Ianto could tell just by looking at Sulu that the other man was telling the truth about what he thought, he really was. Ianto's expression softened, and he smiled up at the other man, gripping the hand that had found his back, and just feeling so...at peace with everything, in that moment.

"Well," he said fondly. "You keep saying things like that, and really meaning them, and well. I... I just might find myself believing you more and more." He blushed. "I'm not sure if you're really aware of the effect that your optimism has had on me, but. I'll have you know that things are pretty drastically different from what they used to be like, for me. And well, the only thing that's come about to change my thinking in any of this is you, so. I guess you must be doing something right, there."

He chuckled. "Keep at it, and you might just get what you want, you know. I seem to be relatively easily persuaded on these things. When you're the one doing the persuading, that is."