Kirk and Spock were definitely best friends through ID, even if Spock didn't quite realise what he had until he lost it. His jealous reaction to Carol is absolutely priceless. I'M THE SCIENCE OFFICER. I GET TO HANG WITH JIM. YOU ARE NOT WANTED HERE.
Spock seems to have a job posting insecurities. he gets pissed at carol when she is announced as the new science officer, although he seems to let go of his anger with her when he realizes she was sort of a fraud.
he challenges captain pike's decision of putting kirk as first officer
he also does not put uhura on the right ship even though he knew she was right for the job on the enterprise.
Kirk and spock where friends but I would not call them, best friends in STID, If kirk wanted to have a serious personal talk with someone as a friend and confidant, it would have been Bones and not Spock. Bones was his best friends, they perhaps even shared the same dorms together and have known each other longer than they have known Spock.
My personal opinion is that they rushed the kirk and spock friendship. the writers tried too hard with their friendship this is proven by the remake of spock's death in wrath of khan.![]()
In ST09 Spock Prime told Spock about the potential future he could have with Kirk. He told Spock they needed each other. He told him about not depriving him of the revelation of what Kirk and Spock could accomplish together, and the friendship that would define them both in ways he can't yet realize. You think Spock forgot that? You think after one year together he didn't see that it could all come true in the fullness of time?
So, there's Kirk lying before him dead, only one year into that relationship that was meant for great things. Spock not only lost his past (Vulcan), he's now lost his future. What's he supposed to do, just mutter, "Well, crap. This sucks," and move on?