DISCLAIMER: "The Book Thief" completely belongs to it's author, Markus Zusak. I can only wish it were mine...
Author's note #1: Hi guys I'm sorry this chapter took so long, I just graduated and I've been so busy! I really wanted to write a new chapter but I didn't know exactly how to write it. Writer's block? Anyways I just wanted to thank all of my followers and any guests that stopped by to read my story. It means a lot! You guys are awesome and please leave a review of what you think! I really worked hard on this one to make it seem as in character as possible and just good haha. Have a great day! Rudy X Liesel forever! ❤️❤️ 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 3: A Freezing Reunion
The crumbling steps of the Book Thief kicked up a mountain of white powder. That same powder that rested above her brother's unmarked grave. Arnsberg. Her child brother was buried in Arnsberg, Germany. The teen faced the wind. Her cheeks stung with the bitter cold of the new year. Liesel held a special hatred for this month. In her heart she would never forgive the way I carried his life away that bleak January.
***A FACT OF LIFE***
Everyone dies.
Maybe even a boy that left behind nothing, but bread and teddy bears.
I don't want to get too ahead of myself. As I return to a familiar street in Molching, a few years before its devastation, a street named Himmel that if I didn't know it's tragic location by heart I would have easily missed it. It was here behind the doors of the house marked with a crooked 33 that today's events unfold. I observe the new and amusing behavior of the Book Thief.
It had been a week or so since Liesel laid her eyes on the first boy she had ever kissed. This was a hiatus she engaged in on purpose. She grew accustomed to the rapid knocks of the growingly desperate Rudy Steiner, welcoming them with dread and adrenaline. If diving under one's bed whilst yanking down their bed covers to hide yourself is a skill, Liesel is already an expert on it. She waits for the familiar crash of her door hitting the wall as Mama barges in. "You filthy pig! Did you not hear me calling for you?! That cripple of a boy is here again!"
***THE TRUTH BEHIND THAT INSULT***
Rudy Steiner had fractured his ankle the night the book thief stole his lips. However der Doktor
said he'd be able to take the splint off late Februar as long as he remained indoors. In bed.
Rosa Hubermann's blue eyes furiously searching the room pausing angrily on the sloppy blankets strewn against the floor. "I don't know where that insolent Saumensch wandered off to! But when she comes back, she is going to get it!" What usually follows is a protesting Rudy asking to just let him take a quick look in her room and to please not call him a cripple. The front door slamming in his face was almost always the answer he got. When Liesel came out of hiding long after the boy had gone she endures a Watschen for leaving the house without permission and because her dirty room. Of course, the Book Thief wasn't guilty of either of these crimes. Liesel had been very exacting in how she chose to completely avoid 35 Himmel Street. She left the house when she was completely sure that no Steiners were in the vicinity. She had begun to only use the backdoor. It wasn't too hard to hide from her neighbors. Specifically their youngest son. However, a problem arose. The Book Thief could no longer indulge in her favorite pastime: stealing. And I'm not talking about just swiping an apple or two.
***WHAT KIND OF STEALING***
The kind that involved the hands of Rudy Steiner boosting her up into the window of Ilsa Hermann's library.
Today Liesel made the mistake of approaching the house of der Büergermeister alone in hopes of stealing another book. The window had grown at least 10 inches too tall. She could not climb in. Another mistake she made is forgetting that Rudy came in second place of the few people that knew her the most, Papa obviously coming in first place. "I knew you would be here!" Rudy explodes out of the bushes and he grabs hold of Liesel. "Let go of me Saukerl!" She screams as quietly as possible, trying not to attract attention. Rudy yells back, "I'm not stupid! I know that you're avoiding me, Saumensch!"
"Shut up! Frau Hermann's going to find us!"
"Scheissegal. Whatever. I don't care about that! If you hate me that much stop being a coward and just say it to my face already!" Rudy shouts. Liesel's hand clamps over his mouth. "Who are you calling a coward?" She retorts. "Stop acting like you know everything when you understand nothing!" Rudy stares at her and makes no attempt to shake her hand off. She glares at him with those brown eyes of hers sparking like fire. She jerks her head to the side, shifting her dirty blonde hair from blocking her eyes. Also, to make sure she would never break stubborn eye contact with him, her hand still covering the teen's loud mouth. She isn't going to back down first. A tongue licks the palm of her hand. The Book Thief jumps out of her skin. She would have been able to reach the window with that jump. "Do you want me to hit you?!" The Book Thief is thrown off balance and well to be honest... completely flustered.
"Ja."
"Are you stupid or something?" Rudy laughs, effectively pissing her off even more. "That's not funny!" Liesel shoots back. Rudy quickly stops laughing, a shark smirk stretching wide across his cocky face. "So how about that kiss Saumensch?" He waggles his eyebrows flirtatiously for dramatic effect. It would have almost been cute if he weren't making fun of her at the moment. "You're not getting one!" She sputters as her face turns beet red.
"Nein... No I mean how was that kiss?" He winks at her. She blushes even deeper, then turns away to hide it. The Book Thief desperately wished she had a book to bury her face in at that moment. "Shut up, Saukerl. Since you're here you might as well be of some use. I need to get into this window."
"What's in it for me?" Rudy pushes, but goes silent after one poisonous look from the Book Thief. Rudy holds out his palms, boosting Liesel into the window. He waits a minute or two before she returns. Any longer would be pushing it and they would get caught or spotted by someone else. Either way it wouldn't be good. She places her feet down and he helps her get down. "What kind of book did you steal?" Rudy attempts to peek at the cover, which the Book Thief quickly hides from him. She is always so damn secretive.
"Romance novel."
"Trying to impress?"
Liesel glares and continues to walk on until they left Grande Strasse. "Wait, can we stop here?" Rudy asks, annoying Liesel once more. He is so impatient. "Stop being lazy. We're almost home." Liesel turns around and really gets a good look at Rudy for the first time. His yellow hair seems to soak up the sun's rays. His cheeks were slightly red and chilled from the wind. Then his eyes. His eyes always seemed to sparkle with kindness and mischief. She had to glance up to meet them. Her heart caught in her chest, his eyes were stunning. They were bright and blue and she loves the way they seem only for her. She watches him walk over to a tree and lower himself to the ground. She could see that it took some effort. She doesn't like how much it makes his legs shake. Rudy closes his eyes in pain. He is sweating on such a cold day. Liesel places the back of her hand to his forehead. He has no fever. "Are you sure you be walking around with your ankle like that?" She asks, concern in her voice.
"Jesse Owens could probably do it. So can I."
"Don't be stupid. What did der Doktor say?"
"He said I can take the splint off by your birthday."
"Februar. That's it?"
"Nein... but the rest isn't much important."
"Tell me the rest." She pushes. The smirk returns, his eyes closing in a mock kiss. "I forgot. Give me another kiss and I might remember. Liesel lets out a frustrated noise, becoming even more worried now. "Rudy," She began, "Seriously, What's wrong with you?" He sighs. "I'm not supposed to come out of my house. I'm supposed to stay in bed too for my ankle to heal." The cat is out of the bag now, Rudy thinks exasperated. She is probably going to freak out on me again. Just as he anticipates, her reaction is just that. "Rudy!" She scolds him for his carelessness, worry strong on her face now. He opens his eyes then, a magnificent blue. "I just couldn't stay away, you know?" Liesel's heartbeat speeds up. She is breathless, "Why?"
"I missed you too much."
"Saukerl it has only been one week! How do you expect to get better?" Tears form in her eyes. "It's all my fault!"
"Would you shut up and listen to me for just one second?!" Rudy pulls her down next to him by the arm.
A/N: AGAIN! IN CASE YOU GOT YOUR PANTIES IN A BUNCH, PLEASE NOTE IN THIS FIC: LIESEL IS 15 AND RUDY IS 16 YEARS OLD!