i'm holding my breath for you

there's no doubt in my mind that if you could then you would try to crack my ribcage and pull my heart right through

[drearydcze]

— spotted in the streets of brooklyn, it’s NAM DAEHYUN. they have lived in the city for FIVE YEARS, working as a/an CO-OWNER OF PAWS & POUR. the THIRTY-TWO year old will probably be seen around BUSHWICK a lot, seeing as that’s where they live. people say they can be a bit OBSTINATE and TERSE, but friends know them to be NURTURING and CREATIVE. you know for sure you’ve found them when you’ve come across THE SMELL OF COFFEE BEANS ROASTING, HANDROLLED CIGARETTES, and THE SOUND OF RAIN AGAINST THE WINDOW. welcome to brooklyn, it’s been waiting for you! threads. musings. playlist. visage.

— general

name: daehyun nam age: thirty-two birthday: october 18th pronouns: he/him sexuality: bisexual hometown: daegu, south korea occupation: co-owner of paws & pour current residence: bushwick

— familial

father: hyunjae nam - no contact mother: boyoung woo - limited contact sibling(s): none

— physical

height: 6'4 build: lean & muscular, broad shoulders, long legs eye color: deep brown hair color: naturally dark brown, although he has been known to dye his hair from time to time. usually only to go blonde for brief periods of time when he gets a little antsy. piercings: left eyebrow visible markings: a small scar on his chin

— personality

likes: coffee, the smell of rain, his cat namu, reading in the park, watching trashy reality tv, cold weather, drinking socially, smoking cigarettes, discovering new music, doing facemasks & drinking wine dislikes: warmer weather, people who are mean to wait staff, deep bodies of water, large crowds, loud noises, art snobs hobbies: cooking, listening to music, reading, writing poetry, doing paint by number kits, & very recently he's started to crochet demeanor: daehyun is very nurturing & works hard to try and give people the warmth and love that he felt he was lacking as a child, typically rather easy-going and kind even to strangers while still managing to keep most people at a healthy distance. although he is rather stubborn and it can be difficult to change his mind on things, he is very friendly. he's a little bit terse when it comes to his history, especially his parents and how he grew up, and doesn't react very well to people prying into his past even if it's well meaning.

— more about daehyun

was born & raised in south korea, grew up always teetering on the edge of poverty

his parents spent very little time parenting, and most of their time working. his father especially was not very subtle about letting daehyun know that he was viewed as more of a burden than anything else. another mouth to feed.

started working when he was 12, doing odd jobs under the table for local food vendors & shop owners. he would offer to sweep up at his favorite corner store for whatever they could afford to give him, just so he could prove his worth to his family

academics naturally fell to the background as being able to lighten the financial load took precedent

got his first real job at 16 after applying for a work permit, starting working as a barista for a locally owned coffee shop and fell in love

when he was behind the counter, making different coffee combinations and teas, he felt peaceful. at ease. the stress of his home life seemed to melt away.

the more comfortable he got there, the more he realized he liked creating something with his own hands. he liked being able to hand someone a hot cup of coffee and see the warmth spread on their faces. it provided him with a purpose that wasn't dependent solely on his families financial success.

he managed to graduate high school at age 18, but failed the entrance exam for the university of his choice. this was largely due to the fact that his time for studying was monopolized by his time spent working.

after not getting in to college, his father kicked him out. daehyun was dismayed, confused, abandoned. his mother told him she was sorry, but she did nothing to stop it.

for a few years he meandered around south korea, working as a barista as well as several other part-time jobs, staying in very small youth hostiles and saving as much money as he could.

he moved to the united states when he was 21 years old, first to georgia where he knew a friend was living abroad while she finished university.

after she moved back home, he stayed behind. he liked the united states, but mostly he liked being somewhere where nobody knew him. they didn't know his family was poor, they didn't know his father despised him.

when he was 27, he moved to new york and settled down in brooklyn. by this time he'd been able to save up quite a bit of money, working tirelessly.

he felt like brooklyn was a breath of fresh air, another new beginning. daehyun was no longer working as many jobs as he could to stockpile his money for a rainy day, he was comfortable.

he got a full time job as the manager at a large coffee chain, and spent a lot of his free time volunteering at the local animal shelter, where he adopted his cat namu.

the animal shelter is where he first met his friend, and now business partner, leo darby.

he became co-owner of paws & pour, mainly focusing on managing the coffee & barista side of things.

[ofalchemyy]

some people would be surprised to find austin walker in a bookstore, but those people would be wrong. he hadn't been very big on reading when he was a kid, outside of the usual big movie blockbusters, but during the pandemic, he'd torn through several of the more recent fantasy series. he was on the hunt for a hardback copy of one of them now. yes, he did already own the current paperback but it didn't match the rest of the series he'd impulse-bought on eBay, so he was doing his best to complete the set. he'd paused before reaching the right letter and snagged a colorful cover with a dragon from the shelf, flipping it over to read the back blurb and then replacing it when he got a not-like-other-girls vibe from the main character. it was as he set the book down in its place that he recognized daehyun.

austin smiled to himself, slid his hands into his pockets, and whistled a tune that had been stuck in his head for about a week. where had he heard it? tiktok? he wasn't sure. "nah, man, you're good." he grabbed another book from the shelf at random and flipped through it. "kinda weird seeing you outside of the cafe," austin laughed. "like seeing a teacher out of school. what's up?"

[drearydcze]

it was always a little jarring to see a regular out in the wild, but not necessarily unwelcome. at least not when it's regulars he actually likes. even though austin occasionally got on his nerves, he was still one of his favorite customers. but seeing him here did bring out an almost compulsory need to provide some kind of service, to be useful in some way. it was a hard habit to break.

as austin spoke, dae could feel the smile pulling at his lips. he laughs, quiet and under his breath. "it's weird seeing you too, i feel like i should be pushing a cat into your hands and making a latte." there's a beat, and he shelves the novel he'd been holding, turning a fraction of his attention back to the bookshelves. "just trying to find something new to read, i've been burning through fantasy novels lately."

[ladcies-deactivated20241213]

a big leather jacket hung upon safiye´s shoulders as she sauntered through the bookstore hallways. once in a while sharp fingernails reached for a book, reading quickly through its synopsis in hopes that it would catch her interest. although safi rarely had time to stop and read through an entire novel, she attempted to do such, most likely a science fiction one. "no, you're not, dae, relax, i can probably squeeze behind you, though" a malicious grin provoked him as those dark eyes observed the book in his hands. "is that one of those fairy porn books? didn't know you were into that " she joked.

[drearydcze]

the smile dae was already sporting widened when he realized it was safi. he wasn't necessarily surprised to see her, but they didn't usually bump into each other at the bookstore. when she joked about fairy porn, it was hard to stop himself from laughing even as the blush spread up his neck and towards his cheeks. "i think you're talking about a court of thorns and roses," he was full on blushing now, a little embarrassed to admit that he knows exactly what book she's referring to. he swallows that down to soldier on. what's a little embarrassment between friends? "and i didn't like it very much, thank you." even with the slightly sardonic tone in his voice, he's still smiling.

he palms the book in his hand, holding it outstretched so she can get a better look. "this is game of thrones, no fairy porn. at least, i don't think there's fairy porn, i only read the first page."

[bitingironics-deactivated202501]

claire fletcher could be found on google under a google search. her law firm had its own website, she'd been in magazines before for her success in new york, she was even particularly fond of how journalists failed to describe her accurately, always falling for her mystery and intrigue. still, no one really knew claire - even those close to her, though some came closer than others. it was a heavy feeling, to hold closed the doors that sealed in the screams and echoes from her past. claire had found, over the years, that holding those doors closed meant that she was also closing others in her wake; that she no longer had arms to hold her friends close as they were occupied. she'd lost people over the years - people who claire hated to see go but would never voice that to their faces, standing firm on the resolve that some people just left. in the back of her mind though, she knew why they had thought best to abandon her.

her eyes flickered intently over daehyun nam, noticing that he didn't squirm under the intense gaze she settled on him. claire decided quickly, though somewhat tentatively, that she liked him. she turned her attention to the menu, hands sinking into deep, silk pockets of her jacket. "what's your favorite tea?" she asked, already having heard about the tea here. that same cat from earlier, came and intertwined with her legs again and claire's gaze dropped from the menu to the skinny little thing. "your friend seems fond of me." a question lingered in her tone. "or do they usually do this to everyone?"

[drearydcze]

although dae had gotten pretty good at being friendly, inviting, some habits die hard. like keeping everyone at a distance, never letting anyone truly get close to him. close enough to hurt him. it led to some lonely nights, to ugly memories with no one to share them with. but he preferred it that way for now. it was easier. and besides, he didn't like the pity that came with it. there were far too many people back home who knew too much, and every look they measured at him held that same pitiful expression. they spoke to him like he was damaged goods.

but daehyun found himself warming up slightly to claire. she was a lot more, well, normal than he'd been expecting. so far there was no obvious ulterior motive, no hint of demand in her tone. and there's an odd sense of knowing when he looks at her, like he can see some trace of a tired expression he's worn before. "i'm more of a coffee drinker myself, but we do have the best english breakfast in town." he flows behind the counter, movements graceful and fluid as he reaches for the tea concentrate. "cream or sugar?" it was maybe a little too early to let all of his earlier inhibitions go, but it seemed like haru ( the new addition he's so lovingly nicknamed ) was warming up to claire even faster than he was. eyes flicked down to watch as she entangled herself between the others legs, and he couldn't help the smile that spread across his face. real and genuine. "no, that's just you. she's actually been pretty skittish with new people."

[kouvrmurphy-deactivated20250829]

Location: New York Aquarium

Status: OPEN ( @bfmstarters )

Kouvr was making her way through the aquarium. For someone whose been here only a couple of weeks, to say she's been at the aquarium five times has to warrant some sort of record or trophy in this place. The blonde was jogging up the steps with pep, the stairs already burned into her muscle memory. Her body was tingling with excitement, seeing that her favorite exhibit was up next - only a few steps away at this point in time. As she rounded the corner, the array of jellyfish emitting a orange light within the blacklight of blue and purple hues was enough to almost leave her breathless. She skipped over to the huge tube in the middle, observing the jellyfish at any possible angle. It was an off day for the aquarium, so Kouvr wasn't expecting much of anyone else in any of the exhibits. So, when she felt the presence of someone nearby she couldn't help herself. "Did you know that jellyfish are over 600 million years old? It's all thanks to the fact they're 98% water - so they are able to blend into any aspect of the ocean and survive. Pretty neat for a species that has no heart, brain, blood or lungs - huh?"

[drearydcze]

daehyun did not like the aquarium. well, okay, the aquarium is fine. it's the water, the creatures, that give him the heebie jeebies. he's not sure where the fear stems from, it's just always been there. the ocean is too vast, too unknown. but he's here anyways, call it exposure therapy. he truly does love animals, so there's always a little bit of guilt associated with his absolute aversion to all things that reside in the ocean.

seeing kouvr, skipping around so totally in her element, put daehyun a bit more at ease. he didn't really understand how she could be so calm near the ocean, much less in it for her job but it was endearing to see her so at home here. quietly, he approaches. he doesn't want to disturb her.

"pretty neat, or pretty terrifying." his tone is light, but it's hard to miss the way he eyes the jellyfish behind the glass with a sense of wariness. "they do look pretty, though. i'll give them that."

[drearydcze]

open. ( @bfmstarters )where: one more page

daehyun turned the book over in his hand, eyes scanning the synopsis on the back. being inside a bookstore, nestled in between the stacked shelves, always seemed to clear his head. he's looking for a new world to fall into. somewhere mystical. his reading trends did seem to lead towards fantasy, something otherworldly that can drift him away to a distant land. it was comforting to escape. by now he's cracked open the book, absorbed in the words on the page. that's why he doesn't immediately notice the other person standing near him, and he startles.

"oh, am i in your way?" dae shuffles, closing the book in his hand and taking a small step backward, "sorry. i was getting a little too into it." he holds the book up in explanation, soft smile tugging at his lips. friendly.

[elliot-mason-deactivated2025010]

Open: @bfmstarters Where: Brooklyn Botanic Garden

As much as he disliked the cold, hated the snow that would fall and get everywhere, Elliot loved winter because it meant Christmas. Hands down his favorite holiday, always going over the top for it, and he knew that this year would be no different. Hell, he was sure to go even more out and over the top because it would be Sawyer's first Christmas. Even if she was still much too small to understand what was going on. But it was also how he found himself with Sayer bundled up and strapped to his chest, walking around looking a the Christmas light display that had been set up at the botanic garden. grinning as he looked down at Sawyer, her little eyes wide as he stepped into one of the displays, laughing some as he watched her kick her little feet in excitement. Taking a moment to realize someone had joined them. With a warm smile on his face, Elliot looked over, giving them a nod of his head in greeting.

[drearydcze]

the cold settled over daehyun and he loved every second of it. there was still a nip at his skin, even under the layers of thick hoodie and coat. he breathed deeply, finding comfort in the icy burn that bloomed in his lungs. despite his five years in brooklyn, and even more in the states, christmas was still a hard phenomenon for him to get into. although this year he was determined to get a tree, something small and uniquely his. but he did always like to see the lights, which is how he found himself drifting around the botanical garden.

he sees elliot, with sawyer strapped closely to his chest, and smiles. daehyun always held a certain soft spot for good parents, good fathers. it was comforting, in a way, to see someone give a child what he lacked.

"hey, enjoying the lights?" he signs, slowly, cold hands trying to make sure he didn't mess it up. most of the ASL he knew was customer service and coffee oriented, for paws & pours. since meeting elliot & little sawyer though, he'd been trying to expand his vocabulary in his free time.

[bitingironics-deactivated202501]

the black benz idled on the street, whilst it occupant in the back seat adjusted her clothing before getting out. the closing of the car door echoed in the street, and she peered from behind sunglasses, lips pursed as she took in the establishment of paws and pour. she'd heard inklings from a few people that the tea here was very good, though that wasn't exactly why she was here. the check that she'd sent over with a trusted assistant yesterday had been the reason. stalking up to the door, long billowing blue coat flaring out behind her with every step, she neared the door before reaching forward and pulling it open. once inside, she surveyed the room, and a cat that had looked like it had seen better days flounced over to where she stood, stepping through the narrow space between her parted legs to wind through them again and again. claire felt a fraction of her cold heart warm at the sight before she schooled her expression and stepped towards the counter. there she saw a young man who had taken up the counter space, claire took him in with a precise eye, something flickering in her gaze at his expression before she tilted her chin just slightly upwards and spoke. "claire fletcher," she introduced herself with a practiced ease. "i'm here to speak to one of the owners." @drearydcze

[drearydcze]

there was immediate recognition flashing in daehyun's mind the second claire walked through the door. a check, with too many zeroes, was delivered to paws & pour the day before. it was the most money he'd personally ever held in his hands, check or otherwise. when he was able to pick his jaw up off of the floor, he was left with a sharp intrigue of the neat name printed on the corner. that night was spent with a glass of wine and google opened on his laptop, trying to scour for any information about claire fletcher he could find.

and now, here she was. standing in his place of business with their newest addition rubbing up on her leg. daehyun is studying her, trying to get a read. he studies everyone with the cats. it's like his own personal character reference, watching to see if there's a mutual warming. and with claire, it's a little hard to tell. there's a flicker of something, and then it's gone. of course, he was grateful for the money. keeping the lights on at paw & pour wasn't hard, necessarily, but they were always welcome to help. there's a brief swell of emotion in his chest, maybe suspicion or a slight wariness, like he's unsure what he owes their new benefactor. in dae's experience, money wasn't often given without a cost.

"daehyun nam, co-owner." his tone is level, polite. although some of his usual cheeriness is lacking. he offers a smile, small. "let me make you a drink, whatever you'd like. and then we can talk."