Bloody Hell just fall in love already!

Throwing Punches

Three days went by that all pretty much consisted of the same exact things: Victoria helping Nellie in the pie shop, Toby trying to find time to see Christine, Johanna and Anthony brainstorming for new match making ideas, Sweeney drinking too much, and honestly not really any interaction between Lovett and Todd whatsoever.

He'd come downstairs to see the kids and she'd go upstairs to carry a few things up every now and then. They'd talk briefly and avoid too much eye contact, and it had been that way since a few nights ago in the closet. Which, by the way, Victoria hasn't let Nellie forget about it since.

"You can't kiss like that and then not talk for three days, that's far too much tension between the two of you. The kind that makes you crazy if you know what I'm getting at." Victoria winked at her cousin Nellie from across the flour covered counter. Nellie merely rolled her eyes at Victoria's drabbling.

"There's no sexual tension, everything is fine. He's fine, I'm fine." Nellie stated blankly, tired of talking about the same old thing over and over again. She grabbed a pile of plates from the counter and placed them into the sink before she began doing the dishes.

Victoria's persistence proved to be quite apparent. "That man is upstairs drinking like a fish and you've been down 'ere cleaning and working your bum off like a maniac! Just go talk to him!"

"We're talking later tonight, we're sharing drinks in the parlour, happy? Now please no more talk of me and Sweeney. At least for the rest of today." Nellie pleaded, making Victoria smile and nod.

"I won't make a peep."

Nellie raised her brows "now that's a change." She thought.

~~

Sweeney Todd knew he'd been drinking more than usual. He was aware of his behavior, and he knew it wasn't a very good thing. Usually he only drank when he was in a really bad mood or if Nellie was drinking too and they'd get drunk together. But lately he's had so much on his mind, and everything going on with Nellie only made things worse. He knew he couldn't have her, that she didn't want to take their relationship any further. It was as if someone put the most wonderful thing in the world in front of him but then told him he could never have it. She was almost worse than the alcohol.

~~

At ten minutes before closing time for the barber shop, Nellie walked in. "Hey love, you closing soon?" She asked with a smile, excited for their pre planned drinking night. It'd be nice to just relax and just talk to Sweeney for a little while.

"Mhm." Was all he mumbled while he stared out of the big window in his shop. She took it as a yes though.

"Alright darling well the pie shop is very busy tonight so I'm afraid drinks will have to start an hour later than as planned." Guilt instantly came over the barber. He completely forgot that they planned to have drinks tonight, he was already drunk. If Nellie noticed she'd probably get pissed off about it, but he wasn't going to lie to her and pretend to be sober.

"It's fine." He replied dryly and finally turned around from the window to look at her. God, she was gorgeous. She was wearing a black dress that complimented her curves perfectly. It was short sleeved, with black lace at her chest. Her dark red hair and blood red lips stood out even more than usual due to the black dress and her pale skin. It was like looking at a painting, a beautiful, magical piece of art.

Usually he'd look around at other things in the room to distract himself from her, but the alcohol in his system wasn't making him think clearly. He wanted her, her and nothing else. All he could think about right now was a few days ago in the closet when he kissed her, or out in the rain a few months ago. How wonderfully her perfect lips moved with his, how warm she was, that familiar scent of vanilla.