Chapter Text
"Admiral Kirk", Saavik says not quite a question not quite assured, and stands at attention in the doorway, despite the fact they are both very, very, off duty.
Jim nods at her to sit down, a half-empty cup of tea and a hardcover book in front of him on the round kitchen table in one of the houses they requisitioned on Vulcan. He fingers the embossed lettering on the cover- The Odyssey- nervously. "Saavik. I-. How are you?"
Having sat down across from Kirk, Saavik tries to relax her stance, shoulders drooping and hands gently folded on the table. "I'm well, Admiral, it is nice to be on Vulcan, and to see Sarek and Amanda again"
"Please, you don't have to call me Admiral right now, not to mention the future of my career with Starfleet isn't looking so great", he tries to come off as joking, but there's a certain hardness to what he's said. This could be the end. "And besides that. I know, you're Vulcan and if you're anything like-" he pauses, regretful and clears his throat, "and you probably don't want to admit much but, its been a hard few weeks- especially for a cadet, for someone as young as you, its been a hard few weeks for me. I just. I want to know how you're handling... everything"
Saavik's eyes soften recognizing the effort to which Kirk is going to hold this personal meeting. She contemplates how to approach what she thinks he's trying to get at, "Being away from my work is difficult, and is reminding me of the things and- the people I have lost"
Jim breaks a little, "Its crazy isn't it? Bring someone back from the dead and it almost feels worse. Spock has been gone before, he pursued Kolinahr, but seeing him now is-" he pauses, swallow, "I know Spock was important to you as a mentor and as, if you'll let me go as far to say, a father figure. I'm sorry he doesn't seem to remember you yet, it must be heartbreaking"
Its Saavik's turn for an attempt at levity "We can't all be Jim Kirk can we?"
While in any other circumstance Jim would've made every attempt to rattle out a laugh, tears brim in his eyes "Spock and I-" he stops, hand to his mouth, tears properly falling now.
Saavik quiets "I know what you two meant to each other. And-" she's begin fidgeting with her fingers, casts her eyes down in an unfocused gaze "I know that I may never regain my relationship with Spock again, because of what happened on Genesis, but I am-" she settles on a more human phrase "glad- that he has you".
Jim is a little more composed, wiping tears lightly, "I'm sorry, this- this isn't what I planned it would be I thought I could hold it together, at least, to help someone I knew Spock cared about- who I've learned to care about- I guess what I'm saying is this: if you need me I'm here to talk, to listen, to get through this together. I know you've been staying with Amanda and Sarek and helping the crew fix up the Bounty, but everyone's been a bit busy and may not have considered how you were handling this"
Saavik leans back, inhaling, "Thank you. Ad- Jim" with a slight purse to her lips, a smile, though she may not be ready for real one "Your consideration means a lot."
Kirk gives a gentle smile, content with the bridge he's built, and hopes to God this will all get easier. For a friend with an understanding heart is worth no less than a brother