Summary: "Our passion play has now, at last, begun.." Nellie and Sweeney unite in a passionate battle of blood-lust and seduction. Who will be the first to succumb?
A take on the song 'Point of No Return' from The Phantom of the Opera. I do not own any of the dialogue in this one-shot; Full credit goes to Andrew Lloyd Webber.
Part IV: Urge
She stood, unmoving, swathed in ivory dresses, the thin layers of white fabric blending with milky skin. The pearly cloth drooped softly off her shoulders, her bodice warmly hugging her middle, billowing skirts rippling downward to skim the wooden floors. The beam of the moon only enhanced her glowing presence as she gazed through the dusty glass of the window. Deceitful brown eyes studied the London night, entrancing curls of deep crimson falling onto bare shoulders.
Around her neck hung a delicate golden chain which held a finely crafted ruby, the red gem resting in between the swells of her bosom. All was silent with the exception of her steady breathing, peaceful intakes of breath. And so she stood, unmoving, hands hanging lightly by her hips, chest and jewel rising and falling on account of her constricting bodice.
The sensible baker was faced away from the man in the doorway, he who was ceasing to emerge from the portentous dark of the parlor. He stood, black eyes glinting in the moonlight, the rest of himself remaining enveloped in the darkness. The normally sullen, moody barber was offering the woman's silhouette a small smile, pleased with her choice of attire.
He, too, had dressed nicely for the occasion; it was only proper for tonight. Replacing his usual grey vest was a clean, black waistcoat, clashing sharply with the pressed white shirt that he wore underneath. His hair was combed back but unruly nonetheless, his black tresses wild, the streak of white almost visible in the shadows. Around his neck, of course, was his crimson necktie.
Blackness melting away, his vision adjusted, slants and curves darkening, hues becoming less mysterious.
Very slowly, his gaze not leaving the woman, the pale barber pushed his shoulders back in confidence and grasped the door knob, closing the tonsorial door with a sly creak. The woman visibly tensed as the tinkle of the entrance bell echoed throughout the room, and the shady man let out a shallow breath, the low click of the lock following the cheery jingle. Preparing himself, Sweeney Todd smirked, hushing any nerves from his body.
Go away...for the trap, it is set and waits for its prey.
Taking one step towards her, the man licked his lips.
"You have come here in pursuit of your deepest urge." His voice was dangerously low, and the woman shivered, almost able to feel his eyes scan the back of her body. Yet, she did not turn to face him.
He took a few more steps, cautious and silent, and oh so smug, until he was only a foot away from Nellie Lovett. How tempting this woman was already, simply standing in front of him, anticipating attention from her adored tenant. Startled by how radiant and pure the baker seemed, almost as pure as his beloved Lucy, he raised his hands and let them linger above her shoulders, not touching her just yet, wanting to watch her squirm.
"In pursuit of that wish which till now, has been silent..." With a few nimble fingers, he brushed away some of the curls on her shoulder, placing his mouth close to her ear. Hot breath hitting her now exposed neck, his voice was a whisper. "Silent."
His captive shuddered violently, chest heaving, eyes fluttering, and he grinned a sinister grin, loving it.
The predominant barber placed his hands softly, carefully onto her shoulders, his large hands just barely touching her. Nellie almost jolted again, his touch drawing in her craving adoration, amplifying her desire. He continued to snarl lowly into her ear, poignant now, loudly now:
"I have brought you, that our passions may fuse and merge..." His left hand trailed down and was pressed firmly onto the ruby, just above her heaving bosom. She writhed under this new contact, and he stepped even closer, snugly placing his chest up against her back, which was also exposed, the corset cut low.
Teasingly, he kissed the smooth skin beneath her ear, his other hand sliding down her right arm until their hands met. Lacing their fingers together, Nellie's head tipped backward, exhaling, and he pulsated with a wolfish lust, growling again.
"In your mind you've already succumbed to me, dropped all defenses..." The demon paused, moving her hand backward to graze the hostler on his belt. She almost moaned as he shifted her fingers to grasp his silver friend, as it was the first time she had ever touched his beloved razors.
Making her pull the blade from its bindings, his lip curled upward in amusement, "...completely succumbed to me."
The woman was willing herself to stay on her feet, her face flushed, fighting the intense urge to quiver even harder. Her pulse had rocketed with his touch, his now sensual touch, and as they were illuminated by the hazy beams of the moon, it took all of her strength not to give in to him. She would show him that she was passionate-that she, too, was as puissant as Sweeney Todd himself.
Even yet, her chin was tilted up towards the heavens, elated, yearning, the silver burning in her palm. His left hand was now trailing downward, over her chest and bodice, and was placed flat against her stomach, bringing her even closer to him.
Letting him know that he was not in control just yet, Nellie placed her left hand on top of the one that was on her stomach, warmly, delicately, the lightest of smiles playing on her lips.
The pale demon was not amused by her stability, her graceful scent dizzying him, and lifted her hand which held his silver accomplice, flicking it outward to open the blade. Now, as the sharp metal caught the light of the moon, he felt the devil baker tense again. His smirk deepened, enjoying how easy it was to frighten his captive. He bit the side of her ear, embracing her firmly now from behind.
"Now you are here with me," he reminded in his low husky voice, making her raise the blade higher as to see it glint in the subtle light, "No second thoughts..." Closer now he brought the blade, tilting it to the side, making it shine marvelously before placing it inches away from her neck, "...you've decided," he kissed the back of her neck, savoring her taste, and this time she did moan, "Decided."
The edge of the blade grazed her flesh and a piercing silence hung in the air, both of them very still, the woman instinctively wanting to pull the silver away from her neck, yet finding herself unable to as the demon kissed her neck. How haunting to be in a position as to where you're willingly aiming a weapon toward yourself, knowing that with just the flick of a wrist, it all could be over.
And yet, Nellie found herself edging Sweeney onward, until finally, gloriously, the searing blade cut into her flesh, so slowly, across her throat. Not deep enough to kill, no, but great enough to send a trail of rubies, entrancing, inviting rubies, trickling down her neck.
Quickly, so swiftly, the duo lost their grasp on the razor, and it fell onto the wooden floor with a significant, ringing clang. Seconds later, Nellie was whirled around and shoved into the red velvet of the barber's chair, making her exhale sharply, stinging and devoted.
The barber was on top of her, his graceful hands exploring her body, and she lifted her neck to him, wanting to please him despite herself. His lips quickly smothered the thin, bleeding cut with kisses, incited, a greedy flame having sparked within him. A hot tongue ran over the gash and she quivered, listening to his breathless whispers:
"Past the point of no return," he began, kissing her neck wildly, mouth bloody, "...no backward glances. Our games of make-believe are at an end." She nodded faithfully, knowing that she should fight back, knowing that she shouldn't let him control her, but the sight of his pale lips on her stained neck eliminated all pains and thoughts. Nellie grasped his shoulders, pulling him closer, her hands getting lost in his black locks.
Sweeney found it hard to concentrate on reality as he kissed her neck clean of rubies, all except for the actual gem that was heaving between her chest, mirthful words falling from his lips, muffled murmurs from beneath her skin. "Past the point of 'if' and 'when', no use resisting. Abandon thought and let the dream descend," his voice was hardly audible below the harsh intakes of breath from his devil baker, and he wondered if his words were directed towards her or himself, watching as new droplets of red slowly rose from the gash.
Deliciously satisfied, he plunged into murmuring kisses again. "What raging fire shall flood the soul? What rich desire unlocks it's door?" He rose his voice to a growl again, now, filled with a new energy. "What sweet seduction lies before us?"
Leaning off of her a little, he placed his hands on Nellie's sides to lift her more firmly against the red velvet, his breathing shaking with desire, the top of her white bodice stained with the trickling blood. The woman beneath him leaned forward, seeming to want to touch him further, to kiss his face in return, but he wouldn't have any of that yet. Instead, he grinned, teeth bloody, placing one hand behind her neck tenderly, the other smearing the precious crimson across her chest.
She grasped tightly at his hair, trembling with lust, curling a finger around his streak of white as she closed her eyes, indulging herself in his affection. He began to kiss up her neck, hot brushes of his needy lips, growling with a keen force. "Past the point of no return," he told her, pulling her close, "The final threshold, what warm, unspoken secrets will we learn?"
His voice cut abruptly, he refrained from kissing, and she opened her eyes. He placed his forehead gently against hers, their lips inches apart. She swallowed hard, trying to grasp at truth, at the actuality of his actions, and strained to hear his next few delicate whispers: "Beyond the point of no return..." And there he stopped, both of them shaking with emotion in the hazardous barber chair.
Sweeney Todd leaned closer, gaze intent on her full lips, the hand behind her neck becoming more firm. Her heart thundered beneath her corset, the tension of the barber driving her insane. His lips were only just beginning to graze hers when she turned her face to the left, his kiss landing on her cheek.
Nellie Lovett had finally remembered that this was their war of the passions, their flaming feud of desire. She was not going to surrender so quickly. The scent of blood in the air, a smirk grew onto the lips that the barber craved.
Brown eyes aflame with seduction, her hands left his hair and trailed down to his chest, his lips still pressed against her cheek, having frozen him with confusion. It was her turn now, and she gripped at his black waistcoat, her neck stinging, heart calming.
"You have brought me to that moment were words run dry," she whispered gently, pushing him lightly away from herself, his lips reluctantly leaving her cheek. The flushed woman turned her face to him now, piercing him with a deep stare, one hand leaving his waist coat to reach to his face. She placed a pale, small finger to his lips, and the barber's eyes flashed.
"To that moment where speech disappears into silence..." the woman cooed, pursing her lips, trying to regain her composure, leaning closer if possible, "...Silence." The devil baker then shot forward, pushing him off her, the man falling backwards onto the ground where he continued to stare at her in a stunned trance.
Slowly, Nellie stood, raising a teasing eyebrow, purring. "I have come here, hardly knowing the reason why..." She bent down to him, alluringly, taking a hold of his crimson neck tie. Smirking still, the woman pulled him upward by the tie, unhurried. "...In my mind I've already imagined our bodies entwining, defenseless and silent."
Trailing away, she pulled the man fully to his feet, a serious look in her eye now, gripping the lapels of his waistcoat. Almost chuckling, she continued, "Now I am here with you," she stepped forward, and he stumbled back, making their way to the opposite wall. "...No second thoughts..." With a thud, Sweeney's back hit the wall, bits of wallpaper and dust falling from it, twirling downward.
Her voice breathy with power, she inhaled his scent, "I've decided..." she pushed him more firmly against the wall, the barber's eyes closing, "...decided."
She began to toy with cold buttons of his vest, and he relaxed under her touch. "Past the point of no return, no going back now. Our passion play has now, at last, begun." Her voice was firm but soft despite her control. The waistcoat open now, she pulled it harshly from his shoulders, letting it drop to the floor, almost grunting. Now in his pressed, white shirt, the man's eyes stayed closed.
Ravenous with excitement, longing to feel his skin, Nellie simply grasped the white cloth and pulled tightly, the shirt ripping down the middle. His hardened, muscled chest exposed to her now, she was filled with a crazed lust. Hungrily kissing his chest, she murmured to her beloved. "Past all thought of right or wrong," the shirt fell from his shoulders, as well, landing on top of his vest, "...one final question: How long should we two wait before we're one?"
Not being able to control himself, he lifted Nellie's face from his chest and tilted it upward, his lips crashing onto hers. She moaned deeply, adoringly, murmuring between their kisses. "When will the blood begin to race? The sleeping bud burst into bloom?" Her hands slid up to his shoulders before she wrapped her arms around his neck, embracing him, his arms enveloping around her back. "When will the flames, at last, consume us?"
Something was triggered in the both demons and they tumbled around the corner, dropping to the ground, stripping each other greedily of their clothing.
Past the point of no return.
Hair askew, clothes in shreds, they embraced once more, gasping, kissing, feeling, seeing nothing but each other, fighting for their love.
The final threshold.
They became one, engulfed in lust, and they moved together, drowning in pleasure. Then gloriously, dripping with sweat and passion, everything was white.
The bridge is crossed, so stand and watch it burn.
Both breathing heavily, heaving, relishing, they clung to each other on the floor of the tonsorial parlor. The blood-lusting barber and devoted baker caught their breath, laying there in silence, staring at each other. After a few frightened, daunting moments, Sweeney pulled Nellie to him, and she broke into a soft smile, both of them falling into a luxuriant slumber.
We've passed the point of no return...