[boyband au]

[angstennou]

Who: Nephrite and anyone who comes visit him!
What: Nephrite and Ami discussing what to do about Kunzite's blackmailing
When: After Nephrite gets arrested for punching Kunzite in a concert
Where: Juuban district's jail

Nephrite was sitting at his cell, still fuming. Kunzite, that bastard. He doesn't have the right to treat Ami like that. And he dared to say he loved her? Yeah, sure. They say Nephrite is a bad loser because of his temper. At least he doesn't try to hurt someone he likes. Aaaaargh he should have broken all the bastard's teeth, so he wouldn't be able to show up at that meet and greet tomorrow.

Nephrite didn't care anymore if Beryl fired him. He never got paid and he didn't want to share a stage with such an asshole. But he didn't want to ruin Ami's career too. He wished he still had his phone, so he could text Mamoru for help. He started pacing as he tried to think of a way to help Ami while he couldn't get out of the jail.

Comments

[angstennou]

There was a moment of surprise as Nephrite hadn't expected Zoisite to disagree with him about his stupidity. He was so used at Kunzite and Jadeite teasing him all the time that he forgot Zoisite usually didn't. And to be fair, Nephrite had an habit of making the worst choices.

"Thanks for making up an excuse, I guess."

[musicite]

"I am not making up an excuse," Zoisite said simply. He might not have known all the details, but he could hardly fail to know that Kunzite teased and picked on Nephrite constantly. Of course that temper had finally flared up and boiled over.

He decided to ask it bluntly. "What happened this time, between you and Kunzite?"

[angstennou]

Now, should he tell Zoisite the real reason of their fight? Or would it just make things worse again? It shouldn't be a problem if he didn't mention her name, right?

"It was... a girl."

[musicite]

"A girl?" Zoisite frowned thoughtfully. He had not expected that type of reason. From Kunzite especially; Kunzite had always seemed focused on the band's career, or complaining about their manager, instead.

So the conclusion he came to was not precisely correct, although he asked it without judgment. "You were jealous?"

[angstennou]

Oh there it is. Kunzite always come off as the calm, respectable person, and Nephrite as the unstable, messed up one. Something bad happened? Always Nephrite's fault, obviously. "No! She chose me! He got jealous! And started harassing her!"

[musicite]

It was a curse for someone with Nephrite's temper to end up facing yet another person of seemingly endless calm. Zoisite considered this new idea for a moment. It was still something he would not have expected of Kunzite; but then he did not believe Nephrite would lie, either.

And he did know the pride and sometimes arrogance of Kunzite. He couldn't deny them.

So his new understanding was that Kunzite had done something Nephrite felt was out of line, and Nephrite had reacted violently, and Kunzite had reacted calmly. Which was, he could have pointed out, why Nephrite tended to get the blame for these types of incidents: that temper again.

Unfortunately, that meant all he could do was consider, "What will you do now?"

[angstennou]

Well, at least it seemed Zoisite didn't think he was lying. "I don't know. I just wanted him to stop mistreating her." A sad expression took over Nephrite's face. He was guilty, with lots of witnesses and couldn't afford a lawyer. He wouldn't be able to leave jail anytime soon, and couldn't do anything to help Ami.

[musicite]

"She has her friends to help her," said Zoisite, with his typical lack of concern for people outside the group of his bandmates. To tell the truth, Zoisite didn't understand Nephrite right now, and told him so. "What you should be concerned with, is yourself right now."

[angstennou]

"As we are dating I should try to help too?" Geez Zoi you are so weird sometimes. Have you ever liked anyone?

"What about myself? Everyone saw me punching Kunzite. I can't do anything."

[musicite]

There was something Nephrite could do, something he must do if he still wanted a chance.

"You must show there is no chance of repeating the action that led you here."

This would likely be very difficult for Nephrite, but it was his one chance to gain some sympathy and leniency.

[angstennou]

"I... am not sure if I can do that. Unless I don't meet Kunzite anymore." Because he will certainly provoke Nephrite whenever they meet. He did it friendly when they were on good terms, he'll do it worse now that they aren't.

[musicite]

"And do you intend to meet Mercury again?" Zoisite asked, using her stage name as he always did. In his view, whatever had happened with the girl had caused this trouble between his fellow band members. It would therefore obviously be better to remove that source of discord by avoiding her.

[angstennou]

"Of course I do- Wait, do you know it's Ami?" Were they that obvious? Nephrite hoped Zoisite wouldn't try to use that against her like Kunzite was doing.

[musicite]

Well, he knows it for certain now. But yes, he'd noticed the way Nephrite and Mercury looked at each other. There was a certain feeling between them.

Zoisite, though, had no intention of using the information to cause harm, only to try to persuade Nephrite against an action he believed would make the younger boy's situation worse.

"If you meet her again," he pointed out, "there may be more troubles."

[angstennou]

"What troubles? I am already fired and in jail! And all the troubles were Kunzite's fault." And he would be very lonely if he ended things with Ami now.

...But it might actually be better for her if they were not together anymore... Even if Kunzite said anything, she could say they weren't dating anymore or something. He probably should ask her about that if she came to see him.

[musicite]

Frankly, Zoisite would likely encourage whatever line of thought would convince Nephrite to separate from Mercury. Without her, Nephrite might have the chance to repair the rift with Kunzite, and even to be accepted back into the group. That would be the best outcome as far as Zoisite was concerned.

What further troubles did he forsee? Zoisite's expression turned distant for a moment.

"What about your future career?" he asked softly. "If this continues, that will also be at risk."

[angstennou]

Nephrite might be too spiteful and stubborn to reconciliate, Zoi. he doesn't want to work with Kunzite anymore.

"What career? I am out already, remember? And I am not as good as you guys, no matter how hard I work." He had gotten in the group only because the guys had insisted with Ms. Beryl and Ms. Metalia, after all.

[musicite]

"That is not true," said Zoisite, who had always been the more encouraging about Nephrite's talents. "You are a part of this group. They will also understand that."

Right now? Even he has to admit that this is right, sending Nephrite away while tempers cool. But eventually? He fully hopes and expects to see them all together again.

[angstennou]

"Well, the concert went on just fine without me, didn't it? I guess I wasn't really needed there." It was fun while it lasted, though. Before Kunzite ruined everything for him. "And I don't want to be part of a group that plays dirty to get contracts."

[musicite]

A group that played dirty? Zoisite was pretty sure Mamoru wouldn't like that. Which meant he didn't like it.

It was also the first he'd specifically heard of it. He tended to stay out of Beryl's way, and she stayed out of his; and he still wasn't sure he believed ill of Kunzite.

"What do you mean?"

[angstennou]

"Kunzite tried to use Ami to get information on her group and to sabotage them." Just remembering it made him angry. Their schedule was always full, it wouldn't hurt to leave a few contracts for the girls.

[musicite]

Zoisite was still dismissive. Not of the truth of Nephrite's words, but of their rivals.

"We do not need that advantage," he said with what might have been arrogance.

[angstennou]

"I know, right?" Nephrite didn't mean it in the same way, he just thought there were lots of contracts around and there was no need to go so far. But even if their views were a little different, Zoisite agreed with him. "Can you convince Kunzite of it, though?"

[musicite]

Zoisite gave Nephrite a brief, wry smile. "Has anyone convinced Kunzite of something he does not wish to see?"

Kunzite was, in many ways, stubborn, and very slow to change his views or opinions. In one sense, Zoisite knew, it was a virtue. It made Kunzite dedicated, and loyal. But in another sense, it was a flaw. It made him rigid, unable to bend even when he should. Even when he knew he should.

[angstennou]

Nephrite pouted. "No, I guess not. But at least he listens to you a little more." Because whatever Nephrite said was always dismissed as stupid. And then they would end up fighting.