#that and i am not immune to the idea that mirror spock harbors a devotion that borders on illogical for his captain

[favvn]

You know, I get why it is a popular headcanon that Mirror Spock fell in love with the original Jim Kirk (the angst of it alone. Love is separated by the universe itself. If the Mirrorverse is a mirror of the normal universe, then everything is reversed, so surely Mirror Spock holds more feelings and love than the original Spock. Except Mirror Spock is shown to be just as emotionless and controlled as his original counterpart because when looking in a mirror, all one sees is the same thing that still exists outside of the mirror. The image just becomes reversed due to the glass reflection. Like, it's still the you that exists physically in the mirror, but now the freckle on your right cheek is on your left, your hair parts to the other side, etc.), but in thinking so people miss out on this:

Mirror Spock tells the original Kirk, "You must return to your universe, I must have my captain back," after the original Kirk compliments Spock for "being a man of integrity in both universes." It's the equivalent of Kirk telling him,"Thank you," only for Mirror Spock to reply, "I'm not doing this for you. I'm doing this for my captain." To say nothing of the use of "must!" This is not just a want or a desire it is a necessity.

I realize it's headcanon territory and therefore a matter of interpretation (and ultimately there's no right or wrong opinion for such things, otherwise fandom would be very boring), but the Mirrorverse has its own K/S with plenty of angst between them owing to the nature of their world (a world ruled by terror can't have much room for love, mercy, or hope. If such things exist, they can never be shown or acted on if one values their life) and how the Mirrorverse reveals K/S at their worst possible cores owing to the harshness of their universe (opportunism, apathy, perfectionism, control, etc.) This is K/S as trained soldiers without the temperance of diplomacy training. This is K/S as two parts logic, one part selfish risk for survival. And neither Kirk nor Spock can fully trust the other without some weapon in hand for self-protection.