If there's a chance for a 3rd season, I would like to see how the relationship between Clay and Justin plays out. This will probably be a couple of one-shoots not necessarily in order. Also, the characters are more than likely OOC.
Typical, generic disclaimer: I don't own anything.
Clay wondered if the universe loved to mess with his life. Here he was sitting at the kitchen table with his parents talking about something absurd. This was the next to last thing Clay ever thought his parents would bring up.
"Wait, wait. Can you repeat that," Clay stated in confusion.
Clay's mom shifted in her seat. "Well like I mentioned before, Justin's release is taking longer than planned. Without a guardian to be released in to custody, the judge is going to keep Justin in juvenile detention. Now I got the emergency release but once that expires he'll become a ward of the state."
Reaching over to grab his wife's hand, Clay's dad spoke up. "Before anything becomes final, we'd like to know how you feel; since you're the one who brought Justin to the house."
Clay slumped in his chair, "So what, he'd be like my- my brother?" Saying that word made him want to cringe. All his life Clay grew up as an only child, now suddenly there was an offer of another teenager being in the house. A teenager Clay couldn't stand, given all that happened over five months ago. Now a days Clay didn't know where he stood with Justin and that was partly his fault.
"Yes, that is a term you can use. Maybe over time you'll both start to see each other as actual brothers," his Dad suggested. Clay doubted that, the boys had a flimsy agreement to work together during the trial. The only updates Clay had been given on Justin were through his Mom, who was working hard on his release.
"Justin needs a stable home, even I can see that. If we adopt him we'd be able to provide him with that security and not uproot his life any further," supplied Clay's mom. Despite her earlier reactions to the surprise appearance of the troubled boy, Lainie could never get the image of Justin sitting on their couch forlorn over his family situation. She had a bad habit of putting her work first. After the big fight with Matt and the small time apart, she's been doing her best to change things. Working with Dennis was one step and helping Justin was another.
"Of course, we'll need to keep an eye on him. Justin needs to work on being sober and attend meetings for his addiction. The decision to adopt him is pretty significant. We're a family and need to talk about these things, no more secrets was our agreement," Clay's dad gave a pointed look in his direction.
"That's to say he'll even go for it. Justin doesn't like to be anyone's charity case." Clay was torn. He still remembered his last interaction with Justin. Before he testified Justin was trying to reassure him, so Clay didn't lose his shit again so to speak. Of all things to be worried about Justin didn't want to Clay to hate him again. Clay couldn't even be bothered to comfort him back. He only response was to say he never stopped. Justin tried to cover up his fallen look, but Clay caught a glimpse before he turned away. Then after the trail, on the steps of the courthouse the roles were switched. Justin knew the possibility of him being arrested by revealing what happened the night of the party. He didn't fight the officers when the handcuffs were put on. Even as Jessica called out to him, Justin was calm in his reassurance that it would okay. Clay was in shock, he didn't understand what was happening. His Mom had to explain to them the situation. Justin knew the risks and still testified to right his past wrongs. In that moment Clay regretted their earlier conversation. Why couldn't he have given Justin a little bit of hope in that moment?
Hope, a silver lining, a way to move on from the past events. Clay felt like he was starting to move on from Hannah. Would he be able to give Justin a second chance? Once again life wasn't fair. Clay had the final vote on Justin being able to start over and he wasn't sure he wanted to forgive. He didn't think the others would blame him if they found out what his parents were offering. They were all thrown in to the situation together through a series of events. Jessica would mostly likely be the one to call him out or maybe take Clay's side. Everyone knew Clay had a habit of meddling and the one time it would be wanted, he walked away. That day on the courthouse steps Jessica was the quickest and loudest to react. Despite the front she put on, a small part of her still cared about what happened to him. Maybe Clay could do it for her. Yeah, he would say yes because Jessica cared, and Clay cared about Jessica. Not Justin.
"Sure, I guess. Not that there's any chance of this going badly," sighed Clay.