"A curious metaphor, Doctor, as a stallion must first be broken before it can reach its potential."

Spock found himself thinking deeply about those words in the days that followed. Had it been any other person he had been referring to, it would have been easier to ignore the loaded meaning behind that statement. As it was, he referred to Kirk, and Spock would relish the opportunity to break that particular person of both his arrogance and recklessness, in any way he could imagine.

The choking incident on the bridge had not been satisfactory; though he had enjoyed seeing Kirk at his mercy, his eyes panicked and his chest heaving with the exertion of simply breathing, he had been forced to admit that actually killing or rendering him unconscious would not have been logical, and therefore he had released the gasping, coughing human whilst trying to transfer the utter disdain he felt through every pore of his being.

The humiliation of relinquishing his position had barely registered; his mind too full of the revelation he had just picked up from the surface thoughts of Kirk's mind.

Kirk was aroused by Spock's behaviour.

Spock did not know whether to be intrigued or simply disgusted at this knowledge- and so he filed it away neatly for further examination when convenient. However the fact remained that Kirk was not broken – if anything, he was more arrogant, more irritating than before, the assurance of his temporary Captaincy giving him even more fuel for his mistaken ego than ever before. Spock found his lack of humility and his over-active confidence confusing and fascinating. He could not understand how one man- who drank entirely too much alcohol, clearly had never been in a meaningful relationship, and hadn't even graduated the Academy- could have so much confidence in his own rash decisions.

He took it upon himself to find out what made Kirk lose his control, taking every opportunity to oppose him, belittle him, or undermine him in an attempt to elicit a response he could understand and use against him, the attempt becoming an obsession within a matter of days. It would be a lie to say that Spock saw no potential in the young human; far from it. Kirk had an unusual talent for making last-minute plans work in unexpectedly brilliant ways; a sort of unconscious ability to feel his way through a crisis and come out alive. However he was unrefined, undisciplined, and disorganised- and Spock intended to use anything he could to "break" this metaphorical stallion.

He told himself it was for the good of the crew- that a more efficient Captain would benefit them all. He did not admit, even to himself, that he was more than curious as to how much Kirk could take before he snapped like an overstretched bow string. He certainly did not acknowledge that he too had been somewhat aroused by that incident on the bridge, or that this tiny seed of an idea had become a fixation, a desperate attempt to burrow under the skin of his illogical, almost intolerably brilliant Captain.

Spock began with subtle things; standing too close to Kirk on the bridge, disagreeing with his ideas simply to elicit a reaction, arguing with him for the sake of it and cataloguing every response he got.

The latest example of this was a particularly vicious argument that began on the bridge.

"Spock, I really don't see how your opinion has anything to do with my decision right now-I've already made the call."

"I believe your decision to be erroneous."

"Well when don't you?"

"It is hardly my fault that you continue to make disorganised, ill-informed decisions despite my best efforts to correct you."

"Correct me? I'm sorry Spock, I didn't realise you were my father-"

"How would you have a basis of comparison on that front?"

Kirk hesitated, a flash of uncertainty in his eyes that Spock catalogued neatly away, before his face contorted into a snarl of fury. "Don't you fucking dare."

"I was merely observing that your own father died as you were born, and therefore you would not have a basis of comparison as to my own advice being like his." Spock very carefully kept his voice neutral, knowing it annoyed Kirk even further.

"Would you care to discuss this further in my quarters, Commander?" Spock of course knew that 'discuss' meant 'argue some more', and he was fine with that scenario.

"If you desire, Captain."

"Then report there after our shift. To your station."

"Very well."