DISCLAIMER: I do not own "The Book Thief" or any of the characters, just this fan fiction! All rights completely belong to its author, Markus Zusak!
A/N: Constructive criticism and suggestions are welcome! Thanks for reading! In my fanfic, Max doesn't exist!* Note, the narrator, Death, writes in bold.
A/N #2: PLEASE NOTE IN THIS FIC: LIESEL IS 15 AND RUDY IS 16 YEARS OLD!
Chapter 1: The Kiss
Cont'd from The Anarchist's Suit Collection (page 452)
***PROLOGUE***
In the dead of night, half past 22 hours, two teenagers sat in a closed tailor shop. The lights from the quiet windows from houses on a street called Heaven had already been turned off, leaving the fizzling glow of one lone kerosene lamp illuminated between them. They were not aware of this fizzling. Perhaps too distracted by the sight of their own sparks flying. Somewhere along the outskirts of town, a certain painter wondered the whereabouts of his foster daughter. This was nothing out of the ordinary; he always wondered where and what she was doing while he was at work. How was he to know that his now adolescent daughter had broken into the Steiner shop and was sitting on the floor, kissing the life out of his next-door neighbor son?
Who would've known that a German boy and half-German girl who had loved each other for far too long, with not nearly enough words to describe the feelings they mutually shared in secret, would reveal their loves during this deadly time of war? Not even I, Death, the knower of most events would have predicted such a dramatic turn of events. With that aside, I shall now resume watching the two teenagers that often refer to each other as the Book Thief and Jessie Owens.
Rudy places the lantern on the counter, coming toward her in mock- anger, and Liesel has to admit that her heart begins to beat painfully from his sudden proximity. Lately, her heart started to race with dread and excitement whenever the lemonhead teen was near. She would never admit it, but she is grateful that Rudy came to a tumbling halt in front of her. "Gottverdammt!" Rudy exclaims, clutching at his right foot. "This stupid mannequin! I didn't even see it there!"
"That's enough you clumsy Saukerl!" Liesel hisses. "You're going to wake everybody up!" Liesel's words falls onto deaf ears. The boy would not stop yelling. A small burst of fury ignites within the small heart of Liesel Meminger. The enraged dirty blonde delivers a swift kick directly beneath the teen's slightly exposed rib cage. "What the hell! What was that for?!" Rudy howls the second the air filters back into his bruised lungs. "I told you to shut up!" Liesel storms back.
"How can you kick me when I am already down? Does my body look like a soccer ball to you?!" Rudy carries on. "And on Christmas no less! This proves that blood does not even run through the veins of a heartless Saumensch like you!" Liesel falls silent. Her feelings hurt. Rudy knew he crossed the line. "Liesel?" A sniffle echoes in his direction. "I'm sorry. I'm sorry Liesel." Rudy begins. The boy with the aching ribs and most likely fractured ankle, scrambles to his feet, using the mannequin's dismantled shoulder as a support to stand. "Are you listening Liesel? I went too far. I'm sor-" The mannequin skids past his grip. Rudy "oomphed," falling flat on his stomach knocking the wind from his lungs. Standing up, Liesel laughs. On the floor, Rudy also laughs, trying to stifle the anger at himself for making her cry. Then he closes his eyes, clenching them hard as he tries to hide how he really feels inside.
***A SECRET ABOUT RUDY***
At heart he was truly the sad clown.
Liesel places the palms of her hands on the floor, opposite the sides of Rudy's head. The floor's freezing surface, nearly weakens her resolve. There is no turning back. It is rushed. It is forced, but Rudy Steiner had finally got what he always wanted.
***WHAT IT WAS***
A kiss.
Rudy Steiner had finally successfully stolen something from the book thief. Her words. When Rudy could finally gather himself in a daze he finally asks. "What... was that?" Liesel rips herself away from the dumbfounded boy. Rudy reaches out in the dark, finding a way for them to remain hand in hand. Liesel shuts her eyes. Her stomach doing painful flips and somersaults. She opens her eyes. All the lights of Himmel Street had faded away. It is late. Even the kerosene lamp they brought had fizzled out, leaving them in complete darkness. She could barely make out the blue eyes on Rudy's face. Liesel wonders what his expression looks like, she could only see his silhouette. What is he thinking? Hölle, what was she thinking? Rudy broke the silence. "You kissed me."
"I did not." Liesel's cheeks, like flames in the dark. There was no way she could explain herself now, she would deny it to her grave. "You and I both know that you tried to kiss me just now. Admit it Saumensch. You want me." Her words came out venomous. "I would never kiss a Doppelarschloch like you."
"What have I done to become a dumbass more than once?" Rudy inquires softly into the dark. Liesel could hear the hurt in his voice. She feels like crying. She tried to kiss him, but verbally beat him into the ground instead. Again. Ich liebe dich. Her heart whispers. I love you. But her mouth just couldn't say it. "Entschuldigung. You definetley wouldn't kiss me anyway. It was only an accident, right?" The teen with hair like lemons apologizes for the third or possibly fourth time that night and let go of the Book Thief's hand. Liesel feels empty without it. The boy rises to his feet, dust falling off. He winces. He must have fractured his ankle or something from the fall earlier. "We better go home now. It's late."
***AN UNEXPECTED DEVELOPMENT***
The Book Thief yanked the boy back down to the dirty floor.
Her lips clumsily hit Rudy's with enough force to cause them both to see stars.
A/N #3: IN CASE YOU DON'T READ AUTHORS NOTES... PLEASE NOTE IN THIS FIC: LIESEL IS 15 AND RUDY IS 16 YEARS OLD!