A/N: Hey all. Griffin-queen here with my first stab at an ST fanfic! I've written poems before, but this lil' number is my first fanfic in the Sweeney todd spot. I hope you enjoy it! I tried to make it as in-character as possible i'm still dreadfully inexperienced with the attitude of the demon barber himself. But I still hope you enjoy it. Reviews are always loved!
Gloomy gray clouds hung in the sky over London today… "Gloomier 'n usual….ah well. No use broodin' ova such a silly li'le thing." Thought Nellie Lovett to herself as she busied herself about the kitchen with a fresh batch of dough. She had always had a dreadful affinity for baking, it had been her hobby since she was a young thing, so she had no problems at all devoting a large portion of her otherwise uneventful day to it. She coated her hands in stark white flour, paying no attention to it as it was sprayed all over her dress, and began to knead the mass of dough. Grunting every once and a while, she would not cease the kneading until the dough was perfect. Once she had it in the consistency she was satisfied with, she grabbed her trusty rolling pin and began to roll it flat….or at least somewhere close to flat. As she was rolling, she looked up sharply as the door to the shop opened, the little bell tinkling lightly as the door swung open. Though her face changed from excited to motherly quite quickly as she saw young Toby walk in, a large gash along his knee.
" Toby dear, Wha's 'appened?" She said, a look of concern on her face as she set down her rolling pin and dusted herself off, emerging from the cloud of flour soon after.
" I was thinkin' you might be able to 'elp me Mum… I was runnin' y' see... a-and I kind of slipped… hurt my knee right bad I did.." He sniffled softly, drying his eyes as he showed her his knee, fresh blood still running down his leg. Her face absolutely melted as she walked over to him.
" You poor li'le thing…" She kissed his cheek softly and dried his tears. " O' course I'll 'elp you love…why don't you jus' pop into the washroom and we'll ge' you all cleaned up, hmm? Jus' lemme finish dustin' meself off an' I'll be right in." She smiled at him, and he nodded, soon limping into the washroom. Nellie took a towel and finished ridding herself of the flour as best she could. No matter how hard she tried it seemed as if she was always covered in it. Giving her towel a casual toss, and rolling her eyes as it just missed the counter, she cast her eyes over to the far window. She could see the stairs perfectly from there.. His stairs. Every day her heart would swell to bursting as she saw him coming down those stairs. His heavy, angry steps being music to her ears. She'd always wish that today would be the day, the day he'd simply want to talk to her, to reveal himself to her as more then an inhuman beast… "C'mon Nellie… y' got a lil' boy to tend to…" She shook her head to clear her mind, and walked to the washroom where Toby was sitting, nursing his bleeding knee.
" Now Toby, don' paw at it like tha', you'll get yer 'ands all dirty an' you'll get a nasty infection. Y' need BOTH yer legs to be 'elpin me 'round the shop Love, remember tha'."
" Sorry mum, but it hurts awful bad." He said meekly, sniffling a bit more. Nellie melted further.
" There there love… it's okay… dry them li'le eyes o' yours. I'll 'ave you cleaned up in a jiffy I will.. You let Mum take care o' everythin'." She said as she dipped a washcloth into the washbasin. Ringing it out in one shot with her strong hands, she kneeled down by the small boy and lifted his leg onto her knee. " 'Old still now…" She said as she began to gently scrub Toby's leg. Toby winced and hissed a few times, then gritted his teeth until she finished scrubbing.
" It don' look 'alf as bad once y' get the blood off… but it sure hurts."
" I'm sure it does, it's no' tha' deep though… yer a lucky one y' are." She reached up into the cabinet and pulled out a cloth bandage, Wrapping it lovingly around his knee and tying it, kissing it soon after, leaving a little lipstick stain on it.
" Thanks Mum." He said, getting up off the toilet and wrapping his arms around her neck. Nellie smiled and returned the hug, her love for the young boy making her face have a certain happy glow about it. She kissed his cheek and ruffled his hair.
" Anythin' for me darlin' li'le Toby." She giggled. " Now… it's been a slow day. All this unusual gloom about the sky's makin' everyone stay inside an' whatnot. Why don' you go off on yer own today? Go an' enjoy yourself.. 'stead o' stayin in 'ere all cooped up with me an mista' Todd." She reached into her bosom, pulling out a small coin purse and peering inside it. She pulled out a few shiny coins and handed them to Toby. " Go spend em' on whatever y' like." She watched his face light up as he hugged her again.
" Thank you Mum! I'll be home by supper I will!"
" Thank y' love, I'll have a nice tasty meat pie ready an' waitin' for yeh when y' get back. An' don' forget your coat Love, I's a bi' chilly ou' there!" He smiled and stood up, his eager footsteps heard, followed by the tinkling of the bell and the soft shutting of the door. Nellie stood up and tensed the muscles in her legs, trying to relive the pain she felt from having been kneeling on the hard floor for so long. She walked back out into the kitchen to finish her baking. As she was pressing the dough into the pie molds, she couldn't help but glance up at his stairs again, sighing as she began to think about him. She began to think about how there was no way to soothe the beast inside of him. She'd tried, day in and day out to get him to open up, to let her in, to let her cure his pain, but no such luck. She gasped as she was torn from her thoughts by a strange, cool feeling on her feet. In the short time that she had been daydreaming, a big lump of dough had broken off of the piece she was holding and had fallen onto her feet. With slight agitation, she picked up the dough and threw it into the pot-bellied stove just behind her, wrinkling her nose slightly as the smell of burning dough wafted from the stove.
In a short while, she had a tray of pies ready to be baked. She dusted herself off once more and took the tray in both hands, opening the door and beginning the tedious journey to the bakehouse. She never enjoyed walking up and down these stairs. Having always been a stocky, strong woman, she always felt as if she was waddling, even though no one ever commented her on it. As she opened the door, the oh so familiar stench invaded her nose, her expression didn't falter in the slightest as she walked over to the smoldering oven. She opened the heavy door and threw it open, feeling as if the gates of hell where just opened to her. A thin layer of sweat formed on her forehead as she slid the pies into the oven, making sure they were in there just right before closing the door again, wiping her forehead with the back of her hand. She turned around, having little else to do but wait around for about fifteen minutes until they were done. The dark, foreboding nature of the bakehouse made her shiver, and it was soon after she got a good look at the place, that she began counting the minutes until the pies were done. She paced nervously, wanting badly to rush up the stairs and out of the bakehouse, but she would surely become distracted in fifteen minutes and it was a wiser choice to keep close watch over the pies.
On a regular day she would've been up those stairs as fast as lightning, unless of course Mr. Todd was down their with her, which was as rare as snow in July. She walked back to the oven and quickly removed the tray, closing the oven tightly and walking back up the stairs. She placed the tray down on the counter and slid her towel out from under it, yelping and gasping as the searing hot tray touched her finger. Growling slightly, she put her burnt finger in her mouth instinctively, rushing over to the sink and submerging it in cold water. Once the burning had stopped, she retreated into her living room, a nice fire was burning, and her worries and cares began to drift away. She sat down on the sofa. Her eyes bounced around the room as she drew her legs up onto the couch. It was quite an unladylike position, but out of all the ladies in the world, Nellie would've been the last to care. She was just about to close her eyes when they bounced over to the piano. She eyed the instrument for a while. Neither she nor Albert could ever play the blasted thing, so it was more for decoration. But that wasn't what her eyes rested on, they rested on the black case under the piano.
Curiously, she stood up and walked over to the piano, kneeling down and taking out the case. She sat down on the floor, her ruffled skirt puffed out on all sides of her, and she blew the dust off the case. She didn't sneeze or flinch in the slightest as the thick dust came off, having spent so much time in what seemed like a permanent haze of flour, she was immune to dust. She opened the case and stared at it's contest for a while, a nostalgic smile on her face.
" Ow are yeh me old friend? It's been a while since I"ve seen yeh." She reached inside and gently pulled out a beautifully crafted violin. " I used t' play yeh for me dear Albert on those nights when 'is poor upset stomach would 'ave 'im up 'til all hours o' the night… put 'im right to sleep I' would." She turned the instrument around in her hands, examining it. "Still as glossy as I remember yeh… I wonder if y' still play as good…"
She reached into the compartment under the spot where the instrument sat and pulled out a few sheets of music, setting them up on the piano music spot. Reaching into the case once more, she pulled out the violin bow and a small amber colored block. She stood up and fixed her skirts, sitting herself down on the piano bench and dragging the amber colored rosin block across the bow, tightening the bow every once and a while. When she finished that, she gave the block a toss, and it landed back into the case to be dealt with later on. As she put the violin up to her chin, she dragged the bow across it, delighting in the melodious sound that came forth. " Tha's a lovely bit o' sound there tha' is… still as gorgeous as ever...now…" She mused, turning around to face the music she had set up… " I wond'rif I can still read all this mumbo jumbo as well as I used t' be able…" She turned to a page in the book, finding a song to her liking.
" Greensleeves…" She mused, she put the violin back up to her chin and began to play. She was a bit rusty at first, but she soon found her bearings again, and filled the room with the most wonderful music.
Upstairs, Sweeney Todd paced in his tonsorial parlor. He was insufferably bored today, considering no one had visited him. He sat down in his barber chair, sulking, waiting for that door to open, resulting in a chance to put his trusty razors to work, when something else caught his ear instead. At first he was annoyed by the sound of music reaching his ears, but he softened as he listened further. It was a sweet melody, one he happened to know very well, but for the life of him he couldn't figure out who was producing it, it aggravated him. He stood up, dropping the rag he had in his hands onto the chair as he opened the door, beginning the journey down the stairs. As he entered the house, the smell of freshly baked pies attacked his nostrils. He was so accustomed to the dusty, lightly perfumed smell of his parlor, that the new odor caused him to sneeze. He stumbled back a step as the surprisingly loud sneeze hit him. Sniffling and wiping his nose, he growled as he continued walking down the hallway. When he got to the living room, he nearly yelled out in shock. There he saw Mrs. Lovett, sitting on the piano bench and playing her violin, playing one of the melodies he'd loved as a younger man. His eyes hardened again, telling himself he didn't want any part of what was going on. He willed himself to go back up to his parlor, and erase the image form his mind, but he just couldn't. Very slowly and almost reluctantly, he walked into the living room and stood on the far side of the room. Mrs. Lovett did not notice his entering, for her eyes were completely focused on the music. As the song came to an end, she gave a dreamy sigh and took the violin away from her chin. She smiled, but then as she looked up, she noticed him standing there and she jumped.
" Mista T! Cor.. y' gave me a bloomin' fright y' did… 'ow Long've you been 'ere?"
" Only just arrived… I 'eard your music from upstairs." He replied coldly.
" Oh…. Didn't disturb y' did I?"
" Wha's there t' disturb? This day's been as boring as watching paint dry." Mrs. Lovett giggled, and Sweeney half regretted saying anything.
" Can't argue with that. I even sent Toby out for the day… there 'asn't been a bloomin' customer all afternoon." She was fishing for things to say. " Sit an' 'ave a listen will ya? I wouldn't mind the company."
" mmm…" was his only distracted reply as he flopped ungracefully into the chair, she noticed he was eyeing the gumdrops in the bowl on the table next to him. The one thing she had managed to learn about Sweeney Todd was that he had a remarkable fondness for gumdrops. So she always made it a point to keep some around for him, seeing as how that was the only thing she'd ever seen him eat…even if they weren't the healthiest thing to eat, the thought of keeping him somewhat well-fed thrilled her.
" You CAN have some y'know mista T…. I always buy them 'specially f' you… seein as 'ow you love them so." he gave her a quick glance, then reached over to the bowl, picking up a handful of the gumdrops and popping them into his mouth. Mrs. Lovett gave him a smile. As strange a habit as it was, she loved to watch him eat. She rarely ever saw him eat, so when she did, it was even more proof that there was still a human in him. " would y' like somethin' t' wash those down with Love?" She asked. He shook his head as he ate another handful.
" Why 'ave you stopped playing?" He asked after finishing his second handful.
" Well I been talkin' t' you y' silly thing." She said, and she could've sworn he turned a light pink. " If y' wanted to listen t' me y' could've asked me again Love, I promise I don' bite." His next response was a bit of a snap
" I was just curious Mrs. Lovett!…" He snapped. She jumped a bit, and once again he regretted saying anything at all as he saw her expression fall. As much as he tried to convince himself it wasn't right, that it didn't matter, he couldn't help but find himself caring about her emotions as the days passed, this mere realization made him sick and angry with himself. " I'm sorry." He said. "please continue playing…" He threw a few more gumdrops into his mouth. She gave him a compassionate smile.
" Alright Love, but first, toss one o' them gumdrops my way… I been cravin' something sweet soon as y' started eatin' 'em." He picked one up, looking at it, then back to her.
" You want me to…throw…the gumdrop?" He looked at her quizzically, irately.
" Sure, jus' toss it up…tha's as long as yer aim is up to snuff…. I can catch it." After a glance at the gumdrop, then back to her and her now open mouth, he gave the gumdrop a gentle toss, and she caught it in her mouth. Chuckling as she chewed and swallowed it. "Tol' y' I could catch it…"
" Play for me…" he said. She sighed.
" Alright, Alright…such an impatient thing y' are aren't yeh? What would y' like me to play? Wha's yer preference Love?"
" I don't know… jus' play somethin'….."
" well yeh gotta know what sorta song y' wanna hear.."
" Mrs. Lovett if this is going to be an interrogation I can leave jus' as fast as I came in!…" He said coldly
" Well if yer gonna be nasty then y' may as well Mista T….. I ain't gonna deal wiv yeh bein' all moody right a' this moment." She gave him a stern look, slightly afraid of his reaction, but she felt a pang of guilt hit her heart when she noticed his expression change to one of almost sorrow.
" I've always liked the violin…no one I knew could ever play it. So sometimes I'd go an' listen to the orchestra play… I didn't much care for the operas and whatnot… I jus' liked to 'ear the violins an such…" He was staring into his lap, a nostalgic look on his face. She stood up for a moment, walking over to him.
" I's alright Love… I'll play for yeh…" Feeling especially daring, she tilted his face in her direction and gently kissed his cheek. She noticed that he didn't flinch or object at all, his expression remained the same, so she took up the opportunity and pecked him on the lips. He grumbled slightly and his brows furrowed, but he still didn't really respond. She laid a hand on top of his head, stroking his thick hair gently as she walked back over to the chair.
" Play what you were playing before…play Greensleeves…"
" Y' like that song?" He nodded. Mrs. Lovett smiled and brought the bow up to the strings again. She began to play, and the otherwise stagnant room was once again filled with sound. Sweeney's eyes distanced themselves as he was wrapped up by the flowing music. The crackling fire Nellie had lit danced in his eyes. He blinked and shook his head as the music stopped. He looked up to find Nellie staring at him.
" Are you okay Love? Y' look a bi' troubled."
" Lucy would never learn how to play the violin…I'd a-….Benjamin would ask her time and again to learn.. But she'd 'ave none of it... said It weren't ladylike…I dunno where she go' t' thinking tha'…. bu' she never learned…"
there was a long pause. Mrs. Lovett had no clue how to respond to his sudden openness, and merely sat there staring awkwardly down at her violin. " Wha' else can you play on those wonderful strings my pet?" He asked, snapping her out of her thoughts. She tossed a book of music into his lap. He looked down at it, staring blankly at it for a moment before picking it up and opening it.
" Tha' was me dear Albert's favorite book, it's got some o' his favorite songs in there… I can play most of 'em." Sweeney was flipping through the book. Mrs. Lovett was tingling with joy. It was all too rare that he spent time with her, even more rare that he was docile during that time. She composed herself as best she could, yet this feeling of ecstasy left her cheeks a light pink. After all of her futile attempts to get him to spend time with her, she'd never thought it would have been over something like music. She looked up at him for a brief moment, and her smile faded. She noticed a deep sadness in his eyes as he thumbed through the pages of the book. Every once and a while he would stop at a page, studying it, and his face would soften further. She longed to say something to him but the moment was far too fragile for her to interrupt, so she did nothing, only sit quietly and wait for him to choose a song.
" I like this one…" He said, finally stopping on a page.
" Which one? Can y' read th' music mista T?" He shook his head only folded the book back to save the page, tossing it back over to her. She places the violin beside her and picked up the book. It was "Jesu, Joy of Man's Desiring."
" Ohh this is one o' me favorites Love, good choice." Sweeney grunted in response, reclining back in the chair again. Mrs. Lovett was as giddy as a schoolgirl as she picked up her violin again, determined to play her very best for him. She set the music up again, and began to play the song. Sweeney sat awestruck as he watched her play. The way her nimble fingers danced along the strings in perfect synchronization with the bow she held in her other hand. Sweeney felt his eyes closing as the beautiful melody flowed through him, cleansing him. At first, he felt the need to resist it, to let his anger and thoughts of revenge push the beauty and serenity away. But as she played on, his anger dissolved. All of his thoughts of his dear Lucy, and the despicable Judge Turpin fell to the ground, if only for this moment. All that remained was music, music, and the irreplaceable Mrs. Nellie Lovett. He thought about her, struggling slightly to open his eyes to watch her. He thought about how beautiful she really was, and how he really did care for her. She had, after all, looked after him tirelessly. He thought about how she kept coming to see him, to see to it that he didn't waste away to nothing, despite all of his efforts to push her away. " She's no' my Lucy… but she sure is a bloody wonder… a little beauty…. My beauty… my pet." The barber shifted contentedly, wrapped up in the previously unwanted thoughts of his landlady, and his accomplice. His eyes closed again, and he fell fast asleep, a feat that all too usually escaped him. Nellie had been watching him for some time now, a feeling of accomplishment surged through her veins and out through her fingers, making her play even better. She had done it. She had calmed the beast inside of him, for now. She smiled, bringing her fingers to a halt as the last note faded. She had never seen him sleep before. She had never seen such peace about him. Her face was now filled with fear, a fear that his moment of peace would not last as long as he so desperately needed it to. So, picking up her violin again, she played another song form her book, hoping to send him deeper into dreamland.
As the song eventually faded out, Nellie looked back up at the sleeping barber. His lips were parted slightly in sleep, his white shirt moving with each deep breath. Nellie smiled, her eyes brimming with happy tears at the sight before her. She got up off of the piano bench and knelt down by her violin case.
" Thank ya me friend…" She whispered to the violin as she placed everything back in its proper place in the case, closing it and pushing it quietly under the piano bench. She stood and walked over to Sweeney.
" Look at yeh… so peaceful… why can't yeh be like this all the time? Jus' Like yeh used t' be? Jus' like Benjamin…" She thought to herself. She bit her lip, contemplating what she should do next. She wanted to curl up on his lap, but she knew he would surely wake up and throw a fit. She sighed heavily and decided that she may never again have a chance to be this close to him. She sat on his lap gently, and pulled her legs up onto the chair. She smiled when he did not wake or stir. She put her arms around his neck and rested her head on his chest, taking in his wonderful scent, and listening to his steady, powerful heartbeat. The barber stirred again, taking his hands from the arms of the chair and putting them comfortably around her waist. Mrs. Lovett felt as if she would float right out of her body, but came back down soon when she figured that he was merely dreaming of Lucy… however, the next thing that just barely escaped from his mouth shocked her half to death, and warmed her to her very core.
"Nellie… my musical angel…"