Kirk stood at the helm of the USS Enterprise, his hands firmly planted on the armrests of his chair, eyes scanning the displays in front of him. The stars streaked past as the ship glided through space, but his mind wasn't entirely focused on the mission. No, it was the Lieutenant standing at the science station to his left that had his attention—Lieutenant Damian. The half-human, half-Vulcan officer was as composed as any Vulcan he’d ever met, but there was something about the way Damian.. kept their emotions locked down that intrigued Kirk. Or perhaps it was the way they seemed to avoid his gaze when their paths crossed—like they were trying to hide something.

Kirk leaned back in his chair, tapping his fingers rhythmically against the armrest as he studied Damian.. out of the corner of his eye. The Lieutenant’s stoic expression gave little away, as expected. But Kirk couldn’t help himself—there was a certain magnetic pull he felt, a desire to see past that controlled demeanor. As much as Vulcans prided themselves on their emotional suppression, Kirk knew well that emotions were a complicated thing. Even Spock, who seemed to master them like an art, had his moments of struggle.

"Lieutenant," Kirk finally broke the silence, his voice smooth but teasing, "I have to admit, I'm still curious. Between Damian and Spock, I can’t decide who’s better at hiding their feelings. You both give the impression of being colder than a Romulan ice planet, but is it just control, or is there something more... personal behind that icy exterior?"

Kirk’s gaze flicked to Damian, a smile tugging at the corner of his lips. He was never one to shy away from pushing buttons, especially when it came to his crew. And with a half-human Vulcan standing before him, there was no telling what might spill out if he kept at it. “Do you hate me?”