Chapter Text
After the emotional conversation they had just had, Justin’s exhaustion started to take a toll on him. He was blinking rapidly trying to get the final tears out as his eyes were shutting down, but Clay could see that he didn’t want to sleep as he didn’t make any moves for them to get home nor did he say anything about being tired. Maybe it was because of the place they were in, it was Hannah’s memorial after all, even though it was coming to an end. But with the added tiredness the puppy dog eyes took pity on his soul, so Clay suggested they go and sit in the nearby couch that was miraculously devoid of people.
Justin of course, agreed. He didn’t even notice that the people that were previously occupying it were now gone.
He sat on one end of the couch leaving space for Clay to sit too, but clay insisted on him lying down on it cause he was going to be in the armchair next to him. Justin didn’t oppose, to be fair lying down for a bit was one of the things he would really like right now, so he took the opportunity to stretch a bit on the so much more comfortable couch from a modern cafeteria, than any of the beds in juvie. Not wanting to close his eyes, he put his arm across his face, wiping the residual tear tracks from his cheeks and massaging the many bruises his face had now.
He needed something to take his mind off from the situation he saw himself submerged in; with the adoption, the notion that there were actual adults that wanted him in their lives, thinking how he now had a home that casually was the place he had been living in the weeks of the trial and the thought of having legally at least a new family, which lead him to wander about his own mother. About how could she be doing, whether she did scape from Seth and that was why they couldn’t find her to sign the paperwork they had previously needed, if she was safe...etc. About his school life and how everything had ended up upside now, about his newfound friends and how would they react to the news, and about everything he had gone trough in juvie.
The increasing number of thoughts that were coming to his mind were staring to give him a headache so he needed to take his mind off.
That is way he started talking to Clay, he had to admit that at first, when he and Tony found him, comunication it was not a pleasant thing. They were very different in all aspects of their lives, or so it seemed at the beginning. But with the time they had spent together and problems they went through, the understanding and communication were much better.
From the very first moment Clay had secretly smuggled Justin into his own home after chasing him through the streets, to helping him detox from the heroin and giving him the stability to go high school again, to Justin stopping clay shooting Bryce and/or himself, to Clay stopping him from becoming homeless again and running through the streets, to Justin testifying about what Bryce did and turning himselfto the police, to Clay pleading his mother that they help him. They both had saved each other time after time, which at the beginning of high school no one could have imagined. So to say they had quite an understanding was correct, they both needed each other even if they didn’t know it.
So Justin started to ask Clay about the school dance and if they were going, which was pretty clear after all that they were indeed going, because as his puppy dog eyes looked sadder than ever, they could be used to convince anyone. They did continue talking for a bit till Clay got up to talk to Mrs.Baker one last time.
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Both Mrs. Jensen and Mr. Jensen had been observing, from the strategically placed couch, the boys since they had started talking in that table in the corner. They had seen Clay’s nervousness about the news he was going to deliver and Justin’s reaction to what seemed to be the best thing anyone could have ever told him. His face in those exact moments was not going to be forgotten by the two of them. The smile that Justin had on him while tears were falling from his eyes as he told Clay that he would really like to be adopted, was at the same time warming their hearts and breaking them.
To see his son go through what he finally had decided that was the best option for Justin, made their hearts swell in pride for the young man they had raised. And to see joy in the battered face of a 16 year old boy just released from juvie during a memorial, was a sight indeed. Their now 2 boys could really use each other from now on, even though they would argue and fight and not agree on pretty much a lot of things, but that was what brothers and close friends did. They had a good feeling about this and both were commited to see for themselves a good adjustment of Justin into society again, as well as helping the two teenagers develop a functional dynamic, not only between themselves but including the 4 of them.
When they saw that Clay and Justin had finished talking about the good news and were moving off to less serious topics, they decided to leave the couch and head up for the car. They were not planning on going anywhere though, Clay needed them in these tough moments and they were going to stay with him, so they got out of Monet’s and next to the car. They popped the truck, which was filled with bags from different stores, that the three of them had been visiting since they had decided to go for the adoption process.
There was a also a very important manila envelope in the truck, with all the information they needed to give Justin and his social worker and the never ending burocratic paperwork to be filled in order to kick off the process. Lainie being a lawyer and all that knew that this kind of process could take a long time, but luckily for them she had some contacts that could speed things up and the fact that Justin had been with them before as an emergency foster family and now foster family, would only make things go quicker. Checking that they had everything in the car and safely putting that manila envelope in the glove compartment, they headed back inside.
When they got there Mrs. Baker had alredy left and people were starting to leave the establishment as well, so they decided to pick up the boys and get everyone home for the day.
There were few words that could express how tiresome the day had turned out to be. Firstly with Hannah’s funeral, Hannah’s memorial, Justin’s release from juvie and now the agreement about the adoption papers. Laine and Matt were sure both boys could benefit from a much needed rest, Clay had not really been taking care of himself for the last couple of days as the stress from the approaching funeral got to him and they doubted that what Justin had experienced in juvie could be called rest of any kind.
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After talking to Mrs. Baker, Clay went to say goodbye to the rest of his friends as he saw his parents coming back from the parking lot, which probably meant they were ready to head home and were going to tell Justin exactly that. So after saying goodbye and taking one last look to the chalk mural in honor of Hannah Baker,he got out of the Monet’s.
Justin didn’t see Mrs. And Mr. Jensen coming from outside but he realized Clay was nowhere to be seen.
-Well maybe he went to the bathroom...- thought Justin, but at that moment someone exited it and it wasn’t Clay. He quickly, but not so much that he pulled some of his sensitives muscles, rose from the couch into a sitting position, trying to look for his soon to be adopted sibling or whatever… their relationship didn’t need a label anyhow.
Searching for him through the less congested cloud of people,he still didn’t find Clay but Justin tried not to get anxious. Clay could be doing something important outside, something pretty normal even, but he could perfectly recall the situation in which he found him with a gun ready to shoot someone and saying something about making her stop, so excuse him if he still was a bit nervous. He knew that it had happened a month ago, but still, he just hoped Clay was doing better by now, thanks to getting the closure he desperately needed and judging from what he had seen, it seemed that it was the case.
Suddenly he was stopped from his musings thanks to a hand that was resting on his left shoulder. He automatically flinched at the contact, something both Jensen’s parents saw, so Mrs. Jensen decided to retract her hand.
-Hey Justin, we were about to take you guys home, anything you want to do before? Asked Mrs. Jensen with a sweet smile on her face.
-No, I-I-I’m okay- replied Justin –I… we can leave, yeah-
-Okay then-said Mr. Jensen,- C’mon champ let’s get into the car I’m sure Clay is waiting to go home, he must be pretty tired and probably wants nothing more than dinner and sleep. And I' pretty sure he is not the only one- said Clay's father offering him a knowing smile.
Justin sure was hungry, his stomach had just started rumbling just at the mention food. What he had in the center was not so bad, and before meeting the Jensen's he would probably be grateful for any scrap of food he could get into his mouth. But after living with the Jensens's for a couple of weeks, he realized the larger amounts he had been consuming of good quality food. So he realized he was starting to miss Clay's family cooking.
But that was not the only problem, when he had changed from the orange suit to the clothes he now wore, he did realize that his ribs were poking trough the undershit. He could feel his own ribs just by touching his chest. It was a drastic change because even though he was naturally skinny and fit, even though the amount of food he normally would have ingested (before the Jensen's) had not been not copious, it used to be more than enough. And he could never get to see the outline of his ribs. The reason for that, were the other teenagers at juvie.
He never dared to tell anyone during the whole month and he was not gonna start now, when it couldn't even matter, but he got accustomed to have other problem children steal his food. Like the bullies often did in the playground during middle school. It was rather pathetic, he had survived his mother and her boyfriends, he had survived being homeless for weeks and he even had survived being inmersed in the tragedy that was Hannah Baker's death, but apparently he couldn't stop others from constantly stealing larger and larger portions of his food.
They realized that Justin had zoned out for a moment there, because at the sudden mention of food, he got his hand up to where his ribs were, like he was palming them and keep on loking at the floor like he was not there. Now that they noticed, Justin was far skinnier now than when he had left, nothing that they were not expecting. But Lainie and Matt noticed that it seemed to be a far more serious issue now. Looking at the way Justin was holding himself and how thin he looked and from the rumbles they could hear from Justin's stomach, they could safetely say that he had not been well fed in the correctional. Truth to be said, they were expecting Justin to be released with a few pounds less but they could bet that now his ribs were poking trough the T-shirt, and judging from how Justin's face had lost it's healthy colour and seemed even hollow now, they both reached the conclussion that maybe they had in their hands a malnutrition problem. But it wasn't the right time to say anything about it and they both knew it, so they just exchanged glances and went to shake Justin up from his stupor.
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**Flashback starting**
He was heading for the mess hall, where they were supposed to get their required amount of food. It was Justin's first dinner and the weariness he emited could be felt from anyone that got just a glimpse of the new kid. He got his tray with the rations of food and sat in the empty side of a big table. He didnt know anyone and was not up to making new friends right now, so he just started to eat in silence. The menu consisted on a few boiled green asparagus, what looked to be mashed potatoes, a small sized burger, an apple and loaf of bread. He missed Mrs. Jensen's warm food and sitting in the table with the three of them just talking about normal and unimportant topics. He missed them and everything they had done for him in the past weeks. That is why when Mrs. Jensen had explained him that he was going to have to give everything up if he was really going to go to the police and confess what he had left happen to Jessica, he accepted. And that was also why he was not going to tell anything to Clay, not with all the mood swings that boy had been experiencing and because it was the least he could do to help them all keep Bryce from getting free of criminal charges.
He was so deep in his thoughts that he didnt notice the 3 boys that were getting closer to his side of the table. To the point that he only did look up when his tray was snatched away as he was going to take a bite of his bread.
-What the hell- said Justin looking to the 3 of them
-Oh, look! The new kid talks-said one of the group. -Name is Nick and I dont really like being ignore by newbies, undestood?
-Man, I was just eating, minding my on business. Dont want any trouble hhmm...N-Nick-
-Okay then- smiled the older boy.
-Trouble is not what we are looking for either, we just wanted to greet the newest member. You know, make you feel welcomed and al thatl...- Nick was saying as he put his arm around Justin and squeezed a bit, it was a show for dominance, identified Justin.
Being next to Bryce for that long, had taught a thing or two about intimidation, so he didnt make any sudden moves or started confronting this older Nick. As he said, he was not looking for problems and he wanted to get out from this hell of a place as soon as possible, so he took it all in silence.
-Well newbie, lets see if you can help us. The thing is that we have just eaten, but me and my friends are still hungry so do you mind if we help you with your's?-
These were the words he heard seconds before someone snatched the food tray back, and before Nick and his 2 companions ate all of the food except the loaf of bread. One of the other ones was just about to grab it, when out of nowhere, Nick grabbed his forearm in order to stop him.
-Leave it, he has been an ideal companion, havent you newbie? This is for you-said Nick shoving the bread into his hands.
-We wouldnt want for our new friend to be hungry, would we guys? said Nick to his other companions.
-Well, see you in the morning, newbie- And the 3 of them just disappeared as quickly as they had appeared.
Which left justin with just a loaf of bread and water for dinner, sitting in the corner of the table alone again. Well.. he thought to himself.
-As sad as this is, I have eaten less for dinner more times than I can count- And started to fill himself up with water and that litle piece of bread. He hoped that this was a one-time thing, but judging from the accustomed and normal faces of the other teenagers in the hall, it couldn't be further from the truth.
**end of the flashback**
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Justin came back to himself when he percieved a movement in front of him, years and years of hardships would do that to you. Apparently he had zoned out for a minute or two, Justin realized, and was back on the couch at Monet's, watching Mrs. Jensen leaving for the entrance. Mr. Jensen was looking at him and yawning at the same time.
-Hey justin, how about coming to the car? I didnt know the sofa was that comfortable- said Mr. Jensen chuckling.
Justin just shook his head to get rid of those unwanted memories and said:
- Sorry about that, I must have gotten lost for a bit in my own head.-
-Dont sweat it, exhaustion will do that to you, and I thik after what we have gone through today we all deserve a break.
Mr.Jensen keep on talking while he offered a hand to help Justin up from the couch, as Mrs. Jensen was heading for the car. Justin took the firm hand and pulled himself upright.
-Uhm…Mr. Jensen, I just wanted to thank you for everything you know... I-I-I think I owe you more than I can ever repay you, said Justin not looking at him and hugging himself.
Mr.Jensen then put his hand on his bicep, squeezing a bit and in a deep and reasuring voice said:
-Justin, you don’t owe us anything. We just want to help you get on your feet okay? We just want you to try and let us help and for you to be the most confortable in your new home, what do you say to that champ?
Justin was clearly avoiding making eye contact but when Mr. Jensen said those words he couldn’t help but look up. Glassy-eyed and not knowing what to say, he just nodded to indicate the agreement and went back to looking at the floor when he felt his eyes burning more and more.
-I’m glad Justin, let’s not keep them waiting any longer-
Clay gets cranky when he doesn’t have a good night sleep- He said, -maybe it’s a family thing, who knows?-
Then he let his hand fell from Justin’s arm and started to walk towards the door. Inmediatly Justin followed, grabbing the same part of his arm that had been under Mr. Jensen's hand and heading as well to the prius he had came in. Boy, was he glad that the Jensen's seemed to care about him cause if anything, this last month in juvie had given him time to think, and he had realized that maybe he himself, maybe cared about them too.
With emotions so high up in the air, no one paid notice to the suburban car parked in the next street, where Seth sat looking at them with a murderous spark in his eyes.