𝗥𝗲𝘄𝗿𝗶𝘁𝗲 𝗧𝗵𝗲 𝗦𝘁𝗮𝗿𝘀

a happy memory

Since the group needed weapons if they were going back into the Upside Down, Eddie had told them about the War Zone, were they sell a bunch of guns and weapons which should probably be illegal, but surprisingly aren't. So, to get there, the group had hijacked a motor home from someone at the trailer park. The whole time this was happening, Asher was silent. It wasn't usual for him to be silent, so people who noticed knew that something was wrong with him and they could of guessed what was going on in his head.

For his whole life, Asher has put up with his father because he's the only family Asher has ever since his older brother decided to leave. He has put up with things that would destroy people, and yet, Asher was strong enough to put up with it. But, to find out that he stuck around for all of that time and his dad isn't even his actual dad made everything that Asher put up with absolutely pointless. If he knew about it earlier in his life, he could of left that house along with his brother, but he didn't. Everything in his life has been a lie.

"Hey, man, you good?" Eddie asks as he sits next to Asher, who was still being unusually quiet.

"Yeah, I'm good" Asher says with no emotion in his voice.

"Stop lying to me" Eddie tells Asher "And don't say you're not lying, 'cause we both know that I know when you're lying."

"It's just the whole Vecna being my dad thing" Asher says with a sigh "I didn't leave my old man because he was the only family I had left, and then I find out that he's not even my actual dad. I've been abused by that bastard my whole life just to find out he's not my actual dad? Like, what the fuck was the point of me putting up with all of that?"

"Well, now you know that he's not your dad, you can finally get out of there" Eddie says with a shrug "You can move in with me. Once this is all over and I am an innocent man, we'll get out own place. I'll graduate from school and get a job. Me and you can have our own place, and then you won't have to feel like your bothering Henderson and his mom. Think of the silver lining."

"Us getting a place? Yeah, totally won't burn down in less than a day" Asher jokes, making Eddie laugh "But, seriously, you want to buy a place and have us move in? We don't have money."

"We can get money" Eddie tells Asher "Just a few more months and it'll happen. Trust me."

"Okay, let's get a place together" Asher says as he glances over at Max.

"Go and talk to her" Eddie tells Asher, making Asher look back at Eddie "You two have a lot to figure out."

"What have we got to figure out?" Asher asks Eddie "I've told her how I feel and she's pretty much told me that she doesn't feel the same. There's nothing to figure out."

"Just because she didn't say it back, doesn't mean she doesn't feel the same way" Eddie tells Asher "I've never seen you happier then when you were with Red. If you want her back, then get her back."

"Okay, I'm going to do it" Asher confidentially says before getting up and walking over to sit with Max "You good?"

"Shouldn't I be the one asking you that?" Max asks with a smile.

"Nah, you don't need to worry about me" Asher tells Max "I've always got everything figured out... like how to make sure Vecna doesn't come after you again."

"What are you going on about?" Max asks Asher, being really confused.

"Look, there are going to be other people that my dad thought of doing this curse shit to" Asher starts to explain "So, if you keep Kate Bush, he'll just go after one of those people. We find out who that person is and use them to get to him."

"I'm not going to let someone who doesn't know what they're getting into risk their lives" Max tells Asher "I've survived before, I can do it again."

"How did you do that, by the way?" Asher asks Max "I mean, I only survived 'cause he wants me to tell El about all of the shit he's got planned, but he didn't want you to survive."

"I just thought of all of the things that make me happy" Max says with a shrug "And that's what I'll do. Think of something that makes me happy."

"Does that have anything to do with me?" Asher asks Max, hoping that the answer is yes.

"Is your ego always this big?" Max jokingly asks Asher. Her happy memory is about Asher. The time she realised she had feelings for him when they were talking in the waiting room at the hospital. That's her happy memory... not that she'd admit that to Asher.

"Yeah pretty much" Asher smiles at Max "But, look, I want to talk to you about something."

"Okay?" Max says, making it sound like more of a question.

"I just... if this doesn't go as planned, I don't want things between us to end like this" Asher tells Max "I don't... I don't know--"

"Ash. I get it" Max says with a smile "I don't want things to end like this too."

"Wait, really?" Asher asks, not expecting that answer.

"The reason I broke up with you was because I didn't want you to have to worry about me" Max explains "You already have so much going on in your life and I didn't want to put the pressure of having to worry about me on your shoulders. I wanted you to take care of yourself."

"Max, I'm always going to worry about you" Asher says with a sigh "And as your boyfriend, it's my job to help you out when shit happens in life. It's my job to be there for you. I want to be there for you. All you have to do is just let me be there for you."

"As long as you promise me that you'll take care of yourself too" Max tells Asher "As your girlfriend, I don't want you to let yourself stay with your dad."

"Trust me, I got that all planned out" Asher says to Max with a smile "Me and Eddie are going to get a place together."

"Wow, that'll end well" Max sarcastically tells Asher, which makes him laugh.

1097 Words