What he'd said before. Ianto's eyes fall to his lap again and his face flushes slightly at the memory of it. The image of John dropping to his knees in front of him. Begging him--

Sweetheart, I'd follow you anywhere you needed me to ... I'd do anything for you ... I don't wanna be without you...

Ianto knows John. He knows he isn't a man for such displays. And he knows he'd meant every word. It isn't as though he'd forgotten, exactly. It's just that he'd distracted himself from it, with this tension that had risen between them again. He knows he hasn't been forgiven just yet. He's not certain he's forgiven himself so soon either, truth be told.

"I can't understand why," he says softly. "You've always been so good to me. And I never seem to be able to get things right for you, in the end."

Even here and now. In his attempts to help, he's done it again. Made another mess, just like he always seems to do.