Britney Spears is clarifying that she has no toxic intentions.
The pop star explained the meaning behind her since-deleted Jan. 17 Instagram post, which showed a throwback photo of her and ex Justin Timberlake wearing matching basketball uniforms.
"The pic with my ex is a time where there was less confusion on what it meant to be together," she wrote on her Instagram Story Jan. 19. "It is what it is!!!"
The day after posting the throwback with Justin, she also shared a snippet of herself getting a tattoo in Maui, though she kept the ink hidden from fans "because it sucks. Like really really sucks !!!"
Despite reports suggesting the bad tattoo was related to her message about Justin, Britney—who married Sam Asghari in June 2022—set the record straight by saying that the two posts have no connection.
"Just to clarify…my tattoo had nothing to do with an ex in the past!!!" she added on her Instagram Story. "I simply did it because I wanted to!!!"
Justin's appearance on Britney's Instagram comes nearly two years after the "Mirrors" singer issued an apology to his ex after the premiere of Framing Britney Spears. The release of the documentary in February 2021 sparked criticism from fans over comments Justin made about Britney, whom he dated from 1999 to 2002.
"I've seen the messages, tags, comments and concerns and I want to respond," he wrote on Instagram at the time. "I am deeply sorry for the time in my life where my actions contributed to the problem, where I spoke out of turn, or did not speak up for what was right. I understand that I fell short in these moments and in many others and benefited from a system that condones misogyny and racism."