Ulysses Paradox (a Will Lenney fanfiction.)

chapter eighteen

There was no announcement that went out to either their friends or the internet. After a few weeks, it became the expectation that Ruby would tag along with Will and his friends when they went out, and Ruby invited Will to a gala, and introduced him to Ellis who was thrilled to finally meet Will in person.

"I watched some of your videos, mate. Right funny you are. I'm glad we could work together." They all drank gin and tonics, and Will went back to Ruby's flat that night and when they slept together, Ruby didn't feel that gnawing in the pit of her stomach.

They went to Esters together and ordered the same coffee, and Ruby let Will pay every time he offered, and blushed when Lisa and asked how long they'd been seeing each other. Neither of them really knew what answer to offer, so they just shrugged and Will told Lisa it had been a little while, then put his arm around Ruby's shoulders.

One Thursday afternoon, Ruby was sitting at her desk, going through emails. Will had taken to coming over when he was bored at home, and unlike Jake, whose presence felt stiff and intrusive in her flat, Will settled in and Ruby barely noticed he was around. She tried not to think about Jake. They hadn't spoken since New Years Eve, save for one drunken text message a few nights later calling her selfish.

Will asked for a new video idea. He'd been completely exhausted creatively, and didn't know what to do now.

"I don't watch youtube videos," she said. "I don't know what type of suggestions you're looking for."

"Well you know, something fun and entertaining. George and I have filmed half a dozen videos of us watching stupid shite like, I need to try somethin' different." He sighed.

"Why don't you call Alex or James?" She said.

"It's the same thing though, I've got nothin new to offer." He paused for a moment, then sat up. "How would you feel about makin a video with me?" Ruby didn't know how she felt about that. Her immediate instinct was to say no, that opened the door for too much speculation, and too many eyes on her. Being thrust into the limelight felt like treason to their relationship, whatever it was.

"I'm not sure," She said. "What would I do?" Will laughed a little, and stood up from the couch to pace around the living room. She wasn't sure she could be interesting while talking into the lens of a camera. Ruby wasn't even very funny when she had real people standing in front of her.

Will spit out a few ideas, including going through his reddit page or reacting to a trick-shot Youtube video. Ruby shook her head.

"What if we went back and watched one of my very first videos?" He said, excited. "That'd be a blast, then we could both get a good laugh. It's right embarrassing at this point yeah, but it'd be fun. People would love it, and your reaction would be gold." He continued talking through his idea, and Ruby sat at her desk, hearing his words without any conceptualization.

She still felt a familiar wave of guilt and panic wash over her when they made plans together, despite no longer having a reason for it. Ruby didn't know what this video would entail, other than being thrust into the limelight and viewed by millions as a woman in Will's life. Daunting. They hadn't been hidden away from the public, but the internet existed in the dark, a place where Ruby was meticulously aloof, and upheld herself as an almost egotistical artist.

This video became the only thing Ruby could think about.

Will asked her to come round to his flat the next day, and she agreed. He had to leave in a hurry then, because it was half past five and he had a conference call with his manager for another project he'd been working on. Ruby followed him to the door to say goodbye, and he kissed her very normally and smiled when she kissed him back.