story prompt was breaking/broken
Putting Back The Pieces
"I can't believe she left me, Chewie. For the Gods-be-damned rebellion! I thought I meant more to her, but apparently not. I should've known. You can't trust women, and especially can't trust those rich women." Han took another long slug of his ale, since drowning his sorrows seemed to be the best way to temporarily forget the deep, aching pain in his chest.
The Galaxy-wise Wookiee stared back balefully at his partner, knowing pithy words wouldn't help his friend's broken heart. His human cub had been through so much in his short life, from a poverty-filled childhood without ever having known a real home, to the betrayal of not only females, but the cruelty of adults and those that held power over his life.
"I ain't never falling in love again," Han declared, slamming down his empty mug and looking around for a server. "I need another one."
*That was your sixth drink.*
Han's bloodshot eyes glared at his partner. "So? You ain't my momma." He gave a bitter laugh and muttered under his breath, "Not that you coulda done any worse than her."
The Wookiee's human seldom remarked on his youth, and usually only when he was drunk, so Chewie wasn't overly surprised at the remark. *We should go back to the ship, and you can sleep it off. Things will look brighter in the morning.*
Unexpectedly, Han stood up, nearly upending the table in the process. "What do you care?" he bellowed, uncaring that the few other patrons in the filthy bar looked over at the rowdy human with vague interest. "You have a wife! You have a child! You need to go home! I keep tellin' you and tellin' you... go home and leave me alone!" He grabbed the mug off the table, and stalked over to the bar, slamming the glass down and pointing at the bartender. "The service sucks in this place. Fill it up."
A large paw came down over the glass. *You've had enough, Cub.*
Furious, Han spun around, glaring at his co-pilot. "I ain't your cub." He whipped out his blaster, albeit a bit unsteadily, and pointed it at Chewie's chest. "Go away and leave me alone. Forever."
*Shoot me first. Then I will leave.*
Solo lowered his weapon, dropping his head. "I loved her."
*I know. She was not good enough for you.*
"It was the other way around. I wasn't good enough for her. I'm not good enough for anyone."
Carefully, Chewie put his large paw on Han's shoulder, steering him toward the exit. *That is not true. The right female will come along, and you will forget all about this one.*
Allowing himself to be pushed along, Han shook his head. "Won't happen, pal. I'm broken. I won't ever allow myself to fall in love again."
*Things will look brighter in the morning, after you recover from the hangover, anyway.*
"We need to find work, Chewie," Han said blearily as he nearly tripped over a small crack in the duracrete. "We should go see about smuggling some spice for the Hutt."
*That's probably not a good idea,* Chewie woofed out. *I thought we were done with shipping spice, and working for Hutts.*
"It pays good."
Chewie gave a huge sigh. *We will discuss this later.*
"I'm never fallin' in love again," Han repeated with a heavy slur as he leaned against the Wookiee's side. ""S too painful."
*That red-head was crazy, and she wasn't meant for you. The right female will be beautiful, smart and kind, and very strong of will ... and she will make you into the man that you are meant to be.*
Han laughed, and shook his head in disbelief. "Why don't you just add that she'll be a princess as long as you're makin' stuff up, too? You sure do live in a fantasy world, Chewie."
*I believe in destiny, and I believe in you.*
"Sorry I pulled my blaster on ya. I wouldn't have shot you."
*I know. Even you aren't that foolish.* Now Chewbacca just had to talk his stubborn human pilot out of smuggling spice for the Hutt, and maybe locate that fantasy princess as long as he was attempting to do the impossible.
THE END