Kazoku Sushi House was the best kept secret in all of Chicago. The quaint little place was tucked away in an unsuspecting three story building. The red and black décor was inviting. And with as much time as they spent there, it was practically their second home.

Punk nodded in thanks as the waitress placed a bowl of edamame on the table.

"How was your trip?" Izzy asked as she picked a pod out of the bowl. She studied it for a second before splitting it open. She looked at the bright green spheres for a moment before looking up.

Punk shrugged as he toyed with the straw in his glass of water. "The usual."

Izzy's brow arched slightly as she popped the seasoned soybean into her mouth. She chewed thoughtfully before responding. "You don't sound too thrilled."

Again, Punk shrugged a shoulder. "You know how it goes, Iz, Lots of travel, no sleep. Rinse, lather, repeat kind of deal."

Izzy nodded sympathetically as she studied his face. He seemed more exhausted than ever. Dark circles marred his tanned face. His usually expressive eyes were dull. "You feeling OK?"

Punk nodded then took a long drink. He sighed as he put it down on the table. "Nothing a few hours of sleep won't fix."

And that's exactly how much sleep he'd get. It was well known that Punk was an incurable insomniac. If he managed to get three hours a night, he was doing well. But that didn't change the fact that she worried about him. Life on the road was hard. He spent three quarters of the year in a different city every night. It had to be taking its toll on him. Izzy frowned as she wondered just how much longer he'd be able to keep up the frantic pace.

"So, what about you? What have you been up to?" Punk asked. The one thing he hated most was to talk about himself. He honestly believed he was the least interesting person on the planet. He'd much rather spend his time catching up on what Izzy had been doing. Although Izzy strongly disagreed with him, she knew it would do her no good to argue.

Instead she smiled faintly as she glanced up at him. "Just getting ready for the interview."

Punk returned her smile. For a moment his exhaustion disappeared. "You're gonna kill it. They'd be stupid not hire you."

Izzy felt a blush creep into her cheeks at his praise. While it wasn't often she cared what others thought, Punk's opinion actually mattered to her. He was one of the few people she knew would be honest with her. That was one of the things she respected most.

"I just really want this to work, you know." Izzy nodded slightly. "I need this to work. I have to start paying my own way again."

Punk frowned as he looked at Izzy. This was not the first time he'd heard her say that. Izzy didn't expect anyone to take care of her. She didn't like having to depend on someone else. She wanted to make her own way in the world. It had been awkward when she'd first moved in but they'd quickly settled into a routine. Without ever being asked, she kept the apartment spotless. She cooked as well as did laundry. She said it was the least she could do to earn her keep. Punk studied her a moment before shaking his head. It would do him no good to point out that she didn't have to do a damn thing. She could stay there as long as she wanted and never pick up so much as a Kleenex. It wouldn't bother him in the least. As long as she was living with him, he had one less thing to worry about.

A comfortable silence settled between them as they waited for their orders. Izzy toyed with her straw as she looked around the dining room. Punk watched the pedestrian traffic moving outside the tinted windows. He sat back in his chair and folded his arms over his chest.

"How are things with you and Romeo?" Punk's gaze moved from the window to her face.

She rolled her eyes and made a soft sound under her breath. "Why do you do that?"

Punk gave her an innocent smile. "Do what?"

Izzy scoffed softly. "You know exactly what. Stop being a pain."

Punk bit back a grin. Teasing Izzy was too easy sometimes. It didn't take much to bring a blush to her cheeks; especially when it came to her romantic life. He watched as pink crept into her smooth cheeks.

Her silvery eyes narrowed slightly as she looked at him. He was saved from her witty retort by the waitress' arrival. She set their plates down and quickly turned away.

"Really, Iz, how are things going between you?" Punk asked as he carefully unfolded the red napkin and draped it across his lap. He picked up a pair of bamboo chopsticks and chose a tuna roll before looking up at her.

Izzy studied her California rolls for moment. She visually inspected each piece as she thought about her answer. "It's good. We haven't seen much of each other. Sixx has been trying to find gigs out of town. Nobody wants to book them."

Punk's dark brow shot up as he chewed. There was something in Izzy's tone that made him think there was more to the story that what she was saying. Curiosity flickered through him. He'd love nothing more than to find out what, exactly, was going on, but he knew not to push Izzy. If she wanted to talk, she'd let him know. Until then, he'd just have to wait.

"If you want, I can call Nico to see if he's got an opening." Punk watched Izzy's reaction.

Her eyes widened at the mention of Nicolas "Nico" Diamante, owner of The Underground, one of Chicago's hottest places for Indie Rock bands. While it was no secret Punk was friends with the most influential people in Chicago, she'd never asked to use his connections. That was the unwritten rule. The fact he was offering to call in a favor surprised her. Saying yes was damn tempting. Without a doubt Nico would book Sixx's band, Wraith Oblivion. All she had to do was say yes. No matter how tempted she was, she knew she had to refuse. She already owed Punk more than she could ever repay. The last thing she needed was to ask for a favor of this magnitude.

"I'll talk to Sixx." The words left a bitter taste in her mouth. But in the end, she knew it was better this way.

Punk nodded slightly before turning back to his dinner. He knew Izzy wasn't going to bring the subject up again. He could tell by the stubborn set of her chin. She had already made up her mind and there was nothing he could say to change it. Izzy was unyielding once she made up her mind. He speared a tuna roll and decided to change the subject.

"What did I miss this time around?"

Izzy's eyes flicked up to meet his. "Scott finally picked a date for the bonfire; the last Wednesday and Thursday in September."

Punk couldn't help but smile at the mention of their partner in crime; the last of their Three Musketeers. Scott "Colt Cabana" Colton had been Punk's constant sidekick since they'd begun their fledgeling careers. Almost from the start, they had been inseparable. There was never a dull moment when Scott was around. The amount of fun and trouble they could find knew no bounds. That was what made Scott's end of summer bash a tradition. For two days they'd camp on the beach and have the time of their lives. It was something Izzy always looked forward to.

Punk pulled his phone out of his pocket and unlocked it. He was quiet as he pulled up the calendar app and scrolled through to September. "Works for me."

Izzy heaved an inward sigh of relief. She'd been hoping Punk's schedule would allow him to be there. It wouldn't be the same without him. The little bit of time he actually had at home was limited. They rarely got to spend more than a few hours together. However, the bonfire would be 48 glorious interrupted hours. It was more than she could ask for. It was hard for her to keep the thrill of excitement at bay. Instead she nodded and picked up a piece of sushi. For the first time in a long time, things were starting to look up.