A/N: Hey, friends! Thanks for stopping by! Same warnings apply here, including a touch of sexual assault description.

"Well, well, well, if it isn't the ol' Wire Wizard himself," Han schmoozed as he sauntered down the ramp of that insufferable freighter. Oh, how Vader loathed this already.

"Solo," Vader spat out. Much to his surprise, the smuggler laughed, wild sarcasm in his eyes.

"Miss me?"

"Hardly."

Had Luke not properly introduced Han to Vader recently, Vader would have expected nothing but terror masked with anger from the scoundrel in this moment. However, now that their acquaintance had been made, (otherwise known as "Solo's life insurance renewal"), Solo knew Vader couldn't kill him, not without entirely betraying Luke. Ever since then, the man had taken every opportunity to jab at him, including conjuring some loathsome nicknames. He had a talent for pushing Vader just enough, but nothing that warranted physical retribution...at least not yet.

However, as much of an irritating insect as this smuggler was, Vader knew he couldn't exterminate him like one; it would break Luke's heart and ruin any possible chance Vader had at a long-term father & son relationship with Luke.

So for now, Vader had no choice but to put up with the constant, static nuisance that was Han Solo.

"You were wise to accept my summons," Vader said, absolutely dreading the multitude of possible responses with which he was now faced.

"Wasn't really an invitation, Your Lordship," Han said, seeming to pay more attention to fiddling with his jacket than Vader himself.

"How so?" Vader asked with no real question in his words.

"Well, something about "you will face consequences" gave me an idea," he mocked, making an infuriatingly accurate imitation of Vader. Vader fumed, calming himself down with the visions of what kinds of "accidents" he could stage for Han.

"You twist my words," Vader argued.

"Like you twist people's arms...and necks?" He muttered. Vader would have given anything to twist Solo's neck then and there, but again reminded himself of the man's importance to the situation.

"Solo, I will warn you this only once: the situation is grave, and my patience is thin."

"Thinner than your patience with me the last time we met?" Solo referred to the time Luke introduced the two, and Vader's patience slipping the moment he laid eyes on the general.

"I recall your patience growing far thinner far more quickly!" Vader argued. The man only laughed.

"Doesn't take much to get you all riled up, huh, Wire Wizard?" It took Vader every ounce of strength within him to refrain from reaching out and squeezing this man's throat until he crushed his windpipe. However, calling upon the last of his restraint, he finally managed to form steady, coherent words.

"Solo, this matter is serious, and unless you wish for me to become "riled up" much further, I suggest you listen."

"Alright, alright. I'm all ears, Your Lordship."

"Luke is not well."

"What'd you do to him this time?"

"This time?!" Vader echoed, astonished but not surprised at Solo's blatantly inaccurate words. However, he couldn't really say Solo posed an invalid question.

"Don't you remember literally every time you two met during the war?" Vader fumed at Solo's mention of the war and his actions during that time.

"Luke and I have both agreed to put such time behind us, but you hold grudges you will never find resolved."

"Right, all my fault again. Look, I don't know what you've done to him this time-"

"I would never lay a hand on him," Vader hissed, venom seeming to spew from his vocoder grills. "Making such assumptions about our relationship at a time like this would be detrimental to your friendship with my son," he stated. Han's features morphed from displaying anger to now showing defensive disbelief.

"What do you mean at a time like this?" he seethed, an accusatory tone saturating his words.

"It is not my place to tell. He intends to speak with you."

"The only thing that could possibly be wrong is, oh I don't know, maybe an evil warlord who's on the bad side of the Jedi or whatever living with him and kriffing up his life!"

"That is enough!" Vader bellowed, but Han didn't flinch even slightly. "If you so much as breathe another word about my parenting, I will be sure to keep you from my son as long as possible. I can find him another support system."

"Support system? That should be you!"

"Solo!" The smuggler now clenched his own fists, his chest heaving.

"You know, you could live a thousand lifetimes over a thousand dimensions in this kriffed up galaxy and never deserve him," he shot in a low tone.

"The very same could be said about you, General. And if you are bold enough to-"

"Han!" The two men had practically forgotten where they were, so wrapped up in their lethal argument, until they heard Luke's voice.

The smuggler's face immediately broke out into a smile.

"Kid!" he exclaimed, pushing right past Vader to meet his friend. He immediately opened his arms and embraced the boy, holding him in a seemingly-rare hug.

"I didn't know you were coming!" Luke said, his tone presenting more of a question than a statement.

"Ah, your ol' man called me here," he explained. Luke looked past Han to Vader.

"You...did?" he asked. Vader nodded.

"I believe your friend may help you," Vader said.

"Yeah, Wire Wizard said I should come see you. Said something was wrong," Han said with a dash of deep concern in his words. "What's up?" Vader growled inwardly at Solo's casual mention of such a serious matter.

Fear flickered across Luke's features, seeming to look to Vader for an answer.

"We, ah, we should talk."

"Geez, kid," Han remarked as he stepped into Luke's quarters, pausing for a moment to take in the scenery. "This place is makin' the Falcon look like junk." Luke didn't even crack half a smile as he lost his gaze in his own tattered reflection in the mirror.

"What, nothin'?" Luke slowly turned his head back to Han, finding his friend's playful smile dulled by other confused features. "C'mon, I practically handed that one to ya." Luke managed to tug up the corners of his mouth in a forced smile.

"Sorry," he said quietly. Han chuckled as he plopped himself onto the couch.

"Don't be sorry, kid," he winked. "Just saves me a little heartache." Luke huffed in amusement a bit, but not enough to be considered a laugh.

"This place is nice," Luke agreed, avoiding his clumsy slipup as he skimmed his fingers across his bookshelf. He knew he couldn't hide this forever. Hell, Han came halfway across the galaxy just to see him. The only comfort Luke found in the impending doom of confession was knowing he could at least try to hold this off just a little longer.

"I'll say," Han said as he threw his head back on the couch. "Even got your own damn bathroom, and you're right down the hall from His Lordship." Luke smiled a touch, providing at least some sort of an accurate response, but he still felt Han's questioning gaze. Luke knew Han wasn't here for such surface level banter.

"Luke," Han finally said. As soon Luke looked at him, really locked eyes, Han pointed a finger squarely to the seat adjacent to his own.

After much reluctance, as he knew this would head nowhere desirable, Luke finally sat down. Han set his elbows on his knees and leaned forward.

"Alright, Junior," he said, his tone leaving no room for argument. "Spill." Luke knew feigning ignorance would do him no good against his smuggler friend, for he practically owned the patent to that tactic. Instead, Luke just sighed.

"It's not a big deal, Han," he tried to brush off, but he could feel Han see right through his weak attempt.

"Not a big deal?" he echoed, eyebrows raised in disbelief. "Wheezy calls me and says he "wants to see me," and I get here to check on you and you're not even keepin' up with our back n' forth?" Luke looked down to his hands, beginning to pick at his cuticles. "Kid, I know that smile, and it ain't your real one. I hate to get all mushy on you, but somethin's goin' on."

After a moment of tense silence, Luke finally sighed.

"I hate to put you in this position," he started, his gaze never wavering from his hands. "But can we keep this between us for now?" Han rested his hand on Luke's knee, prompting him to look up.

"Hey, you know I ain't a snitch," he winked, trying ever so hard to lighten the mood. After another spell of silence, Luke spoke.

"Do you remember when we played Sabacc on the Falcon? And we talked about our first times?" Han nodded, cracking a smile.

"Yeah," he said, starting to chuckle. "Talk about one hell of a bonding experience." But as soon as Han saw Luke's blue eyes glisten with tears, his lighthearted expression fell.

"Hey," he whispered, moving closer to Luke and setting a hand on his shoulder. "It's alright." Luke huffed out a breath as he continued.

"I wasn't really honest with you," he admitted in a small voice. Han ran his hand over Luke's upper arm, trying his best to be soothing.

"Kid, you know it don't matter to me if you've knocked boots with anyone or not." Luke drew in a deep, shaky breath before carefully choosing his next words.

"I have, but...it...it wasn't really my choice."

"You can sleep with whoever you want-"

"But I didn't want it." Kriff. The air fell still as Luke could feel Han process the words that popped out of his mouth. Finally, Han tightened his grip on Luke's bicep, turning to face him squarely.

"Luke, look at me." And with the reluctance of a thousand suns setting to end a successful harvest, Luke brought his blurred gaze up to meet Han's.

"Did someone jump your bones without your say-so?"

As Luke closed his eyes, sending twin streaks of tears sliding down his cheeks, he nodded.

After almost a solid minute of the two men staring, one directly at the floor and the other right at his friend, a sob escaped Luke's lips.

Han stood, pulled Luke to his feet, and pressed him into his chest.

"Shavit, Luke," was all he could manage.

Much to Luke's dismay, he could do nothing to fight the series of sobs now tumbling from his lips. Han set a hand on the back of his head to bring him in closer, only weakening Luke's attempts to stop crying. After what seemed like an eternity, Han finally broke the silence.

"Wire Wizard know?" he asked. After a powerful sniffle, Luke nodded against Han's chest.

"He found out last week."

"Found out?" Luke sighed, knowing Han wouldn't take too kindly to his explanation. All he needed right now was to give Han more evidence in his case against his father, better yet start another scuffle between the two.

"He found some old medical records," he explained. "It was a long time coming anyway."

He felt Han inhale deeply, clenching his jaw to withhold a sharp remark. However, he exhaled, pressing Luke against him even harder.

"Kid, am I the first one you've told?" Luke nodded against his chest, surely wetting his shirt with his tears. Han patted his back gently. "You're brave as hell."

Luke felt the corners of his mouth tug up in a small smile at that remark, trying to hold onto the speck of self-confidence within him that believed that statement to be true.

"C'mere, let's pop a squat." He guided Luke to sit back down beside him on the couch. Han's gaze almost bore a hole right through Luke as he could feel Han's eyes fixate on him.

Luke finally managed to calm himself down, swiping away tears from his eyes as he tried to erase any evidence of being this vulnerable. Still unable to look directly at his friend, Luke kept his gaze to his feet. Han tentatively reached over to grab Luke's hand, asking for permission, to which Luke granted with a quivering hand.

"If you don't wanna talk to me, you don't gotta say nothing, but if you wanna tell me about it, talk to me. What happened?" Luke sniffled hard as he took a deep breath, trying to find the right place to begin.

"It was on Hoth," he finally said. "Right before the bacta tank after you pulled me out of that snowstorm. I don't remember much," he admitted. "He just…" More tears began to leak from the corners of Luke's eyes before he whispered, "His hands were so strong."

Han's guilt was practically palpable as Luke felt him digest these words, calling back to the pair's close call together during that time. Little did Han know Luke would experience a trauma far worse than that of being trapped out in a snowstorm mere hours after he was rescued.

Luke felt Han's unwavering gaze continue to bore into him, looking at him as if he would shatter.

"Kid, I'm so sorry-"

"Don't," Luke interrupted, putting his hand up to halt Han's needless self-berating. "You...you couldn't have known." Han shook his head.

"Do you know who it was?" Silently, Luke nodded, despising the thought of having no choice but to tell Han the truth. He shifted away, letting go of Han's hand.

Luke felt his friend immediately scoot away from him, a rare apology poised on his lips. Luke shook his head, wordlessly insisting that Han didn't need to apologize.

He finally mustered the courage to look directly at Han, meeting his immensely-concerned gaze.

"You can't tell my father, or Leia."

"Luke-"

"Han, I mean it," he insisted, using a much harsher tone than he intended. After giving Luke one final concerned gaze, Han nodded.

Luke backed up, took a deep breath, held the collar of his shirt, and pulled the fabric down…

In the years he had known Han, Luke couldn't remember a time he heard him gasp until now. Han shook his head.

"No," he whispered, knowing exactly who this attacker was. Luke nodded, despising the way his vision blurred with tears. Han rose, leaning forward to gingerly touch the wound. "How?"

"...My father hired him." Han's concern dropped in a flash.

"He what?"

"He...he hired him to find me. He was under an alias. It was before the reports of...of assault came out. He had no idea, and he still doesn't." Luke met Han's gaze once again. "And he can't." Luke shook his head, sighing. "It's my fault anyway."

"No," Han snapped, seemingly sharper than intended. "You're not gonna do this, Luke. You know this wasn't on you." Tears stung in Luke's eyes once again.

"But-"

"Uh-uh, no," Han restrained him. "Luke, that bastard hurt you, and ain't nobody got the right to do that to anyone. Got it?" After a moment, Luke finally nodded wordlessly. "C'mere, kid." Han opened his arms to Luke in an open invitation, to which Luke accepted. He lightly patted his back.

And Luke had no choice but to fall apart in his friend's arms.

"I'm sorry, kid. I probably handed you right to that guy, I should have recognized him."

"There's no way you would have known. You know he's a master of disguise," Luke assured as more sobs tumbled out of his throat faster than he could register the awful sound. After a long few moments of Han holding Luke tight, he pulled him back to look at him directly.

"Luke, listen to me, and listen good," he said firmly. "You're not a piece of meat, his or anybody's. You're Luke. This ain't got nothing to do with you, you just happened to be his pick that day." Luke poised his lips in argument, but Han put up his hand to halt him.

"Nope, this ain't an argument, Junior," he emphasized, seeming to beg him to listen. "You gotta believe me." After a moment, Luke shook his head in the negative.

"Please don't tell Leia. I'm...I'm not ready for her to know yet." With an expression saturated with more concern than Luke could ever remember seeing, Han nodded.

"I won't kid," he promised. "I won't."

Although he gave everything he had to hold himself together, Luke lost it again and dissolved into sobs. Han pulled him back into his chest, holding him tight.

"You're gonna be alright, kid," he assured. "You've just gotta let your ol' man and me help ya." Luke held back from nodding, not ready to accept his fate just yet.

"How?"

"We're gonna be right here for ya, listen to ya if you wanna talk, maybe help you find a shrink. Anything you need," he said, holding him tighter. "You're strong as hell, kid. You're gonna be just fine." Luke sniffled, realizing he had saturated Han's shirt with his tears.

"I got your shirt all wet," he laughed, mirth breaking through his sobs. Han laughed as well.

"Don't worry, kid. I needed to wash it anyway," he winked. Luke couldn't help but laugh once again, pulling back to finally look directly at Han.

"Thanks, Han," Luke said, sniffling. Han reached out for his cheek and wiped away a stray tear with the back of his fingers.

"Kid, I'm your friend. This is what I'm here for."

Suddenly, in that moment, the air cooling unit roared to life, sending a cold stream of air to Luke's middle. It would have been fine…

Had it not revealed the line of cuts across his side.

And as loathe he was to accept it, he knew Han noticed.

"Kid," he said in a warning tone. Luke growled just the slightest, knowing he wouldn't have a choice to Han's next request. "Lift up your shirt."

"Han-"

"I mean it," he insisted. "Please, let me see." Luke sighed, finally gripping the hem of his shirt.

"You can't tell my father," he said. "He can't know yet." Wordlessly, with concern etched on his features, Han nodded.

"You got my word, Luke." Luke exhaled, trying to dispel the last of his reservations with his breath, and lifted up his shirt for Han to see.

"Kid," Han breathed, reaching out to touch the line of slices scabbing over Luke's skin. "Why?"

More tears stung in Luke's eyes as he felt guilt settle in the pit of his stomach.

"It's...it's the only way they stop."

"What stops?" Luke exhaled, despising the way he could feel his voice break.

"The flashbacks," he whispered. Concern painted all over Han's face again.

"Luke," he whispered back. He ushered him into an embrace one last time, pulling him in close and holding him tight as Luke began unraveling again. He rubbed his hand up and down his back, his hands comfortingly warm.

"We're gonna help you out, kid," he promised. "What'chu need?"

"I don't know," he admitted as he choked out a sob. Han just held him tighter for a moment in silence.

"I know."

"Can...can you stay?"

"For sure, kid. I'm right here." After another spell of silence, he spoke words that Luke would have rather not heard. "I talked to your ol' man earlier. He said I can stay for a while." Luke broke their embrace and looked up at Han.

"What?"

"Yeah," he confirmed. "Said it might help ya to have a familiar face around here other than him."

A wave of uncomfortable feelings washed over Luke at the thought of having Han take time out of his life just to take care of him.

"You don't have to do that."

"Hey, I owe you one, don't I?" Han winked, to which Luke smiled a little. "Plus, I'm in need of a little guy time." After a moment of truly considering his offer, Luke was sure to ask Han one more time.

"Are you sure?" he asked. "You really don't have to."

"I wanna be here for you, kid," Han assured. "And besides, who better to help you out than me?" He winked. Luke's smile was tentative as he accepted his friend's offer.

"Alright, Han," he agreed. "I'll let you help. But only for a little bit," he was sure to add. Han smiled.

"We'll see, kid."

A/N: Thanks for continuing to read! Fun fact: I etched this scene into my notebook in the middle of the night one night and COMPLETELY forgot about it until I flipped back through my notebook a week later. The creative juices flow best at night, huh? :)