Esteemed Malevolence

Imperfection

The barber was remarkably insistent. And Eleanor had come to find that his unrelenting behaviour was something that made her heart pleasantly twinge.

When they had reached the opposite end of the seemingly endless passage, he pulled her in close in order to link arms with her - his free arm still had her soiled coat draped over it. He wasn't bothered that he was carrying something of hers - had he not had something more pressing on his mind he probably would have just left it on the ground where it had previously been. He was quiet as they paused, the two of them studying the amount of people roaming the street before their eyes.

The sight was practically a hell-scape to Mr Todd, but he pushed his disgust to the back of his mind when he gazed back to the woman by his side. He felt her front brushing against his entwined arm as she turned to face him, looking up at him with unmistakable yearning. She was desperate to read his mind in that moment - he wasn't giving much away with his expression, other than his obvious interest in her.

Before she could open her mouth to ask him about his intentions, he took a step forward into the flow of people and she felt her feet following him.

When he realised that he was staring at her for longer than he'd wanted, he turned his head away to glare at the ground beneath his feet. Their pace was nonchalant and Mr Todd was finding it torturous, yet couldn't bring himself to walk amongst the public at a faster speed. He could tell Mrs Lovett was having a whale of a time - in his peripheral vision he spotted her smile broadening as she waved at someone on the other side of the road. He was annoyed that even now she was keeping up appearances... He hated how she was hooking onto his arm - she could at least let go now... it made them look like a couple for god's sake...

Then again he couldn't deny that perhaps they sort of... were a couple now...

He shook away the thought, eyes rebelling against his better judgement. They drifted over to his left, subtly watching what she was doing - but it was mainly her chest rising and falling that caught his attention. It wasn't long before she realised what he was doing - internally she was thankful for him doing so, at least she knew his interest in her hadn't suddenly vanished like it had after a certain cupboard incident.

It was clear that he was uncomfortable - he was stood upwards with a straight back and the longer his eyes stayed on her, the more his arm tensed around hers. She could sense the boiling desire eminating from him, and swallowed back her own urges - or she too, would soon become uncontrollable.

Finding their silence to be a suffering one, Eleanor decided it was best if she ended it.

"Where we even goin'?" she asked in her airy tone which was more prominent than usual - this caused him to avert his eyes from her, he hadn't realised that she'd been aware of what he'd been doing.

"Home." he replied shortly and gruffly, his mouth clamping shut after he'd said the word like he no longer wished to speak on the matter.

"Really? So soon? 'S not a bad day, it'd be a shame t'waste it... " she hinted, tilting her head to the side as she looked up at him, her longing glance not so easy to conceal. "I mean, wot's the bleedin' rush anyway. It's our day off! An' I'm sick of seein' the insides o' that god awful bake'ouse 'til god knows what 'our!"

He sent a venomous glare her way since she'd uttered such a thing in public, arm clenching around her tightly to yank her into his chest. Her eyes widened at his rough action, and she couldn't help shivering when she felt his lips against her ear. Somehow, the two of them kept on moving. down the street.

"You're not to mention that again, do I make myself clear?" he breathed dangerously, but his serious tone was unquestionably laced with hungry suggestion. "Another word about that bake'ouse - " His free hand had snaked its way up to the side of her neck, gripping into her skin until he could feel the blood pumping through the veins that were entwined underneath. " - and I'll choke you to death. Right here. Right now."

He seared his eyes into hers, expecting her to nod and play along like a good little accomplice... but she wasn't going to let him have his way at all.

"Ya wouldn't dare." she teased, her desire-filled gaze matching the sly slither of a smirk on her lips.

He narrowed his eyes at her and tried to hide that he swallowed, her stubborn playfulness was making him feel violently inflamed. He attempted to snuff out his feeling of warmth by looking away from her - but her close proximity only forced him to swallow back his want for the time being. It was no use, everything he'd done to reduce his lust had failed.

There was only one solution. He'd have to fulfil his desire.

"Oh wouldn't I?" he replied, his stare on her again as his hand clenched around her throat tighter. "Try me."

Surprisingly, nobody had noticed their altercation yet - Sweeney was certainly glad of it.

"Well I were only sayin' that we didn't 'ave to go 'ome all in a rush!" she wheezed out, brows raising as her eyes begged him to stop - at least, he thought so. "No need to 'ave a bug up yer arse 'bout it!"

He scoffed and his eyes changed - it was obvious he was attempting to keep the careless coldness in place, but amusement and desire gleamed in his bottomless pools - his body's tension slackened.

"You never know who might be listenin'." he whispered when his hand on her neck caressed the tender skin there, and she swallowed. "We have to be careful, is all."

"I will be." she answered hoarsely, although he was sure she'd also thought that he'd been referring to something else, due to the way her breathing quickened. "An' I 'ave no doubt you'll be more than careful, dear." Their eyes were both equally as dark as the other's as they looked at one another, both of them finding smirks reaching their lips. It was funny how something deadly serious had suddenly turned so... suggestive.

He neared his face to hers, but not so close that it would cause a stir... it was just enough to graze his bottom lip against the top of her right cheek, which made Eleanor's lungs work ferociously with all the anticipation.

The man was driving her pleasantly bonkers.

"I assume that I'm understood?" he whispered against her skin, and she widened her eyes as she flinched to him, so she looked him square in the face. His features were handsomely teaming with intoxication - it was a wonder how they had both been able to continue striding forwards with Sweeney directing them... he seemed too focused on Mrs Lovett to know where he was going, let alone what he was doing.

As soon as she opened her mouth to answer, she noticed a familiar junction in her peripheral vision - it had been enough to distract her. And that was all it had taken.

She knew where they were going.

They were indeed heading back to Fleet Street.

His arm tightened around hers again, and she obeyed his harsh action by returning her gaze to him.

And then his shifting, studying eyes managed to charm her once more... charm her with the answer she so desired to know. It was clear now, she knew what he craved. And she wanted that for them both too... but she knew it was a bad idea - she certainly wasn't taking any chances with her feelings again. She would have clutched at the chance of him making love to her a few weeks ago - but now with his devious track record, she would rather wait it out for the appropriate time.

'If the bloody man can wait f'the judge, 'e can bleedin' well wait for me!' she told herself firmly, like she was convincing herself that her decision had been a sensible one.

"No Mr T," she whispered, although her eyes and her body language were proving her words to be misleading. "not now." It was impossible to conceal her true desire for him.

His smirk reappeared, like he had thought of her reply before he had even subconsciously answered her previous question.

"If not now, Mrs Lovett, when?"

"Oh c'mon now, dear." she said a bit louder, gently slapping his shoulder as she managed to force him to loosen his grip on her. "Don't be all impatient wi' me."

He glowered at her with such intense hunger that she had to look away from him for the moment - she focused on the cobbles below her feet, anything but him...

'Why? Why is the woman so obviously there?' Sweeney asked himself, unravelling his arm from hers to which she gaped back to him in confusion. 'Has she always been this way? I can't possibly concentrate on revenge with this... temptation within me. God, look at her - ' He swallowed, snaking the removed arm around her back and shoulder blades, firmly brushing his hand down to hold the small of her back. ' - there's no harm in trying, surely? If I'm no longer disgusted by her currently, perhaps I should delve deeper... I may not like Mrs Lovett in that respect... there is a chance my repulsion may return...'

It seemed he was still trying to find an explanation for his lust towards his accomplice, and he so far he had never found one. He instead, replaced his worry for the solution to such desire by insisting to himself that he did want to sleep with her, but only to confirm that he was indeed disgusted by her... After all, it wasn't as if he had actual feelings for the woman...

The barber was deluded.

He was content with denying the obvious explanation.

In Mrs Lovett's apprehensive surprise and Mr Todd's tenacious attraction to her, the two of them failed to notice that they'd caught most of the public's eyes at this point. Not to mention Beadle Bamford's suspicious glare.

The man swaggered from the exterior of a seedy-looking corner shop, top hat jauntily placed on his head and cane tightly gripped in one slippery leather gloved hand. Most people parted around him, like his importance had earned him some extra street space. A smile reached his pouting lips, one he probably thought looked gratuitous but it ended up looking like it could cause chronic nausea. He trailed behind the barber and the baker, keeping a good few humans between them.

His muddy, bloodshot eyes were fixated on Mr Todd's coat draped over Mrs Lovett's shoulders - fixated on how he was grasping her lower back, how he was hovering his head as close as he could go without touching her. It was then that Beadle's suspicions began to grow.

Usually either Eleanor or Sweeney would have spotted someone following them by now, but due to them being rather busy they had failed to notice the detestable Beadle stalking them. It was ridiculous that no one else had noticed the man blatantly staring at the two of them - then again, it wasn't anyone's place to say otherwise.

Impatient and vulgar as ever, the man could wait no longer.

He quickly approached the two of them, the most fraudulent pleasant smile upon his mouth. To say the man had a hell of a lot more money than most, he still looked grimy and shady with the clothes he wore.

"Pardon my intrusion, good sir, madam!" he announced, casually siding up to the right of the murderous barber - who instantaneously tore his glare away from his accomplice to settle on the wretched vermin next to him. "I do not believe I have ever seen anyone out of their coat in the peak of December before."

Sweeney barely held back a growl.

The nerve of this abomination. To think he had greeted them both with an apology, only to take a not so subtle dig at their public actions straight afterwards... The man (if Sweeney could bring himself to think of it as that) was ludicrous.

And the demon barber wanted to strangle the life out of him.

Mrs Lovett felt his hand on her back turn into a claw when he frowned down at the floor, and she winced but knew it wouldn't be long until he verbally expressed his true feelings - the way his body tensed made that perfectly clear. She decided it was best she answered, that way they could at least keep their facade going.

"Oh Mr Todd's not one for feelin' cold," she replied matter-of-factly, causing Beadle to tilt his head to the left so that he could face her. " 'e's ever so darin'. Unlike me y'see, 'ad the genorisity t'give me 'is coat, 'e did." On each syllable of the words she spoke, she felt Sweeney's grip relax and his eyes flicked in her direction to acknowledge her. She could tell he was thankful.

Beadle blinked repeatedly in confusion, mainly from what she'd uttered but also due to intrigue - the barber still had his hand upon the baker and hadn't thought to remove it. Beadle was a sucker for rumour spreading, and now that he had something to go on, he finally had something to gossip about.

"Yes, Beadle Bamford," Sweeney added, suddenly finding an approachable tone of voice - although Mrs Lovett could pick up on the strange undertone he had, which was probably due to the mixture of building blood-lust over the man in front of him, and the crucial lust for the distracting woman beside him. "There is no need for your concern. I am perfectly fine - " 'What does he think I am? Some kind of weakling?!' " - as is Mrs Lovett. I'm afraid that I'm still waiting on your visit to my establishment, you are most welcome, sir."

Eleanor couldn't help smirking at his persuasive tone, and she wriggled excitedly under his hand slightly. He didn't turn his attention to her, but it was clear he'd noticed her reaction because his fingers pressed against his coat, adding just enough pressure to reach through the material to her lower back, and he firmly kneaded her there.

"Oh, I'd be glad of your service, Mr Todd. You are the finest of the fine in barbery, after all."

And butchery...

It was strange how the same words had come to both barber and baker's minds at that same moment - it seemed their thoughts were becoming more alike. Then again, that's what habitual murder and disturbing body disposal had done to them both...

"You shall certainly see me the following week, in light of the festivities I am in dire need of a clean cheek."

"Of course, sir. I completely understand. The ladies will greatly appreciate it, I assure you." the barber replied unquestionably, feeling Mrs Lovett subtly pushing herself against his left side - it was in order to refrain him from reaching for that damned razor on his belt. It was a precaution to snap him out of any idea of a murderous frenzy the he so obviously wanted to carry out in that instant. Luckily he was still too damn aroused by her to explode into his blood thirst then and there.

The woman was a fantastic deterrent.

Beadle looked towards that very woman then, like he was seeking her agreement with what Mr Todd had said. And of course, without fail she gave a small smirk and nodded in reassurance. Her eyes wore a dark emotion and the barber turned towards her for a moment, and that was it - he was caught in her sinful beauty once more - thank god the man to his right couldn't see the blatant desire within his irises. He swallowed, taking his free hand down his front to subtly cover his crotch.

"I must congratulate you Mrs Lovett!" Beadle exclaimed, that strange emotion still present in her eyes as her stare stayed on the man talking to her - though it was clear that particular gaze was there due to the barber, not due to the man she was looking at. "The report we received on your emporium had next to no faults. Habitually, there are queries, but you have certainly set the bar high for the best pie maker in London." He'd said everything like he was surprised that she had even achieved something positive - and his tone sickened both Mr Todd and Mrs Lovett at that point.

Hell, he needed his throat slit.

His eyes were glued to her in inappropriate interest, that repulsive half-smile smearing over his features.

With Mr Todd, such a disgusting glare did not go amiss. Benjamin had been naive to blatant filth, but Sweeney could spot it a mile away.

"Mrs Lovett?!" Sweeney blurted out, finding himself speaking before thinking, eyes still clouded with dark clouds as she flicked her own eyes to him.

"Hm? Yes dear?"

He opened his mouth to reply, but no words came out. He'd desperately wanted her attention on him, and away from the abhorrent toad beside him.

Instead of giving her a verbal answer, he sneaked the hand behind her down, in order to firmly knead down harder on her lower back - they were both sure that some of the passers by would have seen such an action. She bit her lip when she found that he didn't stop there. He slid his palm down and pushed into the top of her skirts - only coming to a stop once he'd pressed in enough to feel the faint shape of her buttocks underneath.

She suddenly got the picture entirely.

Her cheeks glowed a faded strawberry colour as she appeared to look taken aback. To their surprise, Beadle didn't seem too phased.

"O-Oh do pardon us sir, we 'ad some urgent business to attend to. I 'ope y'don't mind us rushin' off now!" she rambled out, Sweeney showing a glimpse of that devilish smirk. She couldn't believe him - he was blatantly hinting that he wanted her, when it was clear that Beadle Bamford (who was practically just as bad as the judge) needed to be taken care of as soon as possible.

It seemed Mr Todd had changed his priorities for the time being.

"Not up there?" Eleanor asked hoarsely, eyes wandering from the barber shop stairs to settle over Sweeney's face in amazement when he was clearly headed towards her shop's door.

He stayed silent.

Now that they were out of the main trickle of Fleet Street-goers, he took the liberty of dropping behind her much to her bewilderment.

"Open the door." he ordered, bending down a fraction to quietly growl into her ear. She obeyed his demands and fished out her door key, which she had tucked between her breasts - to which he smirked.

She felt him press his torso against her back, even with his coat over her. His arms looped securely around her waist and she froze, holding the hand which held her key in mid-air, then eagerly leaned back into him. His lips brushed over her neck's skin, their eyes closing. She didn't know how much more teasing she could put up with.

They were both becoming restless.

His eyes shot open when he realised she wasn't unlocking the door as he'd instructed.

"Quickly." he snarled louder in annoyance against her skin, her hand flinging into action immediately. She felt nervousness hit her all in one. She didn't think this was the right time for what they were about to do. She wanted to, she had to... just, not now...

She needed some more time. Everything was happening so fast. She was worried about how he'd be with her... and how he'd expect her to be. Rough or gentle? Loud or quiet? Fair or unfair?

As soon as the lock turned and the door was opened, Sweeney tightened his arms around her, then pushed forwards so that he could guide her inside the shop. She paused as he kicked the door shut behind them both, the windows shaking furiously with such a violent action.

"Keep goin'... the parlour... " he murmured, his tone still instructive as he began to place little kisses over her neck - she leaned her head back for him and little whimpers escaped her.

She kept on moving forwards, passing through the main shop to reach his desired location, the scuffle of their shoes on the floor strangely pleasing to their ears. He again kicked the door closed behind them, only this time he briefly took himself away from her, breathing heavily.

"Bleedin' freezin' in 'ere. Maybe I should light the fire?" she whispered, unsure of what to say with all her excitement and uncertain apprehension. She was never very good at so-called 'dirty-talk', and even more so now with the man she pined over.

He smirked and threw her coat that had been draped over his shoulder down onto the nearby armchair, ripping away his own trench coat from her shoulders. She immediately flew her arms around herself in a hug, shivering.

"Now, now, Mrs Lovett." he said lowly, the hint of amusement in his voice. "No need for that. I'm sure you'll be burnin' up soon enough... " Her cheeks flushed bright red and he chuckled breathlessly, returning to his previous position only this time his hands reached forwards to give her one firm stroke up from her abdomen to the tops of her breasts. He repeated and this time kissed her neck, something she was beginning to realise he seemed to be obsessed with.

Her excitement bubbled within her, but she still had something telling her to stop. She was getting a taste of what was to come - she didn't want them to get too far yet. She certainly wasn't going to allow him to just have his way with her... she'd make him earn it. No matter how much she wanted it, she would have to make sure he was patient for the right time...

Yet still, she gave into his touch and sunk back, allowing him to firmly nuzzle up from her neck to hover by her lips. She loved the feel of his skin on hers and she was too lost in the sensation to stop him from colliding his mouth with hers. Their eyes closed immediately, each of his hands allocated to each side of her ribs in order to rotate her so that she could orchestrate her reactions easier. It was like they were speaking physically, if one of them brayed their lips that little bit harder, the other would react twice as much. His hands stroked upwards again, coming to a halt either side of her neck. He pushed her away so that she took a few steps back, their mouths still kissing feverishly. She continued obeying him, stepping back until she felt something bump into the back of her skirts. Her jellied legs crumbled at the contact and she fell backwards, their lips parting as she landed on the worn surface of the sofa.

Gasps escaped Eleanor as her eyes opened, staring at Sweeney with fascination but she still had a hint of nervousness in those dark brown irises. He loomed over her, joining her by lowering himself over her spread out body, on all fours so that he wouldn't crush her. He burned his gaze into her and her eyes faltered at the insatiable hunger she saw there. Her amazement soon switched to concern as he was about to reintroduce his lips onto hers...

"Wait!" she whispered, causing him to freeze above her, frowning in discomfort - he hadn't expected her to speak. She paused, watching the desire die off in his eyes, and that faraway look returned as he stared back into her eyes. He didn't look disappointed, he just seemed confused...

And he was. Terribly confused. Why did he want her so much? Why was he not just replacing his lust for her, with something much more worthwhile? 'Because it will always be there... I'll only be delaying the inevitable...' he answered to himself.

"Love?" she whispered airily, just loud enough for him to come to a halt right over her lips again. His gaze was averted from her, like he was afraid to look at her... or for her to look at him. Yet it was clear he was listening.

"We can't jus' keep goin' on like 'is. You know that, don't ya?" she spoke with the most disappointed expression on her face - inside her heart was shattering to pieces, for she didn't know if she would ever get as close to him ever again now that she'd uttered such a thing.

His black orbs flickered back up to her, and he seemed shocked by what she'd said. He'd expected her to go along with him, but in all fairness, he was too intrigued to care about his lust being put aside.

"Why ever not?" he breathed back firmly, brows framing his eyes to complete his look of interest.

" 'Cause it ain't fair on either o' us." she said quietly, brows raising as her eyes were shimmering with speckles of tears. "Last time you did 'is - you know wot 'appened! I am not bein' played again, I'm sick of ya messin' wi' me... "

His eyebrows raised in surprise, eyes wide.

"And what do you propose we do?" he said in his usual harsh tone, like he knew she had nothing better to suggest.

But of course, he always underestimated her.

"We..." she sighed, trailing off as a blush painted her cheeks - he'd raised one arm up next to her head to hold himself over her, and sank his body down to lightly brush over her. It was completely unintentional that it distracted her. But he picked up on it, and smirked.

She took in a deep breath, closing her eyes. Then pushed the air out, reopening her eyes to stare at him with honesty.

"We 'ave to decide... what we are, Mr T. And you 'ave t'decide whether ya want me or not."

He frowned at her, his smirk widening.

"Oh," he replied hoarsely, his free hand clutching at the side of her waist. "I want you Mrs Lovett. That I am certain of."

She beamed a smile up at him, and internally she felt like she was doing somersaults.

"And as for what we are? I don't know. And I don't care. If there are already rumours about us 'avin' an affair, we may as well live up to them, 'ad we not?" he teased, eyes giving away his amusement, although she was adament that he was also deadly serious. "It's not like it'd make any difference, considerin' the public thought we were in the first place... "

She bit into her smile, his nose's skin nuzzling against the tip of her nose.

"S'pose so, Mr T..." she said huskily.

"And just so you know, pet," he added, voice practically a whisper. "I never intended to take advantage of your feelings... "

She rolled her eyes at him, and the amusement was clear as day in his eyes. She knew he was lying to her, and he was just teasingly poking fun at her - even if he was being a cheeky bastard, a smirk sneaked its way onto her lips.

" 'Ere's t'the start of our affair then... " she murmured in such a way like she was toasting to their apparent relationship - she darkly looked back at him, tempting him to kiss her again.

He sunk down her body further, mouth in place so he was a couple of inches from hers.

"To our... affair... " he breathed, brushing his lips over hers... before long he gave her the smallest peck on her lips, shuffling away.

Eleanor wasn't having any of it.

"Oi! Wot you think ya doin'!" she near yelled, corners of her mouth curling into smile. "Get back 'ere!"

She took a hand up and yanked at the neck of his shirt, causing him to collapse back onto her, their mouths colliding in an incessant outbreak of kisses.

He wasn't like Mrs Lovett had imagined him to be with her. He wasn't perfect, and to be honest, that's what she preferred. He was rough, and unrelenting. He'd tease her, play with her, instead of giving her exactly what she wanted. She preferred that too.

It was an imperfect beginning for their dark romance.

It was a time for acceptance, yet not total understanding.

It was a time to deal with obstacles whenever they presented themselves.

It was the time for two empty ghosts to finally...

... feel alive.

A/N Thanks for getting here again! I'm glad lots of people are enjoying this story, I'm really having a great time writing it! More is on the way, but I don't want to rush and give you something lousy. I want to take this story down a darker route than I have done before, but of course, Sweenett is usually dark ;) The next chapter will be on the way soon! Let me know your thoughts on this chapter, thanks to everyone reading! :)