It's love and it's arrogance. Jim Kirk has plenty of both to go around. How exactly would he handle Felix if he were really to use his vast knowledge of the arcane against Jim? A fully charged phaser hadn't stopped Felix for long back then. There are other ways, obviously, but very few Jim would actually take until things were too late.

He's so much more fragile a man than he pretends to be. Soft.

Aware of everything he's lacking and insisting things will be fine all the same. Because he does have faith in Felix Caelus. Even now. Especially now. Even when he doesn't like what the other's done for him.

"I'm not most people." Jim's really not sure if that's a good or a bad thing some days. "I can't promise we won't fight. I'm. I'm still me no matter how much I try to be more...responsible. Mature. I'm still going to put my foot in my mouth when I'm pissed off and I'm still going to fight. But I won't leave you."

He's been left behind too many times. Enough to swear a rule by. One he's praying to every god in Felix's world is broken now. His throat is tight with emotion when he breathes his words against Felix's lips.

"And I won't let you leave me without a fight."