on the upside of a downward spiral

robbie cleven. the lad you call for your computer when turning it off and on again didn’t work. (yes, this has been my lifelong dream after watching the music video for mariah carey’s ‘touch my body’)

[nadarcreations]

If Zoya hadn’t been drinking, she might have picked upon Robbie’s tone. Because that was the thing about Robbie, sometimes he had a tone. Never with her, of course! He was always as sweet as candy floss when it came to his bestie, just as much as she was with him, but sometimes The Tone came out when Harry was being a bit of a rogue, or when some guy in a bar sidled up to them and begun flirting with Zoya. It didn’t happen often – the latter thing, obviously, Harry was always a rogue – but she’d picked up on it a few times, here and there. Still, sober or not, she never really knew what The Tone meant, so she supposed it didn’t actually matter if she picked up on it or not! 

She let herself be guided through the lobby of their hotel and towards the lifts, nodding happily as he promised her anything she wanted. Being friends with Robbie was so easy, she thought. He was always so nice and made her feel warm inside, his teasing manner always sparking a giggle out of her, her nose almost semi-permanently scrunched when he was by her side. Other girls regularly told her how charming Robbie was, and she did see it! She’d always thought he was so handsome and lovely, ever since they were little. He’d been the cutest boy in the school, and she’d delightedly prattled on to her parents about him from that very day, and she hadn’t stopped since. He was her favourite in the whole world. 

As she daydreamed – or night dreamed? What was it called when it was nighttime, but you’re awake? –  about the dance party she’d just concocted in her mind, Zoya released a shrill, delighted giggle when she felt the press of Robbie’s hands on her. She was clad in a semi-transparent, cropped halter top that she’d found when out shopping with Rae. She thought the yellows and purples had looked so pretty on her soft brown skin, the colours accenting each other so wonderfully, and she’d paired it with a ruffled mini-skirt in a similar shade of yellow. She thought she looked really cute! And as Robbie’s fingers brushed her exposed skin, she wondered what he thought of her outfit? Perhaps she’d ask him, once her tummy stopped doing strange little flips and her head stopped spinning. Maybe she’d had more to drink than she remembered? That had to be it. 

“That’s cheating!” Zoya playfully scolded, snapping free from her reverie as her best friend started rattling a bag of M&M’s in front of her face. 

She felt like a naughty kitten being coaxed out from under its owner’s bed, caught burrowing away somewhere it shouldn’t be. Only, unlike a kitten, she knew exactly what game Robbie was playing and she was happily playing right into his hands! 

Rolling her eyes fondly, she followed him happily into the lift before pinching her thumb and forefinger around the edge of the bag, snatching it out of his grasp as she immediately tore it open. Triumphant, Zoya slumped against Robbie, her back hitting his chest as she rummaged around inside the back, shovelling candy into her gob and only occasionally offering him the bag as well. By the time they reached their floor, she’d made her way through a quarter of the bag already and could feel her veins buzzing from the sugar rush. Now she was definitely dance party ready. 

Stepping out into the hallway, she redirected her gaze to their room door, which was thankfully just a few strides from the lift. Robbie really had nailed all the planning! Eyeing him curiously, Zoya used her free hand to start patting Robbie down in search of their room key. Her hand slid down his chest with no sign of pocket in his shirt, and instead moved to the front of his jeans. Feeling at a loss when the key didn’t make itself known, she wrapped her arms around her best friend’s middle, inadvertently pulling him in for a cuddle as her hand slipped easily into his back pocket. 

“I can’t find our key, but I did find your cute bum,” Zoya announced, feeling quite pleased with her findings. It wouldn’t be great if they couldn’t get inside, but she wasn’t about to complain about touching a butt. 

[renegaderobbie]

Robbie had gotten Zoya into the lift and he thought that was a feat worthy of applause. Not that anyone was looking at them for long enough to clap. The lobby was a strange mix of sleepy businessmen and overexcited Shattered Diamonds fans, yet to come down from their post-concert high as they congregated in little groups to discuss their favourite parts of the show. Robbie caught one last glance at them all before the elevator doors slid shut and left him alone with Zoya. And the insanely helpful M&M’s.

As she leaned back against his chest, he slung his arms across her shoulders so they hung down over her front, tapping a beat against her hips that matched the tinny music playing overhead. Every so often, she’d graciously feed him an M&M, in a pattern that he soon realised went something along the lines of - four for Zoya, one for Robbie, five for Zoya, one for Robbie, so on and so forth.

Eventually, they reached their floor. Stepping out into the hallway, the two of them made their way along to their room, only for Zoya to turn and give Robbie an unexpected pat down.

He jumped in surprise, letting out a startled laugh.

“Fucking hell, who are you supposed to be? TSA?” he asked, arms now held out to the side like he’d failed a check at the airport. He looked down at Zoya who was very intent on her as-of-yet unspoken task, quirking an eyebrow as he wondered what she was doing. Not that he was complaining about a pretty girl’s hands being all over him, but he figured Zoya’s intention differed a little from how this usually went down when Robbie let a woman feel him up.

“Jesus, chick,” he laughed when her hand slid into his back pocket. Was she actually trying to cop a feel? Were M&M’s some sort of secret aphrodisiac he had no clue about?

“Ah,” he smirked when she revealed she was looking for their room key. He reached between them to slide his hand into his front pocket, pulling the piece of plastic out to show her. With his other hand, he reached behind him to take hold of her wrist. Cheekily, he commandeered control of her hand to smack it off his own bum before letting go.

“Don’t need an excuse to grab my arse if you wanted to, Z,” he teased her before leaning over her to swipe the keycard against the fob. The door handle turned green, and let out a small beep before letting them inside.

“C’mon you,” Robbie said, giving Zoya little time to even blink before he was dipping down and throwing her over his shoulder. His voice was cheery as he told her, “There ye go! Perfect access to grab onto my cheeks, ye minx.”

He accented his point by giving her own behind a light tap with his palm, leading them into the room before unceremoniously tipping Zoya onto the bed.

[nadarcreations]

Growing up, Robbie had always managed to maintain his accent. Even as they’d moved around, Zoya’s family practically a hop, skip and a jump behind his own. Her parents were immigrants, travelling here, there and everywhere before settling down permanently. They’d only been living in Ireland for a brief time before she and Robbie had become fast friends on the school playground. She’d been moved around here and there, just the same way Robbie had, but his Irish accent remained thick and unbreakable, and it was one of her favourite things about him. It was charming and sweet, and everything sounded a whole lot better when he was the one saying it! 

She especially enjoyed the cutesy way that he always called her chick, knowing that it had a much cuter connotation than when American guys referred to girls as chicks. 

“I don’t think it’s the sugar we should be worried about,” Zoya grinned, lifting a hand as she placed her forefinger to his lips in a shushing motion. As though the two of them were both in on a little secret, even if she wasn’t sure what that secret supposedly was. 

She giggled sweetly as his moustache tickled her finger, crinkling her nose at the way it somehow felt soft and scratchy against her skin. She’d never kissed a guy with a moustache before, but she would bet the people Robbie slept with laughed a lot. 

“And Harry won’t mind, because he loves me and thinks I’m the cutest,” Zoya nodded obediently, echoing the words that Robbie so often told her. She wasn’t entirely sure if there was any truth to it, but she’d yet to find herself in Harry’s bad books. He liked a pretty face, and Robbie was positive his friend had a wee soft spot for her, as he liked to put it! Everything was wee, but especially Zoya, who happened to be the littlest of all. 

Feeling light and breezy – but then again, when didn’t she? – Zoya looped her arm with Robbie’s and started to direct him towards the entrance to their hotel. She still couldn’t get over how nice it was and made a mental note to ask him more questions about it when she wasn’t the teeniest bit tipsy and also reliving the high of Diego Rodriguez taking his shirt off and throwing it into the crowd. She hadn’t been anywhere near close enough to catch it, but she and Robbie had enjoyed the view anyway! 

“Wait... Can we wear the complimentary dressing gowns? And the slippers? And, oh! Can we have a dance party too?” Zoya bounced on the spot, giving his bicep a squeeze as she pushed up onto her tiptoes for the second time. Her nose brushed his jawline as she teetered on the spot, wobbling against the hotel doorframe. She suddenly had visions of the two of them wearing nothing but cotton and twirling around the room to her Maggie Chance playlist. “Please? Pretty please.” 

[renegaderobbie]

Admittedly, Harry did have a soft spot for Zoya and Robbie had mixed feelings about that. His other friend was wrapped right around Zoya’s little finger in the way that he’d only ever seen Aoife manage before. It was cute to a certain point, because Robbie knew what it was like to be possessed by the ever-present tendency to do right by Zoya. But then Harry would get that smarmy look on his face and start flirting with her and Robbie would have to drag him back by his collar like a naughty dog. That was when Harry’s infamous soft spot for Zoya went from cute to irritating. His best friend didn’t need to be on the receiving end of Harry’s sleazy charms.

“‘Cause Harry’s just marvellous, ain’t he?” Robbie drawled, rolling his eyes. He slung his arm over Zoya’s shoulders, steering her in the direction of the hotel doors.

At this rate, with Zoya’s stop-and-start motions repeating themselves every time yet another brilliant idea popped into her head, the two of them wouldn’t be able to get to their room until well past midnight. He had to recalibrate, get them back on track. 

“How about we can do whatever you want if ye agree to get your arse into the lift?” he teased her, smirking when she continued to rattle on about all the grand plans she had for them once they got back to their hotel room.

Truth be told, he liked the idea of a cozy robe and complimentary slippers and ordering whatever the fuck they wanted from the room service menu. He was starving and the idea of a concierge pushing a little cloth-covered trolley into their room was more than appealing, especially since it would create the illusion that Robbie was the kind of man who did shit like this often, instead of it being a once in a blue moon occasion.

“Zoya,” he chided, throwing his head back with a laugh as she began bouncing around and pleading for a dance party, dangerously close to sticking the head in him and giving him a rubber lip. It wouldn’t be the first time Zoya’s enthusiasm had ended up with a body count.

Hands gripping her hips to balance her, he snorted out another laugh.

“Christ, Nadar, I’ll even do one of Buddy’s tap dance routines for you if it gets you up to the room,” he urged her.

Eyeing her carefully, he figured it was time to bring out the big guns. Holding her gaze, he smirked and reached into the pocket of his jacket, tugging out his weapon of choice. Holding the bag of M&M’s in front of her face, he drew her attention to them and then began shaking them.

“C’mon, Zoya. Y’want the candy, don’t ye?” he said, walking backwards towards the lift and making a show of guiding her in that direction, like he was training an overly enthusiastic puppy.

[nadarcreations]

↳INSTAGRAM: @handmadezoya uploaded a photo:

A WILD RAE APPEARS! 🤣💛

[renegaderobbie]

@robbiecleverman: There she goes, being adorable again.

[nadarcreations]

↳INSTAGRAM: @handmadezoya uploaded a photo:

Forgot to post my concert fit!!!! Everyone needs to see this top!!!!

[renegaderobbie]

@robbiecleverman: Think we know I appreciated the fit, chick! But if it bears repeating...

[nadarcreations]

Zoya’s body was coated in a sheen of sweat but she didn’t mind at all. She'd just had the best. night. ever.  

Generally speaking, she wasn’t one to complain much, but even if she was, she wouldn’t be uttering a single bad word about the night she’d just had. She’d danced her little booty off all night with her friends, had giggled with Robbie when Flynn and Rae had inevitably gotten so wrapped up in the music that their mouths had become surgically attached, and had let her best friend hold her close, a hand resting on her tummy and her pressed to his chest as they swayed gently to Diego Rodriguez tearing down the whole arena. The Shattered Diamonds didn’t have a whole lot of slow songs, but the ones they did have were usually accompanied by Henry impressing the crowds with the prettiest melodies she’d ever heard in her life. Getting to enjoy them with Robbie’s arms wrapped around her and their cute friends by their side was the biggest and best bonus a girl could ask for. 

She was cuddly to a fault, so it meant that while others might have complained about third wheeling Rae and Flynn, she’d been more than eager to tangle herself up with her bestie. Robbie didn’t seem to mind either. Her best friend was always generous when it came to returning her cuddles. Even when she’d begged him to sign up to the Diamonds’ presale to secure their tickets, he’d barely even hesitated when giving in to her big doe eyes. 

“That was amazing,” Zoya gushed, still feeling so buzzy from the concert. They’d just managed to maneuver their way through the crowds spilling out of the arena, managing to say a quick goodbye to Flynn and Rae before they disappeared to their hotel for the night. Robbie had managed to secure them a hotel much closer to the venue, which meant they could soak up some more of the cool night’s breeze before heading up to their room.  

Now, she was bouncing on the spot, hands braced against his shoulders as her skirt swished and swayed around her thighs. All she wanted to do was dance, and dance some more. She’d had a few drinks over the course of the night and was enjoying the additional buzz that came with it, alongside the post concert high.

“Are you tired? I’m not tired. I could stay awake all night. And maybe we should? Maybe we should have a dance party. Or maybe we'll get told off and they'll kick us out of the hotel?” Zoya rambled without pausing for breath, her mind working at a mile a minute. Absently, she lifted a hand to comb her fingers through Robbie’s hair, pushing it back from his forehead, the sweat slick enough to hold it in place. “We could order room service! And SO. MUCH. ALCOHOL. Should we get wine? I don’t think I’m fancy enough for champagne!” 

[renegaderobbie]

Thanks to Zoya, and a basic understanding of how online fan spaces worked, Robbie knew what being a Swiftie or Directioner meant. A Belieber too. That was what they called themselves, right? He had no clue what fans of the Shattered Diamonds were labelled, but after going through their whole concert with Zoya belting the lyrics to each and every one of their songs in his ear, he eventually had to call it and declare himself one of ‘em. They might not have been Flogging Molly, but they could put out a fucking tune and a half.

“Nah, you’re right, I suppose. They were good craic,” Robbie mused, slipping his hand into Zoya’s so he wouldn’t lose her in the crowd as they left the venue.

He knew Flynn and Rae would be just as firmly attached, so he stopped looking around for them and focused on his best pal instead. He reached up to cover her head with his hand, just in time to stop her getting whacked by a foam finger being waved around by an overzealous fan.

As they said their goodbyes to the happy couple they’d come here with, Robbie couldn’t help but smirk as they headed back to their hotel. It was only a hop, skip and a jump away from the venue, a real golden ticket of an accommodation spot and when Zoya had asked him how he’d managed to land them a room there, he’d just shrugged, acted humble and declared that he’d gotten lucky. He hadn’t seen any reason to tell her that he’d successfully managed to enter the company’s intranet from his own laptop, deleting another booking in the process and handing the room key right over to him and Zoya. He was sure that guy whose name had been on the room before wouldn’t be too pressed when they turned him away. Zoya was wearing heels! She couldn’t walk far with those on her feet. It was a matter of chivalry.

“How much sugar have ye had, chick?” he teased Zoya, obediently bending down to counteract their height difference so she could push his hair back. It had been plastered sweatily against his forehead, betraying him as the kind of man who did dance and jump around at a concert he’d previously claimed to be indifferent about. It wasn’t his fault that the songs were catchy and that Poppy Martin was a wee ride.

(Never mind. That voice in his head sounded too much like Keegan.)

He grinned down at Zoya.

“Don’t forget you’re drinkin’ with the Irish. We’re gonna need more than ‘so much’ alcohol. Get the wine, get the champagne. Anythin’ looks too expensive and we’ll foot the bill to Harry’s credit card,” he said, shoving his hands into his pockets then leaning sideways to bump his shoulder against hers.

“Sound good, nighthawk?” He’d bet any money she’d crash before midnight.

[singwithflynn]

↳INSTAGRAM: @flynnmoone uploaded a photo:

Holy shit. We all see how hot my girlfriend is, right?

[renegaderobbie]

@robbiecleverman: Takes a brave, brave man to set himself up for everyone to call him a simp in the comments 😉

[bigtimebeau]

↳INSTAGRAM: @bemybeau uploaded a photo

creature in the wild

[renegaderobbie]

@robbiecleverman: Christ, never actually thought someone could out-mog a Cleven but looks like Buddy has his work cut out for him.

[plantgirlpops]

↳INSTAGRAM: @.popstarpoppy uploaded a photo:

tour rehearsals yippeeeee!!!! ☀️☀️☀️

[renegaderobbie]

@robbiecleverman: Blondie’s right. I’m a certified Shattered Diamond or feckin’ whatever 😉

[renegaderobbie]

↳INSTAGRAM: @robbiecleverman uploaded a photo:

She wanted a picnic so she got a picnic 🙄

[chocolatechipcora]

@dancerbailey: WHATEVER ZOYA WANTS ZOYA GETS

[renegaderobbie]

@robbiecleverman: @dancerbailey Sure, that’s been turned into my life’s motto I think.

[renegaderobbie]

↳INSTAGRAM: @robbiecleverman uploaded a photo:

She wanted a picnic so she got a picnic 🙄

[nadarcreations]

@handmadezoya: And I LOVED it and I love YOU!!!!!! Thank you for the cutest dayyyy and for spoiling me!! 😍🥰☀️🌻😊😚💛

[renegaderobbie]

@robbiecleverman: @handmadezoya Anytime, chick 💛

[renegaderobbie]

↳INSTAGRAM: @robbiecleverman uploaded a photo:

She wanted a picnic so she got a picnic 🙄

[shatteredgossip]

@glitchyrichie: LOVE this!!

[renegaderobbie]

@robbiecleverman: @glitchyrichie Love YOU, gorgeous 😉

[renegaderobbie]

↳INSTAGRAM: @robbiecleverman uploaded a photo:

She wanted a picnic so she got a picnic 🙄

[oharadesigns]

@dexxydesigns: This is so cute! I love taking Carrie on picnics! :)

[renegaderobbie]

@robbiecleverman: @dexxydesigns Hahaha fuck pal, I don’t doubt it!

[renegaderobbie]

↳INSTAGRAM: @robbiecleverman uploaded a photo:

She wanted a picnic so she got a picnic 🙄

[whistleforwalsh]

@fourstringwalsh: ignore the boys, they're just mad they're not this adorable

[renegaderobbie]

@robbiecleverman: @fourstringwalsh They can’t all have what I have x

[renegaderobbie]

↳INSTAGRAM: @robbiecleverman uploaded a photo:

She wanted a picnic so she got a picnic 🙄

[kianmcgrath]

@kmcgrath7: Aul romantic.

[renegaderobbie]

@robbiecleverman: @kmcgrath7 Didn’t I just see you with a lovebite on your neck the other day?

[renegaderobbie]

↳INSTAGRAM: @robbiecleverman uploaded a photo:

She wanted a picnic so she got a picnic 🙄

[bonniestewarts]

@bonniestew: wait why do MYYYYYYY friends never do this shit for me @roryosully @shepbloomwood @aceinthering you betta step up

[renegaderobbie]

@robbiecleverman: @bonniestew You need better pals, pal.

[renegaderobbie]

↳INSTAGRAM: @robbiecleverman uploaded a photo:

She wanted a picnic so she got a picnic 🙄

[firefighterbuckleynyfd]

@.firefighterbuckley: when are ye locking her down?

[renegaderobbie]

@robbiecleverman: @.firefighterbuckler Shite, are you saying you wouldn’t even fight for me before that?

[renegaderobbie]

↳INSTAGRAM: @robbiecleverman uploaded a photo:

She wanted a picnic so she got a picnic 🙄

[shatteredgossip]

@harrymchale: Whipped.

[renegaderobbie]

@robbiecleverman: @harrymchale Don’t act like you’re not wrapped round my wee finger 😉