and here we go again, with the fic...
Sequel to Sick Leave. This is demanding a sequel of its own, but I don't know when I'll get a chance to write it.
Anyway: Slightly more overt Brian/Wensley this time, but still no actual action.

Mental Health Day

Two days of missed classes on his own behalf and a scattering of half-days on Brian’s later, Jeremy’s recovered, his perfect attendance record thoroughly shot. The usual routine of Brian goofing off as much as he can possibly manage to and Jeremy providing the oft-ignored voice of reason is beginning to reassert itself.

But for all he might be recovered, he’s not sure that he’s entirely better just yet. Words are starting to surface about Brian keeping him away from classes, sharing the bed without so much as a by-your-leave, calling Jeremy by his given name rather than truncating his surname... He’s not sure he wants to go near a few of those words just yet, for all he knows they might be lurking. And on top of that, he finds himself getting a bit dizzy when he’s watching Brian, which is often of late. If they weren’t such good friends to begin with, he’d be wondering about the sudden increase in droppings-by.

Some of it comes to a head, fittingly enough, on a Sunday afternoon. They’re out eating lunch, and Jeremy can’t make himself stop staring at Brian for anything, and Brian finally says, “You all right, Wensley?”

He’s about to snap back that yes, he’s fine, thanks very much for asking... but considering the amount Brian’s been around lately, the attempt would probably fall flat and lead to much pestering, which certainly wouldn’t help the situation at hand (not that he knows what will). “I don’t know. Something’s been off for a while now, but bugger if I know what. Other than I think it’s got something to do with you.”

“Does it, now?” Brian raises an eyebrow, and Jeremy decides he really doesn’t like the look of it at all. Should have stopped while he was ahead. “Care to enlighten me?” Yes, definitely should have stopped earlier.

“Brian, how am I supposed to enlighten you when I can’t even tell what’s going on?”

“Sounds like you need a mental health day.”

“A what?”

“A mental health day. Do something fun tomorrow, rather than the usual.”

“...You’re telling me to skive off my classes? When I’m not even sick? You’re even more mental than I thought.”

“No, you’re the mental one. Why else would you need a mental health day?”

Jeremy sighs. “Brian, that’s not my point.”

Brian mimics the sigh exactly, and shoots back, “I know it’s not your point, Jeremy, it’s mine.”

He stops for a moment, still very much unused to hearing his given name. “Could you possibly pick one name for me, or is that too much trouble?”

“Sorry. You know how it is, old habits die hard. Unless you’d prefer I stuck to the old habit?”

“No, I... you can change it, if you want.” Just when he thought he was starting to figure things out, it’s gone confusing on him again, and some awkward silence seems to be set on staging an invasion of their privacy, as Brian’s not volunteering any more information.

At least, not until he sits up straighter than he has been and says, “You know, I think I could do with a mental health day myself.”

“Thought you took more of those than would be strictly necessary.”

“That’s beside the point. It sounds like we both need a break, so we may as well take it at the same time, right?”

Jeremy sighs again; he’s not sure why he keeps getting into these conversations. “All right, but only because you’ll keep pestering me until I give in. I can’t believe I’ve let you persuade me into delinquent behavior.”

“Brilliant!” Jeremy doesn’t like the look of that grin on Brian’s face, either. It doesn’t seem like much good is going to come out of this, so he can only hope that a few answers will.