[mellon_collie]

Originally Posted by DaBackpack

actually I think I've got it

it's a common trope in detective fiction, but also a part of guilt and human psychology

It's when the culprit of a crime wants to be continually attuned to the investigative process in order to... not be taken by surprise by certain results. And on top of that, by keeping yourself inserted into the discourse surrounding the crime, you are mitigating your own stress levels, limiting the potential of you making a big blunder down the line when you are called to the stand.

There are actually a number of psychological benefits to this kind of strategy. It's where the adage "the culprit always returns to the scene of the crime" comes from. Imagine if wolf-Shadow was less of a voice so far, and he didn't get attention until the end of the phase. He'd have a very hard time fighting against that accumulated suspicion. When you're active and opening yourself to scrutiny, you're in a state of safely testing the waters, "hiding in plain sight" as to avoid the UtR read, and calming your own guilty conscience.

That's the specific feeling I'm getting, the one I called "excess enthusiasm" and "being a a 12 year-old boy trying to seem mature."

seems fluffy