Disclaimer: I do not own Star Trek. I own nothing interesting. All I've got is my bones, must be why I like McCoy so much.

AN: The kids get called to the Captain's office. McCoy and Kirk finish their squabble, and Kirk is very, very convincing.

Content Warning: If you've made it this far, I think you're good.

Through A Mirror Darkly

Teris Xenite

Kirk resisted the urge to laugh at the picture his consort made, glowering at him in the mess. For all that the man was an ornery bastard, he could give off the look of wounded dignity like no one else. It probably wasn't a good sign that Kirk found this display absolutely endearing, and was barely resisting the urge to pinch McCoy's cheeks because he was so adorable in his impotent rage.

As much as McCoy hated him at the moment, even as he bitched and moaned about how Kirk had exceeded the limits of common decency by snooping, Kirk was unconcerned. Kirk knew with unerring certainty that if he were to have need of the doctor's services he would be safe. There would be no scalpel buried in his back, no convenient slip of McCoy's steady surgeon's hands. No even now McCoy still wasn't angry enough to do more than glower. And that gave Kirk a large amount of freedom that he'd never had with any other lover.

He could give McCoy more slack, allow him to snarl and bite and grouse, because at the end of the day he would still roll over and submit. There would be no assassination attempts, no poisoned needles in his bed. He'd never have to beat the man bloody after he tried to kill him, he'd never have to declare open season on his ass after McCoy cheated. It was, Kirk mused, quite a nice change from former relationships.

And because it was a nice change, and he enjoyed the sight of the snarling doctor coming apart so prettily underneath his hands, he allowed the man his sulk. He didn't pinch his cheeks, which despite his intelligence would have led McCoy to react in a way that the Captain couldn't ignore in front of members of his crew. Instead he ordered McCoy his favorite foods, promised him some new toy that he'd had his eye on for Med Bay, and tried to coax him out of his funk with a specially made banana pudding from Mama McCoy's recipe file.

This tactic would have surprised those who knew him by his reputation alone, but he'd discovered long ago that in associations lasting longer than a brief fuck more finesse was needed. He was playing the long game with McCoy, and he planned to keep him around for a very, very long time. As such, he would get far better results did he use the carrot, not the stick.

McCoy remained unmoved and largely unresponsive, at least until Kirk placed his taste of home in front of him. Then he leaned back in his chair, crossed his arms over his chest, and gave him a patently unimpressed look. "Nice try, but I'm not that easy, Kirk. It's gonna take more than a shiny toy and appealing to my sweet tooth to make me forgive you. That kind of theatrics might have worked with the last bimbo you dated, but they don't cut it with me. I'm still mad at you. You had the power to do what you did, and seemingly good reasons for doing it. That doesn't mean I have to be happy about it."

"No, I guess it doesn't. I suppose you'd have preferred that I had respected your privacy and risked hurting you. After all, you expect me to be that much of a bastard. What bothers you more McCoy that I intruded on your privacy, or that I will not let you put yourself in a harmful situation? That I'm making you take care of yourself, willingly or not?"

"I'm a grown man damn it, I don't need a fucking babysitter." McCoy hissed his voice an irritated whisper, still in control of himself enough to be mindful that noticeably mouthing off to the Captain would probably not go well for him.

Kirk raised an eyebrow and McCoy could feel the disagreement on this particular point heavy in Kirk's eyes. "Really now, you could have fooled me. Before I took you in hand you were over extended, neglecting your health, and living on a pittance because your bitch of an ex was gouging you for scraps of affection from a child who adores you. In what way does this imply that you don't need a caretaker McCoy?"

"That doesn't change the fact that I would have preferred that you ask me first, instead of invading my privacy. Which I'm willing to bet you did before we came to this little arrangement of ours. If I didn't answer, then I'd have had the responsibility for anything bad that happened after that."

Ice cold eyes met his, and he realized that this was one area where Kirk wasn't going to bend. He'd been fairly tolerant of McCoy's annoyance with his actions, but there had been no indication that he wouldn't do so again if he felt it was needed. In fact there had been the statement that he would do so, repeatedly if need be.

"And I would have the responsibility for not making you tell me the things that I needed to know. You're entitled to be pissed off or upset. So go ahead and sulk if it makes you feel better. Just don't anticipate me tolerating it for too long." He leaned over the table and in a voice low enough to prevent himself from being overheard by other members of the crew. "You might want to keep in mind though that the more you fight me on this the more I feel like tying you to my bed and fucking you till you can't remember why you were pissed off at me in the first place."

"Think rather highly of yourself don't you?" The words were out before McCoy thought, and he wondered if he might not be regretting his loose tongue before the day was over.

Kirk smirked then stood and walked around the table to McCoy. He leaned in close to him, allowing him to feel the heat of his body, and feel his breath on his neck and the shell of his ear. "It's not arrogance when you can back it up, Bones." Kirk practically purred this statement, and the huskiness of his voice made McCoy shiver. He grabbed McCoy shoulder and gave it a firm squeeze. "Now enjoy your desert. I've got to go play relationship counselor."

Captain's Quarters 1400

The last thing that Samuel Anders had been expecting when he was called into his Captain's office was the offer of a drink and an understanding smile. "So you've started a relationship with Thrace? Not one to shy away from challenges are you Anders?"

"No sir."

"What seems to be the trouble?"

The boy squirmed in embarrassment for a moment before confessing that his new partner suffered from violent night terrors, but when she woke refused to tell him what they had been about, or acknowledge that anything had happened. She also froze at random moments and seemed to be hearing or seeing something that he did not. Kirk agreed that this was indeed worthy of concern and he saw the man's eyes widen in surprise when Kirk assured him that should Kara refuse him access to her records, Kirk would help him get the information that he needed.

This turned out to be very necessary when the green eyed blonde shot him and Anders both a look that would have frozen lava. Realizing that she reminded him a lot of his mother Kirk bowed out of the conversation and allowed the two their domestic squabble. However later that night in their quarters Anders would find a data disk containing the information that he needed. However, he'd have to wait until the swelling from the magnificent shiner that Thrace had given him went down before he'd be able to read any of it.

The situation that the two found themselves in was odd. Typically in a relationship like theirs the collared partner was submissive either through inclination or force or at the very least was less dominate. Anders and Thrace on the other hand were evenly matched in stubbornness and given that Thrace's record for conforming to authority was similar to his own, Anders was going to have his hands full. Kirk certainly didn't envy the man.

Watching them interact did serve as an illustration of how a relationship like theirs could go wrong, and Kirk acknowledged that if the little spitfire was his he'd have tanned her hide long before she blacked his eye. But to each his own, in the meantime he had some damage control to do with McCoy, and contrary to what he'd said in the mess more than sex was going to be needed. While Ethan's arrival into Kirk's sphere, and subsequent removal from the mortal coil had proved informative, he had proved problematic in the sense that he'd interrupted the flow that Kirk had been establishing with McCoy.

He needed to reestablish what had been interrupted now that the matter was dealt with. He needed to switch from stalwart emotional support and 'I'll hold you together as the world falls down guy' to resistance is futile 'you're going to obey me and like it' guy. And he had to do this without damaging the work that he'd done and the seeds that he'd planted that McCoy did have worth and was valued. He sighed, no one ever said that this was going to be easy. But as he'd told McCoy, the man was completely worth it. Now he just had to come up with a plan.

McCoy was surprised to find the lights lowered and Kirk freshly showered when he arrived in their quarters that evening. He had barely gotten in the door when Kirk looked up at him from the padd that he was reading and smirked. "Right on time, lose the clothes." McCoy was a little shocked but the quickness of the order, and paused for a moment. "Did I stutter McCoy?" He caught the annoyance in Kirk's voice, and his hands were reaching for the hem of his uniform shirt even as he shook his head. McCoy folded his clothes and placed them on the chair that had seemingly been placed there for that purpose, then stood waiting to see what Kirk would require of him next.

Kirk rose from the chair and walked over to him, allowing his eyes to linger over the long lines of McCoy's body. He grabbed his chin turning it slightly, before rewarding McCoy with a small smile. "Damn, I am a lucky man. Now, go shower and conduct any personal business that you might have. When you are finished return here. Nod if you understand."

McCoy nodded and walked towards the shower, pondering the fact that he was being left alone to do so. He wondered what it meant that Kirk had obviously arrived before he had and chose to shower by himself. This was the first time that the two of them had showered separately since this began that wasn't precipitated by blood or severe mental distress. In fact the only other time that he'd been ordered into the shower on his own was the last time that he was 'punished'.

Still pondering what this turn of events meant, he quickly finished his shower, brushed his teeth, and attended to other pressing personal business. He resisted the urge to hide behind the towel, knowing that it would only irritate Kirk and that he would end up naked anyway. When he walked out of the bathroom he followed the sound of music into the dining area. Kirk looked up as he walked over, and he realized that there was only one chair, which Kirk was currently sitting in. More specifically there was one chair and a cushion to the side of Kirk's chair.

"It has come to my attention that in attempting to tend to your emotional well being as of late, I've been neglecting other aspects of introducing you to what I expect of you. I've given you the affection and attention that you are so very deserving of, but it appears that I may have left you with questions as to what your limits are."

He stood and walked over caressing McCoy's chin lightly with his thumb before tangling his fingers in McCoy's hair and pressing a steaming kiss on his mouth. "I saw that moment of confusion in the mess today, where you weren't sure if I was going to punish you or not. That doubt, that question means that I have been remiss in setting limits so that you know what to expect and where you stand. We will begin rectifying that now."

Kirk stepped away from him and gestured at the cushion. "I know what your file says. But since you were so keen on me asking you personally, is there any medical reason that I can't put you on your knees?"

"None that I know of." Kirk smiled at him then, and McCoy felt a shiver run down his spine. He could have lied he supposed, but then he'd have to explain why he falsified his medical records. And besides it galled him to think of lying to Kirk, the man had been high handed in this one area, but he'd been very generous with him up unto this point. And so the least that McCoy could do was try to do what the man asked of him. He owed him that much, if for nothing more than the smiling face of his baby girl when she'd called him last week.

Kirk reached over and cupped his hand McCoy's neck, right at the base of his skull, and steered McCoy over to the cushion. "Well, as you've no compelling reason for me not to, on your knees." His hand was stabilizing on McCoy's shoulder as he sank down to his knees. He walked around to face him, and slid two fingers under his chin lifting McCoy's face so that he could meet his eyes. "No need to bow your head unless I tell you otherwise. I expect you to obey Bones, not grovel. I have you do this because you are beautiful like this, not because I want to see you shamed."

Kirk stroked his cheek gently then stepped back to assess the form that McCoy was using. "Spread your legs a little bit." McCoy complied and Kirk nodded placing a hand on his shoulder. "Good, now sit back on your heels, and put your hand behind your back." He pulled McCoy back a bit making him sit taller than he had been previously. Kirk walked around him, inspecting McCoy from all angles before coming to a stop in front of him. Kirk cupped his cheek again and let his fingers twist in McCoy's hair as he smiled down at him.

"Perfect. Unless I tell you otherwise, when I order you to kneel, this is what I expect. Do you understand?"

"Yes." The word wasn't exactly spat, but Kirk could tell that McCoy wasn't particularly pleased with this turn of events. This assessment was furthered by the tightness of his jaw, which Kirk was sure he was grinding his teeth at this point. No matter, McCoy would come to enjoy this, and Kirk looked forward to cultivating this interest.

"That leads us to our next topic. You can call me sir. You can call me Jim. Call me Captain, if you've got some sort of authority figure fetish. And on especially good nights, you can even call me God. But you are never, under any circumstances to call me Master. Do you understand me?"

"Yes sir." McCoy's cheeked colored at the affirmation, and Kirk felt himself stirring at both the gorgeous picture that McCoy presented, and the drawl of McCoy's voice that always brought to Kirk's mind a sultry southern sunset. Still as much as he wanted to bend the man over the nearest flat surface, this needed to be finished for both of their sakes.

"Very good, you will not call me Master, because that implies that you are a slave. Slaves have no choice, they must serve, and they must obey. There is no dignity in that. This was your choice, and every time we do this it is your choice if you are going to submit to me. There will be consequences do you disobey, and you will not enjoy them. I am not in the practice of giving fun punishments. But if you are willing to face the consequences, you can disobey me. Do you understand?"

"Yes sir." There was understandably a wince when Kirk mentioned punishments. McCoy's spanking hadn't been extreme, but it hadn't been pleasant either. And McCoy knew just how creative Kirk could be when he put him mind to it. The fact that he'd promised no lingering harm would come to him did little to reassure him, as Kirk was right there were hundreds of ways that he could make life miserable without leaving so much as a scratch on McCoy's hide.

"I will punish you when you deserve it, and I will push you beyond that which you thought you could accept, but I will not torture or break you. I will care for you, because you are precious to me. Do you understand this?" There was warmth in Kirk's eyes when he told McCoy that he considered him precious that made McCoy startle, and freeze for a moment. Kirk cleared his throat. "I asked you a question, Bones. Do you understand?"

"Yes sir." The confusion McCoy felt leached into his voice and Kirk caressed his cheek with the back of his fingers before brushing McCoy's cheek with his thumb as his fingers stroked his jaw. Kirk's voice was soft and almost gentle as he sought to reassure McCoy.

"You are allowed to question me about anything that you don't understand, or uncertain of. In return for answering your questions I will expect you to answer the questions I ask you honestly. Do you understand?"

"Yes sir." It was a relief to know that Kirk didn't expect him not to have questions, or to understand everything when this was so far from anything that he'd ever experienced, and McCoy gave a mental sigh of relief though his body stayed still.

"As for that comment you made earlier today." He paused and Kirk watched him tense, waiting for a pronouncement of punishment. "I'm looking forward to proving to you that my high opinions of my skills in that area are warranted." Kirk smiled as the tension in McCoy's frame lessened perceptively. "I like that smart ass mouth of yours. Just mind it in front of the crew, because while I enjoy it, I can't be seen to tolerate insubordination." McCoy nodded, that did make sense.

"Good. Now, I know that you're new at this. You're going to stay in this position for a while. Can you hold this on your own, or would you like me to give you some help?"

"I can do it." The proud jut of his chin made Kirk smile, he looked almost insulted that Kirk had implied that he would need help to kneel.

"Alright, if you change your mind tell me." Kirk walked over to the chair, and sat down beside of McCoy, simply stroking his hair and neck for a few moments. "Hungry? I'd imagine you would be, lunch was a good while ago." McCoy nodded. "Let's see what we can't do to fix that then shall we?" Kirk turned and when his hand came back into McCoy's view it was holding a small piece of bread. McCoy blushed as Kirk held it just far enough out of reach that he had to bend to take it from his hand.

Kirk continued playing with McCoy's hair and neck while he fed him bits of bread, meat, and as a nod to the good doctors lectures on proper nutrition vegetables. He waited patiently for McCoy to chew and swallow each bite that he was given, and gave him sips of something that very closely resembled the iced tea of McCoy's youth from a glass held to his lips. Mishaps and spills were cleaned either by Kirk's thumb sweeping across McCoy's bottom lip, or by the gentle dabbing of a napkin at his mouth or chin.

Kirk's eyes were shinning, enjoying the sight of the beautiful man before him on his knees. He gave McCoy his full attention throughout the meal, touching and talking about nothing in particular. His concern wasn't what was said but keeping his voice in McCoy's ears, so that he would come to associate Kirk's voice with pleasant things such as safety and warmth. The temperature of the cabin had been raised so that McCoy wasn't chilled, and the cushion beneath his knees was supportive and thick. After all Kirk meant to ease McCoy into this gently, and nothing screamed cliché like 'kneel while I beat you'.

Kirk looked down at McCoy and judged that he'd been kneeling long enough. He didn't think that the doctor would be stupid enough to lie to him, but just in case best not push it right away. It was after all no fun trying to play with broken toys. "Come here." McCoy looked surprised when Kirk patted his lap, but still complied without complaint. He rose somewhat shakily, muscles protesting that they were not used to this kind of treatment, and allowed Kirk to arrange him to his satisfaction on his lap. Kirk gave him a few gently biting kisses, and stroked his back.

"You did very well, I'm proud of you. Now, go show me how deliciously fuckable you look in my bed." McCoy walked over to the bed, barely registering that Kirk gave him a playful swat on the ass as he walked by. He was still trying to understand how it was that he'd felt pleased, almost proud that Kirk had been satisfied with him. Since when did it please him that Kirk thought him a pleasant fuck toy?

As much as he wished to he couldn't deny it, he'd liked it when Kirk had told him he was proud of him. When those hands that had so tenderly fed him, had stroked him in conjunction with the words he couldn't help but have a moment of where he desired to arch back into the touch. Color filled his cheeks as he realized that there was some small part of him that had enjoyed Kirk's affections, wanted his approval, and was willing to roll over and take what he dished out for reasons that had nothing to do with the safety of his family.

McCoy gulped as he settled onto the bed. He'd been right before he was completely and utterly fucked, but apparently he liked it? This did not bode well. Then he remembered something that Gaila had told him. He had the power to choose how he reacted no matter what the situation, it might be all that he could control, but it was something. He might enjoy the fact that Kirk seemed to be able to make him roll over and beg at the drop of a hat, but Kirk didn't need to know that. No he thought that would be his little secret.

AN: Now really how long do you think that McCoy's going to be able to keep that particular gem a secret? And did you really think that Starbuck was gonna roll over easy? Not in any universe. Anders would be wise to watch his back, as well as other pertinent parts of his anatomy.

Now I know I've got the boys going from ok to shaky back to ok pretty quickly. In my experience that's how emotions work with big life changing things. Having to accept a patron was huge for McCoy, having Raines return was catastrophic. So he's going to waver back and forth a bit, but he'll get to the happy place that we see the boys at in My Bloody Valentine eventually. After all he has an affectionate dominate Kirk, who doesn't believe in no win scenarios remember.

Next Chapter: Kirk and McCoy play, and McCoy gets a touch of everyone's favorite green eyed monster.