Archie paced back and forth along the stone hallway, tugging at his doublet. It had been so long since he'd worn these kind of clothes, though this was far richer than anything he ever wore as a performer. A thief. He hoped he'd fastened everything up okay as he fingered the silver embroidery on his sleeves and rocked on the balls of his feet, the nervous habit breaking in the leather of new shoes.
His eyes scanned the hallway with its torches that flickered and cast strange shadows against the stonework. This whole place set Archie on edge. It was more than Emma's hiding as the Dark One, or even his being in a new setting—and a new era, really—after so many years in Storybrooke. He just couldn't put a finger on it.
Before Archie could puzzle further, a creak made him jump and he spun around to a sight that caught his breath in his throat.
Ruby slowly stepped through the doorway, beaming. She wore an elegant dress made of silver brocade with flowing sleeves and fabric that hugged her waist before trailing to the floor. A delicate rope of pearls was braided into her hair like a crown with her hair in soft waves, fastened to the side with a ribbon and hanging down her shoulder.
"What do you think?" Ruby asked before biting her lip, her gaze meeting Archie's.
Archie grinned back and took her hands. He paused, licking his lips, before he could answer. "M-Mrs. Hopper, you will be the most stunning creature in that ballroom, I guarantee it."
Ruby's heart fluttered and she felt like her cheeks would split from grinning. "Good answer," she whispered as she leaned in for a kiss, their hands still clasped.
Archie groaned as he rested his forehead on hers. "Are you sure we have to go down? We could just return to our room and I can help you out of that…"
Ruby playfully swatted his arm as he trailed off with a grin. Before she could say anything, a voice behind them startled their attention towards the doorway.
"Not on your life! It took us way too long to get your wife looking like that, so you'd better get a few hours of dancing in at least," Granny reprimanded with a no-nonsense expression, though her eyes betrayed a glint of amusement. "Men," she huffed as she shook her head. In her arms lay baby Neal, and the older woman swayed in her spot to lull the boy to sleep.
Ruby chuckled, too accustomed to her grandmother's frankness—and eavesdropping—to do anything else. "Don't worry, Granny, I'm sure we'll have lots of time for dancing." With that, Ruby dropped her husband's hands and planted a kiss on her grandmother's cheek.
Roland Hood peeked out behind Granny, squeezing himself between her and the doorjamb to get a better look, the voices in the hallway having pulled him away from his toys. "Miss Ruby, you look like an angel!" he exclaimed with bright eyes.
Ruby laughed. "Thank you, Roland."
Archie squatted down and ruffled the boy's dark curls. "I couldn't agree more," he grinned.
Granny smiled back. "Just make sure you don't return before midnight. I'm not above chasing you back downstairs with my crossbow." She nodded emphatically at Archie as he stood and gave her an awkward hug around her arms holding the baby, the redhead's cheeks still flushed.
"Yes, ma'am," Archie nodded as he took Ruby's hand. "Are you sure you don't want to join the party? I'm sure we can find someone to watch Neal and Roland. I can stay—"
"Don't you dare. It took me long enough to convince Belle to go to that ball, so don't make me give you the same speech. I'll be fine, and you can tell me all about it tomorrow. My dancing days are behind me."
"I bet Geppetto would disagree," Ruby blurted, and with that, she dashed down the hallway and around the corner, Archie in hand, before her grandmother could defend herself.