Too Close for Comfort

[Preston Paine]

The expression on Preston’s face made it known that he would rather be doing anything other than what he was doing. It was time for him to take part in his prefect patrol, which meant that it was time for him to get much cozier than he’d like with Sergei. The Slytherin’s glare was stony, his eyes alternating between facing down towards the ground and straight in front of him. Never did they stray to the side of him though. There was no need. The teenage boy was painfully aware of who was beside him and the last thing that he wanted to do was to look in that direction. And, if he needed a reminder, he really only needed to look at their hands, which had just been attached by their Head of House. Preston knew that the man had to take some pleasure in the pain and torment that he was causing the two guys, who had to spend nearly two hours each week by each other’s side. Literally. The charm that the man used gave them absolutely no distance from each other. It was as if their hands had been attached by a set of invisible ropes, and moving too quickly without the other would give a painful tug. The two guys had learned this over the past few patrols as they’d been forced into contact with each other. Preston had grown to loath Wednesdays because of it.

“Are you ready?” the Slytherin asked aloud, keeping his tone as monotone as he could. His eyes remained on the wall across the hall, gazing at a portrait that should have held a hippogriff, but which was now empty. He wondered briefly where it had gone. No doubt it was enjoying itself much more than Preston would be. The Slytherin had hoped that the students of the castle would quickly get over seeing the pair of them patrolling. But, of course they had not. Often, their patrol was something of a circus, the crowd growing as word got out which floor they were on. Students would walk by, some stifling their laughter until they were well down the hall and others laughing openly. It was those students that Preston wanted to hex most, but he couldn’t do that even if he wanted to. Waiting for Sergei’s replies was always the worst because, until he spoke, Preston really couldn’t gauge what kind of mood the guy was in. Sometimes, they passed the time quietly, neither really speaking to the other as they both just wanted to be done with their weekly patrol and free from the other. Other times, though, Sergei seemed in the mood to rile Preston up.

 

[Sergei Zhefarovich]

Sergei Zhefarovich dreaded this with a passion. He would have to hold freaking hands with Preston Paine, a pathetic mudblood, until Professor Styx was convinced that there was no longer any bad blood. Who was he kidding? Sergei was a pure-blood, a noble person from the Zhefarovich family, and he was reduced down to this. As soon as he arrived to the Head of House's office, his hand was attached within Preston's. This felt so disgusting, and it was with a male too. There could have been anyone else that this had happened to, and it wouldn't have felt this horrible as Sergei felt. He looked down at his shoes as he heard the other Slytherin prefect if he was ready. Letting out a sigh, Sergei didn't speak, but figured that the sigh was an answer enough. He didn't want to do this, and he sure didn't want to be here. He wouldn't mind having the person he was doomed to hold hands with be the person he kissed and went to Brightstone with. Now, that was something, but he didn't know how he felt about that.

He hated the silence so he finally spoke, "When do you suppose that we will be able to get rid of this?" He gestured toward their locked hands. The last thing that he wanted to do was to remain here for much longer. He would transfer schools, but he couldn't. He couldn't leave Valentina behind. Not now. Sergei looked forward as he could see some of the students already snickering. He could hex them if he could, and definitely would. He sighed before he wondered if he could try to use nonverbal magic. Well, that might work if he had learned it, but he still needed to get his wand. And he couldn't have that while it was still with Profeossor Styx.​

 

[Preston Paine]

The sigh that Sergei let out led Preston to believe that it would be one of those patrols. He almost sighed himself but managed to hold it back, stepping forward slowly so as not to cause the painful tug that they felt when one of them moved too quickly. Glancing down at their linked hands as his fellow Slytherin spoke, Preston shrugged his shoulders. Not soon enough, he thought to himself but aloud he responded, "Who knows? If we're lucky, maybe when we get our wands." That was still a few weeks away, though it felt like it was months away. The teenager missed his wand so much that he'd even taken to dreaming about having it. And, every so often, his wand hand tingled as if the magic needed an outlet to escape. Coincidentally, it was the hand that was now linked with Sergei.

Continuing forward, his head held high as they passed a small crowd of kids snickering, Preston began to mumble to himself, words like 'hex' and 'boils' being some of the more tame words that escaped his lips. Even more difficult than having to be so closely connected to his friend-turned-enemy, Preston hated dealing with the students. There was only so much they could do with their hands literally tied. Everyone knew that they didn't possess wands, so they couldn't even pretend that prefects were allowed to hex students. " What do you think Styx is looking for anyway?" he asked. When they did talk, it was always about the end of this punishment and how to make that come about as quickly as possible.

 

[Sergei Zhefarovich]

Preston answered him back, and Sergei nodded, agreeing with what the boy had to say perhaps for the first time since Preston lied to him. He looked down at the ground, sort of embarrassed as others laughed and pointed, but as of right now, he didn't give a damn. He knew where his loyalties rested, and he also knew who he was really romantically involved with, especially after that trip to Brightstone. "Here's to looking forward to being separated and back to our respective partners. Assuming you and Ottavi are a thing." He missed his wand though, he really wanted to have it back within his hands, and casting spells whenever he so pleased. Sergei wondered if he would be able to last for the next few weeks without a wand. He didn't think he could, but hell, he had to change a lot of things recently.

"I think Styx is looking for us to get along, like we did in the past. Less drama for him to deal with, despite your blood status. I suppose when prefects work together, they can get more things done rather than be distracted by being at each other's throat." Sergei shrugged his shoulders, moving their hands slightly, before he rolled his eyes at another student laughing. This could have been the worst punishment he had ever been through, but if he let it get to him, he was letting down the Zhefarovich family. Sergei looked at Preston before adding on, "Could be worse, you could be stuck with our idiot Head Boy or Girl." That would be something he would definitely leave the school for, without his wand too.​

 

[Preston Paine]

Preston heard what Sergei said, but he had to get over his shock that someone was willing to date Sergei before he could respond. This wasn't the first time but did he think it would be the last time that someone assumed that he and Sage were dating. He didn't really get it. Sure, they hung out a lot but it wasn't like they wandered about holding hands or snogging in dimly lit halls. Shaking his head, Preston replied. "We aren't."

He continued on, listening as his fellow prefect continued to speak. "Despite my blood status, of course" he repeated as he rolled his eyes. Sergei made it sound like his blood status made it nearly impossible for him to know how to behave. He didn't say much more than that until Sergei spoke again. With a snort, Preston replied. "I'd rather be expelled than patrol with those two." It was an exaggeration of course, Preston was so immersed in the wizarding world that he often felt list during the summer months when he was cut off. That would change this year as he would turn 17 and get his apparating license.

 

[Sergei Zhefarovich]

Sergei was a little surprised that Preston and Sage were not a thing. They were seen together a lot, and he thought that they would have made a good couple. Perhaps he was wrong. He was almost sure that Preston was not gay so he did not bother asking that question. He didn't know what to say to that, but he would have to think about it for a few moments. "Ah, forget what I said then." Sergei looked around, wondering if he would catch the eye of Valentina Baros. She was one amazing girl, and he appreciated her, but hated her at the same time. She had such a hold on him! "I kind of have someone, but labels are overrated." It was always that Hufflepuff that managed to get under his skin, and one that he was often seen either snogging or bickering with.

"I guess you can't help it, thrown into a world randomly. Can't imagine being different from the folks. So, next time you have a secret, best not to hide it. Some people can be more understanding." Sergei shrugged his shoulders once more, before looking forward. He shared the same idea as Preston did when he said that he would rather be expelled than patrol with those two. Sergei added in, "I'd rather have a rare steak." It was no secret that he hated meat, but since training to be an animagus, he had to eat meat to build up his energy.​

 

[Preston Paine]

Preston turned his head to the side to hide the smirk that crossed his face. Sergei thought he knew everything about Preston, but he was very wrong about Preston and Sage dating. They were just really good friends who had happened to spend some time snogging in the previous year. “Already forgotten” Preston stated, waving his free hand. The next words out of Sergei’s mouth were even more surprising. He was actually sharing information about his personal life, telling Preston that he was dating someone as if they were friends. Preston glanced over at Sergei, a curious expression on his face as he wondered about all of this. The two were out of touch, so he couldn’t even begin to figure out who this mystery girl could be. “Yea, putting a label on it would probably mess it up" he finally added, the words coming out slowly, one by one as if he wasn’t sure he should be saying them at all. That was how things had been going between them over the past few weeks, though he had to admit that today seemed better than most days. Preston could only hope that it would hold out for as long as their patrol did.

Sergei seemed to be full of surprises this evening. As Preston walked beside him in silence, his fellow prefect spoke yet again, dropping an even bigger bombshell. His eyebrow rose, wondering if Preston was saying without stating specifically that he was the one who could be more understanding. With a shrug, Preston spoke. “Sorry?”he let out, not really knowing what he was apologizing for. If it was for being a muggleborn, then he blamed some long forgotten ancestor for that. If it was for being muggleborn in a house that preferred purebloods, then that wasn’t his fault at all. He blamed the sorting hat for that. If it was for hiding his blood status, well…that was his fault. “Maybe some people wouldn’t have felt the need to hide their blood status if other people weren’t such frickin fanatics about hating muggleborns” he added with another shrug. Chuckling at his final words, Preston shook his head. “Wow, you really must hate them. You hate steak” he added in a more friendly tone than he’d used at all that evening.

 

[Sergei Zhefarovich]

Sergei didn't want to drop the subject though. Not that he cared about it or anything, but surely, Preston had to have a girlfriend. He better not be gay. That would be something that he could never get over. "Why not? I mean, she's a Slytherin, prefect, kinda hot too. If I didn't have this relationship or whatever with Valentina, I would be seeking her out." He did not care that he just mentioned who he was kind of seeing, but the world may know eventually. Sergei really liked that girl, but having a label, it was just unnecessary. They were even exclusive to just each other. Things just went without saying and that was what he preferred. Sergei appeared to be almost at ease, but he stopped caring about almost everything except for a few things since the explosion at the meeting. He didn't care who he patrolled with, and his father was accepting of people of every blood status, as long as he didn't bring them home for dinner. He wouldn't be surprised if some of his family would have the mudblood as a the main course, with an apple in its mouth, like a centerpiece. However, that was not how it was, thankfully. Even that was too much for him.

As soon as Preston apologized, Sergei's hardened expression softened ever so slightly. As soon as Preston said that he wouldn't have hid it if some people weren't fanatics, like him, about hating muggleborns. Sergei let out a sigh and he uttered, "Okay, so I put you in that position. The larger status family members hate them, and it was a form of protection. Don't even ask. However, you do make a decent wizard. You better stay in this world too." Sergei smirked at the end of that statement, almost as if he was joking. It started to feel like the old days, but he did have to be careful. Words could spread, but Sergei would just mention what he accomplished and he wouldn't screw the guy or anything. He was most certainly straight. Sergei realized that Preston wouldn't know that he was no longer vegetarian. Well, he still hated meat with a passion, but he needed the protein to transfigure himself. "More than anything else I've hated in a long time. I just have this feeling that the Head Girl will be an utter disgrace to the student body by the end of the year."​

 

[Preston Paine]

Preston wasn't one to kiss and tell but he knew that Sergei wasnt just going to let this one go. As he asked for an explanation, Preston debated whether he wanted to give one or night. In the end, it was Sergei's assumption that he could get Sage that sealed the deal as he could feel flashes of what had to be jealousy course through his veins. Preston knew that Sergei wouldn't be so cocky if he knew what Sage thought of him, and the Slytherin debate telling him for a brief moment. It likely wouldn't help this tenuous good will that they seemed to have today. With a shrug, Preston spoke. "We sort of were a thing for like a semester, I guess. But then we decided that we made better friends." He shrugged again for good measure. What they had or hasn't been was up for debate.

Continuing on, Preston almost forget that they were tied together. When they were getting along, it was easy to forget. "Did you just give me a compliment?" Preston asked, a look of mock astonishment across his face. The Slytherin debated asking him to repeat what he'd said, but then he thought better of it. A smile lit across his face at the unspoken thought. "That's not saying much though, is it? You think most people are disgraced" he chuckled. Preston shook his head. "It would be good to see her drop down from that pedestal she thinks she's on" he added as they continued on.

 

[Sergei Zhefarovich]

Sergei smirked slightly, but shoved the topic aside. After all, no need in telling Preston what all he had to say about that, and there was the added fact that he was kind of with someone, but kind of not. It was difficult. Apparently, Sage and Preston made better friends than anything else. Maybe something would change his mind over the time. Or perhaps, something already has. Sergei smirked slightly, knowing he had given Preston a compliment. However, he said that it wasn't saying much, since of what he thought of everyone. "Actually, it would mean the opposite, if you really think about it. After all, most people are a disgrace." He did want to see the Head Girl fall to her knees, and not in the perverted way. That would be disgusting. He did hope that she would just realize just how pathetic she really was. Sergei nodded in agreement, and it seemed as though their broken friendship was slowly mending.

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Fin​

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