisters. Toushirou already sees Karin as his equal and I just can’t get enough of that. The emotional dynamic you gave the pair in Karin’s chapters was powerful, I can’t wait to see what you do with it with more detailed writing in the following chapters.

Keep up the good work!

So... I was so butthurt with how Bleach ended, even 'til now, that I dropped everything Bleach-related. I just picked up on reading Bleach fics again and I hate that I didn't read this sooner. I hope you continue with their marriage and all that. 'Tis too good! :D

Cute.

I-I GOT A SHOUT-OUT? I'M BLUSHING THANK YOU? I mean first you review one of my fics & now you're acknowledging me in your A/N- are you playing FAVORITES? (this is a joke awkejfhawejfh)
Alright, onto my real review. This chapter was VERY emotional. I thiiink this was the shortest (or one of, if not then it Felt like it) and all the MEANINGFUL EMOTION you got in here is amazing? Honestly, I think THIS is the peak of what you can do with your simplistic but style. The ellipses section breaks kiiinda messed up the flow in my humbled opinion, but so long as they make sense who CARES? It's not like they RUINED the flow altogether.
I love how you portray Karin's relationships. I'll confess upfront that I have A LOT of one night stands. I get A LOT of shit for my... hobbies. Fandom is by no means a safe space for me & my sexual activity, so it means a lot that you'd portray Karin as having an active sex life but not reducing her to her promiscuity. I apologize if that's tmi or something, but this isn't a trope I feel is explored accurately on the occasions it is and I want to acknowledge that it makes this fic you've wrote even more amazing.
I love-love Karin's pairings. I know that's weird to say when I've said the last two chapters that side pairings can get Weird, but you tied it together splendidly. They're not "relationships," they're manifestations of Karin's fear of commitment. Stiiill don't care much for GrimmKarin or GrimmNel (I ship HarriNel SO HARD, I Don't Know why I do this to myself when f/f is the least popular pairing type Ever but here I aaam :'DD) but I can dig the GrimmKarin friendship. I'm weak for Karin platonics though :'DD
THAT EXCHANGE BETWEEN KARIN AND TOUSHIROU THO. My god, I adored that. So much emotion in short lines. I get the feeling with the italicized line groupings were meant to be poetic and you hit the nail on the head. It's hard to insert that kind of poetry in story-telling. I mean, it's not the FIRST time I've seen it work, nonetheless it's great & commendable. I looove how you continue after their confession. Ending a story after a confession is fine and dandy and all, but I feel like continuing it just a bit wraps up this arc wonderfully.
ANYWAYS. Concerning your fic for Toushirou's POV, since your writing is so easy to follow, if it's shorter than 5-7k words, I'd just leave it as a oneshot. It's your story so you can do whatever you please with it, but 5-7k is geeenerally when most readers start to go cross-eyed.
I look forward to the following chapters!

This was great and I can't wait for Toshiros point of view!

I love the structure of this story!
I can't express how much I love your easy to read structure. It's simple and short yet it portrays the characters so well! It's adorable and yet so real. I am really looking forward for your next chapter.

10/10.

Momo needs to come back for more drama.

Ah, yes, I'm so glad that Momo realized she'd be much happier with Shuuhei & Izuru than she ever would be with Toushirou & I'm so glad that Shuuhei, Izuru, & Momo are there to comfort Renji after he & Rukia separate & I'm glad they're all living happily together as one big pile of polyamory. Thank you, beloved author, for giving my children the happy ending they deserve.
Alright, time to be serious. I really don't care for GinRan or IchiRuki (unless it's IchiRukihime & that's The shit second to RenShuuKiraHina) but I ain't here for GinRan or IchiRuki, I'm here to watch my daughter Karin Kurosak r, so I'm just not gonna comment on them lmao.
THIS CHAPTER IS LITERALLY THE BEST. I mentioned this but your portrayal is one of the few portrayals of Karin I care for. She's wonderful & multifaceted & I eat it up. Her fear of commitment is viscerally portrayed & I didn't have the poker face I do I'd probably be crying. That moment with Yuzu, however short in comparison to the rest of this chapter, was the most impacting scene of this fic yet. I see in your A/N you're worried about OOC but THIS is the MOST IC ANGST SCENE I HAVE READ TO DATE. Yes, Karin is TERRIFIED of losing that which she loves. Yes, Karin AVOIDS stress like the fucking plague. YES YES YES. OH MY GOD THAT SCENE WAS WONDERFUL.
Also, thank you for not putting Yuzu in a weird hetero relationship like... ByaYuzu or something... I have my own thoughts on Yuzu's sexuality (she's lesbian, sorry I don't make the rules) but YukiYuzu incredibly tasteful & something I can behind in comparison to... other... Yuzu pairings... (did you kno that AiYuzu is an actual Thing? w/ nonporno fanart & fics? suffer with me.)
That part where Karin fell asleep & Toushirou put her in his lap & was playing with her hair is my shit. The sex scene was tastefully censored & still satisfying so A job there. I Said I wasn't gonna touch on IchiRuki buuut nonetheless the wedding was cute & I also commend you for keeping Rukia & Ichigo's past with Renji in mind.
The Worst thing about this chapter that (I feel) is actually relevant is Momo's disappearance. I hate AUs where they're dating because authors never include her in the plot again afterwards despite her important to Toushirou & vise versa. Understandable, I wouldn't want to talk to my exes ever again, & it's technically not a Big Deal since- again- I'm reading for the Karin content, nonetheless I can't help but be saddened by her certain absence in the final chapter :((
I look forward to final chapter! Keep up the work!

Very nice chapter. I think I said this about the last chapter, but your writing is very lyrical & it flows easily. You can portray feelings in a handful of words, which reads very easily but most importantly is still an effective "kick," so to speak.

I don't have any complaints other than the Age-Long(tm) controversy of pairings. But you're a big boi- I mean that as a figure of speak ofc, I don't assume either your gender identity or your physical stature- who can make your own decisions in writing. I'm sure you & I are both acquainted with the HitsuKarin fandom's attitude about HitsuHina & Momo Hinamori in general, but you executed Toushirou & Momo's relationship as well as Karin's feelings about the relationship & Momo tastefully in terms of plot which is commendable. I don't understand the fad about GrimmKarin & my personal investment in the pairing is nonexistent, but I look forward to where you'll take it. I'm under the impression that you're going to break apart Rukia & Renji before the end of this fic which makes me kind of sad because IchiRuki is also a trope beat to death in this fandom.

Again, none of these are really a big deal. If they were such a huge bother I wouldn't have bothered to comment. On top of the qualities I mentioned earlier, your characterization of Karin has artfully explored many of her facets in less than four thousand words, & it's one of few portrayals I can actually get behind. The plot itself is atmospheric of loss, loneliness, all that delicious angst which I a for.

I really like the lonely note to this story. Perhaps it's just my own biases, but Karin is isolated from what she enjoys by Ichigo not wanting her to get her, Karin's guardian status with her four friends, Karin's unrequited crush on Renji. She leads an overall lonely childhood. But you've established Toushirou's status not only as someone he treats with the fairness she deserves by training her in soccer- unlike Ichigo- but as solace for her as she grieves her unrequited crush. I'm in love!