It was pouring outside. Archie looked outside his study room window, but all he could see was blackness. A sudden jolt of thunder made Pongo jump up from the floor and bark. Archie went to his dog and settled him down, rubbing his back as the Dalmatian slowly relaxed back to his laying position. He turned to the grandfather clock that Marco had made him and saw that it was just past 10 o'clock.
Suddenly, he heard his door bell ring. Curious, he thought, who would be here at this time of night?
Pongo followed behind him lazily and Archie went downstairs. He opened the door to find, to his surprise, Ruby standing in front of him. She had a leather jacket over top to shelter herself from the downpour. She was wearing a skin tight white tank top that was starting to get wet at the bottom and clung to her slender hips. She was wearing a pair of red skinny jeans, which really complemented the red streaks in her hair, as well as her name. Archie hoped that the darkness outside masked the blush rising into his pale cheeks.
"Ruby?" he managed to say finally.
"Um, hey Archie," she said, significantly less confident than the Ruby he was used to seeing at Granny's. "Sorry for coming by so late."
He noticed that it looked as though she had been crying. Her makeup was smudged around her eyes as well as on her cheeks, where it looked like tears had been.
"Oh, that's okay, I was still up. Is there anything I can help you with Ruby?"
"Well, I was wondering if I could come in for a bit. I know you're off the clock but I really need to talk to someone." Fresh tears starting welling in her eyes.
Archie moved to let the doorway be open. "Of course, come on in." He showed her to my main room upstairs. He awkwardly tried to put his arm around her but failed so he just tried to forget the idea ever occurred.
Ruby sat down on the couch and Pongo sat down beside her and put his head on her lap. Ruby smiled and pet the Dalmatian.
"Would you like anything to drink? I can make you some tea, if you'd like."
She smirked and stared at him with a twinkle in her eyes, "Do you have anything stronger?"
"Um, maybe, let me check." Archie went to his kitchen and checked his liquor cabinet. He wasn't a big drinker, so the only thing in the cabinet was some gin that he had bought a while ago. He also found some tonic soda in the fridge. Gin and Tonic it is, I guess, he thought. He brought the decanter and tonic water out to the main room, as well as two glasses with ice in them.
He sat on the couch diagonal to Ruby. Ruby took one glass and filled it half full of gin. Instead of taking tonic water she simply drank it straight.
Archie fumbled slightly making a drink, taking cautious sips in comparison to Ruby's gulps.
"So," he started, "what's going on? How come you've stopped by?"
Ruby finished her first drink and poured herself another. This one she drank more slowly.
"It's Granny. We got into this huge fight over me not being responsible enough and that I act like a child and I blew up at her. I told her that she didn't have to mother me all the time, which I think really hurt her feelings." Tears started welling up in her eyes again, but she tried to hide it by taking another swig of her drink.
"I'm really sorry to hear that, Ruby" Archie said sympathetically, trying to avoid being a psychiatrist and instead be a friend to the beautiful woman sitting beside him.
"Then I told her I needed to cool off so I packed some things for a couple of nights and drove off. I tried Emma and Mary Margaret but no one answered. I wasn't really sure who else to turn to, so I came by here."
The next place she'd turn to when her friends weren't around is you. Now there's something I'd never thought would happen Archie thought, feeling slightly elated at the thought. However, he quickly dismissed it as being known as Storybrooke's only psychiatrist that probably brought himself to Ruby's mind.
"Would you like another drink?" He asked, unsure where to go next. Ruby nodded and he made them each another drink. The alcohol had started making his head feel lighter. Ruby did not look at all affected.
Archie decided to sit beside her as he passed Ruby her drink, his normally crippling shyness lowered due to the gin giving way to his inhibitions. He looked at the woman beside him; she was still talking about her issues with Granny, but he found himself paying more attention to her than to her problems (note to self: alcohol makes you a bad psychiatrist, Arch). He looked at her long, slender body; her tank top was now dry but still clung to her as did many of Ruby's clothes. He could see the curves of her breasts perfectly from where he was, and he couldn't help but feel a tightening in his jeans.
Focus, Arch, this is highly inappropriate. He looked at Ruby who was still talking.
"Thanks for listening to me, Archie." She put her hand over top of his and Archie hoped that she couldn't see what he thought was an extremely obvious bulge.
Archie cleared his throat. "Of course, Ruby, you know I'm always here to talk to you about anything. But, what about sleeping arrangements? You said you had packed clothes for a couple of days, right?"
"Yeah, about that… I know this may be asking a lot, but could I maybe stay over for the night? I just don't want to go back home and I'm not sure where else to go…" She looked dismayed and lost. Archie felt his heart pound in his chest.
To be honest, Archie would have never suspected he'd ever have Ruby over at his house… And now she was asking to stay the night! His head felt like it was swimming, although that may also be the gin.
"Of course, you can stay as long as you need to" he said finally. Ruby looked up and gave the first sincere smile he had seen all night.
"Thanks, Archie." She gave him a kiss on the cheek that caused him to blush furiously again. He hoped that Ruby hadn't noticed although a sparkle in her eye made him feel positive she had.
Ruby excused herself to get the stuff she'd packed for "two days max". She came back into the townhouse with three suitcases full of stuff. Guess it takes a lot of time to look as good as she does every day Archie thought to himself. Ruby sat back beside Archie and gave his hand a squeeze. He once again felt a tightening in his pants returning.
They sat in silence as they finished their drinks. Archie yawned and looked at the clock. It was already midnight.
"Listen, not to be the old man here, but I kind need to get to bed soon."
"Oh, yeah of course, totally get it." Ruby said, although it looked like she didn't want to be alone.
"You can stay in my room, if you'd like. I have a really comfortable bed." Archie was trying to be a gentleman.
"Oh, thanks Archie," Ruby said, "but I'm being enough trouble as it is, I'll stay on the couch."
"No, Ruby, I insist, you should have the room."
She looked at Archie stubbornly. "Don't worry about it; I will be fine on the couch. Trust me."
Archie looked dismayed, unsure where to proceed. He decided in the end it was best for Ruby to make her own decision on the matter.
"Alright, but Pongo will stay down here with you so that you're not alone." The Dalmatian was already asleep on his pillow on the floor.
Ruby smiled at the psychiatrist. "Deal".
"Great, okay there's a bathroom down the hall on your last left where you can freshen up for bed." Archie smiled shyly at the beautiful brunette in front of him.
Ruby went to Archie and gave him a warm hug. "Thanks again, Archie." She whispered in a way that only Ruby could make sensual. The shy ginger squirmed under the contact. When she let go of him, he stumbled towards the stairs.
Before going up he turned to her and said "Goodnight"
She said goodnight in return, and Archie went to his room.
As Archie got ready upstairs, Ruby went to the bathroom to wash her face from the day's stress. She removed her makeup and brushed her teeth before changing into pajamas. She never wore underwear to bed, and she hoped that Archie wouldn't mind. Although she could tell by the way he looked at her that he wouldn't mind at all. She chose short pink pajama bottoms with a white spaghetti strap for a top.
She set the covers on the couch and lay down, wondering how she could get to sleep with her crush upstairs.