#faeking it

Veronica told herself over and over and over again that she would not do anything but talk. Her knuckles were porcelain white, lithe slender fingers wrapped tightly around the steering wheel as she sped towards the address that Deirdre had given her. She focused on Bridget, on thinking about Bridget, on being civil. Maybe she could fix this whole mess. She knew that her brother was no saint, she knew that he had his flaws, but Deirdre had no right to come after him like that. Swinging a swift left, she checked her wing mirrors and kept driving. This wasn't going to end in violence. She refused to give Deirdre the satisfaction of it ending in violence. That would prove that she was the bloodthirsty monster that Deirdre said she was and she wouldn't have that. No. She was just going to talk. She had been telling herself that for the entire journey over to the secluded spot in the forest and as she parked her car, pulled up the hand brake and got out into the chilly autumn air, she told herself it once more. They were ​just​ going to talk.

Deirdre stood there, grass tickling her bare feet. She didn't quite remember ​when​ she decided to take off her shoes but it didn't matter. The wind was nice and cold and she felt like dancing naked with the breeze. She also felt like hurting Veronica, but that was neither here nor there. She ​couldn't​ really hurt Veronica anyway, not in the manner that she truly wanted to. Deirdre would have to settle for a broken arm or two, even when a slit throat sounded so much more appealing. She had to leave a message after all and blood was always the best ink. Softs steps against the grass broke Deirdre's thoughts and she spun around to find Veronica. Then she spun around again, just because it was fun to. And once more for good measure until she was facing Veronica again. "Oh," She smiled, waving her hand around like she was conducting an orchestra, "Well, Veronica. Don't you look nice?

It was strange to see Deirdre acting like this, but then again, when did Deirdre ever do anything remotely normal. ​Veronica​ was honestly perplexed at the fact that Bridget was so enthused by her, but then again, Bridget was also into Veronica and she thought that must speak volumes about the type of person that would attract attention from Bridget. However that was neither here nor there. Striding across the grassy area, she pulled a stray red hair out of her eyes and tucked it behind her ear. The wind picked it up almost immediately, but for a moment it was out of the way and safely tucked away. "That is nice of you to say," she said with a frown, "you're acting very odd. Have you calmed down or something?" she inquired, perhaps a little rude, but she felt it was necessary. This was a bit of an overreaction after all.

“Odd?" ​Deirdre​ laughed louder than what was polite, but she didn't have the mind to care. She ​never​ acted odd...except for that one time with the lying and the poop tea but she'd learned and there was no way Deirdre would allow herself to be under the influence of anything ever again, and especially not now. "Call it..." She pressed her finger to her lips and hummed in deep thought. She felt many things in that moment, most of them happened to be very happy and in the dancing mood, but she couldn't figure out ​why​. It felt like she was forgetting something but every time she tried to remember what it was, she simply felt like stripping her clothing away and singing. "Call it clarity!" She decided on suddenly, "I know exactly how I'm going to kill Adrien! I think I'll pluck his eyes out like a chicken." Deirdre paused, looking right at Veronica with a wide smile, "You should come dance with me. Before you die, at least. Because I will kill you both." She pulled her knife out, not the nice one she used to kill, Veronica couldn't have the honour of that, but a knife from a collection of several. Tossing it between her hands with a wide grin, Deirdre laughed again, "Maybe I'll make you watch Adrien die, wouldn't that be fun?"

What the hell was wrong with Deirdre? ​Veronica​ was honestly at a loss as how anyone could be this ridiculously ... well ridiculous. A surge of emotions shot through her as she beheld the knife and she instinctively bit her lip. Bridget had told her to try and be civil, but she didn't think that that should or even would include whatever the hell Deirdre was doing. Surely not. Surely if Bridget knew that Deirdre was brandishing a knife and threatening to kill her and her brother, threatening to pluck his eyeballs out (like a chicken) after making him watch, surely then she'd realise that there was no civility in this. At least Veronica hoped so. "If this is clarity then I am not sure that I ever want to see you confused," she replied darkly, already assessing Deirdre's stance. From the way she held her knife, Veronica was confident that she could disarm her off it without causing her any real pain. Though she could easily break her wrist and fingers in several places which would mean that Deirdre would have to take some time off of holding ​anything​ let alone a knife, she decided that being civil meant that she did as little harm to the other woman as possible. "No one is going to die tonight, but, maybe if we just calm down we can talk and work this out," this was really difficult, all she wanted to do was slam her fist into that smug little face (though she knew that you shouldn't use your knuckles but your palms) but she wasn't going to do that, "just please put down that knife before someone gets hurt." She took a step forward, wondering if Deirdre was on drugs. Probably. That was just how her day was going.

Deirdre smirked, she knew that she wasn't here to talk. She hoped that Veronica didn't ​really​ want to talk either. She wanted to hurt Veronica, to leave a message. Talking was not the way to do that, and it would've been fun to play with Veronica. Maybe she'd let the slayer throw a couple of punches before she lost an arm altogether. If she could provoke Veronica to fight, then she'd be able to lead her deeper into the forest where she could dance...and scream, but the dancing felt more important in the moment. "But I ​am​ confused. I feel many things, I'm a complicated woman." She shook her head, trying to draw some real clarity from her thoughts of dancing and nudity, "Talking is boring, I'd rather someone gets hurt." Or maybe they could just dance, that sounded equally as fun.

Raising an eyebrow, ​Veronica​ held her hands up, "Listen, I don't want to fight you, I don't want you to try and hurt me or me to try and hurt you," she said taking a step towards Deirdre. "You're obviously not yourself right now, so maybe this should wait?" She gave her a gentle smile, hoping that this was going to work out without them getting into a fight. Though with the way that Deirdre was acting she doubted that it would. She could not see a way around this which didn't end up with someone getting hurt, especially with that damned knife still in Deirdre's hands. "You're obviously a complicated woman, that was one of the things I initially liked about you," she left out the ​though I'm not so sure about it now​. "Will you please put down the knife." She took another step forward, Deirdre could either put it down or she would take it off of her.

Deirdre took a step back, "My knife?" She tossed it into her other hand, "This is what I'll be using to kill Adrien, don't you want to see it first before it's covered in his blood?" There was something so satisfying about provoking people, especially Veronica. It would be fun to see how long her calmness lasted, what her breaking point was and what that meant. "Or do you want to coat it with your blood first?" Another step back, "You know, once you're out of the way, that would leave Bridget all to me." She smiled, it might have been too much to bring Bridget into this as well, but Deirdre didn't have the mind to realize something was wrong. She made note to apologize to Bridget later, but the idea was quickly lost to dancing and murder. Taking a few more steps back, until she was sure she that she stood right at the entrance to the forest, she spread her arms out. "Why don't you just take the knife of hand?"

Deirdre was really starting to piss ​Veronica​ off. In more ways than one. "You're not going to be killing anyone Deirdre, I won't let you hurt me or my brother or even Bridget. Which is what you're doing by the way, but you've got your head stuck so far up your own ass that you don't realise that your actions are causing someone you claim to care for, a lot of harm." She would regret losing control later, she was sure of that. But this wasn't a vampire. This was a banshee and she didn't need to be the calm and controlled slayer this time. "Besides, Bridget clearly wants to be with me." She shrugged and smirked gently. She hoped that she was getting underneath Deirdre's skin. Just as much as she was getting underneath hers. "This makes you just as bad as me, the threatening, the killing, you're worse probably. I only kill those who have done something wrong, I only hurt those who deserve it. Sure I probably deserve it and Adrien does too, but Bridget? Does she deserve the pain you're going to cause her. Even if she didn't think that you'd done it, my death would still cause her some harm." Or at least she hoped Bridget would care. She took a final step forward before lunging forward and moving as quickly as she could she tried to grasp Deirdre's wrist and twist it, it was a simple self defense maneuver. But highly effective.

There was something incredibly funny to hear a ​slayer​ call her stuck-up. ​Deirdre​ would have laughed if she didn't want to keep up the guise that she'd actually been offended by what Veronica was saying. "Does she now?" Deirdre smirked back, "Why aren't you two dating then? Have you considered there might be other reasons for that." Deirdre pointed to herself, hoping Veronica would paint a picture in her own head. Of course, it wasn't true, and Deirdre really made sure to remind herself to apologize to Bridget later but it was fun to see Veronica slowly succumb to anger, and every little bit helped. "I'd be sure to help her forget that you ever died." She smirked one final time before Veronica lunged at her. Feeling her wrist burn with pain, she let the knife drop to pull herself free and step backward. That knife was worth no mark on her skin, it was a tool just like any other and it mattered little to Deirdre, not that she let herself reveal that. She groaned with false anger as excitement coursed through her. Veronica was in the forest now, and it was all a matter of leading her a little further in. "That knife was a gift, you know," She spat, "All I wanted to do was dance and look at you getting all violent." Deirdre swung, aiming for Veronica's face. She wasn't trained at all in combat but that didn't matter to her. She just needed Veronica to ​push​.

Veronica trusted Bridget. She had to tell herself that. She trusted Bridget. She ​trusted​ Bridget. If she kept telling herself that then she wouldn't have any doubts. Like a mantra she kept repeating it in her head. I trust Bridget. Though they weren't mutually exclusive -- at least they had never said that they were -- Veronica didn't think that Bridget would be sleeping with Deirdre. If anything she thought that Deirdre was using this against her. Using it to put her off balance. It was working. Already the thought, the possibility that they could be together. That to be honest, Bridget and Deirdre were definitely together, well it all made perfect sense now. That was why Veronica couldn't ​be​ with Bridget. That was why she wouldn't commit to her and that was most importantly, why she cared so damned much about it. No. Veronica wouldn't believe it. She needed to discuss this with Bridget and now was most certainly not the time to do that. "You're not going to get to me with that, but it is a good try. If anything were happening with Bridget then I'd know by now, Bridget isn't the type to play two women off against one another," or at least she hoped that wasn't true. She followed Deirdre deeper into the woods, watching as the knife skittered off into the darkness. She ignored it. She didn't need it to fight Deirdre. Besides she carried two silver knives in the lining of her boots. Not to mention the heels that doubled as stakes, the crucifix around her neck. She was well armed. "I'm sure you'll be able to find it in the morning, but somehow I doubt dancing was the only thing on your mind, certainly not when you're threatening me and my family with a knife." Progressing deeper into the woods she tried to keep aware of her surroundings. She didn't know this part of Ashkent Creek and surprises led to death out here.

Bridget might not have been the type to play two women off, but ​Deirdre​ certainly was. "Who said anything about playing? I thought Bridget told you that we sleep together, she certainly spared no time discussing her relation with you." Deirdre apologized over and over again to Bridget in her head until the apologies blended together into an intense desire to dance. "I never said dancing was the only thing on my mind." Deridre paused, something pulled on her skin like it wanted to drag her away. She felt like dancing and getting naked and watching roadkill decompose. Yet, only two of those things were regular thoughts to her and suddenly it clicked. She smiled, screaming was one thing but there was a way to hurt Veronica that didn't reveal any of her cards. She stepped back again, letting her body lead the way. "Personally, punching you in the face is what I want to do." It would have been better with her knife, but she didn't need to draw blood to get what she wanted now.

"Enough of the lies!" ​Veronica​ snapped in return. "I don't want to hear them and I certainly do not believe them." Though they were causing her doubts and somehow she knew that Deirdre was not going to believe her either. Her boot crunched through a pile of dried leaves and cracked a twig that was hidden beneath it. Yet that didn't even phase her. Not right now. Not while everything was going on. She wasn't sure how she was going to work this out with Deirdre, but she knew that somehow she had to. Otherwise something could happen to either her or Adrien. That wasn't something she could accept or allow to come to pass. "Well maybe we could just talk about this like adults Deirdre, there is no need for you to keep threatening me and my family."

"Lying?" ​Deirdre​ pretended to be hurt, clutching her shirt tightly in her hand like she'd actually been stabbed by Veronica's words. "You know I am incapable of lying, right?" Deirdre didn't know how far Adrien's knowledge of her powers extended, or how much he was sure to have told Veronica. But there were over a hundred types of fae for her to pretend to be, and just as fun as it was to play with Veronica's emotions, it would be even better to play into her ignorance. "Nope," Deirdre squeaked, "I think a threat implies that I might not do anything at all. I am most definitely going to kill Adrien, dance, sleep with Bridget, and then hurt you. Probably not in that order though. I don't even know why I'm talking to you now, my car is just a short walk behind me. I could be gone and at Adrien's house in minutes."

Laughing gently, ​Veronica​ didn't say anything. She was pretty sure that Deirdre was a banshee, sure she couldn't be certain off it, but the weird obsession with death and her conversation with Adrien, not to mention a nagging feeling in her stomach. They all came together to convince her that she was what she was. Though of course she had no evidence. However she didn't believe for a second that Deirdre was telling her the truth. "I think you're probably lying right now," she retorted with a smug shrug. "You're definitely on drugs," she replied with a shake of her head, "but please, say that once more so that I can get it on video and send it to the police. I am certain that they would be interested to see what you've got to say on the matter of killing my brother." She shook her head gently. "Can you just please leave us alone?" she finally said. "It isn't that hard." She took another step forward. They were well and truly deep into the forest now.

Deirdre stepped back, her body felt like it was lifting off the ground and she watched with joy as Veronica stepped forward and into the ring. It was the third time in her life that she'd ever led a human into a fairy ring but the excitement of the moment wasn't lost on her. She smirked, there might have been more negatives to this than there were positives, but Deirdre didn't care. It didn't matter to her that every real thought she had was replaced by desires to dance, she had Veronica in her palm now. "Veronica," nothing about the situation was funny but Deirdre laughed hard like it was, "Take out your phone and order six hundred kilograms of garlic."

Veronica couldn't explain it. One second she was fine, one second she was the normal, sensible Veronica, then the next second she was out of control. It felt as though she had no control over herself. She screamed at herself to stop, at least within the confines of her mind. But it wasn't like she could stop herself. She just ​had​ to do what Deirdre wanted. "Sure, why not, that's hilarious," she replied, an absent minded smile crossing her face as she slipped her phone out of her jeans and opened up her browser. A few clicks, a few taps and she was browsing through a whole sale website. "I can't buy just six hundred kilograms of garlic, I have to buy it with something else or buy a tonne of garlic." She was frowning. Even though inside her own head she was telling herself that she was wasting money. What an Earth would she do with that much garlic? "If I buy a life times supply of steaks, I can get the six hundred kilograms of garlic at a discounted price?"