Dead Shattered Hearts {Sweeney Todd Fanfiction}

Drunken Fool

"Alright, dear, you just sit down 'ere," Mrs. Lovett spoke as she sat the barber down at a booth that sat in the corner of the shop. Todd fell to the booth and sunk into the leather of the seat. He then rested his head on the wood of the table and let out a grieving sigh. Lovett sighed as well and went to attend work.
It was perhaps two hours from noon and the baker had a small crowd for breakfast. The usual coffee, donuts, biscuits and pastries were asked for and Lovett took no delay to serve. She moved around her shop with ease and every so often her eyes would glance over at the barber; lost in his own mind. He was still down on the table; the same miserable look.
Just as Lovett was comfortable with the breakfast crowd, the young Thomas Pierce entered the shop with a smile.
"G'morning, Mrs. L," Thomas chirped as he closed the door behind him; a little less gentle than last time he met her.
"Hello Thomas, dear," she called back as she sat a glass of black coffee in front of a gentleman. "You're up mighty early."
"...Well I didn't get any sleep so I just stayed up the entire night," Thomas replied as he pulled up a stool in front of the main island with all the cooking utensils.
"No sleep huh? A bad dream?" She asked as she returned to the island.
"I suppose so," Thomas mumbled and looked around the shop; not noticing Todd in the corner of the bakery. "So... need any help?"
Lovett looked around for any easy task and then saw a pile of dough needing to be flattened out. Her face brightened as she pointed to the dough. "Could ya roll the dough, love."
"Of course," Thomas smiled and leaped over to the dough and took the rolling pin in hand.
Lovett watched the youth play with the dough and flour as he began to dash onto his clothing. She then looked back over at Todd; head still on the table and not moving a muscle. She quickly poured another cup of black coffee and made her way to the table Todd resided at.
"...Mr. T?" She whispered as she sat on the opposite of him and sat the cup down on the table. "I brought ya a coffee to wake you up a bit."
He only mumbled in response; it didn't even sound like any words she knew. He then brought up his head, but kept his eyes lowered at the table. His left hand then reached up and pulled the cup closer to him.
Lovett watched him do so and saw the same red scars on the surface of his palm. She sighed as she watched him take a sip and cough and little.
"You alright?"
He only nodded in response. She could tell that was a lie, but she let it pass. At this point she could no longer tell what he was grieving about. The fact he killed his Lucy; the fact Lucy isn't in this world; the fact he's stuck in his world with the woman who lied to him; or the fact everyone thinks he's some deranged murderer and he's too oblivious to see their help.
"Mrs. Lovett!" Thomas then called from the other side of the bakery. "The dough's all flattened, what next?"
Lovett glanced over at Thomas at the island and smiled. "I'll be over in a minute, love," she called back and looked to Todd. "Alright, dear. Work is calling, you just drink that up, got it?"
He again nodded and watched her leave.
Lovett paced over to the island and saw Thomas had done a sufficient job. "Good job, lad. Now I was thinking what to make with the dough... what do you think?" Lovett asked as she sprinkled a little more flour on the dough.
Thomas thought for a moment and then his face just brightened up. "How bout cookies? Got any cookie cutters?" He asked with a huge, bright smile.
"Cookies huh? I think I have cookie cutters and frosting to decorate them," she replied as she began opening cabinets and drawers. She then came upon the items and set them all out on the island.
Metal cutters in shapes of hearts, men, circles, and diamonds sprawled out on the countertop ready for use. "Alright you start cutting out the dough and pop em on this pan. I'll be back in a moment."
Thomas did as he was told, but his eyes followed the baker scurry off the strange man. Thomas could only see the back of Todd; the wild mangy hair with a white streak running through it. Thomas then looked away with a smile.
Lovett took back her seat across from Todd. Her eyes fell upon the cup of coffee; completely empty.
"...Thanks for the coffee," he mumbled. She could barely understand his words, but she got the message.
"No problem, love. Anything else?"
He shook his head in response, but then stopped and opened his mouth. "Any chance... you have a bottle of gin?" He asked with a little smile.
She smiled back and got up from her seat. "I'll bring one right out," she replied to went off to work.
Thomas watched her return as he began setting uncooked dough on the metal pan. "Mrs. L... who's the man?" He softly whispered as his eyes glanced over at Todd.
"Oh... just a man I use to work with," she replied as she helped Thomas set the cut cookies on the pan.
"What's he like?"
"Stubborn," she quickly responded with a smile. "But he's got his moments," she added. "Now, let's pop these in the oven and let em bake." She then placed the pan in the oven with a burning flame inside. Her eyes caught the flame and chill raced down her spine. She quickly closed the door and dusted her dress away from any flour; Thomas did the same.
"...Can I talk to him?" Thomas strangely asked. Lovett sent him a suspicious look and glanced over at Todd.
"I'm not really sure that's a good idea... he's not in his best of moods," Lovett answered. "Why are you all of a sudden interested in him? He's just another recently decease."
"...Oh, well I... read his file. He's London's notorious homicidal maniac," Thomas answered; his eyes still on Todd. Lovett only gave him a look.
"Mr. Travis let me. I've read several files, but his... his is different. Unique," he mumbled.
Lovett found this odd. A kid in his teens fascinated by a 41 year old serial killer. And why would Thomas even be reading other people's files, then again he's just a kid; he's gotta find some use of entertainment.
"He's different alright," she added with a smile and brushed her hair behind her ear and sighed. "Well, you wait on the cookies and once they're ready we'll decorate em, got it?"
"Got it, Mrs. L. Anything I can do while I wait?"
Lovett looked around her shop for a task, then found one. She reached into her apron pocket and pulled out a few coins. "Run to a nearby shop and buy me some more flour. Think you can handle that, love?"
"I can handle it," Thomas replied with a smile and happily took the coins and darted out of the bakery. It wasn't only a task needed to be done, but Lovett felt she needed the boy out from under her feet. She watched him leave and the second he was out of sight, she walked on over back to the barber.
The gin bottle was halfway empty and Todd was playing around with the bottle; tossing it from his left hand to his right hand.
"How do you cope with it all so well?" He all of a sudden asked. His subtle voice catching her off guard.
"Excuse me, love?" She asked as she took a seat across from him.
"...How do you cope with it all so well?" He repeated; his eyes still glued to the bottle. He then took another swig from the bottle and forced it down his throat with ease. "I don't understand... you act like death doesn't exist, as if nothing has changed. None of this has affected you... how? Then again you didn't lose anything. Your heart's content is this bakery... you had one then and you have one now."
She only listened to his subtle voice. True the bakery was a pride and joy, but that's not the only thing she didn't lose. Her true heart's content was sitting right in front of her. The mess of a man was her pride and joy. If she did lose him, then she'd be drinking her sorrows away like he is.
"And ya had to say goodbye to your life in an instance. No choice. It just happened without your say." He added in a mumble and took another sip of the gin.
"Because it was your choice." The second that slipped out of her mouth she immediately regretted it.
"Excuse me?" He asked in a louder time than his usual mumble. His head finally shot up and his eyes met Lovett's. He heard the first time, but he wanted her to repeat the truth; let the heinous truth hit him one more time.
"Nothing," she quickly answered; not daring to repeat herself.
His head then went back down; his sunken eyes returning to the bottle.
It went silent for a moment. She watched him and he continued downing his griefs.
Todd then drank the last of the beverage and slammed the bottle down onto the table. "Another...," he broke the silence.
She gave him a concerned look.
He saw this look and sighed. "Please," he softly added.
She wasn't in any mood to get in an argument with him and so went and fetched another bottle. She knew this was bound to happen. The tragedy, the change, the sorrow would all catch up to him and his only relief was held in a glass bottle of gin.
Sweeney Todd was in a state of misery. He always had been, but now the realization was truly kicking in and destroying him from the inside-out. These psychiatrist sessions weren't going to help, a nice bottle of gin wasn't going to help, then what the hell could help? Or who the hell could help? The answer was obvious for both her and him, but it was only him who didn't want to turn to that answer.
She then returned with another bottle.
•
~Lunch Hour~
•
The rush hour of lunch returned as hectic as always. Todd strangely stayed in the shop; never once returned to the darkness despair other known as his room. He stayed seated at the booth alone in the corner of the bakery.
Bottle after bottle.
Lovett was too busy to even notice the drunken man fooling around at the booth. Her eyes were on the customers, the orders, the hassle. With the help of young Thomas Pierce, the lunch hour rush wasn't as bad as last time. A few pastries here and there. A cup of ale and water here and there. Every thing ran smoothly.
Her eyes would occasionally glance over at the barber, but she could only see the back of him. She didn't even have a second the run over to him and ask how he was holding up. Todd found his own way around the shop and how to fetch the gin bottles; Lovett never even noticed.
"Mrs. L we need more crescents!" Thomas called as he took up some orders.
"On it, love," she replied as she served a cup of ale. "Thomas, dear, coffee for the gentleman," she added.
"Got it, ma'am."
As hectic as it all was, they ran like a well oiled machine.
Todd then got off his feet for another bottle of gin, but he wasn't as balanced as before. He tripped over himself several times; ran into the wall; bumped into tables; he was a complete train wreck. He hummed a tune pretty loud; a tune he use to sing to his Johanna. His untamed actions attracted everyone's attention; including Lovett's. She set a tray of hot crescents down on the counter and ran to tend to Todd.
His bloodshot eyes; exhausted expression; unbalanced motions explained everything.
He was drunk.
Lovett quickly rushed to him and gave Thomas a look to man the shop while she's busy.
"...Mr. T... you alright, dear?" She softly spoke; knowing better to not shout.
His head twisted to face her. He stopped humming and trucked into another table. Lovett quickly acted and repositioned the table. "Love, go sit back down, please."
He shook his head vigorously.
"What are you up doing anyways?"
He swayed back and forth as he pointed over to booth he was seat at; at least five empty bottles sat on the table.
"Mr. Todd, c'mon ya know better than that. You can't drink away your grief, you're smarter than that," she replied in a stressful sigh.
"No, I'm not drinking away my grief," he mimicked Lovett's tone and crossed his arms. "I want another bottle," he bitched.
"No and you don't even 'ave the money for one," she replied. "Please, love, just sit back down."
He shook his head again and moaned. "Fine, I'll just leave," he griped and started for the door. She knew with the condition he was in, he wouldn't get far; especially with not starting some random fight and actually ending up in jail.
"...At least let me walk ya to your room, just so ya don't end up doing something you'll regret," she replied; hoping he'll agree.
He then nodded his head and continued for the door. Lovett quickly followed; helping him through the crammed shop. Once they reached the door and open space, Lovett looked back into her shop and spied Thomas.
"Thomas, dear, I have to go for just a few minutes, you mind running the shop 'till I get back?" She called.
"I don't mind at all," he called back with a smile while serving a man a black coffee. Lovett smiled back and went back to helping the drunken fool. Only when she turned back, that drunken fool wasn't there. Where the hell could he of gone in such a short amount of time?
Her eyes rapidly searched everywhere. Gone. "Mr. T?" She called; knowing he wouldn't usually respond. That's when she noticed a loud bar just down the pathway. The stench of alcohol evaded the premises. She sighed and could only imagine that's where Todd wandered off to. She quickly paced over to the bar as her eyes glanced into the windows of the place. Sure enough, there she saw the drunken fool staggering inside. She sighed greatly and quickly went to drag him out.
She pushed the doors and entered a dark, dungeon-like room with an intoxicating smell.
"Mr. Todd!" She called as she marched over to him and took immediate grip on his arm. "You shouldn't be in 'ere," she added as she turned him around to see his eyes. His dark, colorless eyes.
"I just wanted another drink," he scoffed and pulled away from her grip.
"With what money?"
He only rolled his eyes and began his way to out of the bar. He stuffed his hands in his pockets as Lovett chased after him.
"Look, Mr. T, you're drunk, ok?" She quickly exclaimed as she walked along his side.
"So?"
"You barley know what's going on around ya," she answered. "Just go to your room and sleep it off, please? I don't want Mr. Travis to actually put you in jail."
"Ok ok ok I get it, gees, and stop yelling," he hissed; even though she wasn't yelling. He walked down the hall that would soon led to the main staircase that ran to the first level.
She sighed again and continued to walk by his side.
Both of them were silent. His eyes sharp on his surroundings; her eyes locked on him. Todd looked around the second level. How the people mocked the real world with their stores and shops and restaurants. How they all carried on as if the life they knew before didn't exist. He didn't understand. How can someone throw away the past? How? How?! The people have moved on; pushed their heinous pasts in the back of their minds; continuing to act like they're living; breathing; and content with the presence.
In his mind, this was all sick. It was all disturbing. He continued walking; his eyes lowered to the ground as kicked at the ground.
A good five minutes have passed and Todd returned to the room that was under his rightful name. His eyes shot up the plaque above his door.
Benjamin Xavier Barker.
The plaque read. Todd thought he had fixed that. He'll just have to fix it again. Lovett followed him inside the room that was unlocked.
"You'll be ok?" She asked as she watched him light some of the candles.
"Yes, Mrs. Lovett, I'm not a child," he muttered as he lit the last candle that sat on the vanity.
"Just get some sleep, please?" She replied and leaned on the doorframe. "If ya need me I'll be up in the shop, but for now just stay 'ere, please."
"I get it, I get it," he hissed and looked up at her. "You can leave now." His eyes were sharp and deadly.
She couldn't help but sigh and follow his command. There she left and closed the door behind her.
Todd watched her leave and crossed his arms. He also sighed and walked over to the broken mirror above the vanity. The broken reflection. He grinned at his reflection.
"Damn you're drunk," he mumbled under his breath and shifted to his bed. The blankets and comforter were mangled across the bed with even a few faint blood stains here and there. He didn't mind. He fell to the mattress, his weight pushing the mattress to the floor. He tugged the gray sheets over his body and sighed. "Prepare for a bloody hangover," he mumbled to himself as he gently closed his eyes and sighed even more.
•
•
two hours later
•
•
The door opened. Gently; softly; quietly. The door didn't creak not even her footsteps made a sound. She casually walked in as she clasped her index finger and thumb on the flames of some candles; leaving only one lit.
The only light now in the room was from the one small candle and the light from the main hallway. Her figure casted a shadow across the room. Her eyes then altered over to the man lying on the bed. Bundled in blankets and a pillow over his head; good thing he was already dead or he'd be suffocating.
Her hourglass-like figure then stepped over to the bed and stopped at the side of it.
Her eyes ran down his slim body. So pale. So perfect. Her hand then lifted up and placed upon his forearm. The spider-like hand crawled up his arm; the ruby painted nails scratching up to his head before gently removing the pillow. His expressionless face as his conscious was lost in dreams. He was unaware of her presence.
Her hand then went and reached into her pocket. Her fingers wrapped around the syringe and pulled it out of her pocket.
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cliffhanger! another long chapter.
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