She couldn't read him, not at all. She tried searching for some kind of reaction in his eyes but there was nothing there. Just a cold blank stare that looked deep into her soul, pained and hurt. Edward was left without words, as if his tongue had gone numb with Nellies confession.
The pair of them were sat on the edge of her bed. They had been in her bedroom for about half and hour now talking or listening for Edwards sake. She had finally told him the truth. Had said she was in love with Sweeney and that she had been seeing him secretly for over a month now. Had apologised over and over for her breaking their trust and being disloyal to him.
Of course she had been careful with her words. Had tried her best to avoid any details of her relationship with Sweeney that might hurt him. All Mrs Lovett had said was that she loved the barber and that she couldn't go along pretending she didn't anymore.
Edwards gaze had fallen to the floor. He didn't expect this, not at all. He also wasn't going to allow this....
"Say something love" she whispered reaching her hand out to his and giving it a tight squeeze. He didn't respond straight away just simply glanced sadly at her hand in his.
"I love you Eleanore" he answered simply, his throat dry and raw.
Closing her eyes at the guilt she held back the tears that sprung to her eyes. She hated what she had done to him. Lied and cheated pretending they were still an item when really they never were. She just didn't want to hurt him this whole time and yet it seemed that it only made this far worse.
Looking at her slowly Edward placed his free hand over their joint hands. "I wanted you to be my wife" he whispered to which she slowly opened her eyes to look at him. Her brown eyes were full of guilt and sadness and as soon as a tear escaped her eye and began to roll down her cheek Edward was quick to gently wipe it away.
"I'm sorry" her bottom lip quivered and her heart bled for him. She never wanted this to happen. She never expected a proposal from him either.
Still stroking her cheek with his thumb softly he felt his jaw clicking slightly at the thought of the barber having her. Did she know the truth about him? Did she know the disgusting secrets he had to hide?
"He's a murderer" the words just stumbled for his lips.
Her eyes widen ever so subtly hearing him say that. Her heart raced in fear and her nerves began to kick in. Did he know about Mr Todd? Did he know this all along?
"I had a friend of mine look into Mr Todd...." Edward began only to be cut off quickly.
"You got someone to spy?!" She all but gasped jumping from the bed and from him in shock.
"Yes I did! I had a bad feeling about him and wanted him well away from you!" Edward barked back eyes like fire and face turning redder with rage as he looked up at her. She wondered how long it would be until he started to yell and throw a fit.
"It turns out that most customers that visit Mr Todd's parlour don't return...can you explain that to me?" He watched closely for a reaction and seeing the nervous way she fiddled with the ends of her red hair he could tell she was guilty too.
"He has you under his control Eleanore, this isn't you! Has he blackmailed you in some way?" He asked.
"No"
"But you know about this?" He continued to question this time standing up and looking at her as if to try and read the lies painted across her beautiful face. She didn't know what to do as of now she felt at a loss of words.
"Yes" she whispered gulping as he narrowed his eyes on her.
"He has some hold over you, that bastard is going to get what's coming to him" he threatened eyes hard and angered to which Nellie shook her head quickly in worry "no he hasn't I helped him Edward!"
Grabbing her by the shoulders Edward forced her into her wardrobe which conveniently was open. "W-what a-are ya doiingg!!" She cried out as he slammed the doors to her wardrobe in her face ignoring her while she banged her fists against the woodwork.
"I'm doing this for you Nellie, you can't love him! I know you to well and I will sort this my way!" With that he picked up a hanger of hers off her bed and wedged it between the door handles locking her inside with all her dresses in the pitch black.
"EDWARD!!!!" She yelled only just about seeing him through the tiny gap in the wardrobe. "GET ME OUT OF ERE' NOW!!" She continued to bang her hands against the doors in anger for being trapped in her own bedroom in her bloody wardrobe!
He ignored her and headed out of her bedroom closing the door behind him, only left with her muffled cries not to hurt Sweeney. He simply smiled to himself at that and dug in his pocket to check he had his weapon in there. He smiled at the small pistol and pulled it out to place in the inside of his jacket.....
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The sound of his shop doors bell ringing followed by the loud slam had Sweeney whizzing round from staring out of his window to see who it was. Edwards angers face and clenched fists were enough to tell him that Nellie had told the man finally about the two of them. That thought only had him smirking in Edwards direction....
Edward saw the smug look on the barber and gritted his teeth in fury while quickly pulling up his sleeves. "Right then! Let's settle this as men shall we" he threatened venomously, rolling his sleeves up over his elbows while glaring at Mr Todd.
Smirking at his pathetic attempt to frighten him Sweeney took a few steps forward until he was stood at the back of his chair. "I promised Eleanore I wouldn't hurt you" he answered cleverly, that smirk still playing about his lips as he watched Edward so worked up in a jealous rage.
"YOU don't even deserve to speak her name!" Edward growled.
Raising an eyebrow at this Sweeney pouted his lips before smiling again "I've done more then just speak her name...."
Seeing Edwards disgust made him twist his lips back into a wicked smirk, as the man turned red in anger. This was so much more fun then any victim he had ever killed...
"YOU'VE CHANGED HER! She loved ME when we were together, WE were happy and doing so well with our relationship" Edward shouted.
"So well that Mrs Lovett still seeks the need to warm my bed into the long hours of the evening...." Sweeney continued to jab enjoying playing with Edwards head like this. As cruel as it may be watching the man get angrier and angrier was so entertaining to him.
"I'll kill you" Edward sneered in anger stepping a few feet closer to the barber whilst retrieving the fully loaded pistol. Sweeney's eyes settled on the gun directed at his face. "I'm not going to let you win, she maybe a dumb tart but I'm not losing her to YOU" sweat began to appear on his Edwards forehead and his eyes were so angry that Sweeney was surprised he hadn't already pulled the trigger.
"Dumb tart?" Sweeney repeated, the awful words about Mrs Lovett really upsetting him. "I think you'll find that Mrs Lovett is one of the smartest women you will ever meet" Sweeney added and with one quick move of his arm he sent the pistol flying across the room.
Growling in response Edward punched Sweeney clear around the jaw causing him to stumbled back. Fighting him back Sweeney lunged at him, punching him back around the face until the pair of them began attacking each other with different blows to the face and stomach. Blood seeped from both Sweeney and Edwards face by now as they beat one another up. There was no mercy, just compete ruthlessness.
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Huffing when he walked into the pie shop Toby felt annoyed. Annoyed that he had walked all the way to the market and it wasn't even open. Why, he had no idea but the fact he had to come straight back was really frustrating.
Closing the shop door he heard loud thumbs coming from above. Loud noises of things crashing and smashing against the floor which made him wonder if his mum was up there chucking things at Mr Todd.
However he noticed the muffled sound of cries coming from his mums room. He didn't waste a second before rushing over to her bedroom door hearing her yelling for Edward or Sweeney.
"MUM!" Toby shouted through the door before quickly opening it up only for her to be no where in sight. He looked around frantically hearing her calling for him from the....wardrobe?
Shocked that she had been trapped in there Toby was fast to help her out. He removed the wedged hanger and pulled open the doors to which Nellie stumbled out frantically.
Batting out her skirts she covered her hand over her chest as her heart raced so quickly "Thank God your back! Wait ere and don't come upstairs" she breathed rushing out only for Toby to frown "But Mum what's goin..."
"Stay ere! Ya hear me!" She warned before rushing out of the room leaving a rather dumbfounded Toby just standing in her bedroom.
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Gasping for breath as Edward was currently holding him down to the floor by his neck Sweeney found himself unable to push him off. He was strangling him! Edwards face was red in anger and his eyes showed no mercy as he strangled Sweeney harder around the neck.
"Where did you hide all the bodies Mr Todd huh?" Edward hissed through his teeth hitting Sweeney's head against the floorboard with a painful crack.
"A-ask Mrs Lovett!" He said with the small amount of breath he had left.
This only angered Edward more. How dare he drag Nellie into something so horrid!
The door to the shop opened suddenly followed my a horrified gasp. "GET YA HANDS OFF HIM!!" Mrs Lovett yelled rushing over to help Sweeney push Edward off. He fought her too and so she grabbed the closet thing she could find and smacked him over the head with it. The small vase smashed into pieces over Edwards head making him black out momentarily, giving Nellie enough time to see to Sweeney.
"My goodness ya poor face" she panicked rushing to him as he gathered back his breath and ran his hands around his sore neck. His face was battered and bruised much like Edwards.
Ignoring Mrs Lovett and her fussing over him Sweeney noticed Edward was regaining back consciousness. "Leave Eleanore" he threatened eyes wandering over to the pistol on the other side of the room. "W-wha..." She was cut of when he pushed her to the side and jumped to his feet causing her to topple to the ground considering she was balancing only on her knees before.
She watched as Edward also stood and gasped as soon as Sweeney picked up the pistols and aimed it in his direction. "SWEENEY NO!" She shouted jumping up herself and rushing over to him. She pulled at his arm begging him to look at her. "Love, please! Look at me don't do this...Sweeney?" She continued to plead tuggin at his arm desperate for those eyes of his to look at her.
His murderous gaze and gritted teeth were staring into Edwards soul. She gulped seeing how angry he was, there was no stopping him when he got like this. "Sweeney put the gun down love Please"
Edward challenged the barber with his eyes only standing there as an easy target almost daring him to shoot just by his eyes. Sweeney felt Mrs Lovett's hand gently stroking the back of his hair her pleads still continuing. He wanted so badly to shoot Edward, his blood thirst had never been so strong. He wanted him dead! Had waited and longed for this moment.
"Sweeney please look at me....look at me" she whispered pulling his face to meet hers.
Now that his eyes had settled on her and only her, he could see the affect this was having. She had tears seeping from her eyes and a look that was so desperate it was like her life depended on it.
"Ya promised me ya wouldn't yet' e'm" she said stroking his cheek to soothe him. He clenched his jaw in frustration as he looked at her. He didn't want to give in but then seeing her this upset he didn't really have a choice.
Glancing back at Edward Sweeney held the mans gaze still considering if he should just end him. Yet knowing Nellie didn't want him to be killed was something he would have to accept.
Very hesitantly he slowly lowered the pistol relieving both Nellie and Edward. "Thank you" she whispered pressing a warm kiss to his cheek and taking the gun from his hand.
The fact she had gotten him to stop was such a big deal to her. Sweeney Todd wasn't a man to be stopped when he didn't want to be, he wasn't someone to listen or take advice. She realised how much he must love her to really sacrifice something he so wanted to do.
Now holding the gun Nellie walked over to Edward. His eyes lingered on her face as she approached him. "Why Nellie" he whispered with such despair. "Why go to him" he added sadly.
She stepped closer cupping his jaw in her hand softly "You know why"
Sweeney saw the lingering love Edwards eyes held as he looked at her. He hated him looking at her like that. He should have just shot the bastard when he had the chance.
"I'm sorry, truly I am for all of this, I never used you Edward....I did generally care about you...." she began only to be cut off.
"I love you Eleanore, no matter what you have done or what you tried to cover up" with that he shot an evil look toward Sweeney who only narrowed his eyes in return.
"Find someone who will love you back, you deserve that" she told him looking into his pained eyes. Cupping her cheek Edward unexpectedly locked their lips together kissing her so suddenly that even Nellie was surprised.
Breaking away from him Nellie gulped seeing Sweeney ready to pounce on him.
Edward also looked at Sweeney and smirked "don't worry Mr Todd that's the last one I promise you" he said angering Sweeney all over again. "And just so you know SWEENEY TODD that I personally won't rest until I see you rotting in jail for the crimes you have committed"
"Edward" Nellie whispered eyes hurt at what he was saying.
"You will get over this silly love affair of yours and then realise what a dangerous man you've ended up with....until then....good day to you both" With that he stormed out of the shop leaving both Sweeney and Nellie watching after him.
Turning round to Sweeney she saw him walking toward her. He grabbed her arm not so gently and walked her toward the door. "Pack your bag, we need to leave"
"What!" She gasped removing her arm from his grip.
"We need to leave now, don't ask questions just pack a bag alright" he said not giving her time to process what he was even saying. Leave her home, leave the place she grew up in? Where would they go? Where would they stay?
"Eleanore" He growled when she didn't budge.
"W-what about Toby" she stuttered nervously.
"Leave him"
"What! No!"
"Then boy is not important! Now pack your bag and hurry" he tried to grab her again only she pushed him away. "I ain't leaving Toby!"
"Eleanore he's not yours!"
"He is too! I'm the only guardian he has!" She snapped at him shocked at how selfish he was begging right now.
Gritting his teeth and running his hand through his hair Sweeney growled to himself. "He'll find someone else! WE need to leave NOW! You hear me! Or do you want to HANG?! Besides I haven't got a clue as to where we will go! We could be sleeping on the street for all I know! do you really want that for him?!" He barked at her to which she didn't flinch just crossed her arms.
Her eyes hardened on him and tears sprung to her eyes. She wasn't going to leave Toby! She would rather die!
"I ain't leavin' withou e'm! If ya don't like that then you can go without me" she spat back to his annoyance! What was this woman so bloody difficult! This was no time to be arguing!
"You're choosing the boy over me?!" He hissed eyes hard and angry much like his temper.
"Toby is to young to be alone, I'm not abandoning him for anyone! Not even you!"
Huffing in aggravation Sweeney looked at her. She wasn't going to let this go, she wasn't going to give in. "Fine, but get him to hurry up"
"Fine" she bit back walking out of his shop and slamming the door behind her as she went.
A/N: well....I'll leave you to comment on that😅 thanks for reading!!