Deeply hadn't been a word, before now, that particularly bothered him. Spock's admission, however, left him truly bothered and itchy. There was something about the way Spock's generally passive face contorted slightly that kept him from being able to swallow.

So what had he seen that deep down? Kirk's childhood? His pre-Academy coping mechanisms of heading to bars simply to start fights he didn't really have hopes of winning? What information had been exchanged?

"So... Did you leave something behind...?" Was there a piece of Spock in his mind now? Again, he felt that annoyance and knew he was not the source of it. Jim pressed his fingertips against the bridge of his nose. "I can feel you, okay? Like... Sorry for pissing you off about it, but I can."