rectoress

[rectoress]

“Would it be simplistic to think the moral problem with regards to others consists in behaving as one ought to, and the moral problem with regards to oneself is managing to feel what one ought to?”

— Clarice Lispector, The Passion According to G.H.

[rectoress]

[rectoress]

Hearing him lavish praise upon himself does not exactly surprise her. Still, Tissaia picks up a pen and makes a note of it, her handwriting tight curls and neat loops across the page already covered with comments and observations from their previous sessions. Of course, he meant it in jest - as his subsequent demeanour leads to think. Shifting from facetious to serious, Nandor does give the question some thought, as though its evidence weren’t within close reach and requested his mind to turn deep within.

This, too, she makes a note of and takes a first sip of the coffee. Her lips purse firmly as she swallows. It does not taste bad - nor does it taste familiar, the flavours she is accustomed to failing to fill her mouth. But it is drinkable.

Half a smile dents her right cheek as the honesty just rolls of his tongue and lands, without flourish but with a great deal of idiosyncrasies. “No, it would not have been a good idea.” Though - and this, she will not hint at - it would have pleased her. Not that Tissaia would indulge during office hours in spite of a certain penchant for a few well distilled spirits.

“I appreciate your candour, Nandor.” Picking up the cup, she reclines, shoulders set and spine straight, in her chair. “About the way I look and about the answer you just gave me.” She had expected something different altogether. After a short moment of silence spent in silent study of his person, she asks: “Is this something you often do for others? Think of what they might like or anticipate a need or, say, a desire?” 

@therelentless

"I did!" Not. This coffee, it had all been Guillermo (his personal assistant), but the whole coffee thing had been his idea. This therapy, this was not for Nandor. As much as he enjoyed talking about himself and relished in the sound of his own voice, sometimes her questions made him uncomfortable and got him thinking about things he preferred to ignore. Wanting to prolong the short-lived silences of this meeting any way he could, it had been his idea to show up with some unrequested coffee for her, making it up as a small token of gratitude (was that acceptable? he didn't care), because he had gotten to the conclusion that the more she occupied herself by drinking from it, the less she would talk, therefore the fewer questions she would ask. And what did she like in her coffee, who the fuck knew, he made that a problem for Guillermo to figure it out. "You better start drinking it now before it gets cold. Might taste terrible later."

He did. “You did.” The reiteration wan't so much for him as it was for herself.  Sounding it out loud gave it shape, as if the words themselves were giving it some sort of tangible quality and making it real. 

“Well. Now then.”

Tissaia looked up, blinking away what remnants of stupor lingered on her face and in her eyes as they had stared down at the cup in her hands, and arranged her face with a careful and precise combination of gratitude and neutrality.  “This is considerate of you, Nandor.” A gesture imparting kindness and the desire to express an emotion motivated by something which hadn't centred on himself. Rather impressive. She would not, however, say this. It was her opinion, her professional one, that there was absolutely no need to dispense praise - especially not when attached to an intention crossing over the boundaries of their relationship as patient and health professional. 

“Thank you. I will.” She would have to even though she was very particular about the way she took her coffee and doubted Nandor either knew or had gone to the trouble of finding out.  She did not say this either. Instead, she sat down and delicately settled the cup on her desk. “I trust you are well since the last time I saw you.” Tissaia fiddled with the cuffs of her sleeves, sat up straighter and smoothed over non-existent creases on her lap. “Now. Tell me. Why did you do this?"

[rectoress]

✱˚｡⋆ ↪ 𝐋𝐈𝐊𝐄 𝐂𝐋𝐎𝐂𝐊𝐖𝐎𝐑𝐊.    (  a collection of various  location prompts centered around time & weather.  feel free to adjust as desired.  )

[ 1AM ] the stoop of a brightly lit psychic shop, pondering haven from the rain. [ 2AM ] the [ lobby / room ] of a run-down motel during a tumultuous storm. [ 3AM ] a dark graveyard thick with petrichor, well beyond visiting hours. [ 4AM ] an empty, rusty gas station nearly flooding with rainwater. [ 5AM ] a cabin in the frozen woods, large fire raging under the hearth. [ 6AM ] a bus stop hazily lit by the rising sun, earth smelling of petrichor. [ 7AM ] a crowded coffee shop, patrons in a rush to escape the morning rain. [ 8AM ] a serene camping site overlooking a valley, air humid & fresh. [ 9AM ] a diner smelling of breakfast food as rain patters on the window. [ 10AM ] a walled-in garden full of flowers, just as the afternoon heat sets in. [ 11AM ] an empty public playground, equipment hot from the sun. [ 12PM ] the middle of a sweltering outdoors shopping center. [ 1PM ] the side of the highway after your car breaks down from the heat. [ 2PM ] a bustling farmer's market ripe with produce, unhindered by the rain. [ 3PM ] a city sidewalk gloomy with mist & countless puddles. [ 4PM ] the forested perimeter of a vast lake, cold from snow melt. [ 5PM ] a [ restaurant / diner ], interior lights flickering under a fierce storm. [ 6PM ] a car interior, passengers stuck on a dangerously snowy & dark road. [ 7PM ] an outdoors event as the heat backs off, full of laughter & live music. [ 8PM ] the long queue of a club, impatient patrons stuck in the rain. [ 9PM ] the threshold of an apartment, knocking to be let out of the hailstorm. [ 10PM ] a windy beach past public hours, grains of sand mimicking the stars. [ 11PM ] the backseat of a car parked in the pouring rain on a lonely road. [ 12AM ] a pier on the cold, misty waterfront as fireworks are let off.

[rectoress]

an independent and private roleplay account for a very personal interpretation of TISSAIA DE VRIES based on The Witcher book series and written by Juniper.

low and slow activity est. 2019

[rectoress]

she possessed an aristocratic grace and ease //  written by juniper

[rectoress]

"It's very rude to stare."

{ @rectoress ;;

"And it's rude to go ask things and mingle in other people's business but you even get paid for it, so I think we're even."

[rectoress]

' you know if you don’t want to talk, i understand. but i just don’t think there’s anything wrong with getting a little bit of help. ' / @threecardtrick / prompt

Her gaze lifted from the paper it had been fastened to and found him from over the top of her glasses pushed down the bridge of her nose by a finger that knew exactly how much to move them. Tissaia knew exactly what ‘a little bit of help’ meant. What it entailed. What strings came attached with each word and dangled invisibly to those who were neither connoisseurs nor users of this specific and very loaded phrase. She, as it happened, was both- and rather proficiently, might she have added.

“A little bit of help,” she said again, this time securely ensconced behind the fence provided by the document in her hands and allowing herself to taste the offer in her mouth. Her lips sealed the p tightly. Not enough to preclude a faint smirk from lingering there. Help was help. Help was an honest proposition which didn't conceal anything. Help was a bare hand extended to grip another bare hand and to hold on.

‘A little bit of help’, oh now that was something else entirely. It was a proposition posing as an honest one. It was a gloved hand that might - and would- slip and let go should certain conditions fail to be met. ‘A little bit of help’ was a foot in the door. She should know, you see, as it usually was her gloved hand. Her foot.

As she put down the paper, smoothing it down three times, Tissaia subjected him to the measure of yet another gaze. “And what does ‘a little but of help’ mean exactly, Thomas Cromwell?”

[rectoress]

Clarice Lispector, tr. by Giovanni Pontiero, from "The Foreign Legion: Stories and Chronicles,"

[rectoress]

@therelentless

"I did!" Not. This coffee, it had all been Guillermo (his personal assistant), but the whole coffee thing had been his idea. This therapy, this was not for Nandor. As much as he enjoyed talking about himself and relished in the sound of his own voice, sometimes her questions made him uncomfortable and got him thinking about things he preferred to ignore. Wanting to prolong the short-lived silences of this meeting any way he could, it had been his idea to show up with some unrequested coffee for her, making it up as a small token of gratitude (was that acceptable? he didn't care), because he had gotten to the conclusion that the more she occupied herself by drinking from it, the less she would talk, therefore the fewer questions she would ask. And what did she like in her coffee, who the fuck knew, he made that a problem for Guillermo to figure it out. "You better start drinking it now before it gets cold. Might taste terrible later."

He did. “You did.” The reiteration wan't so much for him as it was for herself.  Sounding it out loud gave it shape, as if the words themselves were giving it some sort of tangible quality and making it real. 

“Well. Now then.”

Tissaia looked up, blinking away what remnants of stupor lingered on her face and in her eyes as they had stared down at the cup in her hands, and arranged her face with a careful and precise combination of gratitude and neutrality.  “This is considerate of you, Nandor.” A gesture imparting kindness and the desire to express an emotion motivated by something which hadn't centred on himself. Rather impressive. She would not, however, say this. It was her opinion, her professional one, that there was absolutely no need to dispense praise - especially not when attached to an intention crossing over the boundaries of their relationship as patient and health professional. 

“Thank you. I will.” She would have to even though she was very particular about the way she took her coffee and doubted Nandor either knew or had gone to the trouble of finding out.  She did not say this either. Instead, she sat down and delicately settled the cup on her desk. “I trust you are well since the last time I saw you.” Tissaia fiddled with the cuffs of her sleeves, sat up straighter and smoothed over non-existent creases on her lap. “Now. Tell me. Why did you do this?"

[rectoress]

❝careful there, someone might think you’re actually starting to care.❞ / @suhspiria - @thef2ll / prompt

The statement, all sharp edges and pointed corners under the soft cover wrapped around it by Stella's voice, garners a reaction if only in the rather terse pursing of Tissaia’s lips as she keeps reading. Yes, it is a reaction. One that manifests itself briefly though long enough for a seasoned observer like Stella; a fact (a fact!) that Tissaia has been aware of for quite some time now, in spite of her initial reluctance to acknowledge the very notion to herself - that Stella is now capable of reading such signs as the tightening of her mouth or the swift squinting at the corner of her eyes. It is unsettling to a degree though perhaps not as unsettling as what she just said out loud.  Not so much because it is, in fact, true but because it sounds like something so extraordinary, so out of the realm of possibilities that Sella felt it necessary to say it. 

“Why, Stella Gibson. If I didn't know any better, I'd say you sound surprised.”

Now, you see, the arching of her right eyebrow as she looks up, is yet another sign of her reaction but this one is entirely manufactured and means to be seen. 

“Is it that much of a shock?”

[rectoress]

PROMPTS FOR FRENEMIES,  ENEMIES TO LOVERS  AND  REFORMED VILLAINS

❝  so is that a ‘no’ to solving this with murder…?  ❞

❝  look i said i’d help you let’s not make a big thing out of it.  ❞

❝  i’m only helping you to make sure you don’t fuck it up.  ❞

❝  okay,  i’m just gonna nod and pretend to get this whole moral high ground speech you’re giving me so we can move on.  ❞

❝  i know you can be so much more than this.  ❞

❝  would you just stop treating me like something you’re trying to fix?  ❞

❝  don’t get any weird ass ideas,  i’m just here cause we want the same thing.  ❞

❝  why do you do that?  every time i think we’re getting somewhere you shut down and do something stupid to try push me away again. ❞

❝  see the thing about your plan is,  it’s not gonna fucking work.  let me do this my way.  ❞

❝  i’m only saying this once so don’t ever bring it up again,  but i actually like having you around.  you challenge me.  i like that.  ❞

❝  stop posturing and just let me help you.  ❞

❝  we do work well together,  but i don’t belong here any more than you belong where i do.   ❞

❝  okay,  i’m sick of you acting like i’ve somehow had it easier than you.  ‘cause i haven’t.  i just choose not to be a dick about my shit.  ❞

❝  you make me want to be better.  sometimes that feels good,  but a lot of the time…i feel like it’ll never be enough.  ❞

❝  i never asked you to change,  why can’t you just accept how i am too?  ❞

❝  i know you can be better—i’ve seen you be better than this!  ❞

❝  why does it matter so much to you what i choose to be?  ❞

❝  actually,  i think we rub off on each other quite well.  ❞

❝  okay if you smile at me like that one more time i’m going home you smug little shit.  ❞

❝  no— don’t start.  i’m here,  i’m making an effort.  ❞

❝  you’ve got quite the mean streak in you,  haven’t you?  i’m impressed.  ❞

❝  wow,  i didn’t think you knew how to be selfish.  ❞

❝  well,  i didn’t think you knew how to be selfless.  ❞

❝  i have a lot of regrets.  and if i’m honest,  i envy you.  you alway seem so sure of what is or isn’t right.  ❞

❝  if you would just let me speak for a moment you’d see we’re on the same side here.  ❞

❝  if you tell anyone about last night,  i’ll cut your tongue off.  ❞

❝  alright,  so we kissed.  don’t get so bent out of shape about it.  ❞

❝  are you ashamed?  about being with me?  ❞

❝  it’s not that i don’t want anyone to know about us,  i just don’t think they’d understand.  ❞

❝  i think you like being around me ‘cause you don’t quite have to be so uptight as you do with all your little friends.  ❞

❝  i can’t seem to stay away from you.  ❞

❝  alright,  okay—we’ll do this your way.  but i can’t promise there won’t be mild complaining.  ❞

❝  i said i’m fine.  go find someone who actually likes your fussing.  ❞

❝  careful there,  someone might think you’re actually starting to care.  ❞

❝  it’s fine,  you wouldn’t be—well,  you,  if you could do something like this.  that’s why i’m here isn’t it?  ❞

❝  you brought me along because i can do things you can’t handle.  so just let me do my part then,  yeah?  ❞

❝  no, lets find another way.  ❞

❝  someday,  you’re gonna have to learn there isn’t always another way.  there isn’t always a right answer.  ❞

❝  before i met you,  i used to understand where i stood on everything.  now it’s all��mixed up.  ❞

❝  the world has never been black and white,  you’re just starting to see the grey for the first time.  ❞

❝  you don’t have to do this,  let me do it for you.  ❞

❝  no,  we’ll do this together.  ❞

❝  i’m not heartless,  you know.  i just don’t see the point in wearing it on my sleeve all the time.  ❞

❝  i don’t think you’re weak,  by the way.  in fact,  in some ways you have strengths i’d never be able to possess.  ❞

❝  just because i don’t do things the way you do doesn’t mean i’m wrong.  ❞

❝  i do trust you.  you’ve earned that.  ❞

❝  oh god,  don’t look at me like that.  i’d rather you just be angry than do the whole disappointed face.  ❞

❝  i didn’t let you down,  i don’t answer to you!  ❞

❝  why can’t you just try to have a little hope?  ❞

❝  i may live to regret saying this,  but i agree with you actually.  ❞

[rectoress]

Witcher Week Day 1: favorite character

Tissaia de Vries

[rectoress]

Wishing him all the best in this particular endeavour ✌️🫶

ooc;; giving nandor a silly high school crush on @rectoress just to be annoying.

[rectoress]

@thef2ll

To: Stella Gibson Alcohol is a disinhibitor. Your behaviour under the influence is hardly surprising but it does not necessarily mean that it was wrong of you to let her know what you wanted. - Tissaia

To: Stella Gibson A relationship? I didn’t think that’s what you were after when you made a move on her. - Tissaia

To: Stella Gibson I am here to see you, of course. I do know you’re busy though so I have made some work related appointments. There are people I need to see. - Tissaia

rectoress​.

to: stella gibson You cannot tell me all of this and then demand that I ignore it. If that was the case, Stella Gibson, you would have deleted the text before sending it. - Tissaia

to: stella gibson Do you think it’s a bad idea to ask her again? Perhaps somewhere less crowded? - Tissaia

to: stella gibson I know it is, I’ve been following the news closely. You look exhausted. I’ve just landed in Belfast, by the way.- Tissaia

    to:  tissaia de vries.

Perhaps it was the heat of the moment. Too much liquid courage. You know how I get sometimes when I’ve had a bit too much. Start raving on about things I should shut up about.

    to:  tissaia de dries.

She was brought up in Croydon. That’s all you need to know. I don’t think she’s ready for… a relationship, at least not one with a woman. Newly divorced, two children.

    to:  tissaia de vries.

You’ve just landed? Here? What are you doing here. Miss Tissaia De Vries.

[rectoress]

"one of us has to die." / @therelentless / prompt

“Must you be so dramatic?”

By now she has grown used to Nandor’s theatrics and should not feel the need to point out such egregious behaviour; yet here she is, proffering an opinion about it in the guise of a question whose rhetorical nature will, no doubt, be ignored and answered with some sort of snarky observation intended to irritate her. And it will. It will irritate her though it ought not to because it will remind her that she should have disregarded his comment. Tissaia hates being the cause of her own vexation.

Extending her arm, she pushes her bishop forward with the tip of her right index finger. “Though I suppose my taking your queen will feel as though you’re dying now, won’t it?” The corner of her mouth tugs into half a smirk she makes no pretence of hiding. “Careful, there.”

[rectoress]

PROMPTS FROM THE HUNGER GAMES *  assorted dialogue from the 2012 film, adjust as necessary

i think it's our tradition.

it's been the way we've been able to heal.

i think it's... something that knits us all together.

you were just dreaming.

they're not going to pick you.

try to go to sleep.

i just gotta go. but i'll be back. i love you.

what are you gonna do with that when you kill it?

i was gonna sell it.

now i have nothing.

what if everyone just stopped watching?

it's as simple as that.

i'm not laughing at you.

we could do it, you know? take off. live in the woods.

we wouldn't make it five miles.

i'm never having kids.

guess the odds aren't exactly in my favor.

you keep it. it's yours.

aww, look at you. you look beautiful.

wish i looked like you.

as long as you have it, nothing bad will happen to you, okay? i promise.

freedom has a cost.

this is how we remember our past. this is how we safeguard our future.

you're stronger than they are. you are.

they just want a good show. that's all they want.

whatever you do, don't let them starve.

you know if you don't want to talk, i understand. but i just don't think there's anything wrong with getting a little bit of help.

so when do we start?

know, in your heart, that there's nothing i can do to save you.

you made me spill my drink.

i think i'll go finish this in my room.

you'll freeze to death first.

can you pass the marmalade?

you really wanna know how to stay alive? you get people to like you.

are there any surprises that we can expect this year?

i'm sorry that this happened to you, and i'm here to help you in any way i can.

you're here to make me look pretty.

i'm gonna do something that they're gonna remember.

don't be afraid.

why don't you go clean yourselves up a little before dinner?

i didn't touch your knife!

i hear you can shoot.

i hope you noticed we have a serious situation.

loosen your corset and have a drink.

i thought they hated me.

don't you know how beautiful you look?

just be yourself. i'll be there the whole time.

i'm prepared, vicious, and i'm ready to go.

do you want to tell us about it?

do i smell like roses to you?

you don't talk to me, and then you say you have a crush on me?

he made you look desirable.

we are not star crossed lovers.

look for water. water's your new best friend.

give me your arm.

we need a signal, in case one of us gets held up.

if you can't scare them, give them something to root for.

everyone likes an underdog.

i'm not gonna leave you.

nobody's gonna find you in here.

we'll just get you some medicine.

i should have gone to you.

i remember the first time i saw you.

[name], you're not gonna risk your life for me. i'm not gonna let you.

now there's no way i'm letting you go.

go on. i'm dead anyway. i always was, right? i didn't know that until now.

it's the only thing i know how to do.

there has been a slight rule change.

one of us has to die.

i'm sorry it didn't go the way they planned.

i couldn't imagine life without him.

they must be very proud of you.

so what happens when we get back?

i don't want to forget.