Page 40 of Testing the Kot'oll Officer

Maybe it has to do with a change in the air, but somehow, he understands that Vatok and I are together by now and there's no chance for him anymore as if there was ever a chance. Even though Vatok isn't in the bar with me all the time, his presence isenough to keep weird and rude beings away from me. I still don't understand, but who am I to complain after all?

Vatok takes a breath when the counter is empty, which may last barely a second before the next batch of patrons come along, seeing the empty counter. "This is pretty tiring, but fun, regardless."

I pat his chest. "I hope you haven't forgotten about our actual celebration for my birthday."

He pecks a kiss on my forehead. "How would I forget about the visit to the animal shelter?"

"And we shall see what you can do with your arms there. Hopefully, no squeaky toys are involved this time around."

He grunts and rolls his eyes. "Come on... The animals just love me. Don't be jealous."

I smack his chest, but I can't deny that. The animals really love him. Maybe because he's good at picking them up and giving them solid hugs that I can't when I'm not as strong. I laugh, “Fine, fine, you win. But only with the hugs, not the squeaky toys.” I wink at him, enjoying the playful banter that has become such a natural part of our dynamic.

He puts the bottles and shaker to the side and holds my hands, both of them. The smile fades away, and he watches me with an intense gaze. "You’ve brought a new perspective to my life, Julie. Something I didn’t even know I needed.”

My heart skips a beat. "Getting serious out of nowhere, huh?"

He blinks. "Is that wrong?"

"No, not at all."

Sometimes, he does spell out his feelings. Maybe it is more natural for him. Next time, I'll teach him about the meanings behind the drinks. Then he may come up with something to wow me, which hopefully doesn't involve ten drinks in a row just so he can tell me everything he wants to mention because he thinks that a single drink isn't enough.

He smiles, his eyes softening as he holds my gaze. "Good. Because I need you to know how much you mean to me. Before you, everything was about rules, order, and maintaining control. But you've shown me the beauty in chaos, the joy in spontaneity, and the warmth in connection."

I squeeze his hands, feeling a lump form in my throat. "You've changed my life, too. You've shown me that it's okay to lean on someone, to trust, and to let love in. You've been my rock, my partner, and my best friend."

A slow smile spreads across his face, and he leans in, pressing his forehead against mine. "I love you, Julie. With every fiber of my being, with every beat of my heart, and all my arms, I love you."

Tears well up in my eyes, but they're tears of happiness. "I love you too, Vatok. More than words can express."

The patrons around us erupt in cheers and whistles, bringing us back to the present moment. We laugh, pulling away from each other just enough to acknowledge the crowd. Vatok raises two of his arms in the air, a triumphant gesture that sends the bar into another round of cheers.

Maybe Vatok and I, who seem to be coming from different worlds, have finally found each other and will never get tired of telling each other how much we love each other.