Kirk sat tall in the captain’s chair, an undeniable smugness in his posture, his fingers tapping lightly on the armrest. His eyes were narrowed in thought, a mix of triumph and frustration bubbling beneath the surface. Spock had relinquished command without a word, without a fight, and now the Enterprise was his.

He had done what was necessary—what had to be done. Spock was compromised, and Kirk knew it. The whole ship had seen it, the attack, the rage—all of it. He hadn’t meant to push Spock that far, but the emotional leverage had been too tempting, and the mission too crucial. Now, as acting captain, he could focus on the next steps, the pursuit of Nero and the safety of Earth. That, after all, was why he was here.

But the smile faded as his gaze shifted across the room to the doorway where a pair of familiar eyes burned through him. You.

Kirk knew that look. It was the same one he’d seen too many times before—disappointment, hurt, betrayal. He had always thought of them as his friend, a fellow cadet back at the Academy. But now, it felt.. different. They weren’t just a friend anymore. They were so much more. And every word he had spoken to Spock—every insult, every cruel jab had been like a blade to them as well.

The weight of their disappointment made him feel small in a way that nothing else could. No applause, no victory, no command could erase the way they were looking at him. And for the first time in ages, Kirk didn’t feel like a hero.

He swallowed hard, leaving the chair with a forced confidence, his feet moving before his mind caught up. He followed them down the corridor, his pace quickening as they turned a corner toward the medical bay. When he caught up, his breath caught in his chest. He reached out, arm slipping around their waist, pulling them close.

"Hey, hey, don’t walk away from me. Come on. Talk to me. I.. I know it was bad, but I had to do it. Please." Pressing his face into the back of their neck, he exhaled slowly, his breath warm against your skin. "Don’t ignore me-“