A/N: Thanks to Phish Tacko for her help with this! Go read her stuff!
Ch. 40
It was a Sunday, the one day each week that Mrs. Lovett closed the pie shop.
Sweeney hadn't been feeling well lately, and he'd asked her to watch Emma for a bit.
She'd agreed. But that had been a few hours ago, and she hadn't heard from him at all since then.
She put the little girl down to sleep, and wondered where her tenant had gone. Usually he was in and out of the shop throughout the day, even if it was closed.
Since Emma was asleep, she decided to go investigate. Mrs. Lovett quietly climbed the stairs to Sweeney's shop, but found it to be empty. She then decided to check the room that he and Emma often stayed in. It was off behind the shop, and was just big enough for Sweeney and Emma.
She knocked on the door, but received no answer. Mrs. Lovett waited a moment before opening it.
"Mr. Todd?" She called, looking around.
"Over here..." Came a reply.
Mrs. Lovett followed the sound to Sweeney's bed, where he was sitting, wrapped up in four or five blankets. It was then that Mrs. Lovett noticed how cold it was in the room. The heat must've gone out.
"Mr. Todd! It's freezing in here!" She stated, walking towards him. Upon closer inspection, she could see that he was shivering, despite the blankets.
"I know," He said through clenched teeth.
"Well, why are you being silly and staying in here? Come downstairs and warm up." She grabbed Sweeney's arm and pulled him up. Two of the blankets fell off of his shoulders in the process.
Sweeney wasn't really in the mood to argue, so he followed his landlady out the door.
Once he was inside Mrs. Lovett's parlor, she sat him down on the sofa.
"Emma's sleeping. Let me get you something to keep you warm," She said, walking towards the closet. She pulled out a bright yellow Snuggie with peace signs all over it.
"Here we go."
Sweeney's eye twitched a little as she wrapped the neon garment around him, but damn, it was warm, and it felt good to be a little warmer.
When he felt well enough to talk, Sweeney motioned to the Snuggie. "What's with the paw prints?"
"What paw prints?"
"The ones on this Snuggie monstrosity. Why'd you get one with paw prints?"
Mrs. Lovett looked at Sweeney like he had grown an ironic mustache in under three seconds. "Those are peace signs, Mr. Todd."
Sweeney studied them more carefully. "So they are."
"I think you need to get your eyes checked."
"My eyes are fine, woman," Sweeney replied, scowling.
"I saw you nearly bump into the wall as we left your room. You had a hard time seeing it."
"Did not." Sweeney crossed his arms, as best he could.
"Fine, don't get your eyes checked. Just don't come crying to me when you walk into a wall or fall down or drive your car off a bridge."
"I am NOT going to do any of that," Sweeney huffed.
"Alright, then."
Sweeney wrapped the Snuggie around himself a little tighter and shivered again.
"Still cold, Mr. T?"
"Sorta," He answered softly. He was freezing again.
"I'll get you some warm tea, then. And another blanket."
"Thanks."
Suddenly Sweeney felt bad for yelling at Mrs. Lovett earlier. Here she was, trying to make him comfortable, and he had gone off on her. He made a mental note as she left the room to at least try to be nicer to her in the future.