After what... few weeks ? I'm not sure, But I've done it ! My first completed fully colored PMV...and Clay gets to be the first character to get this privilege !
i wanted to make something about Clay for a while, since his character is so interesting, and hearing this song I immediately thought about how it could reflect Clay's relashionship with John Dory.... HEAR ME OUT.
In his childhood I'm pretty sure Clay was close not only from Spruce, but also from JD. this square basically making him feel when he needed it. John Dory always cared so much for his brothers, and Clay trully loved him.. but then yeah, the fights, and the band disbanded. Clay got "convinced again". John proving him that... he didn't care. that Clay wasn't that important to John. He was just to kid to laugh at right? The fun one, not important much, right?
he would then met Viva during the Escape. the tunnels collapsing.. I aint sure if the video tells it well; "My father's warnings run through my head". Clay's father is John. Has he left, Clay realizes that he left his brothers too. He failed. Branch is left to gray, Floyd is alone, and Spruce off to Vacay Island, but Clay doesnt know that. In his mind, he got nothing left.
I saw this headcanon going around that Clay would h.... himself, hiding scars under his wrists bands. I hesitated, but decided to go deep with how Clay would feel hurt and illustrated the image; "Your heart is a vine that I've bleed trying to climb" Clay tried to be what Leader wanted, tried to be the funboy, but the truth is he will never be perfect enough for the leader. And if he said that out loud everyone would laugh at him.
Maybe except Viva. Viva is so important to Clay. She aint leaving, they would grow together, best friends to lovers is my thing. Viva would make him promise to stop. With her help it gets better.
The night John came back and find them in Putt Putt village is the night Clay faced his inner demons. The "knife in the woods" being most like a inner wound of memories chasing him.
Clay tries to convince himself he hated John. But the good in him... his inner child. the Good in him knows that he doesnt hate him. What he trully wanted was his brother to come back, the wounds he caused himself was the hurt the kid that still cried for dad to come back.
I trully believe thay Clay does not hate John Dory at all. The pain he felt when John Dory got through that door broke him so deeply, and Clay isnt good to handle emotions... the best was to hide the good in him. That's why he didnt looked sad when John left- it was anger.
Then you see at the end, all he ever needed was big brother John back.
....
Have an amazing fucking day
SONG: The Good In Me by Joe Bellion