There were two drastically different issues going on here and either one of them on its own would have been a handful, but both at once made the conversation feel impossible.

"Wait. Stop. Let me..." He shut his eyes for a moment, in an attempt to think clearer, "We... can talk about the first thing. In fact, I am very happy to. But... You are saying..."

He wet his lips and took a step closer, slowly crouching in front of Athelstan so he was looking up at him, his hand lightly resting on the very edge of his knee.

"Athelstan..." He's still so confused and trying very, very hard not to grab an axe and leave for Dodger's immediately. First things first. "I never.... Dodger and I have never spoken about you. Is that... what he told you? That I said he should..."

He bit his lip, his hands shaking ever so slightly from the rage he was feeling. Athelstan was more important right now, though. Dodger wasn't going anywhere. That could wait.

"Did you tell him to stop?" There was no judgment or suspicion in his tone, he just needed to know all the facts because apparently Athelstan suddenly assumed people could read his mind when it came to what he wanted in bed.