Unsuspected Evil

Chapter 4: Kettle

In the morning.

"You're late," Lord Ciel scolded as his butler rudely awoke him (rather noisily) by bringing the tray of morning tea and the newspaper for his pre-breakfast. "You're never this late waking me what's wrong with you?"

'Empathetic as ever,' Sebastian thought, holding back the urge to roll his eyes. He knew he was late, there was no need for his master to rub it in, Sebastian was already fuming with himself for getting carried away the night prior. He was dreading telling his master, what would he think of him having a job on the side? Quite honestly, the demon didn't care about the child's opinion, yet he was indeed a butler, and unfortunately a butler's job is to care what his master thinks.

"I am indeed late my lord," he replied, tipping the teapot over his master's teacup in order to pour out the black tea within, a sigh escaping him. "I must confess that I was not here at the manor for the entire evening."

Ciel, who had been slumped idly onto his pillows, suddenly jolted upwards in surprise, coughing and spluttering.

"What the bloody hell do you mean you weren't here for the entire night?!" he screeched, his marked blue eye seeming to glow ever so slightly as he yelled.

"My curiosity about the barber from the newspaper peaked. I couldn't resist seeing if he was all the rage like it said," he admitted, hands cupping around the teacup and saucer as he slowly walked to his master's bedside. "You abandoned your post, just to see a bloody barber that didn't even give you a shave?" the young lord cried angrily, snatching the tea from Sebastian, to which the man audibly gasped and the tea visibly sloshed. "You are to follow my orders, and you are to stay here, you know that! Certainly not gallivant off on your own accord!"

"It was an impulse, master." he explained in monotone, turning away in order to reach for the morning paper, to which he briefly skimmed over the first page. "I do not get any habitually, but as soon as I saw the name 'Fleet Street', I could not shake off the interest. I merely followed the curious instincts, naturally."

The boy humphed and gulped down the hot tea, grabbing the newspaper in the same grumpy manner he had received the tea with before. "Then are you saying you were investigating the place?" he suddenly said in a small voice, like he was almost disappointed that he was no longer angry with his butler anymore.

"I suppose so, my lord. As soon as I was there on that street I sensed something was decidedly... off. I have managed to acquire some night work at an emporium on that very street, it should aid me to understand just what exactly is pulling me there." Sebastian told his master, who was staring into the sheets of paper and ink once more, paper in one hand, tea in the other, but murmured to ensure he was listening. "But of course, I shall manage to fulfill my usual duties as your butler, my lord, nothing will change there. And as I am in no need of sleep, I may as well use the time to investigate each evening."

The young boy nodded, "Yes. You shall inform me each morning you awake me of what you have observed, if anything is indeed out of the ordinary."

Sebastian gave a nod of his head, placing a gloved hand on his heart, "Yes, my lord."

Just before dusk, Sebastian arrived at Mrs Lovett's Meat Pie Emporium, he was slightly earlier than she'd asked him to be in order to show that he was keen (and that he really did have plenty of time to spare). He looked over the tables before strutting further into the establishment, eyes widening. It seemed Mrs Lovett desperately did need the extra assistance, for the place appeared busier than the night before, if that was even possible.

She was behind the counter, strands of red curls fell in front of her eyes as she pressed her gloved palms into the pastry on the counter beneath it, in order to flatten and shape each pre-pie to her liking. She paused for a moment, hands still on the cold pastry, letting an exhausted breath escape her as she glanced up, through the glass of her murky windows ahead. Her brown eyes caught the approaching butler she'd met the night prior, to which relief flooded her. She had half expected him to not even turn up, given the introduction he'd had with the obnoxious, brooding barber who was restlessly pacing over the creaking floorboards above her. Those sounds above her always ensured she couldn't forget about him, even though the man was totally oblivious to her feelings, he was subconsciously able to keep her under his thumb, and therefore he was always on her mind most of the time.

Her eyes flickered up to the ceiling, a heartfelt sigh wheezed out of her, and even when the door of the shop opened she didn't break out of her faraway trance. "Miss Lovett?" Sebastian addressed, frowning at her longingly gazing up towards the ceiling. He was quite amused really, to think she was looking in admiration at an inanimate object, despite knowing whom she was truly thinking of. He repeated her name as he then stood on the opposite side of the counter, right before her, biting his bottom lip to stop himself from chuckling. "Oh!" Eleanor replied, blinking several times as she looked back down at her hands on the cold pastry, utterly bemused. "Sorry Mr Michaelis. I was well away there, y'always seem to catch me in a moment!" She let out a chuckle, her cheerfulness from the night before returning as she dusted her hands together and placed them on her hips.

Sebastian shook his head and gestured towards her. "Oh it's quite alright, Miss." he said assuredly, shedding his tailcoat, quickly folding it over his arm in a rather neat fashion. "What would you like me to do first?" She smiled at his enthusiasm, and then the door burst open again, to which both of them turned their gazes. A small brunette boy, no more than ten or eleven, stood, holding soiled trays and tumblers piled up higher than the poor lad's head. Sebastian raised his brows, noticing the boy wobbling noticeably as he took a few steps forward. The butler's eyes narrowed and he rolled up his shirt's sleeves in haste, swiftly managing to snatch the toppling tower of dirty plates and assorted instruments before the kid dropped anything. The boy wore a silent shocked expression and Mrs Lovett gasped, covering her mouth with her floury-gloved hand. She had never seen anyone move so fast in her life!

The young boy blinked in shock, but then cautiously looked up to the tall, dark stranger in front of him.

Mrs Lovett was the one to finally break the silence, of course.

" 'Ello there Toby!" she exclaimed, she was definitely more cheerful as she talked to the boy, and her demeanour was more motherly than Sebastian had ever seen anyone before. "See ya met our new employee there! That's Mr Michaelis, 'e's gonna be 'elpin' us out for a while." The boy warily dared to look up further to study Sebastian's peculiar eyes, and he shivered at the unnatural colour of them. "Oh c'mon love! There's no need to be frightened of 'im! Say 'ello!" she encouraged, her hands on her hips once again as she rolled her eyes.

" 'Ello sir." he greeted, the little cheery voice not matching the curiosity in his terrified eyes or his vigorously shaking hands. "Pleased t'meetcha."

Sebastian gave him a reassuring smile, one the boy had not expected as the man's black hair and slim figure had reminded him too much of the intimidating (and still ever pacing) barber above. "Nice to meet you too, Toby." he replied lightly, nodding to him before he turned away to place the pile into the sink. The boy stayed in the doorway, eyeing the man in interest due to the fact he had been so polite to him. Mrs Lovett smiled at him, placing her few finished pie bases onto a tray on the left of the table. She then brushed her palms together, and made her way over to the lad, glancing back at her new employee. "Jus' gonna go fetch the kettle from Mr T upstairs, seein' as mine's buggered. Otherwise we won't be able t'wash anythin' will we?" she said in that airy voice, twirling a lock of her red hair nervously around her forefinger. The boy's eyes widened as she'd already pushed by him to open the door. Sebastian frowned in confusion at her rash actions, but then realised the woman was probably desperate for any excuse to see the man upstairs no matter what the reason was. "Be a dear and see t'the customers," she said to the two of them, but mostly to Sebastian, her body half-in and half-out of the door. He supposed he could manage, he was one hell of a butler after all, and the boy seemed bearable for company, he supposed. "I shan't be long," she added, winking as Toby turned hurriedly toward the door - which then slammed.

The woman smiled cheerfully as she walked through the masses of overly-joyous customers on the benches outside, a few of them toasting up their ales as she scuttled by. 'Drink'll always make 'em oblivious t'what they're really eatin'...' she thought, her smile developing into a proudly sadistic smirk as she reached the bottom of her favourite grim stairs. Despite the fact the stairs always made her out of breath going up, she found it was always worth it once she reached the top.

She hitched up the skirts of her rather tightly-hugging dress, in order to be able to march up each creaking stair, her boots heavily clacking with each stride she took. As she reached the landing at the top she gripped the wooden banister, gasping to catch her breath for a moment. After she composed herself, she let out a heavy sigh and straightened out the front of her dress. Without the usual nagging from her conscience to turn back around, she confidently pushed open the barber's door, the bell signalling that she had entered.

She stood for a moment in silence as the door slammed behind her, drinking in his pacing presence. He didn't acknowledge her, just kept on insistently striding rhythmically from the window to the opposite wall. He was usually sat in his chair at this time, or at very most stood staring emptily out to the ashen skyline of London's smoking chimneys and dreary architecture, awaiting his welcome prey - sorry, customers. The man was normally ever so predictable, but she'd been surprised at how active he'd been ever since dusk had been approaching. Yet still he had predictably not noticed or rather ignored his landlady's presence. His empty gaze still had her mesmerised, the grief had tainted his eyes plainly, they were so dark in fact that most people would probably feel uncomfortable had he been staring at them...

Yet Eleanor Lovett would give anything to have those vacant, obsidian eyes stare into hers, even if it was just once.

Seeing as Mr Todd was acting in an unusual manner, she made sure that she was to be unpredictable too. "Mind if I borrow ya kettle Mr T?" she asked, hands flying to her hips again in that classic pose as she looked over his room - the striped walls were still peeled and scratched, she swore it had gotten worse ever since the barber had moved in. He actually paused at her words and scowled, probably due to the fact her question was so practical rather than one that was rhetorical. He stood lifelessly, dropping his sight to the aged floorboards beneath his feet.

" 'S just 'cause the handle's fallen off mine, daren't use it 'cause I'd get burnt 'o course!" she continued, chuckling. "An' I can't well go without one, given 'ow busy I am downstairs, can I?" His gaze lifted and he laid his eyes to the right of her, but he could still see her clearly in his peripheral vision, not that she knew. He let out an 'mmm' in reply, to which she couldn't resist smiling - well, he was acknowledging her existence or the sound of her voice at least.

Without hesitation, she strutted past him, to the corner where the stove was. Her actions caught his attention and his eyes narrowed, yet he did not turn to stop her, only slightly shifted to bore his eyes out of the window. She lifted up the kettle with ease and caught a glimpse of tiny dents on the rounded metal. She frowned, blinking in thought of how such marks could occur. Shaking off the wonder, she told herself that at least it was fully functioning unlike her own. As she started to turn she gasped, her hands going limp from shock. The kettle struck the floorboards with a dense thud, rolling to a grazed halt at the foot of the infamous barber chair. Mr Todd was stood right in front of her, closer than she'd ever recalled the man being to her. She'd not even noticed him moving... Unfamiliar with his close proximity, she lost all confidence and began to wring her hands noticeably, instantly avoiding the eyes she so wanted to look into. But right now she didn't know how to - she was a smidgen afraid. He glowered at her, whether she was looking at him or not, he did not care. "I see your new assistant has started work," Mr Todd began in a harsh tone, almost as if he was mocking her. She looked to the left of his shoulder, nodding. "He seems keen," he added lowly, slowly and subtly gesturing out of the window (which overlooked the busy customers in the courtyard that were being hastily served to-and-fro by Sebastian). "What's wrong with the man?" For once Eleanor dropped her fear, huffed in annoyance and challenged his ink-like eyes with her own hazel ones, yet still they flickered as her heart began to race like she had a sugar rush. "Nothin's wrong Mr T. 'Cause believe it or not, there are polite people left in this world, who even go as far to bloody care for people who aren't even immediate family!" she snapped, suddenly gasping and cupping her hands over her mouth as she cursed her unusually short temper. He raised a single dark brow at her, in what seemed like a rather played down surprise. He understood that it was a dig at him, at his grief, but he didn't care how she felt about that or the vengeance he aimed to complete, and he most certainly didn't feel grateful for having her. He thought the woman was just as in sin as he was at this point, so much in fact, that the reason she was doing so much for him was clearly not just because she was being polite towards her recently moved in tenant.

"I d-do apologize Mr T!" she whispered, a fierce red coating her cheeks as she wore an ashamed look and stared at her feet. "Do 'scuse me short temper. I've been workin' all day - "

Mr Todd humphed, but it almost sounded like a snide sneer. "Y'never complained before." he stated emptily, not giving away any scrap of his true feelings on the matter as he rotated away from her to glare murderously down through the window at the butler, who was conscientiously set to his job, never once taking a moment to stop for a breather. His work was seemingly effortless. Something Mr Todd didn't like to see.

It was like Mr Michaelis was indirectly mocking him, even without knowing or trying. He couldn't place his finger on why, yet he knew he wanted rid of the man, sooner rather than later. And the way the butler had kept looking at him the night before, so smugly, and oh, how he'd looked at Mrs Lovett - that was something he positively despised considering the two of them had just met.

'What do you care? If he wants to take advantage of the woman, it is none of your concern,' he thought to himself, as Mrs Lovett rambled on about how she could make her mistake up to him. 'But it is. It is if that sack-of-smug-smiles is going to be a permanent addition. He is bound to find out that Mrs Lovett and I - ' He shuddered. ' - are partners-in-crime at some point.'

" - I'll make sure t'bring ya some gin up t'night, love. 'Stead 'o you comin' down the stairs later, 'ow's that?" she finished, frowning when he was obviously lost in thought again. "Mr T? You listenin' t'me?"

"Yes," he replied in a guttural tone. "Of course." Of course he was listening when there was gin involved. It was the only distraction from his grief, and the only thing that truly calmed his nerves. "That settles it then, love." she said with a smile, happy he didn't seem to be bothered by her previous remarks . "I'd better get back downstairs, see 'ow the boys are gettin' on."

'Ugh. "The boys", she even already has a nickname for them... It's sickening.'

The woman sighed and walked by him, something she habitually did. He usually thought nothing of it, but this action suddenly really irritated him. She gave out a silent gasp of air as she bent over (quite a way forward due to the density of her dress on her aching bones) as she reached the chair behind him, stretching an arm down to grab the kettle she'd actually come for, which rested on the floor at the foot of the seat. As she did this, he twisted around to glare at her, only just managing to mask the breath that caught in his throat as he looked at her. The sight of her leaning over in the low-cut dress had been one of misfortunate surprise for the barber, because he regularly ignored her advances - but this time she had his undivided attention. Perhaps because she hadn't even intended to have an audience.

His eyes widened as a sharp sensation tingled from the tips of his fingers, then flooded through the rest of his entire corpse like an army of venom-tipped needles had been thrown into him. His nerves were tense and he clenched his jaw, squeezing his eyes shut in order to shake away the feeling of temptation picking away at him. His breaths became harsh ragged, to which Mrs Lovett soon became aware of his change in character. She frowned, clutching the kettle as she carefully stepped back up to her usual position. She risked a glance up at him, and he was staring straight back at her intensely, hollow exhales that escaped him making her blink in astonishment. Was he having another episode of lunacy? God, not now, that's all she needed. "Love..." she breathed out in concern, both arms wrapping around the kettle. "Are you alright?" Their eyes didn't leave one another, Mr Todd's mouth opening and closing, as if he was attempting to get words out but his mind wouldn't let him. Instead he took a step forward, still in silence as he gave up trying to talk to her, and took his eyes down from her eyes in order to slowly study her, like he had never seen another human being in his life. At this, Mrs Lovett was confused, because it appeared like the man had truly indeed lost his marbles, that was... until his eyes lingered for just a little too long on her chest where she held the kettle, or rather had pressed it against. She suddenly changed her mind about the man having another one of his psychotic episodes...

She knew exactly what it was now...

But, no... surely she couldn't have caught his attention?! Not in that way surely...

"Mrs Lovett..." he spoke, ever so quietly that it was barely over a whisper. She felt heat surge through her at his husky voice and the way he was looking at her, sweat already clinging to the back of her dress. "Mr T?" she whispered back, unsure of how to answer him, or how to act - he was clearly lustful, the eyes told her that much, but for what? Bloodlust? Or... something else? What the hell was it? She had no clue, yet still that blazing outbreak of excitement mixed with the torrid adrenaline made her flush as her aches seemed to vanish, and her nerves seemed more alive than they ever were before.

As the two of them stood, visibly engrossed in one another, one of them waiting for the other to make a move or at least decide on what was to happen, there came a hurry of footsteps on the stairs outside. The two of them heard clearly, but couldn't seem to tear away from one another. Someone suddenly barged in the door, letting the door slam after them.

"Miss Lovett! I am afraid we seem to be out of p - "

It was Sebastian. And he could already sense the awkwardness that the room's other two occupants were feeling as they were stood directly in front of one another, both breathing heavily and visually glued to each other's eyes.

He stopped, but watched the two of them with a smirk. They looked like utter idiots, yet it was as clear as day to the butler what the two were feeling... although he knew they were holding emotions back. What on earth for? The two of them had no spouses... 'Miss Lovett had already made it clear to me about her feelings for the man, why does she not do something about it?' he thought, only to add, 'Unless she is so sure of how he feels about her - which looking upon this scene, is rather contradictory to what she does believe...'

Mrs Lovett was the first to shake her head our of her trance and turned to face Sebastian with a stunned look (from either why he was there or from whatever had just happened...). "O-Oh." she murmured in a small surprised tone. "I'll be right down dearie..." She quickly dashed over to the door, pushing past Sebastian (who wore a baffled emotion), clinging to the kettle for dear life and once again allowed the door to slam after her quick escape. The barber still let out deep breaths and glared with wide eyes at the floor, he appeared to be aggravated for some reason. 'Well I did interrupt them,' Sebastian thought, 'It was rather inappropriate of me. Although I suppose I am not their butler...' Mr Todd did not acknowledge the man for a moment, just stood there awkwardly. "My apologies for the interference Mr Todd." Sebastian said quietly, placing a gloveless hand over the top of his waistcoat, out of habit more than anything. "It was utterly ignorant." The barber humphed and waved a hand at him in silent dismissal. "Apology accepted," he replied sternly, sending a now seething glare to the dapper man who looked unfazed despite the fact he'd been rushing around downstairs the entirety of the time that the barber and the baker had been up there. "So long as you stay away from her." The butler frowned at him, surprised at his words. "You are not to discuss this with her, understand?" Although the man's terms were ridiculous (by stay away, he presumed not literally as she was his boss of course), the butler reluctantly agreed, "Very well."

The butler, feeling out of place, decided to exit the room immediately, seeing as the man distinctly gave off the feeling of hatred towards him. As the bell rang out as the door opened, Mr Todd sneered.

"And it's Mrs Lovett, son." he spat, eyes burning a hole in the back of Sebastian's skull. "Not Miss."

The butler's eyes narrowed.

The door slammed and he was gone.

A/N Thanks for reading this far. I don't know why I'm writing so much but it's just pouring out now xD I really want to carry this on, regardless of if anyone likes it or not. I have so much planned because I feel like there's so much potential with this cross-over. Anyway, let me know if you enjoyed (and whether you like the longer chapters) because I assure you there's a hell of a lot more to come! Thanks again :)