Epilogue: Had Enough

Disclaimer: I do not own the music of Breaking Benjamin, nor the characters or plot pertaining to Star Trek.

Warning: Mentions of implied sexual themes. Prepare for a Feels Fest.

This chapter is also going to be different when it comes to the lyrics: they are sung from Kirk's perspective for the first half, Khan's from the next, oft times switching up. Again, trust me. Some of the flashbacks or stories Khan tells were provided or inspired by my wifey, Petra Jade.

Milk it for all it's worth

Make sure you get there first

The apple of your eye

The rotten core inside!

Khan took one last look at Kirk's lifeless body—avoiding the glazed over, dull eyes—before rising. His back was straight, fists tight, jaw clenched. He nodded to his crew, who marched forward to open the door. The surprised and confused Starfleet officers stared as Khan, not Kirk, emerged from the room. One man looked down at Kirk's body as the Dark One strode forward, and just as his eyes were lighting up with understanding, Khan stuck his knuckles through his skull.

Shouts of alarm were ended quickly in a similar fashion by his crew as they kept moving forward. They laid waste to the Federation Headquarters, destroying everything in sight. This wasn't about pleasure. This wasn't about vengeance.

This was obliteration.

As the Admiral cowered before him, Khan could only think of Marcus, and how his face looked squished beneath his fingertips.

And of Kirk, how his fingers massaged into Khan's back, kneading the knots loose. After a hard day's work, sitting at his desk and finishing yet another experiment, he would feel those fingers ghost over his shoulder blades, digging into his skin to soothe the aching muscles he got from time to time. No words were needed, Kirk's touch did all the talking.

Khan snarled and shot his phaser at the leader's head. As blood, bone, and brain tissue splattered against the back wall, he turned to finish off whoever was left. He didn't just want to dominate Starfleet, he wanted to end them.

They took what he loved away from him. They took the one thing that could have brought him happiness and turned it against him. Kirk wanted to die because he had no other choice—according to them, according to what he thought they would say or do—but he had any other choice than this. They could have been happy together.

Instead one of them was dead, lying cold on the floor of a deteriorating building, while the other was crushing any opposition to his future plans. What he was going to do all along, no matter what got in the way, the satisfaction he was going to receive, was mud in his veins. It wasn't the same with Kirk dead this way, it wasn't the same with what he knew he could have had.

He walked through the halls, through the desolation he wrought, with steel eyes boring ahead.

"Please! Please let me live! I'll do anything you ask, I'll give you information, tell you anything you want to know! Just please don't kill me!" a red shirt cried. One of Khan's crew had him by the scruff of his neck, holding him there on his knees, phaser pointed at his head. The nearby crew looked up to their leader.

"We take no prisoners." He told them in his cold voice, not even looking as the phaser went off and the red shirt fell, missing a portion of his face.

We are all prisoners

Things couldn't get much worse

I've had it up to here

You know your end is near!

Khan was still mourning as the Vengeance shot out into the dark, leaving nothing behind. This would be his last encounter with Earth, and he didn't even look back. He was done. Done with Starfleet, the Federation, humanity itself. Conquer the world? All he had to do was conquer one man's heart. Why would he want more?

But he did. He wanted it all. He wanted Kirk to still be alive, to still be in his arms. He wanted his enemies destroyed, his crew by his side, with nothing to stand in their way. He wanted to rule the galaxy, command armies with the snap of his fingers, wipe the weak and useless out of the universe.

But he couldn't have it all. Kirk was dead, and now he had nothing.

"Your orders, Captain?"

His crew stood on the bridge, looking to him for leadership. They saw the pain in his eyes, the hatred, the longing. They knew their plans were changed, but they didn't know why. What was one man when it came to the entire solar systems?

"We will head to the farthest corner of the universe, find an uninhabited planet, and colonize it." Khan commanded.

"But what about Earth? Our plans?"

"I have already conquered Earth in one lifetime. I do not need to do it again." Khan replied, looking his crew in the eyes. "Set. Course." He hissed.

They reacted quickly, without doubting their captain's motives. One stayed behind, staring at his leader pensively. "You've changed."

"Yes."

"What caused it?"

"Many things, Joaquin, many things."

The man before him smiled. "It takes a long time to get to the farthest reaches of the universe, even in a starship. Why don't you tell me?"

Khan pursed his lips, determined to forget everything and live his days in numb oblivion. He knew that idea would never hold, though, because there was no way he could ever forget those bright blue eyes staring back at him. He saw them when he closed his own steel ones, because he would never see them again on the other side of his eyelids.

"What would you do if, after enslaving someone for years, you left on a business trip?" Khan asked, to begin his story.

Joaquin shrugged. "Make sure the slave couldn't escape. Lock them up, if necessary."

"And what if, trusting this slave enough to leave him behind unfettered, you still expected to come back to an empty house, only to walk through the door and see a pile of your clothing, pillows, and bed sheets with your slave sleeping atop them?"

Joaquin raised his eyebrows. "I seem to be missing something. Why wouldn't the slave escape? Why would he…sleep amid a body pillow fort and await your return?"

Khan admired the way his crewmember didn't ask why this was relevant, or what it could all mean. He smiled to himself, then his mouth turned down. "Because of love. I was wary about leaving, because I was never gone for long, and he had made several escape attempts before. I admit the slave enticed me, brought me entertainment, so much so that I didn't want to give him up. I was worried he would successfully escape—or worse, get caught and killed—while I was away. What I didn't expect, nor believe until I saw it with my very eyes, was to find him still there, curled up with his arms wrapped around my pillow, a shirt tightly clenched in his hand, and my sheets covering him on the couch—which was moved to the foyer probably after the first night."

"The slave loved you?"

Khan could sense the 'why' hidden in Joaquin's question. "When I asked, he said he wanted to be surrounded by familiar things while I was away. The pillows, the shirt, even the sheets, were chosen because they smelled like me."

"A bit weird, for a slave, even one who loved you."

"It was quite…endearing." Khan said fondly.

His fellow augment nodded. Khan rose and gestured for him to follow, walking down the corridor to his quarters as he told more stories of Kirk, from the very beginning…to the very end.

You had to have it all

Well have you had enough?

You greedy little bastard

You will get what you deserve

During their voyage, Khan and Joaquin—later accompanied by other members of the crew—discussed the adventures their leader had while they were still asleep. He told them of how he was awoken by Marcus to defeat the Klingons and all that entailed, of how Kirk saved the day by putting him back into cryostasis with the rest of them. He also told them how he escaped, bringing them to the slave planet.

"How did you get out of the cryotube, Captain?"

"It was merely an accident, really…" Khan replied nonchalantly, with a hint of a smirk.

"It sounds a bit more than an accident." Another crewmember smiled. They were all gathered around, a large group covering the floor space of his room.

"Yes, I suppose it was an accident that, knowing they dared not kill me out of cowardice, and would instead decide to put me back to sleep, I hacked into the system and triggered a sequence that would awake me when the time came. A simple fire alarm, probably a safety drill, or perhaps under a real emergency circumstance, would cause my revival. Quite simple, enough to seem harmless if found, unnoticeable otherwise. It wasn't long before the alarm was tripped and I opened my eyes to see the inside of my cryotube, locked within a secure—though not secure enough—basement with the rest of you."

"They were still too ignorant to see you coming, I bet, even with their advancements in technology." A crewmember stated.

Khan nodded in agreement. "Yes, incapable of their true potential. Not like us. They also showed their weakness when placing all of us together. Once I awoke, it was easy to smuggle you out of the facility once I repaired the Vengeance. It didn't take too long, even though I had to sneak around to do so. The vessel was decommissioned, left to rust away in a forgotten facility much like ours. It was monitored as much as it should have been, because they didn't expect anyone to find it, much less restore it."

"They didn't learn from their mistakes, then."

"Of course not. Marcus would never have awoken me in the first place if they ever learned anything from history."

"So then you took us to the slave planet. Why not awake us then and take over Earth?"

"We couldn't stay there, it wasn't safe. I needed time to make sure our disappearance or the ship's wasn't noticed. I wanted our return to be a surprise, unexpected, otherwise they would have been too prepared for us. I also needed time to plan."

The crew was oddly quiet for a moment. They all wondered why it took so long for their leader to wake them. They understood the danger, but for Khan to do everything himself, to go out alone…it hurt them.

"We could have helped you. With us by your side, none of that would've happened. We would be ruling over Earth right now, without that pesky little captain in the way."

Joaquin noticed the twitch in Khan's face as he directed his cold gaze to the member who spoke. He was new to the group discussion, and a few murmurs arose from the crowd as they turned to him. Khan leaned forward, and the room went silent.

"That pesky captain has done more for you than you will ever know." He said quietly, fiercely. "If I had awoken you all the first chance I got, you're right, we would have destroyed the Federation quickly and efficiently. We would have conquered what was ours, retaken our previous territories, put an end to all opposition. And Kirk would have died. His crew would still be gone and his ship destroyed, although under different circumstances." Khan paused, looking him in the eye as he leaned back in his seat. "I would not be the person I am right now. I would not know what I do, learned what I did, and understand the profound nature of human bonds. How could a man rule without that knowledge? We were defeated once for a reason. We will not be defeated again."

"We won't fight again." a crewmember snorted.

"We won't die again." Khan hissed. "That's enough of a break today. Go back to your stations, everyone." He ordered. The crew left without a word.

When all is said and done

I will be the one

To leave you in your misery

And hate what you've become

Khan rarely slept, for many reasons. One was because he didn't need it, another because when he slept, he dreamed. When he dreamed, he saw Kirk, alive again at their old home. He never wanted to wake up from those dreams, and every time he did he grew more resentful of what he did. It wasn't the torture he dreamt about, not the pain he caused his pet, but the small little moments they shared.

"You're always cold." Kirk whined, snuggling up to Khan's back.

"You're the one who insists on cuddling." Khan remarked blandly, shifting to find a more comfortable position.

"I don't like to sleep alone."

Khan turned to glance at his pet, whose face was buried in between his shoulders, and wondered what that mumbled sentence meant. There were various reasons for not wanting to sleep alone: safety, warmth, comfort, and old habits among them. Khan was curious which one was Kirk's reason, or if it was a combination.

"You'll have to warm me up, I suppose." Khan whispered, hoping Kirk was already asleep. He felt those lips curve into a smile as his response.

Khan's eyes flew open. The space next to his bed was empty and cold.

Sighing, he rubbed his face and stood. He went about his routine as if it were any mundane task, trying not to think of Kirk with every move he made. It was pathetic of him to look at his shower and imagine the two of them together in it, but the images wouldn't stop. Memories flooded his mind, unfiltered and unstoppable. All he could do was bear it.

It got easier with time, with the presence of his crew, planning their colonization and bringing up the past where they were from. Remembering the wars brought back the yearning to protect his crew, his family. Kirk was just one man, but he had eighty-four brothers and sisters under his care at one point. Now that they were down to seventy-two, they were closer than ever. Some agreed Kirk would have been a good ally to have, or at least someone good for the captain to have around; but others disagreed, believing he would only be a distraction, a nuisance who would plot to overthrow them, still loyal to his Starfleet.

Khan didn't believe Kirk would ever betray him. Despite the hatred he saw after Kirk learned of his crew's demise, of his ship's destruction, not once did the former captain scheme against him. They differed in that aspect. Khan immediately sought revenge when he thought his family was murdered. Kirk just wanted to join them.

At least one of them achieved their goal.

Khan punched the mirror, hating the reflection staring back at him. Removing his fist from the glass, the shattered remains was a better representation for what he was now. He wanted to hate his pet for making him feel this way, for making him fall in love. It was impossible. He never hated Kirk. He always admired the captain, respected him, even though he was sometimes annoying. Kirk was too human. Khan was too alien.

Intoxicated eyes

No longer live that life

You should have learned by now

I'll burn this whole world down!

"So how did you escape the planet's destruction?"

They were back in his room. At first he refused to tell them any more about Kirk, despising the questions and the memories brought up, but he couldn't stay mad at them for long. It helped him to talk about it, to analyze and explain what happened, so he didn't rely on emotion alone. Everything was a calculated move, always had a purpose, and was meant for something.

"I found you." Khan answered. "I had to get you out, and that was all the motivation I needed in order to survive." He shrugged. It was easy for him to believe the safety of his crew inspired him to defy catastrophic odds, but he could tell it wasn't enough for them. "The cryotubes were placed in an underground system of tunnels and basements, mostly used for storage of rare goods because it was difficult to break into—but not impossible. Even through the wreckage of the buildings around me, I was still able to find an entrance. Once I located you, to make sure you were still thee and safe, I found the Vengeance and beamed you all aboard. I used the weapons to blast through the tunnels and make a port to leave out of, and was able to warp away as the planet exploded. There was some damage, of course, which was when I awoke you, to help make repairs and pay Earth our final visit."

"You're faster than before, at least more than I remember." A crewmember spoke up.

"I was waiting for the opportune moment to escape, learning the maps and devising a plan. It was only a matter of time before they would betray me—or I, them."

"You didn't trust them, yet you left us in their care?"

"I didn't trust the Klingons, yet I escaped to Qo'noS when I had nowhere else to go."

"That didn't end well either. Are we doomed?"

Khan looked at their faces, worried and curious as to what would come next in their lives. "Not anymore."

"Do you miss him?"

Once again silence reigned in the room. Khan's body was tight, hands gripping the chair, back rigid. "What do you think?" he asked calmly. If he said yes, Khan would be weak. If he said no, he would be little more than a machine. There was no right answer, only the truth.

"I think you regret every day of being here without him." Joaquin answered when the crew remained quiet. Khan looked over to him. "But I also think you did what you had to do, under the circumstances. You can think over every decision you could have made and its consequences, or you can move forward. If it was just you—if we never survived, and you were left alone—you could spend an eternity mourning. But you have us now, so there's no point in dwelling in that part of your past."

Khan narrowed his eyes, but had to see the wisdom behind his friend's words. "You're right. I have gone on far too long thinking about him, neglecting all of you in the process."

"But I like your stories." Another member spoke. They turned to her and she hesitated. "Well, it sounds like you were…happy. That's all we want, to see you happy. You want us to have a life worth living, and we want the same for you." They nodded in agreement.

"Do you want to hear more?" Khan asked them.

"Always, captain." Joaquin replied.

Khan told them everything. He explained the situation with Tentacles, how he thought he was too late until Kirk began to recover, how he would sometimes use the former master against his pet when he was feeling especially vicious. He told them about the next time Kirk and Tentacles were in the same room together, how satisfying the kill was, how much his pet had changed over the years. They were in awe at what the other alien species were capable of, but mostly of what their captain put his pet through and the results thereof. They couldn't believe a slave would come to love his master after all of that.

But with every negative memory came a positive one, and slowly they knew why Kirk was so desperate to hear those three words from his master.

I need some peace of mind

No fear of what's behind

You think you've won this fight

You've only lost your mind!

When they finally reached a suitable planet, months after crippling the Federation, there wasn't much time for stories about the pet. The crew got to work building up a colony for them to live in, scavenging the planet for useful resources and deadly predators to be aware of. It was a rough start, even for them, but soon they learned how to survive on what they called Ceti Alpha V.

It was made easier by the fact that they wouldn't be pursued by Starfleet, at least not for a while. Earth's defense force would have to rebuild itself from scratch, which left no room for renegade missions based on vengeance for their fallen members. Khan and his crew made sure to patrol the area, just in case the Federation called on their allies to help track them down, or a rogue captain went out seeking revenge. They also monitored the airwaves and communications links, listening for news of Starfleet's revival, although it was difficult to discern much of anything through the interference, since they were so far away. They only got snippets at best, static at worst.

But Khan did catch something on the intercom, something he dreaded to hear, yet hoped for anyway. It was bittersweet, yearning for it only to question whether he really wanted to know, but eventually it was pointless to fight the inevitable.

"…the anniversary of Captain James Tiberius Kirk's death…" the intercom sparked.

Khan sat back, placing a hand over the device inserted into his ear. The crew noticed the subtle shift and turned to him expectantly.

"News, sir?" Joaquin asked. In response, Khan broadcasted the link throughout the entire ship. The few workers who remained, choosing recon over other menial chores on the planet's surface, stopped and looked up to the speakers in awe. Those on the planet's surface would also be able to hear the report, if they were tuned in to the right channel on their radios. Because they were needed to communicate between the Vengeance and the colony, most people kept them on. The ones who did glanced at their devices, pausing in their work to listen.

"…Captain Kirk led a haphazard, yet commendable life as a young officer of Starfleet. Proving his worth multiple times, yet showing how reckless and impulsive he could be, made for an interesting Captain once he gained dominion over the U.S.S. Enterprise." The newscaster reported. It was hard to hear, fading in and out at times, fuzzy at the best quality, but Khan absorbed everything. "Sadly, his career fell shortly after one of his greatest victories. Defeating the greatest enemy of the universe, Khan Noonien Singh, took its toll on the young captain. From reports still under supervision, and rarely released to the public, it has been made known that Captain Kirk was kidnapped while on a mission investigating the disappearance of several Starfleet officers and civilians around a certain planet…"

The report cut out and Khan clenched his teeth, squeezing his eyes shut until the speaker's voice returned. "…when he was finally returned back to Earth, thanks to the rescue efforts of the largest mission the Federation has ever put on. However, the Enterprise was destroyed soon after his capture, and although the reason is unknown, some put the blame on Khan, who may have escaped with the rest of his crew during that fateful time. His whereabouts are still unknown, although some believe he is dead…"

The crew smiled at this, beginning to congratulate themselves until Khan put a hand up to silence them. The report wasn't over.

"Captain Kirk wasn't demoted from his position, and instead was given a new ship after therapy. The late Admiral and several other high-ranking officials believed he was still a capable starship captain and deserved another chance." Khan smiled at this. Yes, Kirk was exceptional in his role as a captain, and could have been the greatest Starfleet had ever known. "Tragically, Khan made another violent return to finally settle his score with Starfleet, lasting over centuries, which ended with the young captain's untimely death. Only a few survivors were left to share their stories of seeing the Vengeance once again, the horrors of watching Khan and his crew utterly destroy Federation Headquarters, leaving Captain Kirk behind in the rubble."

Khan slammed a fist into the desk, damaging some of the circuitry. The communication link spurted under his wrath. They were blaming him. They were calling him a murderer once again, but this time…

Kirk wanted it, he begged for it. It was suicide, with Khan's assistance; a mercy killing. Not murder. He would not be known for taking the life of James T. Kirk. It was Starfleet's fault in the first place. They killed their beloved captain, not him!

His crew quivered, watching his rage. One moved to switch the link to another source but Khan gripped his wrist so tight it nearly broke. "No," he growled. "I want to hear more."

"Today we celebrate the…deeds of Captain James Tiberius Kirk…announced it to be International Kirk Day…Starfleet is hosting…party in his honor…parades in the streets…the citizens mourn for their loss…yet the true nature of that brave man…lives on."

Khan felt tears pool in his eyes, cold and wet as they slid down his cheek and onto the busted console beneath him. His crew barely dared to breathe around him. Joaquin finally moved, switching on the ship-wide communicator from the Captain's Chair.

"Let us all have a moment of silence, to mourn the loss of Captain James Tiberius Kirk." He spoke, looking at his captain who stared, mouth open.

The entire colony, all of Khan's crew, obeyed. They all heard the stories of their captain and his pet. They all knew what this meant to their leader and friend. Whether they agreed about Kirk or not, they knew to respect his life, in honor of their own captain.

When the moment was over, Khan whispered, "Thank you."

Hold me down (I will live again)

In the years to follow, Khan's bitterness grew faint until the only thing left to remind him of his past were the moments with Kirk he cherished. Once the colony was settled and his crew began to live a happier life, marriages and children became abundant. Khan chose not to take a partner or produce heirs, knowing he could never feel the same way for someone as he did for Kirk. However, he enjoyed entertaining the children of his crew with stories of their love—keeping out the more vulgar bits, of course.

These stories were especially useful in teaching lessons to the young members of his crew, his family, when they became rowdy with rebellion. When parents were complaining that their children refused to do their chores, Khan had the perfect moment to share.

"There was a time when my…worker," Khan always had a hard time deciding what to call his pet in front of the children, "didn't do any of his chores either."

"Did you punish him?" one child asked. "My mom wanted to punish me." she added.

"Not quite. He learned on his own." Khan grinned, telling them the tale.

"What did you do today?" Khan asked as he entered their home, seeing a complete mess instead of the usual pristine surroundings.

"…watched TV." Kirk replied, eyes still glued to the screen.

"Did you clean?"

"No."

"Did you make dinner?"

"No."

Khan paused, looking around for signs of food wrappers. "…did you even eat?"

His pet took a while to respond, either because he was engrossed with his TV or felt ashamed of his answer. "…no…"

"And then, his stomach grumbled so loud we both had to share a laugh!" Khan exclaimed and the children giggled. "After that, he never forgot to cook lunch or dinner, because he hated being hungry and rushing around the kitchen. I had to restrict his TV viewing sessions, but eventually he was able to do his chores without getting distracted, and the reward was a movie or favorite TV show when he was done."

"So if we do our chores, we get a reward?" another child asked, eyes wide and hopeful.

"It's up to each of your parents, but I suggest that method. Wouldn't you want to do your chores if you knew you could play with friends after?" Khan replied.

"Yes!" most of the kids responded energetically. Khan smiled, watching them all run to their parents to ask for a reward. He gave them a sheepish look, but was glad to give them something to learn.

When they were gone, Khan reminisced about the rest of that encounter with his pet, picking up where he left off—for the children's sake.

Khan sighed. "What are you good for then?" It was a light tease, rare for him, but it relieved some of the tension he felt coming off of his pet.

"You know what I'm good for." Kirk winked and wiggled his eyebrows at him in response.

"You're useless." Khan scoffed.

"So put me to use." Kirk made some more suggestive gestures.

Khan gave a long, exasperated sigh as he pinched the bridge of his nose, smiling despite himself.

Khan held that same smile, mouth a bit crinkled, the creases on his forehead remaining long after the smile was gone. He found even augments could age.

Hold me down (I will break it in)

On cold, lonely nights, there was one memory Khan held onto deeply. It wasn't the most pleasant, but he cherished it above all the others. He remembered every aspect of the memory, as if reliving it each time. His senses were alive once again with Kirk's touch, smell, taste, even the way he sounded. Out of all of them, this memory was the most vivid.

Ironic, due to the nature of the moment. It was the day when Khan finally marked Kirk as his own, claiming him so no other slavers would dare touch him. Their most intimate experience…

Kirk was wary. He was always like that, doubting Khan's motives in fear of being disappointed, but eventually he trusted his master. This look of wariness was different. He wasn't sure if he wanted to go through with this—if he would even survive—but what it would mean…that he doubted most of all.

"Are you…sure?" his pet whispered.

"Yes." Khan whispered back. Before he got too sentimental, his own wariness surfaced. "It's common among long-time masters and pets. Even when the slave is first bought, a claiming ceremony is performed to ensure no one else will try to mark their territory. Besides, none of the others will touch you after this, because they will know you belong to me."

"So that's it? Just another thing to remind me I'm your slave?" Kirk hissed. Khan could see the pain in his eyes.

"You are mine, Kirk." The augment purred, coming closer to cup the other man's cheeks. "And I…am yours. We've known this for a while now, haven't we? It is time we showed everyone else."

Kirk was still unsure, searching Khan's eyes for any amount of deceit. When he found none, he was only more confused. Waiting for his pet's consent, Khan was relieved when Kirk finally nodded his head.

The master captured the pet's lips with his own, reminding himself to be gentle. He didn't want any negative connotations about this ritual. What he didn't tell Kirk was how much he wanted this for himself, how much he never realized he would want this with anyone.

Removing their clothing was slower than usual, more sensual, stalling for what would come. Kirk had no idea what Khan would do to him, what kind of mark he would give and leave behind. Humans rarely left physical marks on each other to claim ownership, not like aliens and other animals did. The only evidence usually took the form of rings.

But slaves? They could be marked with tattoos, permanent scars, bruises, even brands made with hot iron instruments. Khan was violent by nature, taking the rougher track out of habit. They both saw slaves marked and claimed by their masters, some by barbaric means, and others in accordance to the mating rituals of each species. The mystery was enough to set them both on edge.

But Khan had a plan. He knew what he wanted to do. It wouldn't be a ring, because most creatures only recognized marks left on the skin, to be seen at all times and no way to remove it. They were supposed to be permanent, lasting even unto death. A ring could be taken off. The indent or coloration left behind could fade over time.

Scars could be covered up, and with today's medical technology practically erased. Brands were for cattle and sheep, not pets.

Khan amused himself at one point by considering a collar for Kirk, equipped with a leash when necessary. But that too could be taken off and destroyed.

Carving into his skin would be painful and bloody. Kirk wouldn't appreciate the process nearly as much as Khan would.

Khan remembered back in his time, when it was common for a guy to give his girl the famous letter jacket when they decided to go steady. Khan's long black coat would barely suffice.

Kirk was tense, waiting, nervous for what was to come. He never expected what Khan's final decision would be. His neck was being teased by his master's tongue as he sucked on the sensitive flesh, teeth nipping lightly.

"I'm going to scream if you don't just do it now." Kirk huffed.

"It is already done." Khan murmured, lifting his head to stare down at his pet. The confused expression amused him. He rubbed the hickey he left, smiling.

"Seriously?"

"What did you think I was going to do to you?"

"Something…painful?"

Khan shook his head, sighing as he kissed Kirk, feeling him relax beneath him. "But a hickey is much more pleasurable…and can be permanent."

"Only if you do it all the time."

"That's the plan."

Khan wished he would have told Kirk in that moment the truth about how he felt. If only he could have uttered those three simple words, instead of hiding the truth, maybe the outcome would be different. It was too late to dwell on that now, however.

Hold me down (better in the end)

Khan was getting tired. The Federation gave up on trying to find him and enact their revenge. They chose instead to focus on the positive aspects of the tragedies he committed, making Captain Kirk their example of humanity, lifting him high over any disasters. It was painful to hear about Kirk that way, dead and remembered for his brilliance, although it made him proud of his pet's accomplishments. It would have been worse if Kirk was forgotten, never acknowledged for all he did.

Still, he felt lonely. Old. His body wasn't being used for its purpose, so it functioned on a half-hearted basis. So did Khan. He put everything he could into the colony, his crew, their future…but it wasn't enough. He felt empty. His days were made up of mere memories of days long past.

Kirk's death was slowly eating away at him. His crew could tell. They watched him rot from the inside out, decaying bit by bit, wishing to rejoin his lover in the afterlife. He didn't have the spark, the savagery, the vengeance burning in his eyes like he used to. He refused to conquer. He was sleeping more often.

He sighed, running a hand through his hair and feeling the way Kirk's fingers brushed along his scalp.

Khan blinked, getting up to take a shower before bed. He never took baths, for some reason, although forgot the reason why.

Maybe it was because, as he stepped inside the shower, he felt someone else's hands smoothing his hair back with the water's flow. Someone else rubbing soap through the strands, massaging his temple until he was completely relaxed.

Khan's eyes brightened as the memory overtook him.

"You look stressed." Kirk murmured.

Khan could feel it in his shoulders, but refused to acknowledge it.

"I am stressed." He whispered into the spray overhead.

"Here, let me draw you a bath."

"I don't need one." Khan grumbled, staring into his microscope defiantly.

"Please…" Khan closed his eyes.

"No, but it would help you relax." Kirk smiled. Reluctantly, Khan left his work and followed Kirk to the bathroom. He undressed slowly as the water rose in the tub, then sank indignantly down.

"Well?"

"Well?" he repeated without thinking.

Kirk smiled, then squeezed some shampoo into his hands, lathering it up and working it into his master's scalp. Khan laid his head back against the rim, his body sinking further beneath the water. He allowed Kirk to wash his hair, lifting his head to get to his neck and around his ears, gently pushing it beneath the water, never once thinking Kirk would try to drown him.

It was a sweet, simple moment. Even now, his body relaxed like it did whenever Kirk did something like that for him. Opening his eyes and seeing the reality around him, he wished they could have grown old together, with just these little moments to keep them going.

Hold me down!

One day Khan didn't wake up.

Joaquin was the one to find him, feeling the need to check up on their leader after not hearing from him for a few days. He found the old conqueror in bed, curled toward the empty space next to him and reaching out as if someone else was there.

Heaven help you!

Author's Note: And that, dearies, as they say, is that. This is the last chapter for this fic, but not the last in the series. Look out for more adventures featuring Master!Khan and Pet!Kirk soon! If there are any prompts for domestic fluff, awkward crack, or whatever that you would like to see, leave them in a review!