The Stripper Pole Suite; The Arms Hotel, Friday Evening

[fantastic_torch]

After his nice little chat with Mary, Johnny secured the keys to his favorite suite and headed on up with his luggage. It was an excellent room and over the course of the weekend, he planned on letting Savannah take advantage of the pole. He was such a thoughtful boyfriend.

Tossing his bag, he headed towards the mini bar and poured himself a glass

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[walks_two_paths]

Savannah had been at work when she got the call from Johnny. Laughing, she hung up the phone and then let Sean know she was heading out early. After heading back to the dorms to get a change or two of clothes, she arrived at the room. She knocked lightly on the door.

"Johnny?"

[fantastic_torch]

"In here, babe," he said from his place on the small sofa. He was anxious to see her, but he liked to appear calm, cool, and collected. Whiskey helped with that.

[walks_two_paths]

That's okay, Savannah could be as not collected as she wanted to be. She opened the door, and after closing it behind her, came to the edge of the sofa. She was smiling.

"Hey love."

[fantastic_torch]

Johnny gazed slowly up, taking in everything about her, before his eyes met hers. "Hey, gorgeous," he said low, his eyes a brilliant blue. "Miss me much?"

[walks_two_paths]

"Mmmhmm," she said with a smile. Seeing Johnny helped push the things she had been worried about to the back of her mind. "I did. Have you missed me?"

[fantastic_torch]

But Johnny knew her so well, and he would ask her how things have been going. But not just yet. Right now he was enjoying the view of her here, in person, far too much. "More than you could fathom." While holding eye contact, he took a swallow of whiskey before setting his glass aside. "Can I get you something to drink?" He stood slowly, now staring down into her upturned face.

[walks_two_paths]

She smiled, nodding her head as she looked up at him. "Water or soda will be fine for now, Johnny." She did not need alcohol right now because that would lead to talking and him worrying.

[fantastic_torch]

That's what he was here for. He liked to think he was her rock. Not that he would ever want to sound like Ben in admitting so, but Savannah knew it all the same. He reached up to cup her chin and caressed back and forth with his thumb before leaning forward to kiss her softly. "Get comfy."

It took him only a moment to fix her a glass of ice water.

[walks_two_paths]

Savannah knew he was and didn't need to be told. She knew he'd be there any time she needed him to be. She curled up on the sofa, watching him as he fixed the glass.

"How have things been for you?"

[fantastic_torch]

"Nothing ever changes," he replied, handing her the chilled glass as he seated himself comfortably near her. "My pranks on Ben are getting old. I need some new ones." Said oh so seriously too.

"How have things been here for you, sweetheart?"

[walks_two_paths]

Savannah tucked her feet beneath her as she played with her glass for a moment. "I'm sure that you could talk to Isabel and she'd give you some ideas for new pranks?" She took a drink from the glass. "Chris might be willing to help, too."

Look how she was managing to avoid the question and still find out about his happiness.

[fantastic_torch]

He gave her a lopsided grin. "Excellent idea. Isabel's sure to have a few I've yet to try. Chris too." It's been far too long since he's spoken to either one.

Her evasiveness worked too, but probably not long enough to please her.

"How've you been, baby?" he asked gently, eyes searching her face.

[walks_two_paths]

Yeah, she hadn't figured that it would last very long.

"I've been all right," she finally said. "Really. Just a discussion in class this week brought up some issues I thought I had successfully buried deeply, never to be seen again." She shrugged. "Nothing major, love, really."

[fantastic_torch]

"Except that I can see in your eyes that this nothing major is bothering you," he said, still in quiet tones. He reached out with his arm, moving it around her to rest along the edge of the sofa.

"Want to talk about it?"

[walks_two_paths]

She leaned her head on his shoulder.

"It was a discussion on how so many tenets of belief say that we're supposed to honor our parents and respect our elders. The thing is... I respect my mother and Sean a whole damn lot, but no one in my father's family. I don't think that just because you're older you can demand respect without doing enough to earn it first... and no one in my father's side of the family have done anything to earn my respect or make me want to honor them at all."

[fantastic_torch]

"You're right in that, sweetheart. Respect is earned. Gained. Much like trust." He kissed her temple, spoke there quietly against her skin. "I think in the beginning honor and respect are naturally there. It's what we learn as we grow that affects it. Tell me you're not feeling guilty with your feelings over this."