Author's Notes: Rawr. Mr. Todd is such a hunk a' man XD Neways...
The inspiration for the whole 'aphrodisiac' theme was the song Aphrodisiac By Bow Wow Wow. Funnily enough... it's about an aphrodisiac! I strongly suggest you check it out XD
If you want to ... fall in love with somebody, somebody that you're not in love with at all... take an a-a-a-a-phrodisiac...
--Bops--
Disclaimer: Never have. Never will. Neverland. XD
Note: There could be a bit of a wait on the next chappy because I'm approaching my end of term exams and I have ALOT of school work to attend to. Therefore I'm hoping I'll have the next one done and up HOPEFULLY by next monday (22nd). Thank you muchly for your reading and reviewing, I love you all XD
Toby's Confession
Mrs. Lovett slipped away when Mr. Todd fell asleep, the hot water bottle still between his legs. Mrs. Lovett wanted to find Toby before Mr. Todd did. Although she did think that once he woke up and she had supplied him with a tumbler of gin mixed with a couple of sleeping pills he'd loosen up and be less inclined to try and kill Toby with his bare hands. She knew that Toby kicking Mr. Todd was unlikely to have been an accident but she wasn't going to admit that to Mr. Todd if it gave him further pretence to beat the boy to death.
She crept up the stairs, treading as softly as she could on the tender floorboards.
"Toby?" She whispered as she crept along the gloomy hallway. "Toby?"
There was no reply but she didn't dare to raise her voice. She padded down the hallway, listening intently for any telltale sounds. As she approached the second door down the hallway she noticed it was slightly ajar. Cocking an eyebrow at Toby's clumsy hiding attempt, she creaked it open and was unsurprised to be almost immediately accosted by a small, mousy haired figure brandishing a hat stand.
"En Garde! You scoundrel!" He yelped, prodding her with the hat stand. It bounced harmlessly off Mrs. Lovett's thick bodice and nearly caused the boy to go shooting backwards before he managed to keep his balance on the tips of his toes.
"Toby. What are you doing?" Mrs. Lovett said irritably, not appreciating being jabbed with a hatstand.
Toby peered at her, realising who it was before blushing slightly. "I-I thought…"
"I was Mr. Todd." Mrs. Lovett interjected. "And you were planning to take Mr. Todd on…with a hat stand…"
"Yeah. I could take him with or without a hat stand." Toby said staunchly, shoving his chin upward.
"Of course you could, love," Mrs. Lovett said mildly. "Now…give me the hat stand…" She firmly pried it from his reluctant fingers and placed it in the corner. "There's no need for that silly, old hat stand,"
Toby looked completely unconvinced. "Where's…Mr. Todd…"
"Downstairs, asleep," Mrs. Lovett said soothingly. "He's not going to hurt you. He knows it was just an accident…a silly accident,"
Toby opened his mouth quickly and then slowly closed it again looking uncertain.
"Right, Toby?" Mrs. Lovett pressed firmly. "An accident."
Toby finally nodded.
"Smashing!" Mrs. Lovett said brightly. "When he wakes up you can apologise to him and everything will be lovely," She took his hand and began to lead him back downstairs. He was more than a little hesitant and kept glancing behind wistfully.
When downstairs, Mrs. Lovett had to half drag Toby into the living room where the sleeping Mr. Todd was still slumped on the settee with the hot water bottle. Toby's eyes widened considerably when he spotted him with the hot water bottle sticking out from between his legs. Mrs. Lovett glanced at Toby and hastily tugged the hot water bottle away.
"He'll be fine, love." Mrs. Lovett said cheerfully. "He won't be infertile…" Hopefully.
Toby nodded fearfully, his eyes still fixed on Mr. Todd. "He's not…dead… is he?"
"Good God, no. He's asleep, dear. Asleep!" Mrs. Lovett said hastily, beginning towards the kitchen with the now lukewarm hot water bottle, Toby followed close behind. "He'll be asleep for a while now I should think after last night… which reminds me…" She leant on the table, with a slight frown. "Why did you lock us in the broom closet, love? It's really a very odd thing to do…"
She squinted slightly at his face hoping he wasn't picking up on Mr. Todd's oddities. She could deal with one murderous, raving lunatic but not two…
"Um…" Toby wasn't sure whether he wanted to disclose his plan to her just yet but he had no other excuse for his bizarre actions. "I…" He trailed off again, staring firmly at the ground.
"Yes?" Mrs. Lovett prompted him.
"I was hoping…" He lowered his voice to an almost incoherent mumble. "Hopin' you'd ged' marred…"
"Marred…" Mrs. Lovett repeated blankly.
"Marred…" Toby grunted.
"Marred…" Mrs. Lovett shook her head with a baffled frown.
"MARRIED!" Toby bellowed at her.
Mrs. Lovett looked like she'd been slapped over the face with a cold fish. "Married?" She spluttered. "Married?" She slid down into a chair.
Toby nodded miserably.
Mrs. Lovett shook her head slightly, as though trying to determine if she was actually awake. "You locked us in the cupboard…to get us married…"
"I know it sounds stupid…" Toby grumbled, taking a seat opposite her.
"It sounds…mad." Mrs. Lovett burst out, still staring at Toby as though he had just announced he'd joined Alcoholics Anonymous. "Are you feelin' alright?" She clasped a hand to his forehead but he batted her away crossly.
"I feel fine," He said irritably. "I'm not a complete moron you know… I do know… stuff…"
"What stuff?" She asked him, frowning.
"Stuff stuff," He replied promptly, sounding pleased with himself.
"What stuff stuff…" Mrs. Lovett demanded.
"You knoooow… stuff about…underclothes and things…" He said bashfully, suddenly becoming fascinated with a candle burn on the tabletop.
Mrs. Lovett relaxed considerably. She could live with him knowing about underclothes… it was the mauled bodies of murdered barber customers shooting through a chute to her bake house that she was worried about…
"So. What do underclothes have to do with me and Mr. Todd, a closet and marriage…?" Mrs. Lovett asked tiredly, leaning her chin in her hand and closing her eyes.
"Well…" Toby hesitated. Dare he tell her about the aphrodisiac…? He didn't know how she'd react… She could be beside herself with rage or…well that was about the only possible outcome he could think of… Until Mr. Todd found out and then he'd be as good as dead…if he weren't already… Homicidal barbers didn't usually take too kindly to twelve-year-old's taking their sex lives into their own hands…and then kicking them in the…eh…privates…
"Mmm?" Mrs. Lovett prompted him without opening her eyes.
"I…may have…slipped something…into your…gin..." Toby mumbled, keeping his eyes on the candle burn.
Mrs. Lovett's chin slipped off her hand. "What…"
"Well I'm glad I got that off my chest, cheers!" Toby blurted out, scrambling up from the table and making a beeline for the doorway.
"TOBY!" He heard Mrs. Lovett bawl from the kitchen as he made his escape down the hallway.
--
Mrs. Lovett stormed down the hallway, throwing open cupboard doors and glaring around sharply for any sign of Toby. She knew he couldn't be far. All thoughts of protecting Toby from Mr. Todd were quite banished on hearing these new developments. Everything made sense now. The windowsill incident and the closet… God she'd been so stupid. To think Mr. Todd could actually, genuinely want to be with her! The fact that she had entertained the thought made her even more furious with herself and Toby for making her falsely believe Mr. Todd was finally returning her affections. She wanted to find the boy and shake him for his stupidity. For his interference. And she'd have to tell Mr. Todd…how humiliating. How degrading! She could hardly bare it…
"Oh damn it," She groaned, falling against the wall and letting herself slide down it until she was sitting with her knees pulled to her chest. She couldn't be bothered chastising Toby… She was too disillusioned and miserable…
She laid her head back against the wall, remembering dully how Sweeney had drifted his fingers over her skin, breathed softly against her neck, drawn his lips across her with his teeth grazing her until goosebumps appeared. It seemed so vapid and humiliating now. Like he had been forced to do it… Her first sex in years had been a product of a bloody aphrodisiac… Well, how was that for confidence building…
She slid further down the wall, wishing she could sink through the floor and just keep sinking. It was no good. Soon Sweeney would wake up and she'd have to tend to him and Toby would most likely appear around suppertime and she'd have to question him as to what had possessed him to spike her and Mr. Todd with an aphrodisiac… Mr. Todd would be all smug and pleased about having an excuse to hold her at arms length again and she'd go back to being the ignored baker who cooked and cleaned for a self-absorbed git… She gave a frustrated groan and buried her head in her hands. Why did everything always happen to her?
"Marm?"
She gave an involuntary jerk of fright.
"Toby!" She hissed, the boy appearing out of the gloom. "What's with you and sneaking up on me in the dark?"
"Sorry…" He replied hesitantly. "Are you… crying?"
"Crying!" Mrs. Lovett burst out. "I'm jolly well not crying!! I was merely resting…my head…in my… hands…"
And awkward silence followed in which Toby hovered nervously, shifting from foot to foot and Mrs. Lovett sniffed fiercely against the wall, keeping her face directed subtly towards the floor. She couldn't bring herself to lecture Toby about his irresponsibility and disobedience even though she knew that's what a real mother would most likely do if their son drugged them with an aphrodisiac… but Mrs. Lovett felt too sulky to play 'mummy' at the moment…
"I'm sorry… I didn't mean to… upset you," Toby said, pained. Mrs. Lovett glanced up at him. He looked like he was agonizing over what to say. She tried to put him out of his misery.
She attempted a watery smile. "N-no, love! It's not your fault. You were only… trying to be kind after all…" She gave a shuddery breath. "But…I suppose it's not so bad…growing old…alone…with no one…ever…wanting you…ever again-
She burst in tears, bawling into her hands. Toby watched on in horror. He wasn't used to emotion… He glanced around. What was he supposed to do…?
He ended up patting her awkwardly on the shoulder while she wept noisily on the floor, sobbing about 'dying alone' and 'never having sex ever again' in a way that was quite alarming for a boy of twelve who was still learning about underclothes…and things…
Meanwhile, in the next room a very groggy Sweeney Todd was waking up. The first thing he noticed was that the pain between his legs had lessened considerably and that it had been replaced by a throbbing headache caused by he didn't know what. He slowly pealed himself off the settee, smoothing his rumpled clothing and pushing his hair out of his face. His frowned about the gloomy living room, Mrs. Lovett was nowhere to be seen… He wondered whether now he could take his revenge on Toby without her noticing… The boy probably wouldn't come if he called him, being fully aware that Mr. Todd wanted to beat the living daylights out of him, but if he found him before the boy realised what was happening… mwa ha ha … so evil…
He treaded softly out of the living room, through the kitchen, watching closely for signs of Mrs. Lovett or the boy. If he met Mrs. Lovett then it would all be ruined. She would start fussing and blathering on like usual and he'd never get away… But as he turned into the darkened hallway he realised he wouldn't have to watch for either her or Toby after all. He found both of them crouched on the floor against the wall.
He froze in the doorway, frowning from Toby to Mrs. Lovett…
"Uh. What's going on here?" He remarked.
Mrs. Lovett scrambled up so fast Toby was almost knocked off his feet. "Nothing!" She squeaked, painfully aware of her tear-streaked face.
Mr. Todd raised an eyebrow at her and turned his eyes to Toby. "You," He spat, ready to wring the boy's neck. "I am going to-
"Mr. Todd. I have something to tell you," Toby cut in, surprisingly boldly for someone apparently so frightened of the man.
Mr. Todd stared at him. "Does it explain why you locked us in the cupboard and then kicked me in the…lower stomach?"
"Well… yes and no…" Toby replied hesitantly.
"Let's go into the living room," Mrs. Lovett croaked, hurrying towards the living room entrance, wiping her face hastily with a handkerchief as she went.
Mr. Todd fixed his eyes distrustfully on Toby for a few moments but finally followed Mrs. Lovett into the living room. She was already fussing, pouring a couple of tumblers of gin and bustling aimlessly around the room to avoid looking at Mr. Todd. Mr. Todd had noticed her tear stained face and was intrigued as to why she had been crying and perhaps even… a tiny smidgen…concerned…but only as far as he could throw her…
"Now," Mrs. Lovett said in a painfully strained cheerful voice. "Let's all sit down and have a nice bit o' gin,"
She sat down stiffly on the edge of her favourite chair, her eyes downward. Toby hastened to sit and Mr. Todd slowly took his seat with his usual swaggering indifference.
"Toby, love, " She nodded at him. She just wanted to get the humiliation over and done with…let Mr. Todd smirk and sneer all he wanted. She'd just put itching powder in his laundry…
"Well…" Toby hesitated, glancing at Mrs. Lovett. She was staring fixedly at her skirt. "I…think…I might know…why you…and…Mrs. Lovett…have been…ah…" He cleared his throat, his cheeks burning. "Feeling…a little different…as of late…"
Mr. Todd was frowning disconcertingly at him from the settee as he always did. That frown seemed to be permanently imprinted on his haggard face…
"You see…I…used a…powder from Miller's Apothecary to um…drug you and Mrs. Lovett…" Toby said this so quietly and inarticulately that Mr. Todd barely heard what he was saying but what he did hear… "Miller's Apothecary" and "drug" painted a picture vivid enough for him to realise what had happened.
"You drugged us," He said blankly, feeling almost too shocked for anger…yet.
"Yes…" Toby replied awkwardly.
"Oh…" Was all Mr. Todd could conjure up at the moment.
Mrs. Lovett was sitting silently in her chair, eyes still set on her skirt. She didn't really know how she had expected Mr. Todd to react but stunned silence was very unlike him. He was more the 'have a big tantrum' type…
"Sorry?" Toby offered weakly.
"Sorry." Mr. Todd repeated hollowly.
Mrs. Lovett raised her eyes to the ceiling. Here it came. You could almost taste the anger building up behind those blank, dark eyes.
"Sorry?! For what? For drugging us or for locking us in the cupboard or for kicking me in the crotch?" Mr. Todd rumbled. "I can't believe this!" He stood up abruptly.
Mrs. Lovett cringed. Here it came… the temper tantrum. The 'I'm Sweeney bloody Todd, give me what I want NOW or I'll scream' scenario. Sweeney's answer to everything: anger, violence and tantrums.
"How did you let him get away with this?" He had rounded on Mrs. Lovett.
Mrs. Lovett looked up sharply. "I didn't let him get away with anything!" She snapped.
"Well…well… the boy need's discipline!" Mr. Todd spluttered beginning to stride here and there about the room like he always did when he got excited. "He runs amok! He needs a strong figure to keep him in line!"
Mrs. Lovett cocked an eyebrow. "You're idea of 'keeping him in line' is beating him to a pulp,"
Mr. Todd wasn't listening. "He has no respect for his elders!"
"Hey! Watch who you're callin' an 'elder'," Mrs. Lovett remarked crossly, sounding insulted.
"…He lies and he disobeys! I won't have it!" Mr. Todd ranted, thoroughly in his zone now. "I am the man in this household and I will have order!"
Mrs. Lovett raised her eyebrows. She'd never heard that before…
He spun to Mrs. Lovett. "From this point onwards. I am the man. I discipline the boy. And you Mrs. Lovett can debate me on this or meet me head to head and we'll see who comes out on top." He said hotly.
Mrs. Lovett and Toby were speechless, they simply stared, mouths open and eyes wide.
Mr. Todd had finished. He took a deep breath, straightened his shirt pointedly, neatened his hair and began towards the door. But before he reached it he turned suddenly to Mrs. Lovett.
"We will have another drinking match tonight and that's final." With that he stalked into the kitchen.
After a few moments of ringing silence Mrs. Lovett looked at Toby and shrugged. Toby looked stunned at the fact that the barber hadn't strangled him. After all. Hell hath no fury like a barber scorned…as Mrs. Lovett would soon find out…
End of Chapter Ten