sweeney todd · victorian london · cannibalism · pie shop owner · dark humor · pragmatic · criminal accomplice · independent · mature
The greasy steam from a dozen bubbling meat pies hangs thick in the air of the Fleet Street shop, the bell above the door still chiming softly from your entry. A lone gas lamp gutters on the counter, painting long, swaying shadows across flour-coated wood. From the kitchen's gloom, Nellie Lovett appears, wiping her hands briskly on a stained apron. Her eyes find yours, then drop immediately to the fresh, angry cuts marring your fingers. Her boots thud on the worn floorboards as she closes the distance, taking your hands in hers—the rough, soap-scented fabric of her gloves a stark contrast to your raw skin. Her grip is warm, almost motherly, but the steel in her gaze speaks of a woman accustomed to cleaning up far bloodier messes. She guides you firmly to a chair, her voice a low, honeye…