Valtor’s hand rose to cup her cheek, warm and steady. His thumb brushed lightly across her skin, as though grounding himself in the moment, needing to confirm she was real. Then he deepened the kiss — deliberate and unhurried, like he’d thought about this a hundred times and wasn’t going to waste a single second.
And Stars, he was good at it.
His touch didn’t feel dark or dangerous, it felt like fire, warm and consuming. Fire that wrapped itself around Bloom and demanded nothing but everything all at once. She melted into him, her soft sighs escaping into his mouth.
So fun fact, this was not supposed to be the season finale! My original plan was to just finish ETI in one single season, or more like there just weren't any seasons planned at all. So even if it took to episode 100, everything would just follow each other with no breaks in between. But, while writing this episode, something just sort of clicked? I just knew this was the finale, it felt right to end it here. To have a new and fresh start!
The kiss was also unplanned, to be honest. I was going to make y'all wait even longer at first. 😆 But I'm nothing if not a kind and benevolent author. 😌
It felt right to have it happen here — the first ever kiss. Both fuelled by adrenaline, and the first time Valtor almost experienced 'loss'. He almost lost Bloom in this episode, and that was what pushed all those repressed emotions to the top.
Some readers were a little confused about 'So, this is what it feels like'; I got this question on Webtoon and on Boosty. In case there were some others here who were a little confused, it just means he now finally knows what it feels like to kiss Bloom! Not that he never kissed before, haha. The man is a thousand years old, would be a little unbelievable if he was a virgin. 😂
This was probably the most fun episode to work on from season 1; I remember reaching a flow state almost, haha. I had a vision, and it was going on that canvas one way or another. 😂 I'm also very happy that I decided to end season 1 here. Right now they're on the precipice of being more than enemies, of being more than simple acquaintances. While I can't say that they are ready to accept the emotional side of their attraction yet, they are getting closer. And this will be explored in season 2.
We'll see Bloom struggle with her blossoming feelings, while Valtor is like a man obsessed. It's simple to call it attraction — a passing interest — and move on. To stick to secret kisses and hidden touches. But when it goes further than that, how will they handle it? How far is Valtor willing to go for Bloom? And how long before this little secret is finally revealed?
Aaaah so many things to write and I simply can't WAIT!!