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Isla didn’t flinch, but she did clock the way Missy’s hand flew to her chest - a reflex, sharp and unpracticed. Startle response heightened, pupils a little dilated, phone clenched tighter than it needed to be. Not fear, exactly. More like being hunted by memory.

She tilted her head slightly, gaze flicking from Missy’s face to the tight set of her jaw, then downward, where worn sneakers angled subtly toward the street - like her body was ready to bolt even if her mind hadn’t given permission yet.

“Not the worst idea,” Isla said dryly, tone calm but not unkind. “Though I’d rather be underestimated than predictable.”

A flicker of a smirk, soft and fleeting. She took a step back - not away, just enough to reset the space between them, make it less reactive. Controlled. Respectful.

“You looked like you were halfway out of town already,” she added, eyes lingering a second longer than necessary. Her voice stayed even, observational rather than judgmental. She wasn’t prying. Just watching.

She could see it - the mental escape route being plotted behind Missy’s eyes, the restlessness in her fingers, the fact that the phone screen wasn’t being looked at so much as clung to. Isla had seen it before: the slow-burn unraveling that came with being back in the place you swore you’d never return to. The way the body remembered what the mind tried to bury.

“Flight mode’s a strong instinct. Doesn’t mean it’s the right call,” she offered, voice still gentle, but purposeful now - a subtle test of the waters. “But I get it. Towns like this have long shadows.”

She let that hang, neutral and unthreatening, before easing her weight onto one leg, casual. Calculated ease. Then she added, without pressure, “If you’re just looking to recalibrate before the next great escape, I know a spot. Quiet. Five minutes, no questions.”

Not a challenge. Not even a dare. Just an open door - something Missy could choose to walk through, or not.

And Isla would read her answer either way.

( @softwrecks )

open starter. anyone — @palmviewstarters ! location. literally anywhere that works. feel free to assume connections if we haven't plotted yet.

                she  should  know  better  when  it  comes  to  keeping  track  of  her  surroundings,  and  she  does,    but  being  back  in  town  makes  her  skin  crawl.    the  idea  that  despite  everything  she's  once  said,    her  father  still  managed  to  find  a  way  to  drag  her  back  to  the  town  missy  so  desperately  wanted  to  steer  clear  of.    for  good.    it's  the  reason  she  keeps  her  head  down  and  glued  to  her  phone    —    already  planning  her  next  escape.    it's  why  she  doesn't  hear  them  when  they  come  up  beside  her  and  when  she  catches  sight  of  their  figure  from  the  corner  of  her  eye,    the  blonde  nearly  jumps.    a  singular  hand  rising  to  her  chest  from  the  fright.   “  anybody  ever  tell  you  that  you  should  come  with  a  warning  bell?  ”    words  said  in  jest with a soft laugh that follows, phone screen darkening as she continues,      “  'cause if  i  didn't  know  any  better,    i'd  think  you  were  trying  to  give  me  a  heart  attack.  ” 

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BUFFY THE VAMPIRE SLAYER | 6.03

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Location: Dune Animal Rescue Status: CLOSED || @drtabbyfeldman

The evening air was cooler than usual when Isla Navarro knocked twice against the side door of Dune Animal Rescue. Not loud. Just enough to announce herself without disrupting whatever was happening inside. She never assumed entry - not here, not with Tabby.

In one hand, she held a takeout bag folded neatly at the top. In the other, a second coffee. Still hot. Still black.

“Didn’t mean to drop in,” She said as the door creaked open, her voice low, deliberate. “Just figured dinner’s easier to forget when your hands are full.”

She lingered at the threshold, not crossing in. Her eyes searched the room quickly, the way she always did - not suspicious, just… taking stock. Of light, sound, energy. Of Tabby, if she could catch her gaze.

There was a pause. Then, with a flicker of dry humor, “Also, someone told me raccoons aren’t supposed to be fed marshmallow cereal. Thought I’d verify that with a professional.”

She offered the bag with a slight lift of her wrist. No pressure. Just presence.

“Anyway,” she added, quieter now, “You don’t have to talk. I can just sit for a bit if you want the noise to stop.”

And she meant it. Isla didn’t come with questions or demands - just that patient kind of waiting, the kind you only give to people who matter.

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“SHE WALKS THE LINE BETWEEN LIGHT AND DARK”

INTRODUCING…

NAME: Isla Viviana Navarro

GENDER & PREFERRED PRONOUNS: Cis Woman {She/Her}

AGE: 28

BIRTHDAY: January 10, 1997

SEXUALITY & ROMANCE: Pansexual - Panromantic

COUNTERPART: Buffy Summers - Buffy the Vampire Slayer

FACE CLAIM: Sofia Carson

OCCUPATION: Forensic Behavioral Specialist

HOMETOWN: San Diego, CA

CURRENT RESIDENCY: Coral Cove, Palmview (Since December 2024)

CHARACTER PLAYLIST: HERE. (WIP)

UP NEXT: “CONTROL” BY HALSEY

BIOGRAPHY: TW MENTAL ILLNESS, DEATH, DV, DRUG/ALCOHOL USE

Isla Navarro grew up in San Diego, California - a bustling border city shaped by a unique blend of cultures, stories, and struggles. Raised by a single mother who worked tirelessly to support her family, Isla learned early the importance of strength, resilience, and loyalty. The city’s vibrancy and its shadows fueled her curiosity about people’s motives and the complexities of human nature, ultimately leading her to pursue forensic behaviorism. Poverty clawed at the edges of her childhood, violence was never far from the doorstep, and hope often felt like a distant luxury. Raised by a single mother who worked herself to exhaustion just to keep food on the table, Isla’s earliest lessons were about sacrifice, endurance, and hiding your pain so no one else had to carry it. Her younger brother was her anchor - and her burden - because protecting him meant taking on roles no child should ever have to fill: caretaker, mediator, and shield against a world that seemed bent on breaking them both. Childhood for Isla was a fragile illusion, a tightrope walk between the fleeting moments of normalcy and the crushing weight of responsibility. At school, she became a master of compartmentalization - excelling academically, masking the bruises left unseen beneath long sleeves and forced smiles. She developed an almost painful obsession with the motives and fears of the people around her, fascinated by the secrets everyone seemed desperate to bury. It wasn’t just curiosity; it was a means of self-preservation - if she could understand darkness, maybe she could keep it at bay. After graduating at the top of her class, Isla threw herself into psychology, specializing in forensic behaviorism. It was her way to claw back some control - to decode the minds of those who inflicted pain and give a voice to those silenced by violence. Her work on high-profile cases in major cities earned her respect, but at great personal cost. The closer she got to uncovering corruption and twisted power within the systems meant to protect, the more isolated she became. The breaking point came during a particularly harrowing case involving police misconduct and systemic injustice. Betrayed by colleagues she had once trusted implicitly, Isla was framed, discredited, and left to pick up the pieces of her shattered career. Threats followed - some whispered, some overt - targeting not just her, but those she loved. The institution she had dedicated herself to was revealed as a cage, one she could no longer bear to live inside. Haunted by betrayal and betrayal’s aftermath, Isla fled to Palmview 6 months ago - a quieter town where shadows still lurk beneath the surface, but where she hoped to rebuild what was lost. Here, she works as a forensic behaviorist, often liaising with local law enforcement, yet always maintaining an impenetrable emotional barrier. Few glimpse the storm beneath her calm, composed exterior - the rage, the heartbreak, the relentless guilt for not being able to save everyone. Isla carries scars no one can see, memories that haunt her dreams, and a constant battle between her fierce desire to protect and the crushing weight of loneliness. Every day is a reminder that strength can be a lonely prison, and sometimes the most dangerous demons are the ones you fight within yourself.

EXTRA-EXTRA, READ ALL ABOUT HER!

MBTI: ENFJ - The Protagonist

Enneagram: 3w4 - The Expert with a creative streak

Temperament: Sanguine-Choleric

Astrological Vibe: Capricorn Sun, Aquarius Rising, Scorpio Moon

Personality:

Isla Navarro is a fiercely intelligent and deeply observant woman, combining sharp analytical skills with emotional depth. Her training as a forensic behaviorist has sharpened her ability to read people and situations with remarkable accuracy, allowing her to anticipate actions and decode hidden intentions. Isla carries a commanding presence - quiet yet intense - that often disarms those around her. Though naturally empathetic, she maintains tight emotional boundaries, carefully choosing when and to whom she reveals her true feelings, protecting herself from vulnerability.

Her greatest strengths lie in her resilience and loyalty. Despite a turbulent past marked by betrayal and loss, Isla endures with remarkable strength, compartmentalizing pain to keep moving forward. She is fiercely protective of those she loves and will go to great lengths to shield family and friends from harm. In moments of crisis, her calm and collected demeanor serves as a steadying force for others, demonstrating her remarkable composure under pressure.

However, Isla’s guarded nature is also a significant vulnerability. Her fear of betrayal and abandonment often makes it difficult for her to fully trust others, creating emotional distance and loneliness even in company. She carries heavy guilt and self-blame for past events where she felt powerless to prevent harm, which sometimes leads her to take on excessive responsibility or silently punish herself. Accustomed to being the protector, she struggles to ask for help, fearing that vulnerability might expose her weaknesses or lead to disappointment. Additionally, the trauma of past betrayals and threats lingers in moments of anxiety and hypervigilance, though she masks these feelings behind a composed exterior.

Socially, Isla is selective and cautious. She prefers meaningful, smaller circles to large gatherings, finding comfort in intimate conversations over superficial chit-chat. She can come across as reserved or even intimidating at first, but those who persist discover a sharp wit, dry humor, and fierce loyalty beneath the surface. Isla has a keen sense for emotional undercurrents in social settings and navigates them with skill, adapting to keep control of the atmosphere without losing herself. She values authenticity and depth, often feeling drained by performative or shallow interactions.

In friendships, Isla is deeply loyal but measured. She invests her trust slowly and cautiously, expecting the same level of honesty and respect she offers. Once someone crosses her carefully drawn boundaries and earns her trust, Isla becomes an unwavering ally - steadfast, protective, and willing to go to great lengths for those she calls friends. However, her tendency to shoulder burdens alone can sometimes create distance, as she rarely asks for support or shares her vulnerabilities openly. Her friends often appreciate her reliability, insight, and the quiet strength she provides, even if they sometimes wish she’d let her guard down more.

Romantically, Isla is both guarded and intense. Past betrayals have left her wary of opening up, so she approaches relationships with caution and deliberation, testing the waters before fully letting someone in. Emotional vulnerability doesn’t come easily, and she often hides her insecurities beneath a composed exterior. However, when Isla commits, she is fiercely devoted and expects honesty, trust, and respect in return. She values partners who can hold space for her complex emotions without pushing too hard. For Isla, true intimacy grows from mutual understanding and emotional safety rather than grand gestures or drama. Beneath her tough exterior, she longs for connection but is afraid of losing herself or being abandoned again. Those who earn her love find a passionate, protective partner with profound loyalty and a steady, grounding presence.

At her core, Isla believes life is a constant battle between light and darkness - not only in the world but within every individual. She is driven by a desire to uncover hidden truths, protect the vulnerable, and confront injustice, even when it means facing painful realities herself. Isla is a warrior shaped by hardship, carrying both scars and wisdom. Her protective instincts, sharp intellect, and unyielding resolve make her a formidable ally, though her guarded heart reminds us that even the strongest warriors need safe spaces to heal.

Headcanons:

Drinks black coffee like it’s fuel, often found fiddling with the ring on her finger when deep in thought

Has a habit of quietly humming old noir jazz tunes when working late on cases

Has an unexpected sweet tooth — dark chocolate is her weakness

She has a “lucky” pen that’s almost out of ink but refuses to replace it because it’s been with her through some of her toughest cases.

She once tried to learn salsa dancing as a stress reliever, but her “two left feet” made her give up after one embarrassing attempt.

Isla has a surprisingly soft spot for stray cats and sometimes leaves food out for neighborhood strays, despite not being a “pet person.”

She has a habit of organizing her desk with oddly specific categories—pens by color, files by case type, and snacks by flavor.

Isla is low-key competitive about crossword puzzles and will challenge friends or coworkers to timed solving contests.

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Step Up 2: The Streets (2008) dir. Jon M. Chu

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SALMA HAYEK Fools Rush In, 1997

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SEX AND THE CITY (1998–2004) 2.07 The Chicken Dance

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Cassie Salazar + outfits ↳ Costume design by Rachael Grubbs