"I don't want you to freak out or make a big deal about it." He crosses his arms. "This happened weeks ago, so I'm fine. It doesn't matter. Trevor and I made up—I guess. I'm only telling you this so you know. Trevor gets, I guess, triggered if you're not careful. He's so broken, Walter. He hates himself so much. Based on what you heard from Archer and what I just told you, I think you can understand why he's like that, and why he's so fixated on demotion and demoting himself. I truly don't think it's his fault. He's just what this place has made him into."
It's now or never. He looks a little pale, but starts the matter-of-fact version of the story that he's already rehearsed many times.
"... I once said something really vague to Trevor about how someone ought to do something about this place. He got really, like I said, what you would call 'triggered'... He was upset. Angry. He started saying that I had all these plans to attack the ship, and it would never work for all these different reasons. I tried to explain to him that I didn't want to do any of that, that I didn't have any plans, and he started talking about demoting himself. I begged him not to, and he went away... This happened over the course of two different conversations, but I'm summarizing."
He rubs at his forehead. "I thought that was the end of it, but then you know that little demon Blitzø? The inmate of Trevor's who wrote all that weird stuff in the warden ledger? He showed up at my door and, well"—Pyotr shrugs—"he stabbed me multiple times, saying that Trevor told him I had all these plans and was trying to get him demoted."
He shrugs again.
"I probably deserved it. I was reckless. I should have known to be more careful, to not let my guard down even a little bit... Everyone else trusts Trevor, but like I said, I'm not meant for this place, and everyone can sense it. I truly wasn't saying I had plans to attack the ship, nor was I trying to get him demoted, but he saw what he wanted to see and acted accordingly as he saw fit. For whatever reason. I begged him to at least clarify matters to Blitzø so that I wouldn't get cursed or spied on by other wardens hearing whatever gossip the little demon spreads, to tell him that it was all a misunderstanding, but he wouldn't even do that. Now we both act like nothing happened, and I'm fine with that. I just want to move on... But that's why I've been avoiding you more, by the way, since I'm probably being spied on and followed, and I don't want them thinking you're 'in on' my non-existent plans..."
no subject
It's now or never. He looks a little pale, but starts the matter-of-fact version of the story that he's already rehearsed many times.
"... I once said something really vague to Trevor about how someone ought to do something about this place. He got really, like I said, what you would call 'triggered'... He was upset. Angry. He started saying that I had all these plans to attack the ship, and it would never work for all these different reasons. I tried to explain to him that I didn't want to do any of that, that I didn't have any plans, and he started talking about demoting himself. I begged him not to, and he went away... This happened over the course of two different conversations, but I'm summarizing."
He rubs at his forehead. "I thought that was the end of it, but then you know that little demon Blitzø? The inmate of Trevor's who wrote all that weird stuff in the warden ledger? He showed up at my door and, well"—Pyotr shrugs—"he stabbed me multiple times, saying that Trevor told him I had all these plans and was trying to get him demoted."
He shrugs again.
"I probably deserved it. I was reckless. I should have known to be more careful, to not let my guard down even a little bit... Everyone else trusts Trevor, but like I said, I'm not meant for this place, and everyone can sense it. I truly wasn't saying I had plans to attack the ship, nor was I trying to get him demoted, but he saw what he wanted to see and acted accordingly as he saw fit. For whatever reason. I begged him to at least clarify matters to Blitzø so that I wouldn't get cursed or spied on by other wardens hearing whatever gossip the little demon spreads, to tell him that it was all a misunderstanding, but he wouldn't even do that. Now we both act like nothing happened, and I'm fine with that. I just want to move on... But that's why I've been avoiding you more, by the way, since I'm probably being spied on and followed, and I don't want them thinking you're 'in on' my non-existent plans..."