The babysitters club|| Steve Harrington

42

Matteo's heart was in his throat. He wasn't sure he had ever driven this fast or this carelessly in his life. Still, Steve managed to complain about it. 

"Go, go, go we need to go faster" He sounded like a toddler throwing a temper tantrum. But at least it filled the silence with some noise instead of leaving them awkward. 

It was just the two of them and Matteo wasn't sure why it felt so weird. He desperately wished they had taken Robin with them, but leaving the two kids behind alone would have also been pretty stupid. 

He prioritized the kids' safety over his awkwardness with Steve Harrington being in close quarters. What was one straight boy when they were going to fight a monster that was trying to rip a hole between their worlds and destroy everything?

"I'm going as fast as I can" Matteo grumbled.

The streets were empty at night and so silent that Matteo felt bad for racing through the town. Still, he pressed the gas pedal harder and hoped they'd make it to the mall in time. 

He had no idea what they were about to face, how they could hope to defeat this monster flayer or whatever Dustin called it. All he knew was that people were in danger. 

Matteo would never have called himself a hero, he considered himself pretty selfish. He could have stood up for Nancy when Steve and his ex friends called her a slut in front of everyone, he could have stood up for a bunch of other people because it was the right thing to do, but he didn't. 

So yes, maybe he was selfish. But he was incredibly stupid and headstrong about the people he cared for. He'd throw punches for Robin, he'd tackle a Russian guard for Steve and he'd race through Hawkins to make sure the other kids were okay. 

"Hey" Steve said, after a while. Matteo hadn't even noticed Steve had gone silent, "You okay?"

"Obviously I'm not okay, Harrington or sorry, do you prefer Princess?" 

Steve scowled, but his cheeks looked significantly redder. Matteo wouldn't tear his attention away from the road usually, especially not with how fast they were going. But Steve looked lovely that night. In Highschool, he used to look untouchable, too good to be true, something Matteo could never get close to. Like the Sun. Matteo could fly close to Steve, but never have him because he was just too golden. 

But now with adrenaline pumping through him, after all they'd been through together the past few days, Steve looked... real. There was none of that shine, that otherworldliness. Steve had been popular and that may have been everything in Highschool, but he seemed much better now. 

Now that he wasn't the "golden boy", the ones girls always fawned over, the most popular one, he seemed much more down to earth. Still annoying, sure. But much more real. He was just sitting in the passenger seat next to Matteo. If he wanted to, Matteo could reach out and touch him. 

Somehow that made Matteo want him even more. 

And that hurt. 

Because, as hard of a pill it was to swallow, Matteo would never have Steve. 

"Go easy on the steering wheel" Steve told him. Matteo just let himself stare. Either they were all going to die that night or they'd save the world and go their separate ways. In any case, he wanted to savor whatever time he had left with Steve. "What? You're gripping the wheel too tight, Angel, your fingers might fall off... why are you staring? Do I have something on my face?"

"Yeah, your usual look of idiocy"

"Hey!"

But Steve laughed and he looked so beautiful.