Chapter 2: Arm-Wrestle and Tug-of-war
Note: this Chapter will focus on her trying to prove she is stronger than him. For those of you not interested in this part of the struggle, the next chapter will be battles of wits. As for this being a Sweetnett. I won't say it can't end up that way. But to my personal feelings a few things need to happen between them first. But I think it could become one if wanted.
Sweeney still couldn't believe it when he woke up. Mrs Lovett thought she was the dominant one. That just wasn't possible. He was forced into hard labor for fifteen damn years. He flexed his right bicep so it pushed through the sleeve of his shirt. Sure his strength had waned some but his body was still narrow body solid muscle right.
It didn't really matter though, as her idea of dominance was mental. So he needed to think of a way to best her mind games. Still he needed to reassert his strength over her. He rolled his eyes and looked over at the heavy chest. He would never be able to carry the whole thing, but if he could lift the side. He walked over to it and stood by its side.
He bent down, put both hands on each side and began to lift. He lifted it just enough to get his fingers under it. He lifted with his legs until he stood up. Beginning to sweat because of its wait the barber once standing began to lift with his arms. His biceps bulged as he sweated. Until he lifted the side of the chest to his chest.
With bang he dropped the chest and collapsed in his chair panting. "He forgot how loud of an echo it was
Mrs Lovett could believe that man. He thought he could dominate her. She was a strong, independent woman with her own business. She would share an equal relationship with that man, but she was not his to dominate. But if she had to dominate him to teach him a lesson she would. And if his terms were strength, then she would prove to him she was strong enough to accomplish this feat.
She already had a rope and a full bath ready to show him the strength in her legs. Just then there was a loud crash that startled her. What was that fool barber doing? Angry, she began to march up the stairs to confront him. "The hell" she snarled as she opened the door. She saw the corner of the chest and smashed the wood floor.
"I've still got it," he told her. "I lifted the side of the chest to my chest. "It was as hard as lifting the heaviest thing they made lift, and even though it was harder I did it. Mrs Lovett hid her concern. Could she really arm wrestle this man and win. She needed to prove he didn't dominate her, so she had to prove she was totally stronger than him.
Mrs Lovett walked over to the chest and slipped her fingers under it. Using her legs she began to move the chest upward. He wasn't too concerned as she had all those trips up and down the bake house and to him strengthened her legs. Her arms began buckling from the strain. And her legs strained to keep her up. She looked over and saw Mr T's arrogant smirk.
Her biceps bulged and ached as she fought the chest's weight. Sweeney had to admit she had gained some muscle from dragging and carrying corpses. Biceps weren't as big as his but they looked pretty solid. Lovett summoned all her anger and hate she felt towards this man and a desire to wipe the smirk off his face. Arms shaking like a leaf, the chest began to rise higher, slower than when he did it but still. "Give up pet" he told her, getting angry.
With a pained moan it leveled with her chest and her arms gave out, sending the chest to crash harshly to the floor. Lovett collapsed to the floor exhausted, while Sweeney had recovered quickly. Sweeney's eyes were wide, and something about this made him feel different. Looking at her build and watching her manage this feat caused him to drool. What a woman. Sweeney helped her to her feet and helped her walk to the Emporium.
"I need to open my shop soon," she told him. "That chest had to weigh 22..6796 kilo" he said (that's 50 ibs according to this Victorian measure I found.) "That's less than the corpses we both have carried over these four years. It only feels heavier because of the chest's size. "This changes nothing, I'm still the dominant one" he challenged. "Then tonight after business and after Toby is in bed tonight let's settle what we started when you tried to stab my throat and see who has the stronger arm.
We'll arm wrestle on this table best two, out of three. Once I win you will see that by your standards you are not the dominant one." He rolled his eyes but accepted, solely to remind her who was in control. (match one, Lovett's POV.)
Lovett waited for Sweeney to arrive and smirked when he did. She was wearing the dress she wore when he had returned. He wore the jacket he wore when he first arrived. He moved a chair in front of the table. " Are we really doing this?" he asked her. "According to what you said last night, you thought you were dominant because you pinned me."
"So when I pin you arm wrestling then that proves by your standards I am the dominant one. And since you tried to kill me I have the right to humble you." "You are nothing like my Lucy," he told her. "Your weak Lucy, why can't I not be Mr T. " "DON'T YOU INSULT MY BELOVED WIFE!" he roared. "BEAT ME AND I WILL TAKE IT ALL BACK!"
They put their elbows on the table and locked hands. She had a firm hold. (Switch to Lovett's POV now.) I grabbed his hand tightly and glared into his eyes. I saw he wanted to beat me so I would take back what I had said. "3, 2, 1, go" Sweeney snarled.
My hand lurched back halfway down before I stopped his arm. The Barber gave me a look of surprise, but then locked his strong jaw and applied more pressure. I held him there however and tried to push him back. I could see a look of concentration on his face, the same one in the shaving contest. Trembling my arm began to move down. The look on his face, the strength he was exerting was enticing.
So masculine I thought. A smug grin spread across his face probably like the one he flashed the fake Italian. With a bang my hand hit the table. "Expected," he said. I stood up and took off my bodice dropping to the corset, bloomers and socks underneath. I dropped back in the chair and readied my arm.
I would not take back what I said about Lucy. It was time to get serious. (Sweeney's POV starts now.) "Time to win this one" I told her. I had to admit, I could now see how she made so many male customers at the emporium drooled over her. Our arms began our battle again.
Thanks to her now bare arms I could now see how toned and strong they had gotten over the four years. There was no muscle there when I first arrived. Now she had a nice powerful arm. I once more began to push her arm back. Her arm wasn't a match for mine. Then she stopped my arm.
That wasn't all her strength before. We both leaned forward and she began exerting the force necessary to carry a corpse. My arm was pushed halfway down. "This is what fifteen years of hard labor got you?" A smirk that matched the one I believed she gave when I won the shaving contest reached her lips. My hand was slammed into the table.
"Are you still confident?" she asked. I stood up and threw off my jacket leaving myself onto my white overalls. I sat back down and took the position. "Get ready to lose Lovett." (Third person POV.) They clenched their hands again, their jaws set, fire burning in their eyes.
Their hands quivered as they continued to fight. Their faces began to turn red, and they began to sweat. "I've got you beat my pet" he snarled. "Arrogant ars" she said. The sweat began to cause the white overalls to taper to his chest and arms. His muscles, she thought. But she couldn't let lust cloud her feelings.
He probably feels like a rock, went through her mind. The sweat on her did something similar and he began to drool a little. Lovett's arm began to move back. The smug smirk returned to the barber's face. The baker's arm was halfway down now. They both bowed their heads and her hand was just about down.
(Imagine the instrumental version of the ballad from Sweeney Todd that played during the "my arm is complete again'' scene is playing now.) With a grunt her arm was slammed down hard. He stood up exhausted as he felt when he finally killed the judge. "Are we done here?" Sweeney asked. Lovett glared at his smug face. "I won't take back what I said until you come to the bathroom and beat me in a tug of war."
They marched to the bathroom and walked behind the front and back of the tub. Inside was now freezing cold water, and on the left side was a long rope. (Lovett's POV.) We both grabbed the ends of the rope. We placed our left feet back and our front feet forward. I was determined to win this contest of strength. With tight grips our legs began to struggle. I felt my calves begin to bulge.
I smirked as I heard Sweeney's feet slide until he stopped his movement with his foot on the tub. I pulled back harder and he doubled over the tub. "Ice" he snarled. "Yes,'' she said, smiling. I just thought you could use—a—nice—-ice cold—-bath." With a surge of strength from my legs I pulled the barber splashing into the water.
He stood up soaked. I tried not to blush from the drool-inducing muscles shown by the now clinging wet clothes. (Sweeney's POV.) She beat me in the first round. Her legs were so damn strong. Grabbing the rope again, I was determined to pull her in.
Entering our starting positions, I put a heavy pull against her, yanking her forward. She squealed but slammed her left foot back down on the floor. Determined to win this, I turned around and began to walk pulling the rope. She stopped herself from hitting the water the same way he did. Launching forward with my legs I heard an angry shriek as she fell in the ice cold water. I turned to see the wet bloomers taper to her legs.
I was mesmerized by her firm and strong, but shapely, thighs and legs. No wonder they are so damn strong. (Third person POV.) The last battle. If he won, He proved that he was still truly stronger. However if she won she would prove they were evenly matched.
The battle began again. Their legs quivered as their calves were bulging. "My legs are stronger Todd" she snarled. "I will beat you here just like I did in the arm wrestling match my pet. "No longer are you stronger than me Mr Todd. You are no longer the dominant one by your own standards."
Sweeney felt his body lean forward against his will. Then his feet began to slide across the floor. As he was about to approach the tub he put his right foot on it and poured all the strength he could summon into his legs. He felt his body double over the tub. "How about another nice cold bath?" Lovett asked sarcastically. Grounding from pain Sweeney's right leg buckled hard.
He was using all the strength in his legs now, Smirking she then used hers. The force set her sprawling on her rear. But Todd's body went splashing into the water. He pushed himself up, moving the hair from his eyes. Mrs Lovett was now back on her feet, hands on her hips. Her face showed smug satisfaction.
She might have liked his muscles, but knowing her legs could best his legs was gratifying. "Mrs Lovett" he snarled. "Good night Mr Todd" she told him, swaying her hips as she walked. He had to change out these clothes and dry off or he would get sick. "Oh and by the way" she called to him. "I guess you are no longer stronger than me!"
"You're not stronger than me either, Lovett!" She had left him alone. "If I don't at least match her in wits" he said. "Then she might just prove her superiority." Better be ready Lovett, I'll be proving dominance on your terms. We might have battled to a standstill physically but I will best you intellectually.
Little did he know Lovett peeked in so she could see him remove his shirt.
Note: I am updating this chapter to make it clear I will be getting the chapter up this weekend instead. Next chapter will center on a battle of wits. They are evenly matched physically now huh. He might have won the first, but the second was all girl power. Things could still go Sweetnett though. I hope the chest scene isn't too hard to swallow after explaining That Sweeney and Lovett technically carry more weight when they carry corpses. At least I think it's only a fifty ibs chest.