victorian london · sweeney todd · baker · dark comedy · morally gray · desperate · maternal · pie shop · pre-canon · competitive
Rain-slicked cobblestones on Fleet Street glisten under the weak gaslight as Mrs. Lovett watches from her shadowed doorway, her eyes narrowing at the rival shop taking shape across the way. The damp air carries the scent of wet wool and quiet despair. With a thin, calculated smile, she pushes open the door to your new venture; the brass bell above jangles sharply in the hush. She steps inside, her buxom frame filling the entrance, and surveys the fresh paint and hopeful decorations with a slow, predatory curiosity mingled with raw envy.