A/N: This was originally posted on my tumblr (in second person, but as ffn doesn't allow this I turned the reader into Kat, an OC), but I saw how little there was about my bby Steve Harrington here so thought I'd try to contribute. I hope you enjoy!

(let me know if you see anything still written in second person narrative, I did my best but I may have missed something).

The minute school lets out that same day Steve Harrington makes his way straight back to the library. He scans through all the fiction books, vaguely remembering that the author's last name began with a 'D', but soon becomes frustrated when he can't find the book he wants. After grasping the attention of the librarian, he asks if the library holds a copy of Crime and Punishment.

"Oh, no, dear, I'm sorry." She shakes her head, watching the boy's shoulders drop in defeat. "We don't have any Dostoyevsky - it's a shame."

Sighing, Steve thanks her and leaves, quickly reaching his car. He spends the drive home with a focused frown on his face, trying to come up with a way to find a copy of the book. He'd known it was a dumb idea the second he'd told Kat that he'd read it - he'd never even heard of the damn thing, much less read it - but he couldn't seem to help himself when it came to her. He just really wanted to impress her. And none of his other attempts seemed to work.

He'd always thought she was pretty. Beautiful, even. And when they'd been paired up for that assignment in History he felt like the world was paying him back for all the shit it'd dumped on him in the last two years. And suddenly his fleeting thoughts of how attractive she looked in that purple sweater or how nice her hair looked when it was curled became distant memories, because she was no longer just the pretty girl from History, she was Katherine; gorgeous, funny, smart, witty and completely in the dark about his feelings for her.

So now when he saw her in that purple sweater, it took everything in him not to stare, and when she curled her hair he'd often sit on his hands for fear that they'd reach out to find out if it was as soft as he thought it was.

Steve was pretty certain that she was oblivious to his pining (not that he'd ever admit to anybody ever that what he was doing was pining); he'd spent the best part of them working together on the project flirting with her and she never really seemed to notice. On the bright side his constant chatter meant that she would often sit close to him so that, whenever Kat deemed he wasn't concentrating as much as he should be, she could reach over and show him what he was supposed to be doing. This proximity meant he had her scent ingrained into his brain - both her perfume and the smell of her hair - and it could often be the reason he was so distracted in the first place.

He turns left onto a familiar winding road and is suddenly hit with inspiration.

Nancy!

She probably had the book - she had a bunch of them piled on top of the shelves in her room. Maybe this way he didn't have to try to read an entire novel in one night - she could just tell him what happens and give him her thoughts about it. And then tomorrow he could impress Kat with his knowledge and get a full nights' sleep tonight.

He quickly turns his car around and heads to the Wheeler household, pleading with any deity he can think of that she'll be able to help him.

Nancy is certainly confused when he asks about a book, and a little concerned by just how desperate he looks, but lets him inside with a nod.

"Yeah, I think I've got a copy - I never actually got around to reading it though, why?"

New plan officially thrown out of the window, Steve mentally prepares himself for an all-nighter.

"Oh, I just... Thought I'd give it a shot?" One glance at Nancy's face confirms that he wasn't being very convincing at all.

"Look, I..." Awkwardly shifting from one foot to another he explains to her that he may be doing it to impress a girl. Nancy tries to hide her relief, but he still sees it in her eyes. She'd been worried about him - he took their break up hard, and she knew that she was to blame for that, so she was just really glad he was finally moving on.

After some interrogation - during which he refused to give up her name - Steve sets off home, hardback book in hand and coffee in mind.

It was going to be a long night. But she was worth it.

I do take requests, for both headcanons and imagines/oneshots over on my tumblr (daryldamnson), but it's fine if anyone wants to send them in here too.