#clarkeyszn

“you want me to lift you up for a tiktok video?” he blinked. 

“yeah,” you nodded, enthusiastically. 

“absolutley not,” he laughed, rubbing the tiredness from his eyes.

you sat up straighter, “what? why?”

"i'm not doing a trend called 'slim pickins'. what even is that?"

"don't act like i didn't catch you saving sabrina carpenter edits into a folder." you glared at him, "all you have to do is pick me up. what's even the point of all that muscle if you don't wanna use them?" you pinched his arm.

"first of all, ouch." he glared at you, "secondly, it's cringe."

you huff and flop back against the cushions of the sofa,, dramitically wounded. "you're so boring."

"i'm saving us from tiktok humiliation." he says, "the lads'll never let it go if i start doing coupley tiktoks." he complains, already closing his eyes again like the conversations over.

"please." you scoff, "you're mpre affectionate with chris and arthur than you are with me."

george just snorted, eyes still closed.

you sulk for exactly ten minutes, then you let it go. for now.

the next day

you woke up the next morning alone. george had left early, before the sun even rose, to film the next episode of the useless hotline. this meant you got to enjoy yet another blissfully quiet day.

that is, until you open your tiktok for you page.

there he was, your boyfriend, with his podcast co-host on his shoulder to the sound of the exact sabrina carpenter song you had shown him not even twelve hours prior, grinning like it was the most fun he had in weeks.

it was funny, of course, the running joke that you and andrew were merely side pieces in max and george's borderline romantic dynamic. but, still, you weren't letting this go easily.

later that night, you're sitting cross-legged on the bed, phone in hand. waiting for george to finish streaming. he's been live for hours now. talking, laughing, completely unbothered as he plays games for the people watching. eventually, you get bored of waiting, so you get up with your phone in hand and walk down the hall.

george is mid-sentence, laughing at something on his screen, when the door creaks open behind him. at first, he doesn't notice you, not until his chat explodes.

'Y/N!!!' 'she looks so done 😭' 'uh oh george is in trouble'

george grinned at the chat before turning in his chair to face you, "hey, baby. what's up?"

"not much." you shrugged, walking over to him and standing behind his chair, leaning down so you were visible on stream, "whatcha doin'?"

"watching random tiktoks." he said, showing you his screen.

you gasped, "oh! i saw a really good one earlier, can i show you?"

"yeah, go for it." he nodded, getting up from the chair so you could use the pc.

you took a seat and began typing into the search bar.

@/theuselesshotlinepod

you clicked onto the profile and went to the most recent video.

"oh no," george sighed and started nervously laughing behind you, hiding behind his gaming chair.

"no, no!" you said sweetly, tapping his arm like you weren't plotting his downfall, "watch it."

you pull up the video in full screen and hit play. sabrina carpenter's voice began echoing through the room.

"a boy who's jacked and kind—"

"it was max and calum's idea, i swear." he laughed.

"was it?" you asked, "chat, i literally asked him to do this exact video yesterday. and he said no!" you laughed.

'LMAOOO' 'the other woman😭' 'i wonder if andrew feels the same' 'she bought RECEIPTS.'

george hides behind the chair again. "i'm being cyberbullied."

"you deserve it." you grinned.

you let the video play one more time, just to drag it out a little while longer. then, satisfied, you grabbed your phone, said goodbye to the chat and left the room.

a while later, you were curled up on the sofa, still scrolling through tiktok when george emerged from his streaming room with a sheepish smile on his face.

"are you actually upset?" he asked, standing in front of you.

"not upset, upset." you shrugged, "but it would be nice if my boyfriend would make tiktoks with me."

he grabbed your hands and pulled you up from your place on the sofa, wrapping his arms around you in a hug. "you're so petty." he chuckled, kissing your forehead.

you hummed, burying you head into his chest. "you love it."

he pulled away, picking your phone up from where you left it on the coffee table. "i do. that's why i'm gonna do it once. and if i throw my back out, you owe me physio."

you looked up at him, "you're not doing this out of guilt, are you?"

"absolutley not," he said, already walking over to the window sill. "i'm doing it because i'm jacked and kind."

his poor joke made you burst into laughter, "you're so annoying."

"come on, let me hoist you."

you clapped your hands, jumping up and down on the spot. "thank you! thank you! thank you!"

the two of you prop your phone up on a stack of cookbooks that have never been touched and an empty coffee mug like this tiktok was some high-level production.

you queue up the audio, bounce on your feet a little as the countdown begins, you turn to george. "ready?"

"not really." he huffed, rolling up the sleeves of his jumper as the music starts playing.

you stood in front of him, his hands found their place securely around your waist.

"a boy who's jacked and kind..."

george lifts you up, effortlessly, onto his shoulder. for a second, everything's going perfectly. you're sitting on his shoulder, balanced like a princess, while he beams at the camera.

"can't find his ass to save my life."

then, because he cannot be serious for one minute, he pretends to wobble.

"george!" you shriek, grabbing a fistful of his hair for stability.

"you're fine!"

you're both laughing so hard, he actually nearly drops you the next time. but he manages to power through to the end of the audio and gently, and safely, lowers you to the floor.

you stuble your way over to your phone, still laughing, george comes up behind you, the pair of you watching the video back before you posted it.

it looks like it was filmed by a couple of sleep-deprived toddlers, which honestly checks out.

within minutes, the comments start rolling in.

'THIS is couple goals.' 'she won 😭' 'petty always wins, ladies.' 'max_balegde: jealousy wasn't a good look on you, babe x'

george scrolls through them from where he’s flopped next to you on the sofa, grinning. “okay, i’ll admit,” he says, nudging your knee, “that was kind of fun.”

you smile, nudging him back. “told you.”

he tilts his head, watching you for a second. “still not doing another one, though.”

“sure,” you say, already opening your tiktok app and queuing up the next audio.

he groans, dragging a pillow over his face. “i’ve created a monster.”

but when you peek over the pillow and raise an eyebrow, he’s already laughing, and you know damn well he’ll do it again.

you made your way over to the bar, pushing past the drunken bodies of sweaty university students grinding against each other. the music pulsed in your chest, lights strobing just enough to disorient you as you weaved through the crowd.

someone shoved past with no warning, and your foot slipped, sending you stumbling straight into someone’s chest.

two hands caught your arms, firm but easy, keeping you upright.

"careful," a voice said, he had an accent. "you alright?"

you looked up, ready to mumble a quick apology but then you saw him.

tall. brunette curls styled perfectly around his ears. and piercing sky-blue eyes, that made you want to sink into the ground and cry, locked onto yours with the most gorgeous smile you had ever seen.

realising you were staring, you stepped back. flustered.

"shit, sorry. i didn't see you."

"no harm done," he said, amused.

you look at him again, confused. "do i know you?"

"nah," he shook his head, "saw you at the gig, on your mates shoulders. at least i'm hoping he's a friend."

"you were at the gig?" you asked, eyes lighting up.

"something like that, yeah." he chuckled.

"what am i missing? where were you watching?"

"from the stage," he muttered, "i'll admit i was a bit upset you weren't as excited for our set as you were sam's."

"yeah?" you asked, smiling sweetly. "well if only i had known how cute you were upclose, i might've got more excited." since when were you this bold?

"just cute?" he questioned.

you hummed in agreement. but no, not just cute.

"so the guy whose shoulder's you were on..." he leaned closer to your ear, "he just a friend?"

you laughed under your breath, he's bold too. "yeah, just a friend."

his grin widened. "good. wouldn't want to be stepping on any toes before i even buy you a drink."

"oh?" you raised your eyebrows. "you're buying me a drink?"

"was hoping to, yeah." he said, shrugging like it was the most natural thing in the world. "might be easier if i knew your name."

you smiled. "it's y/n."

"y/n." he repeated.

"mhm." you nodded, biting your lip. "you gonna tell me yours?"

"robert. or bobby, if you like."

"i like bobby, it suits you." you smiled.

"so..." he paused, "can i buy you a drink, y/n?"

you hesitated for just a second. "alright. one drink."

he led you through the crowd, glancing back once to make sure you were still following. the heat and the noise swirling, but somehow, walking just behind him, it all felt a little more bearable. like the chaos had dulled to a comfortable hum.

he leaned on the bar, flagging the bartender with the ease of someone who had done this a hundred times before. you slid in beside him, feeling the heat of him at your side.

"what're ya having, then?" he asked, turning towards you.

you told him, and he gave a small, approving nod. "classy. i like it."

"and you?" you asked him, nudging his arm with your elbow.

"i'll have a guiness, please." he sad to the bartender.

you snorted, "of course. you can take the boy out of ireland..."

bobby laughed with you, "what about your friend?"

"huh?" you asked.

"your friend," his head motioning over to where the bathrooms were, "you were getting her a drink, no?"

"i- uh- yeah." you fumbled your words, "have you really been watching me all night?"

"hard not to." he said, a little too quickly.

"smooth." you chuckled, "so, how long are you in newcastle?"

"we leave tomorrow, actually. we're going to the US for tour."

both your smiles drop.

you nod slowly, the weight of it sinking in. "must be mad, doing all that travelling. i'm just here for uni."

"uni?" he said, interest sparking in his gaze.

"yeah," you smiled, "so newcastle's home for now, at least."

he grinned, a little softer now. "there are worse places."

"guess so." you said, feeling the sudden distance of knowing the man you only met minutes ago, would be gone soon.

before the moment could get too heavy, the music shifted. the bass dropped low and fast as new order's blue monday filled the room.

you snorted at the irony of it all, "oh my god!"

"seems like fate to me." he gave you a knowing look, offering you his hand.

you took it without hesitation, letting him pull you into the thick of the crowd  the drinks long forgotten. the bass thumped through the club, vibrating through your feet as bobby led you deeper onto the dancefloor. the chaos around you blurred into the background, leaving only the rhythm and the warmth of his hand in yours.

he pulled you closer, his fingers resting lightly on the small of your back as you moved together, matching the energy of the music. your heart hammered. not just from the dancing, but from the way his blue eyes held yours with an intensity that made your breath catch.

for a few songs, you lost yourself completely. spinning, laughing, the world reduced to the thump of drums and the heat of his body close beside yours. when the dj finally slowed the tempo, the buzz between you thickened, heavy with something unspoken.

bobby glanced around, then nodded toward the exit. “want to get some fresh air?”

you hesitated for just a moment. the night had been a whirlwind, exciting and reckless in a way you weren’t used to. you weren’t usually the type to just follow someone outside a club in the middle of the night.

but something about bobby made you want to say yes.

“i don’t usually do this kind of thing,” you admitted quietly as he led you out into the cool night air, the sounds of the club muffled behind the door. 

the air was crisp against your skin, contrast to the heat lingering on your cheeks from the dancing. bobby had stepped just a little closer, not quite touching, but close enough that you could feel the warmth radiating off him.

"this is..." you started, then trailed off, chewing at your lip. "weird."

"a bit," he admitted, but there was a smile playing at his lips. "but not a bad weird."

you looked at him for a long second. searching for something beneath the surface. "do you do this a lot?"

his eyebrows rose slightly. "do what?"

"you know," you said, tilting your head, voice smaller than you meant it to be. "travel around, play gigs, meet girls, kiss her outside the club and then leave. like it was nothing."

you weren’t trying to accuse him, not really, but the words came out sharper than intended, threaded with something vulnerable. it surprised even you, how much you suddenly cared.

god, look at you. getting worked up over a guy you met two hours ago.

bobby stared at you. like really stared at you with those intense blue eyes that made your legs feel like jelly. the teasing dropped from his face, "is that what you think this is?"

you didn't answer right away. your eyes flicker down to the pavement.

he stepped even closer, slow, his voice quiet but firm. "i meet a lot of people, yeah, but i don't do this. not like this."

you looked up at him. "not like what?"

"not like you."

that stopped you cold. 

he scratched the back of his neck, suddenly shy. "jesus, i mean, i saw you from the stage and i couldn't stop looking. then you bump into me in some random club and suddenly i'm here, trying to be all smooth and failing miserably."

you couldn't help the laugh that bubbled up. it was soft, surprised.

"and yeah," he continued, "i'm leaving tomorrow. but i'll be thinking about this. about you."

you swallowed thickly, breath catching when his hand came up gently, fingertips brushing against your jaw, then settling at the curve of your neck. his other hand found your waist, his movements were slow and deliberate like he was memorising this moment.

"so, if you're still okay with it," he murmured, "i'd really like to kiss you now."

your heart stuttered beneath your ribs. but you nodded, just barely, but that was all he needed.

he guided you in, enough for your bodies to meet in the middle. and then he kissed you.

it was soft at first. tentative. like he didn't want to rush it, to feel every second of it. your hands slid up to his hair, tugging on the longer strands at the nape of his neck. he tilted your face just slightly as he deepened the kiss. you pulled at his hair again, harder this time. he responded with a soft groan against your lips that sent a thrill right through you.

the world around you stilled, the hum of the city and dull throb of the club's bass melting away until all you could feel were his hands and lips on you.

you barely noticed how tightly you were holding onto him until he shifted, pressing you gently back against the brick wall just beside the club's side door, hidden in the shadows. the cool stone against your back only heightened the contrast. him, warm and solid and all-consuming in front of you.

he pulled away just enough to look at you, his breathing ragged. “fuck,” he said, voice low, hoarse. "you're..."

he didn't finish the sentence, just kissed you again. rougher, a little desperate and you felt yourself lose any grip you had left on restraint.

the kiss lingered, slow and drawn out like neither of you wanted to let go first. and when you finally did, when his lips pulled back from yours, they hovered there, still so close it was dizzying.

his hand on your neck travelled further up, brushing the stray hairs from your face. you smiled at him softly as you glanced up at him, "do you want to-?"

"yeah," he said before you could finish, like he already knew what you were asking. then softer, "only if you want to."

"my flat's like... a ten minuted walk."

he smirked, just a little. "lead the way."

and then you were walking fast, back through the city streets, his hand in yours. you tugging him just a little too quickly. he kept close behind you, his thumb brushing circles against your palm as the two of you moved through the streets like you’d always known exactly where this night would end.

the next morning.

sunlight streamed through the thin curtains, golden and quiet, pulling you from sleep. the first thing you noticed was the cool air against your bare shoulders. the second was the empty space beside you.

you rolled over, heart sinking just a little. the pillow still held his shape. the faint scent of his cologne lingered in the fabric but he was gone.

you sat up slowly, wincing at the dull throb behind your eyes. your flat was quiet, save for the faint hum of traffic outside. you reached for your phone on the nightstand, already half-expecting nothing. nothing, well except for a text from your friend.

your friend: saw you leave with that cute brunette. call us if u need saving xxx

you laughed softly, before reaching for the glass of water that sat on the table on the other side of your bed.

that was when you saw it.

a piece of paper folded neatly and placed where his head had been. your fingers moved before your brain caught up, unfolding it carefully. it was written in messy, slanted handwriting, black ink on plain paper torn from your notebook.

hey, sorry for running off like this.

i promise this wasn't a one night thing for me.

bobby x

p.s. check your phone ;)

your hands trembled slightly as you reached for your phone again, unlocking it. you had a notification from instagram.

you have one new follower — @.bobbyskeetz