Sulu was right, Ianto did feel like he was being scolded. And it hurt even more, because he knew that Sulu was right, that he couldn't have just left, that that wasn't how things worked. Ianto knew that that wasn't the way things worked. He knew that he had the worst of luck with these things. That whenever he really needed the other man to be able to come, he wouldn't be able to. Because that was how it worked. At least in his life.

"It's fine," Ianto said, not moving from where he was sitting huddled in the darkness, not turning to look at Sulu or the ground or anything, just sitting there. "You don't have to explain yourself. I understand. You really shouldn't have to be available to come by and babysit me all the time. They needed you there. I..." He swallowed. "I should have known you were on duty then, anyway. I should never have called and interrupted that."