A/N: My first multi-chaptered Sweenett! Enjoy :)
(Lucy succeeded poisoning herself)
After nights of pacing around the barber shop, Sweeney found himself tired enough to sleep, or at least to try. His stares through the window were now boring because of the huge storm and rain outside; nobody was walking around London, so he had nothing to watch outside. Only the empty grey streets, full of filth.
He went to his bedroom and removed his shoes, vest and shirt. The barber shop was cold, so he took some sweatpants from the closet and removed his own. The sweatpants were too big for him, so he supposed they would have been Albert's. He sighed and put them on anyway. He lied on the bed, putting an old blanket over him, and closed his eyes.
Images of blood, Lucy, Johanna and Turpin were tormenting his mind. But when he had almost reached the sleep, something fell over his head. He ignored it and focused on his sleep, when another drop fell again, this time right on his left closed eye.
He opened his eyes and looked up to the ceiling. The old roof had spots of humidity, and some leaks were pouring the rain water over his bed. Annoyed with the state of his old bedroom, he covered his head with the blanket, trying to find some rest.
He closed his eyes again, but the sound of the drops falling all over his bed made him lose his sleep. He groaned and stood up, thinking about a solution.
He began to pace again, ridiculously tripping on the huge pants he was wearing. When he couldn't stand it anymore, angry with the situation, he ran downstairs to his landlady's parlor. It was 3 am, so he supposed she should be sleeping, but he didn't care. It was the first time he had the need of some rest, and because of the daft baker he wasn't having any.
He passed by the living room, leaving a sleeping Toby on the couch with a bottle of gin between his arms. With a disgusting look, he headed to the baker's bedroom and stood in front of her door.
He didn't think it was a good idea to enter there, but he needed a solution, and he needed it right now. He knocked on the door, but nobody answered. He knocked again, and when he didn't hear an answer he opened the door and stayed stiff under the door frame. Mrs. Lovett was sleeping placidly, with the sheets around her waist. The top of her body was covered with a lacy black nightgown with thin black straps hugging her shoulders, one of them loosened. Her red curls, now without the pins, were over the white pillow, framing her face in a fiery halo. Her lips were slightly parted and her eyes closed. He realized he was staring at her, and when the thought of his landlady being a beautiful woman crossed his mind, he shook his head and walked towards the bed.
He shook her arm softly, whispering her name. He wasn't being gentle with her, his mind kept repeating, but he didn't want to wake up the boy and make the situation even more awkward.
She didn't react to his gesture, so he shook her more forcefully, and her eyes snapped open.
-Mr. T! What are you doing here?
He pushed his index finger against his lips, gesturing her to shut up.
-There's a leak in my bedroom.
-Uh? What do you want me to do? – Nellie rubbed her eyes, thinking the man must be crazy if he pretended to pull her out of bed to fix the ceiling.
-I need a place to sleep.
-Love, there aren't more places to sleep. Toby sleeps on the couch and this is the only room, besides yours, upstairs.
-And where am I now supposed to sleep? – He raised his voice, wining an annoying glance from the baker.
-I don't know. And I don't care. Do whatever you want. – She turned around, giving him her back, and closed her eyes.
'How dare this woman to leave me like that'. His anger was growing by moments, and he reached his razor on his belt… but when his fingers touched the soft cloth he realized he was wearing Albert's pants. Groaning, he left the bedroom and paced around the living room, thinking on a place to sleep.
Sweeney Todd never slept, he always paced and when the tiredness was too much, he rested a little on his chair, falling asleep eventually. But the thought of wanting a full night sleep was enough to make him lose his nerves.
The baker was to blame, so the baker will fix this. He opened again the door to the baker's bedroom and came in without saying a word.
When the baker noticed a movement on the mattress, she turned around and watched how the demon barber was pulling her sheets over him, lying on her bed. His angry eyes met hers for a second, and he snapped
-It's your bloody fault, so don't say a word.
And then she realized he was not wearing his shirt. She wished she could caress that soft yet muscle chest, but instead she turned around again, not believing the most handsome man of London was sleeping on her bed.
-Good night, Mr. T.
He didn't answer. The bed was more comfortable than he had expected. But something was disturbing his mind; all smelled to Mrs. Lovett. The pillow where his head was resting, the sheets, and the entire room, and of course his partner of bed; every breath he took was full of lavender mixed with her own scent. And the worst thing was that he liked it.
The first rays of sun were coming in through the purple curtains. Eleanor opened an eye and stirred herself. But something wasn't letting her stir, and that was an arm holding her waist. Her heart lifted up to her throat, and then she remembered with whom she was sharing the bed, making her heart beat even faster. She didn't dare to move.
Sweeney Todd had slept fine for the first time in years, without the horrible nightmares which haunted his dreams. He was beginning to awake but his eyes were still closed, and the familiar softness of the bed and the hair tickling his nose could only mean one thing.
-Lucy… - he caressed the hair and kissed the head in front of his mouth. Nellie's heart was going to explode, when she heard the name he had addressed her with. Then a knot formed on her stomach and she couldn't avoid the silent tears that beginning to fall from her chocolate eyes.
-Mr. T… - he suddenly opened his eyes and observed the red curls spread on the pillow. And then he noticed it wasn't his beloved wife, it was the annoying daft baker. And he was hugging her. He removed suddenly the grip on her waist and stormed out of the room, leaving a broken Mrs. Lovett, who was starting the day with tears.
Angry with himself, he ran upstairs and paced around the barber shop. Half an hour later, someone was knocking at his door. He didn't answer, knowing it would be the woman he had shared a bed with, with his breakfast. But instead of the baker, the door opened revealing Toby with a tray.
-Mr. Todd? Mum sent me with this for you. – waiting for a word of the barber, Toby stood frozen in the middle of the barber shop, but when he didn't even look at him, he turned around to leave.
-Wait, boy. Tell Mrs. Lovett I need a word with her.
-Yes, sir.
Toby went downstairs to find his mum. She was on the pie shop, working dough with her rolling pin.
-Mum? Mr. Todd wants a word with you.
Still hurt for the incident on the morning, she snapped at Toby.
-Tell Mr. T that if he wants something he knows where he can find me.
-But mum…
-Go upstairs and tell him!
Toby frowned, knowing something about the mysterious man had his mum upset, but he was clever enough to not ask. He told the barber the exact words of his mum and returned to the pie shop to help her.
The day was like any other day, until Mr. Havisham came into the shop.
-Good afternoon, love. Pie and ale as always?
-Good afternoon, Nellie. Yes, you know me very well. – He smiled at her, caressing his hand when she took an empty dish from the table he was sitting at.
Mr. Havisham was a tailor, and once in a while Mrs. Lovett went out with him. He was a handsome man, blond and tall with beautiful blue eyes. He was nice, but he didn't care much about her, and neither did Eleanor. They had fun together and he gave her dresses for free, the same way she gave him pies and ale without charge on her shop. Mrs. Lovett had been in need of basic things, like clothes and food, and being nice to certain customers assured her some privileges. Since her dear Albert had passed away she had flirted with men for things. She only did it with men she liked, so she didn't feel really bad about it. She enjoyed it, and they enjoyed it too. It was a fair change.
When Mr. Havisham had finished his food, he gestured Nellie to go to his table.
-Dear Mrs. Lovett, would you join me for dinner next Saturday? I would be pleased of enjoying your company for a night. – His seductive smile always melted Nellie's heart a little.
-Oh, yes, Mr. Havisham. Will you pick me up at seven?
-Of course, Nellie. And call me Rob. – He winked at her and left the shop.
At least a date with Rob will make her forget about the sadness Sweeney was putting in her soul. And speaking of the devil…
-Mrs. Lovett, a word.
-Not now, Mr. Todd, the shop is full… - he grabbed her arm and took her to the parlor. She knew it was useless to make any resistance.
-Mrs. Lovett, I need you to fix my room. Today.
Rolling her eyes, she spoke in a soft tone -Love, we don't have the money to do it. You know that. – Reparations were expensive, and only a few men made them. – Maybe you could fix it by yourself?
- Don't mock me, Mrs. Lovett! – He tightened the grip on her arm – I'm not going to do it! It's your damn fault! You should have paid more attention to my barber shop while I was away!
-Really? I didn't even rent it! I didn't sell your razors, considering I was starving when my husband died! I'm giving you a roof, three meals a day; I even let you share my bed! And I should have paid more attention to your shop!
She shook her arm, making him to leave it. The baker's blood was boiling. The man was incapable to see all the things she had done for him.
-Oh, don't treat me like a fool! You loved the fact of me sharing your bed! – Mrs. Lovett didn't think; her hand slapped the barber's face with a strength she didn't know she had, and ran to her bedroom in tears. Toby appeared from nowhere, hitting the barber's chest with his tiny fists.
-Don't make my mum cry! You always make her cry!
Sweeney pushed the boy out of his sight and went upstairs, his blood-lust higher than ever. And now he hadn't got a place to sleep.
That day no one left the barber shop alive, and Mrs. Lovett spent hours when she closed her shop chopping the corps and baking them into pies.
A/N: What do you think? Review please! I already have more chapters ready, if anyone likes this story let me now and I'll update it as soon as possible.
Things are getting interesting in the next chapter, with Mr. Havisham, Mr. T and Mrs. Lovett! and more characters are coming. I hope you like it :) Sorry for my mistakes!
I'll change the rating for the next chapters.