☄ First Impressions
☆ SENSORY/DEMEANOR: Bel is human, nonbinary (pronouns are they/them), 5'10", lean and fit, with brown eyes and soft brown hair in an ambiguous cut, framing a face variously described as "chiseled" and "sharp." People who encounter Bel in the shower area on Nomo Deck or have x-ray vision may have noticed the uncommon but natural genital arrangement which makes Bel a genetic minority back home. There is also a blackened scar from a Ploiatos encounter earlier in the year, beginning next to the spine and wrapping around the right side of the waist and hip. Though Bel's age is somewhere in the late forties, Betans routinely have long lifespans and Bel's appearance is more like early-thirties. Active and alert on duty, with a keen gaze and firm step, Bel is cheerful and casual off-duty, relaxing or playing hard while there's time. Bel's voice is a cheerful alto, also indistinguishable as to gender, with a flat, broad accent reminiscent of middle America and completely different from, say, those space Russians two cabins down.
☆ FASHION: On the Moira, Bel wears crewmans' trousers and a crewwoman's top, too tight around the chest; the grey-and-white Dendarii uniform tunic is often worn over it. Bel normally presents androgynous-to-masculine in the workplace, a not-quite-conscious safety measure from a universe deeply prejudiced against women and nonbinary people. It's a habit spanning decades and difficult to break, though Bel identifies equally as male and female and would otherwise be comfortable with any gender presentation; cultivating ambiguity ensures that people look twice before assuming only one side of the binary or the other. Occasionally, when presenting more feminine, various floral perfumes (rose, lilac) might be in evidence. When with trusted people, Bel feels safe enough to dress down a little. Off-duty and away from the ship, Bel has a preference for bold, bright colors, silks and velvets, satin and lace, and can be simple or ostentatious but likes to be seen as dashing, intriguing, and appealing.
☆ PSYCHE: Telepaths, empaths, and the like will find Bel's mind well-ordered with a side of reckless and another side of profound irony. While Bel has no unusual psychic or extrasensory abilities, a habit of pragmatic living-in-the-moment, disinclination to reflect on the past, and unconscious denial of hopes, dreams, or fears that don't seem immediately practical might obscure some context to active, present thoughts. Sarcastic humor is very much in evidence.
☆ NAMES: On duty at home, Bel is generally referred to by rank and surname, except by close associates; adding the title avoids gendered-language awkwardness. A game-bestowed rank will work the same way, but "Captain" as an off-duty courtesy referring to Bel's home command would be appreciated. With friends, given names tend to happen quickly.
☄ OOC Permissions
☆ BACKTAGGING: Yes please! Let me know if you don't want backtagging because I will backtag forever. Conversely, if you need to drop a thread or prefer no backtags, let me know and that's fine too.
☆ THREADHOPPING: Sure! As long as a post or thread isn't marked as locked/private/etc, anybody's welcome in it.
☆ TAG EDITS: please do tell me if I accidentally leave off the end of a sentence or something! Same if my tag is confusing and you're not sure which way to read it. It happens occasionally and I'm happy to edit the tag and make it work. Conversely, feel free to edit your own tags if you need to add something; I don't mind additional notifications.
☆ I'D LIKE TO AVOID: discussions of suicidal attempts/ideation (not comfortable dealing with these things in canons I'm not familiar with); most characterization points involving rape or sexual abuse; plots involving dubcon situations not negotiated between the characters beforehand.
☄ IC Permissions
☆ FOURTHWALLING: probably n/a for Bel's canon. Conversely, myths and media such as Baba Yaga and Shakespeare's plays have survived in Bel's universe as humanity moved out into the galaxy. Bel would be more likely to have heard versions of universally-known mythological tales, but universally-recognized iconic fictional characters might also fall into this category. I'll probably err on the side of not fourthwalling unless chances are small that an Earth-descended culture wouldn't remember the character.
☆ EXTRASENSORY/SUPERPOWERS: Telekinesis? Great; ask when appropriate (or if we haven't interacted before yet) but otherwise go for it. Physically changing something about Bel (shapechanging or somehow hijacking Bel's movements)? Ask first. Mind-reading, mind-clouding, hallucinations? Also ask first. There's plenty that can be done with that; it's just good to talk about it.
☆ PHYSICAL AFFECTION: also great. :) Betans don't see personal space as an issue unless the other person is specifically threatening or disrespecting them. That said, Bel's lived among non-Betan galactics long enough to know that others might understand and mean touch very differently, and will react accordingly. Bel likes hugs A LOT, and if a friendship is established, chances are they'd be welcome. Casually affectionate touch is also nice, though Bel will back off if the other character seems to be getting serious in a way that would tend toward exclusivity. Given a ship full of strangers, that initial amity should probably be established first. For kisses, ask first (for CR-planning purposes), but yyyyep this is also something Bel likes.
☆ FLIRTING/RELATIONSHIPS: For casual flirting, Bel would flirt right back, and is not shy about it. Ask first if you're interested in your character going any further; otherwise let's keep it light. Bel is currently in an open relationship with yeah everyone knows who this is someone, and might be open to other slow-burn relationships, depending how things develop; normally tactilely and emotionally open, Bel easily falls for intense, driven people with big talents and bigger hearts, and would value deep emotional relationships with such people whether or not things ever got physical.
☆ ENMITY:
•Berserk buttons: Want to really win an enemy? Mistreat or abuse a relatively innocent victim in front of Bel, or approve of slavery, eugenics, disenfranchisement, genetic theft, exploitation, or any other system that starts with reducing persons to things. Threats directed at Bel's close friends would work too. For a personal touch (ask first), try groping or explicit catcalls. Messing up Bel's hard work, or negligently wasting ship's assets or resources, are good for deadpan contempt and sarcasm.
•Jump scares: sure, if you want an elbow in the teeth!~ Bel's combat reflexes are sharp.
•Fights: Awesome. While seldom starting a conflict (unless berserk buttons, see above), Bel is perfectly willing to interrupt or end one, particularly if attacked or to save other lives. Bel fights dirty, telegraphs nothing, uses everything in the surrounding environment, and aims to end physical conflict by putting you on the ground as fast as possible. Sparring threads are always welcome -- gotta keep in training!
•Injuries: Injuries can include non-serious bruises and cuts, depending on the needs of the thread. I'm open to an occasional medium injury (sprain, break, burn, serious wound) in the interests of a good plot; the more CR goals such events further, the better. (And then feelsy recovery threads, y/y?)
•Death: Nope, not planning to have Bel die any time soon.
☄ Your Permissions
☆ CODE: Please fill out the following permissions form about issues that might arise surrounding Bel's affectionate nature and extremely sex-positive culture of origin.
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