A/N: I know this may be a little weird, considering the title of this story is Gothic Christmas. I decided to do a holiday story because I heard this song and I thought, that sounds exactly the kind of Christmas they would have. The artist is Within Temptation and the song is strange but funny.
Disclaimer: I do not own any Sweeney Todd characters, so that means I own nothing here! Damn I wish I did hehe.
"Merry Christmas Mr. T," Nellie Lovett said happily to Sweeney Todd placing down his mince pie on the counter. Sweeney was standing at his favourite window gazing down at the people of London. He despised these people living their life the way they wanted to. He didn't have a choice in Australia; he was forced to do horrible things that almost killed him for fifteen years. Nellie didn't expect an answer out of her co-worker as he was staring out the window.
"Thinkin' about Judge Turpin love?" she asked, curiously. Todd rolled his eyes to himself. That bloody woman never shuts up, he thought to himself.
He didn't want to answer that stupid question as she probably new the answer already. He constantly was thinking of the judge, slicing his throat, seeing his rubies drip down his skin. He was getting frustrated everyday when the judge would not come for a shave. It had been three months since he had been in London waiting for Judge Turpin to come to him so he would have his revenge. Christmas had come too quickly for his liking. Everyone was so happy and joyful it made him sick. He never wanted anything to do Mrs. Lovett and Toby's Christmas tree decorating or going out to build snowman during the nights when it was not busy in the shop. Mrs. Lovett had tried to pursue him to eat dinner with them one night for a 'family' dinner. He declined and stayed in his shop that evening but no later Mrs. Lovett came up with the leftovers and chatting away like it was normal night. He always ignored her babbling and just grunted the answers she needed to hear then go back downstairs for bed. He never actually thought of them as a family or anything like that. Mrs. Lovett was too annoying to be family. His only family was his dear Lucy and Johanna.
He didn't answer Mrs. Lovett's question, he thought she might go away quicker if he didn't answer. But Mrs. Lovett kept babbling on with her day and Toby and how they made mince pies, pudding and Christmas crackers for Christmas day which was in two days.
"Have ya got anythin' Mr. T in mind for me ta give ya?" she asked, not expecting an answer but she wanted to try at least. Sweeney had enough of her talking and spun around, seeing her across the room.
"Get out," he growled to her. She smiled at him again.
"Would ya like some new razors, I sup'ose?" she asked, ignoring his warning completely.
"I have enough Mrs. Lovett," he responded through his teeth.
"Well, since ya the business is expandin' maybe ya need new ones…"
"NO!" Sweeney snapped. He stormed over to her, pulling out the razor from his pocket and putting it up to her neck. She stopped in mid sentence and stared into Sweeney's eyes.
"Ok…anythin' else ya want, my love?" she asked, smiling weakly to him.
The cold metal on her skin made her shiver. Sweeney Todd glared at her, he hated this woman. She was nothing like Lucy, she was the exact opposite. He hated her smile, her laugh, and the way she always spoke to him. It seemed like he was treated like a child again. She never seemed to shut up around him. She always had something to say about him or Mrs. Mooney or all good things come to those who wait.
"Get out," he hissed at her. Nellie just glared back at him.
"Mr. T," she tried to say.
"Get out, NOW!" he roared and she turned and ran out the door. Her heart thumping in her chest. She shrugged and went back downstairs where Toby was waiting for her.
"'ello Mum," he grinned at her. She smiled back at him and went over and kissed the top of his head. "Wot's wrong mum?" he asked.
"Nuthin' love," she replied, patting him on the head. "Are you ready for bed, darlin'?"
"Yes, mum," he smiled. Nellie Lovett looked lovingly at Toby. Although they hadn't been together for long, he had felt like a son to her. She was grateful for his help around the shop and how he always wanted to learn new things.
After all Toby was excited about Christmas because he felt he was in a family. He didn't have very good Christmases with Signor Pirelli so he was glad it would be slightly more enjoyable for once.
He settled down into bed when Nellie turned off the lights for him then shut the door. She went to the pantry and got a bottle of gin out. She drank half of it in silence but when she heard someone walking down the stairs she stopped. Probably Mr. T, she thought. The door flew open and there he was. He had his usual face on and sat down across from Nellie. There was a minute of silence before Sweeney decided to say what he wanted to say.
"I've been thinkin' Mrs. Lovett," he said flatly. Nellie put the bottle of gin down and leaned towards him.
"Yes, Mr. T," she answered, curious of what he was about to say.
"I wouldn't mind a bottle of gin."
"For wot?"
"For Christmas, you bloody woman," he yelled.
"Shh…Toby is asleep," she hushed in, angrily. He took the bottle of gin and gulped the rest down. "We 'ave plenty of gin, Mr. T. Do ya really want it for Christmas?"
"Yes, Mrs. Lovett," he said through his teeth, rolling his eyes. He put the empty bottle down and looked up at Mrs. Lovett.
"Ok, love," she smiled at him, got up and grabbed two bottles of gin from the pantry. She put one in front of Sweeney and opened the one in her hand as she sat across from him. "Mr. T?"
"Yes, Mrs. Lovett?" he replied in his usual tone.
"Do yer miss your dear Lucy?" she asked. As soon as she finished the sentence Sweeney had risen from his seat and stormed over to where Mrs. Lovett sat and held a razor to her throat. Her heart jumped when she felt the razor on her skin.
"Do not speak about her," he hissed at her.
"Mr. T," she choked out. "I was only askin'"
"You brought back sweet memories you bloody woman," he said, putting pressure on the razor. He felt her struggle under the blade; he could see the fear in her eyes. He could remember the last Christmas they were as a family. He saw Johanna with her huge innocent eyes excited about her first presents. Lucy had given him new razors which were so shining he could see his face in them.
"Mr. T," Nellie said worriedly. Sweeney thoughts were shattered as he heard the voice of Mrs. Lovett. She was always breaking his thoughts. That wrench of a woman, he thought. "'ello, can you hear me, Mr. Todd?"
He took his razor away from her throat and went back to his seat again and drank his gin. He looked around and saw her kitchen was decorated with Christmas stuff.
Sweeney realized the only colours which were black, white and grey. He did not see any green, red or any other colour for that matter. He could see little Santa's with evil faces and having swords in his hand instead of a sacks. The decorations were all black and grey. He could see Rudolph pictures with a black nose and with evil glow in his eyes and he was attached to a chariot with another evil Santa.
"Mrs. Lovett," he said. "Are we havin' a gothic Christmas?" he turned to see his face lighting up.
"Yes, Mr. T," she answered, happily. "Yer first one, me love?"
"Yes," he lied. Although he hadn't had one in the last fifteen or sixteen years, he remembered the family Christmases before he met Lucy. His family was into gothic Christmases, although it didn't appeal much to him at the time but he remembered putting up the strange decorations and asking his parents why they had different decoration to everyone else. They just simply smiled and got back to what they were doing. He never fully understood it at first but now he realized why he always had gothic Christmases.
"Mrs. Lovett, have yer always 'ad these kinds of Christmases?" he asked.
"Yes, love," she answered grinning. He didn't reply to her as she kept working on the decorations. "I thought I would make a special Christmas for all of us, as a family."
You don't even know what family means, Sweeney thought smugly. He got up looking at the decorations. He saw how much she put into this Christmas and rolled his eyes. He never cared about Christmas when he was in Australia. Christmas time was for sadness as he only had one Christmas with his family that he would never forget. He would not let Mrs. Lovett take away his only Christmas for theirs.
"You don't know meaning of Christmas, Mrs. Lovett," he hissed angrily. Mrs. Lovett stared at him in curiosity and confusion.
"Mr. T," she called to him. He didn't want to turn to look at her.
"What?" he yelled, but he still didn't face her. He could imagine her face then, confused and curious. She always had that look on her face; it was like it was planted on.
"Nothin'" she replied softly and he heard her footsteps walking away from him. He was still staring at the wall.
The wall had some pictures of Mrs. Lovett with her husband Albert and some of her when she was young. He studied the picture in astonishment and went over in his mind about how different she must have been back then, well maybe not that different. He did remember them being friends when they were young. He remembered when he first met her, so confident and chatty.
The years no doubt haven't changed her, he thought. His eyes landed on a small faded picture next to it and realized it was he and Mrs. Lovett. They were both sitting on the steps at the bottom just outside of the side door. He looked from picture to the outside steps. It seemed years he had thought of that picture. They were both smiling and had their arms around each other. He gave a weak smile and didn't realize Mrs. Lovett was standing behind him. He turned to go and ran straight into her.
"Mr. T!" she cried out in surprise and dropped what was in her hand. Sweeney Todd picked up the item before she could and looked at it. It was a photo frame and it was gold, with bits of dints here and there, like it had been left in a box for decades and never taken out. It reminded him of a frame he used to have before he got sent to Australia. He glanced up at Mrs. Lovett and saw her face was a small smile.
He opened it up and saw it was two pictures of Lucy and his daughter Johanna, when she was only an infant. He suddenly felt different towards Mrs. Lovett. She had this picture for him, probably since Lucy died from arsenic poisoning. He looked up to see Mrs. Lovett smiling.
"Merry Christmas, dearer," she whispered to him. He didn't answer her just stared into her eyes. She didn't want to look away from those sad eyes. "I do know the meanin' of Christmas," she murmured to him and kissed him softly on his cheek. She expected to be shouted out for kissing him or for not being his dear Lucy but all he did was stare into her eyes. The moment of the silence made everything seem to stop in mid-motion, like time suddenly stopped. Mrs. Lovett was stunned by his stare and waited for him to say something. She waited patiently until she could see Mr. T trying to form his words to her. She never took her eyes from his and put her hand on his hand and squeezed it.
"Thank you," Mr. T finally said, breaking the silence squeezing his hand to her. He finally realized maybe she did know the meaning of Christmas to him.
A/N: I know what a lame way to end but I couldn't think of any other way.
Thank you for taking your time to read my story, please review! Tell me what you think??