this is my first book theif fanfic, so the personalites might be a little off, but i've read the book twice - loved it.

anyway, the connection between liesel and rudy is there, and their love for running and competing against each other is also evident, so says my "imaginary" friend who's reading over my shoulder.

DISCLAIMER: i wish i did, that's all.

POV: Rudy

NOTE TO SELF: never, under any circumstances, as Liesel out. Ever. Again. The results are disastrous.

"Liesel, why are you running?" I asked in a yell. "It was just a simple question!"

"God, Rudy! You're such an idiot!" She bent down, grabbed a handful of mud, and threw it at me.

Secretly, deep down, I enjoyed the fact that she was pissed at me. It made chasing her all that much more fun.

I tried to duck when the mud was flying towards me at light speed, but I didn't duck low enough and the wet dirt hit me in the face.

"That's what you get, saukerl!" she laughed, running off across the bridge that led to the park near our houses.

Being me, I kept up my chase after the only girl that I truly loved. I kept my eyes on her long legs and the blonde hair flying behind her.

"Liesel!" I yelled. "Wait up!"

"Oh, god! You must really want an answer, because you're giving up!" She kept running.

I started getting a cramp in my side, but I ran after the girl, like she was my life-line. "Come on! I seriously want to talk to you!"

She slowed to a stop and turned to look behind her. "What?"

I jogged up next to her and dropped my school bag by her feet. "Damn, you've gotten faster."

"Learn to love it, honey." She smacked my cheek gently and ran off again.

"I already love it," I murmured to myself. I slung my bag around my shoulder again and took off after her.

She reached out street first, legally, that is. I cut across a few lawns and was waiting on her doorstep when she got there.

"You saukerl." She bent over, hands on her knees, and panted.

"Back at you, saumench." I reached over and patted her shoulder. I really should've kissed her, but I didn't. That would've been too easy. I wanted that perfect first kiss to come when she really needed it, and when I needed it.

She ended up sitting next to me, head on my shoulder. "Do you have any water?"

I gasped dramatically. "You? Asked me for water? Admit it, I'm better than you."

"You cheated," she growled.

"No, I just made my own rules. Get the facts straight."

"I ask again; do you have any water?"

"Yeah." I reached in my bag and pulled out a bottle of water, handing it to her.

She gulped half of it down in only a few seconds. "Here." She wiped her mouth where a few extra drops had escaped her lips.

I turned to put it back in my bag. "'Thank you, Rudy. Thank you for so kindly sacrificing your water even though my front door is two feet away. Thank you for not making me get my own water,'" I mocked. Yeah, that got me a smack in the face.

"Saukerl." She stood up and left me there, sitting on her doorstep.

POV: Liesel

God, that Rudy. He's too cute for his own good.

"Liesel, is that you?" Mama called.

"Yes!"

"Is Rudy here?"

"No. He didn't deserve it."

She came around the corner, wiping her hands on her apron. "I thought you liked him."

"I do, but I don't know what he thinks about me. I don't want to try something and have it backfire."

"Liesel, you are, unofficially, a Hubermann. Hubermanns don't quit. Now you go right back out there and tell him that you love him."

"Mama!"

"I have a big, flat spoon in my pocket."

"Okay, okay!" I flung the front door open to see Rudy still sitting there.

He leaned backwards and looked at me upside-down. "Hello."

I sat next to him, looping my arm through his and joining our fingers together.

"What's this?" he asked, sitting up.

"Just go along with it," I whispered. "Mama's watching."

"Ah." He scooted over next to me, his arm around my waist. "What should I do? Kiss you?"

"As if!" I pushed him away lightly. "Pervert!"

Still aware of Mama's stare, I gave Rudy a peck on the cheek and disappeared into the house again.

PLEASE REVIEW!