Jim smiled quickly at Kirk's impression, but he too sobered quickly.
"Perhaps not strictly logical," he said. "But I understand that. I appreciate the thought you've put into this, Jim. But since you bring it up, I should probably tell you." Jim frowned slightly, his expression implying there was more behind this than his even tone suggested. "Spock and I have recently had some... difficulty navigating the division between our professional and emotional lives. I became frustrated with his tendency to go to you with his professional concerns. Not because that's at all inappropriate--it's not professional, or personal, jealousy. But because I consider myself his commanding officer in conjunction with you. Meaning not that he shouldn't go to you with such concerns, but that being entirely left out of the process was a strain."
He spread his hands.
"I'm not sure exactly what I'm saying. I hope you don't take this the wrong way; I have a feeling you'd feel the same, in my position. I did not ask Spock to alter his behavior, aside from keeping me informed. With a more formal position, that should be less of a problem. But I thought it important to let you know that we're still working on the details of this navigation."
no subject
"Perhaps not strictly logical," he said. "But I understand that. I appreciate the thought you've put into this, Jim. But since you bring it up, I should probably tell you." Jim frowned slightly, his expression implying there was more behind this than his even tone suggested. "Spock and I have recently had some... difficulty navigating the division between our professional and emotional lives. I became frustrated with his tendency to go to you with his professional concerns. Not because that's at all inappropriate--it's not professional, or personal, jealousy. But because I consider myself his commanding officer in conjunction with you. Meaning not that he shouldn't go to you with such concerns, but that being entirely left out of the process was a strain."
He spread his hands.
"I'm not sure exactly what I'm saying. I hope you don't take this the wrong way; I have a feeling you'd feel the same, in my position. I did not ask Spock to alter his behavior, aside from keeping me informed. With a more formal position, that should be less of a problem. But I thought it important to let you know that we're still working on the details of this navigation."