𝗥𝗲𝘄𝗿𝗶𝘁𝗲 𝗧𝗵𝗲 𝗦𝘁𝗮𝗿𝘀

two days later

After everything that happened two days ago and Dustin and Lucas telling Asher that his best friend is dead, Asher has not been doing well. He hasn't slept, barley ate or drank anything, hasn't talked and hasn't left the seat that he's been sat in, right next to Max. Asher hasn't wanted to leave her side, too scared that he'd lose her for good if he lets her out of his sight. He had already lost his best friend, he can't lose the girl that he loves as well.

Dustin and Lucas didn't want to tell Asher about Eddie the day that it happened as they didn't want to overwhelm him, but they knew they had to tell him sooner rather than later, so they told him the day after. Now, everyone knows that Asher isn't one to show his emotions, but after they had told him about Eddie as well as everything that happened with Max, Asher ended up letting all of his emotions out. About Max, about Eddie, about his biological dad, about his adoptive dad, about everything. After that, they got nothing but silence from him.

Lucas has been at the hospital as well; not only to check on Max but to make sure Asher was okay as well. While he hasn't been that close with Asher, he knew that Asher cares about Max more than anyone, so while Dustin was dealing with the passing of Eddie, he wanted to be there for the Hart boy. So, for the past two days, Lucas has been sat right next to Asher; bringing him food so he wouldn't starve to death, reading to Max and making sure that Asher didn't go more off the deep end than he already has. And while Asher hadn't muttered a single word in the past two days, he appreciated Lucas being that for him and Max. If Lucas wasn't there, Asher would of definitely gone off of the deep end.

Before Asher had met Max, he never believed in love. In his mind, love was just a fairy-tale, it was just something you'd seen in the movies and would never happen to him in reality. It made sense to him since no one has never actually loved him. His real dad gave him up to some abusive asshole, everyone in town saw him as a psychopath, and while he did have people who cared for him, he never actually thought they loved him. No one could love him and if they do, they'd end up leaving him eventually.

Which is what happened.

Asher knew that Max and Eddie didn't mean to leave him, but they left. If anyone had asked Asher "is there anyone in the world that you'd die for?", his answer would always be Eddie, Dustin and Max. Eddie was like a brother to Asher, and when shit went down, the two would be there for each other. While the two didn't know each other their whole lives, they felt like they did. Max, on the other hand, was the person that Asher loved the most in the world. Yes, they technically weren't in a relationship anymore, but that didn't mean Asher didn't love her any less. He'd do anything for Max, even if it meant burning the whole world down for her, he'd do it in an instant.

So, just like the past couple of days, Asher has been sat next to Max while Lucas sits on the seat right next to him, reading Max a book while Erica hangs around, to see if Asher is okay. Ever since that night, Erica has also been worried about Asher. Not that she'd never admit it, but it scared her to see him cry. No one had seen him cry before, so Erica being the first person out of the group to see Asher cry just showed how broken Asher had become and it scared her.

"He opened his eyes, and further words died in his throat" Lucas reads from the book, as Asher is sat in the seat next to him while Erica is stood by the window of the hospital room "He forgot about the need to sick up that horrible parody of wine. He forgot about his mother, and Uncle Morgan, and his father, and almost everything else. Speedy was gone. The graceful arcs of the roller coaster against the sky were gone. He could feel the hair stirring on the nape of his neck, he could feel a goofed-up grin pulling at the corners of his mouth. Speedy! I'm here, my God! I'm here in the territories!" Lucas reads before putting the book down to look at Asher "Have you had anything to eat today?" Lucas asks, making Asher shake his head "Come on, man, you have to eat something" Lucas softly tells Asher as they hear the door of the hospital room open, making him and Erica look up to see Eleven, Mike, Nancy, Jonathan and Will standing there. Asher, on the other hand, had ignored their presence and kept his eyes on Max, just like he has for the past couple days.

"Oh my God" Lucas says as he stands up, walking over to the three and hugs them "We've been calling you guys like crazy."

"I know" Mike tells Lucas "We came as soon as we heard."

"Is he okay?" Eleven asks Lucas as she looks over at Asher, who hadn't moved a muscle since they got into the room.

"Not really" Lucas says to Eleven "He's not eating, or sleeping, or talking. He kind of crashed out a couple days ago, and since then, he's just been radio silent. He'll be okay. Ash is, like, the strongest person I know."

"Everyone has their breaking points" Eleven says to Lucas before she walks over to Asher before immediately hugging him, making him hug her back "I'm so sorry" Eleven says to Asher. She had seen what Asher was like when Max's heart stopped, and while he didn't know that she was there, she still saw what happened. Eleven knew that Asher was officially broken and she felt guilty about it. If she could have stopped Vecna then this wouldn't have happened.

"It's not your fault" Asher mutters out the first words he has said since he crashed out "We both know who's fault it is."

"We're going to get her back" Eleven reassures Asher, wanting him to know that she's going to make sure that Max doesn't die.

"I'm gonna kill him" Asher says before looking up at Eleven "I'm gonna kill him."

"Do they know... when she'll wake?" Eleven asks, looking at Asher, Lucas and Erica.

"No" Lucas answers, knowing that Asher would start crying if he did "They say she might not. Her heart stopped, for over a minute. She died. I... I mean clinically, but... then she came back. The doctors don't know how. They say it's a miracle" He says before Eleven walks over to Max's bed, sitting next to the girl before holding her hand.

"I'm here, Max" Eleven whispers to the girl, before closing her eyes, trying to get into Max's brain, but sees only darkness.

"Are you okay?" Mike asks, looking at Asher. He had overheard what Lucas had said to Eleven, so he already knew the answer, but he felt like he had to check up on him. Show that he cared.

"I'm fine" Asher mutters out "But that son of a bitch won't be the next time I see him."

1254 Words
That's season 4 completed! Thank you so much for reading this book and I appreciate all the love I have gotten so far! I have enjoyed writing this book so much and I am sad to have finished it for now! See you all when Season 5 comes out!