Mrs. Lovett stared out the dust-stained window of her pie shop as she listened to her tenet's pacing upstairs. His footsteps seemed to match the patter of the rain that hit her window.
He got like this every time it rained. Back and forth three times or so before stopping at the window. Then he'd start again.
She asked him why so many times before, but he never answered. He would always just stare at her with those piercing eyes of his until she backed towards the door and back into the rain.
Against her better judgment, Mrs. Lovett picked up two glasses from the shelf and the bottle of gin next to them before walking out into the rain to climb the stairs.
"Mr. Todd?" Mrs. Lovett asked, opening the door to his shop. "Mr. Todd, I brough' ya a nice tot o' gin. I figured maybe ya could use a drink."
Sweeney Todd stopped his pacing and looked at Mrs. Lovett, the woman that always seemed to be interrupting his thoughts. Insufferable woman, he thought with a feral growl.
Mrs. Lovett shivered, whether from her rain-soaked dress or the look that Sweeney was now fixing her with, she couldn't be sure. She quickly composed herself and stepped closer to the barber, "A drink, Mr. T?"
He crossed the room and grabbed the bottle from her, ignoring the glass she had brought, and took a swig as if to say, "Happy?" The liquid burned as it went down his throat but he shook it off.
"Why is it ya always get so agitated when it rains at nigh', love?" Mrs. Lovett asked, three-quarters of a bottle later.
Sweeney was back at the window, the gin in his hand, staring out at the dark, rain-covered streets. He surprised even himself by answering. "Lucy," he answered simply.
"Wot abou' your Lucy?" Mrs. Lovett asked, standing behind him, her fingers itching to make contact with any part of him.
"It was the last time I held her in my arms. The last time I made love to her, the last time I kissed her… It had been raining that night.
"The rain," he remembered, "made her crystal blue eyes shine and her pale, beautiful skin glisten. It made her look even more like the angel she was. She loved the rain… She said it washed everything away and brought life. And her eyes…"
Mrs. Lovett gave in to her desires as she wrapped her arms around his waist and put her chin on his shoulder. "Let me 'elp, love. I can be 'er for you." She kissed a sensitive spot on his neck.
Sweeney didn't push Mrs. Lovett away. He wanted to- How dare she think she could be Lucy?!-, but he couldn't. His eyes fluttered close and he tried to remember the soft kisses his Lucy had graced him with. "Lucy," he breathed as Mrs. Lovett placed another gentle kiss just below his earlobe.
"Tell your Lucy wot chu want," Mrs. Lovett purred into Sweeney's ear, her fingers tracing patterns along his chest.
Sweeney turned around and captured Mrs. Lovett's soft lips in a kiss as he pulled her to him. She- Finally!- ran her fingers through that black mane of his as she kissed him back hungrily.
Lucy," Sweeney breathed, breaking the kiss. "Lucy, I love you."
"I love you, Benjamin. You know that. You know your Lucy loves you," Mrs. Lovett answered, knowing his drunken state had transformed her into Lucy for him. This isn't what you want, Nellie. You want him to be with you. Not with you as Lucy. She ignored the little voice in the back of her mind. It doesn't matter, she told it firmly. Not when I'm so close to my dream of so long coming true. Not when he's holding me in his arms. Not when he's just kissed me like that. "Benjamin, dear, let's make love." she pressed herself against him, fiddling with his trousers as she leaned in for another kiss.
"Lucy!" a shocked Sweeney cried, pulling away. "What of Johanna?" He pointed to the remains of the termite-eaten crib in the corner.
Mrs. Lovett looked at the crib as well before shrugging, "She's sleeping, love. Now then…" She began fiddling with his belt once more.
"Lucy! This is so unlike you!"
"I-I've just never wanted to so much, Benjamin," Mrs. Lovett responded. "I just love you so much and I want to feel close to you."
"Of course, Lucy. I love you, too." He kissed her gently and let her unbutton his belt.
It felt like forever to Mrs. Lovett before Sweeney had removed her skirts and corset and had his hands on her bare skin. His touch sent a wildfire through her and she decided there was but one way to put it out. She forced him into his barber chair before settling herself on his lap and crushing his mouth in a hungry kiss. "Come on, love. I wanna take ya for a ride," she breathed into his ear.
Sweeney blushed. "Lucy! I've never heard you say such things!"
"I want you to do something for me," Mrs. Lovett asked, ignoring his blush.
"Anything, Lucy, dearest."
"Good. Touch this," Mrs. Lovett placed his hands on her breasts.
Sweeney gasped, pulling her hands back. "Lucy!"
"Come on, love. I want you. Inside me." Mrs. Lovett used Sweeney's shoulders as support as she readjusted herself so he was at her entrance.
"Don't you want me, love?" Mrs. Lovett pouted, she kissed the sensitive spot on his neck again.
"More than anything, Lucy," Sweeney answered lovingly.
"Well, I'm 'ere and yours for the taking."
Sweeney tentatively squeezed her breasts his eyes on hers.
Mrs. Lovett sighed inwardly before nipping slightly at Sweeney's ear making him jump suddenly and slide into her.
"That's it, love. There you go. 'Ow 'bou' a littl' more, pet?" Mrs. Lovetts eased forward until she had taken all of him in, hissing quietly as she adjusted to his size. She claimed his mouth in a passionate kiss, riding him slowly.
"Lucy," Sweeney groaned against her kiss. He broke away and nipped at Mrs. Lovett's breasts before roughly grabbing her backside. "Mrs. Lovett…"
Bugger
. You deserve as much. You ought to know better. You ought Shut up!"Mr. Todd!" Mrs. Lovett began to disentangle herself and backed away, looking down guiltily. "I'm so sorry! I jus' wanted to 'elp is all. I figured you 'adn't been with a woman since your Lucy and you 'ave needs, Mr. Todd. And I figured it you thought I was 'er, it might not upset you so much, Mr. T," she prattled, backing away. Before she knew it, she had hit the wall.
"Mrs. Lovett, you're a bloody wonder," Sweeney growled. "Eminently practical and yet appropriate as always…"
And yet even he couldn't deny her point… or his still-present erection.
"Please, Mr. T, don't be upset!" Mrs. Lovett pleaded as he stepped closer. "Please!" She gasped when Sweeney grabbed her thigh and entering her.
He went slowly at first, as though mocking what she had tried to do. Then he began going much faster, plunging much deeper and causing Mrs. Lovett to cry out.
"Mr. T! Oh, God!" Mrs. Lovett threw her head back, digging her nails into his back. "Mmnnn… Mister Todd!"
Sweeney crushed her mouth in a kiss as his hands found her breasts. He groped earnestly as he reached a shuddering climax.
"Mr. T?" Mrs. Lovett panted, her hands still on his shoulders. Her toes barely touched the wood floor and he was all that was keeping her upright.
Sweeney had stopped moving and was staring at the wall, so lost in thought he was.
"Mr. T?" Mrs. Lovett repeated, her breathing returning to normal as Sweeney pulled out of her and went to sit in his chair. "Mr. T? Are… Are ya mad at me?"
Sweeney didn't answer and, instead, resumed his watching the storm.
Feeling very cold and empty, Mrs. Lovett gathered her skirts and corset and pulled on enough clothes to walk back into the rain and down the stairs. "I'll see ya at breakfast, love," she whispered before the tinkling bell told Sweeney she had departed.
Try as he might, though, Sweeney Todd couldn't deny that Mrs. Lovett had awoken something in him.
He couldn't get the memory of a naked Mrs. Lovett- pinned against the wall and moaning his name- out of his mind.
And she hadsaid she was his for the taking…