Of Eyes and Purposes

Mrs. Lovett whistled a cheery tune as she bustled up the stairs to Sweeney Todd's barber shop. Her voluminous dress made a loud swishing sound on the creaky stairs, but Nellie didn't mind. The sound would alert Mr. Todd to her presence.

Poor Mr. T, who had lost everything… There was no hope for him now, really.

Reaching the top of the stairs, Mrs. Lovett knocked carefully on the door, trying not to drop the tray she was carrying.

"Come in," came the unenthusiastic response.

Mrs. Lovett entered the shop, looking around. There he was, gazing out the window, as always.

"'Ello, Mr. T," Mrs. Lovett chirped happily.

She was greeted with silence.

However, Mrs. Lovett was used to the silence by now. Her Mr. T was not a very talkative person, not in the least.

"I brough' you some lunch."

Still, no response. Oh well. Even the silent, brooding Mr. Todd couldn't ruin her good mood this afternoon.

"Beau'ful day, innit? The skies are blue, an' bus'ness is boomin'."

Mr. Todd did not turn from the window. He was cleaning his precious razor. Nellie figured he had just 'polished off' another customer.

"Well, love," Mrs. Lovett said, brushing some of the every-present flour off her dress, "I'll leave you alone now. Jus' remember t' eat the food!"

Nellie placed the tray on the modest table next to the innocent-looking chair where Mr. T's customers were given the closest shave they would ever get. She waited in vain for a few seconds, foolishly hoping Mr. Todd would say something to her, anything. He didn't. Still, Mrs. Lovett wasn't discouraged. Today, she was in such high spirits nothing could bring her down.

"Bye, love," Mrs. Lovett finally said, and left the room.

He returned his attention to the razor, cleaning it gently and with precision. He wanted it to be absolutely spotless for his next customer. The last thing that customer would see would be the beautiful flash of silver, the last thing they would feel would be the cool metal surface of the razor before he made the rubies spill forth…

As usual, Sweeney's thoughts turned to revenge and the Judge. His grip tightened on the razor, and he could picture in his mind the day when the Judge would finally be in his power. When finally, the sweetest and yet most vulgar rubies would be shed – the Judge's rubies.

The razor was shining again. Sweeney held it up to the light, intending for it to reflect the sun, unusually bright in the blue sky, like Mrs. Lovett had said. Instead, he caught a glimpse of his own reflection in the razor – his flyway hair and ebony eyes.

Mr. Todd was shocked by his eyes. Benjamin Barker's eyes had been a chocolate brown color, full of love and happiness and the joy of life. Sweeney Todd's eyes were black and completely empty.

Why were they so empty? Eyes were usually the most expressive part of a person, yet his eyes were void of all emotion. What did that mean? It couldn't possibly mean that he felt no emotion – no, he felt many things. Anger, anxiety, pain, sorrow, hatred… Perhaps his empty eyes just meant that he found no joy in life, not anymore, at least.

Those vacant eyes of his convinced Sweeney of what he had already said. Benjamin Barker, with his warm brown eyes, really was dead. This creature, this demon with the dark, empty eyes had taken his place. Sweeney Todd lived only for vengeance and salvation.

Yes, vengeance and salvation… So what was he doing thinking about eyes? He had a purpose. Pushing aside his frivolous thoughts, Todd turned his attention from his razor to the window.

Images of blood and death once again filled his mind. Sweeney almost felt more comfortable with these thoughts, much more at ease than when he had been pondering about his empty eyes.

Countless minutes passed during which Todd stared silently and broodingly out the window, until a thought unrelated to blood or revenge or Lucy suddenly popped into his head.

What color were Mrs. Lovett's eyes?

He had no idea. He considered Mrs. Lovett a work accomplice, a partner-in-crime, necessary but not wanted. He did his best to avoid looking into her eyes or talking to her.

Yet now, he wondered… What was the color of her eyes?

Lucy's eyes had been blue. A pure, sky blue… Much like the azure sky he was staring out now, except even better. Everything had been better before he had been shipped off to Australia. He hoped Johanna had inherited Lucy's clear blue eyes instead of his (no, Barker's) brown ones.

Lucy, Johanna… Sweeney was once again reminded of his purpose. Who cared what color Mrs. Lovett's eyes were when Judge Turpin was still taking up space on the earth?

A ring of the bell announced a customer. Finally! Sweeney turned form the window, greeting the man with a fake smile. The gentleman was a portly fellow. Mrs. Lovett would be glad to have him.

The man chattered on about the weather and other insignificant matters as Sweeney lathered him up. Sweeney responded to the man's questions in a monotone. The man was already boring him; he was growing impatient. The razor was warming in his hand, as if in anticipation of the rubies that were to come…

"An unusually sunny day…" The gentleman was saying as Sweeney began to shave him.

"Yes…" Sweeney muttered, not really listening. It was almost time…

Before the man could say another would, Sweeney had swiped the razor across his throat. Todd was rewarded with a warm, cleansing fountain of rubies and the shocked expression of the unlucky gentleman. We all deserve to die, Sweeney thought in satisfaction as he stepped down on the lever on the chair, sending the man down, down, down, down into Hell.

Todd relished the brief moment of peace and clarity the kill had given him before he began to clean up. Why did blood have to be so messy?

Performing such a mundane task, Sweeney's thoughts began to wander again and he lost his moment of peace. Suddenly, like a persistent fly that will come at you however many times you swat it away, the thought was back.

What color were Mrs. Lovett's eyes?

Probably green. Green or blue. A bright color to match her bright personality. Green like the stems of the gillyflowers or daises she was always talking about or trying to buy. Or blue, blue like the sea she loved so much.

But he was never going to live by the sea with her and Toby, like she wanted. He couldn't live again. He couldn't be part of a family again. Once he killed the Judge, that was it. Then he could join Lucy, in the eternal relief that death would bring.

"The Judge… Lucy… You have a purpose…" The razor seemed to whisper to him as he held it in his hand.

"Yes, my friend," Sweeney replied soothingly, a slightly insane smile on his face as he stared at his razor, once again spotless for the next customer. "I know. We will have the Judge, soon… We will have vengeance and salvation…"

Still, the question remained at the back of his mind, an irritating itch that needed to be scratched.

What could one time hurt? He'd give in to his silly thoughts this one time. He'd just call Mrs. Lovett up, take an inconspicuous peek at her eyes and then return to his purpose. Sweeney knew he would never be able to concentrate until he found out the color of Mrs. Lovett's eyes.

In three quick, decisive paces, Sweeney Todd strode to the door and opened it.

"Mrs. Lovett! Come here!" He roared, and then retreated, waiting. Mrs. Lovett would come. She always did.

"Toby, be a dear an' take care o' the cust'mers for a while, will ya?"

"Sure, mum," Toby replied enthusiastically, always happy to help.

Mrs. Lovett smiled and ruffled the boy's messy brown hair. "Thanks, dearie," she said before hurrying up the stairs to see what her Mr. T wanted.

"Yes, Mr. T?" Mrs. Lovett asked breathlessly, not bothering to knock as she entered.

Sweeney turned from the window and looked straight into Mrs. Lovett's eyes. Her brown eyes.

He was surprised. He had imagined bright, energetic eye colors for Mrs. Lovett, seeing as she was a bright, energetic person. Not brown. Brown was so boring, so plain, so average. So unlike her.

On second glance, brown actually suited her quite well. Unlike him, she had warm eyes, a lot like Benjamin Barker's had been. In addition, she had a mischievous twinkle in her eyes that was a hundred percent Mrs. Lovett.

"Love? Are you daydreaming about the Judge again?" Mrs. Lovett inquired, rather impatiently.

"No, my pet," Sweeney murmured, still gazing into her eyes.

"Well, then what –"

"Your eyes suit you," Sweeney interrupted her. He ignored her look of confusion. Now that his curiosity had been satiated his purpose had returned full force. Avenge my Lucy and my Johanna, kill the Judge, rid the world of all the vermin that populates it…

"Get out," he snapped. Mrs. Lovett obeyed without question, and Todd returned to the window, gripping his razor and thinking…Thinking of rubies, of Lucy, of Johanna, of warm brown eyes…

He was such a mystery, her Mr. T. She was flattered that he had noticed her eyes and thought that they suited her, but she couldn't help wonder why he had commented on her eyes and what had prompted him to make that observation.

"Oh, well… He's an enigma, Mr. Todd is," Nellie muttered to herself.

Still, she couldn't stop thinking about his emotionless black eyes, looking into hers… studying hers… complimenting hers…

Maybe there was hope for him after all.

A/N: So, I didn't really like the ending, but oh well. Please tell me what you thought in the form of a review! I would really appreciate the feedback. And I do have pies... As well as a razor... -winkcough-