large and intimidating

commanding presence, knows how to wield it

One of Hadley's defining traits was his stubbornness. He was not one to give up easily, even if he knew he was wrong. With this also came his temper, which flared up especially if he was challenged in any way. He was quick to raise his voice to assert himself and his positions. Most of the time his attitude came off as childish, bursting out at various inconveniences or perceived slights without really thinking things through.

That is not to say he was an angry man. In his later years he did try to control his temper, so his outbursts showed more as silent rage than anything, but it was still clear that he was upset. He was not skilled in hiding his emotions. Even with his silent anger, the glower on his face was clear, and there was a distinct change in his usual behavior. He was always loud, never mastering volume control, and especially so when he was having a good time. His energy levels never seemed to drop, manifesting in fast talking and intense emotion.

He tried his best to be funny because he did not want his friends to be upset, but with greater injustice he would become angry on their behalf. In lighter situations, however, he just wanted to see them smile. Even in these moments he could not help from joking at his own expense, despite his apparent heaping helping of self confidence. It was mostly an act, in order to seem stronger than he felt. Dealing with his father made him feel worthless more often than not, but he did not want others to notice this. He wanted to show others that he was okay, and that they could be okay, too. But it's difficult to bottle these feelings up entirely, so the self-deprecation had more stock in it than he let on.

He longed for independence and a place of belonging, but in the end he was never able to achieve this. He tried to keep his problems to himself, only revealing them to close friends and denying help from anyone. He wanted to be seen as someone who could support and act for himself, causing him to lash out even at those he trusted if he thought they were trying too much to steer him one way or another. He struggled with this right up to the day he died.

Being the son of the High Point mayor was no easy thing. Growing up, Hadley was largely ignored by his father Hubert, and when he was paid attention to he had to deal with belittling remarks and a lack of respect. It can't be said that Hadley tried his best to please his father—if anything, they treated each other in very similar manners. Whether this was retaliatory or just the way Hadley was is difficult to discern, but either way he was determined to not let Hubert get to him.

He was constantly fighting against his father for autonomy in any way; he did not want to be the perfect sheltered child Hubert wanted. Early on he found a passion for music of all kinds, and dreamed of making music of his own. He never found the right sound for him, experimenting with different styles often, but that did not deter him. At the start, Hubert was surprisingly supportive; he bought Hadley a guitar and tolerated the loud, discordant music playing throughout the house. When Hadley expressed a more serious interest in a musical career, however, Hubert immediately shut it down, emphasizing that his son needed to enter into politics like Hubert. This conflict would follow the both of them for years.

Hadley never had a solid income of his own, relying entirely on his father's support. Despite having to interest in his political major, he did well in college due to the encouragement of his friends Zhenya and Eudora, who knew the stakes placed on Hadley. Once he graduated, however, Hubert's disapproval became more pressing as Hadley continued to struggle finding work and continued to push against Hubert's designs. In the end he was given an ultimatum: find a steady job immediately, or be cut off.

This happened just before Hadley died. His stress was building and about to burst, and then he fell off the High Point cliff. What exactly happened is still a mystery, but whatever the case, the mayor is trying his best to cover it up and act as if he and his son had a healthy relationship. He says that Hadley's death hurts him deeply, and he cared so much for his son. And perhaps that's true. But you won't be getting any input from Hadley on that.

• Some songs that make me think of him:
  • Song of the Magpie by Sea Wolf (but, like, in an especially sad way, because he never gets the chance......)
  • The Last Song Ever Written by Stars (Hadley / Eudora / Zhenya)