He realized he'd put his foot in it. And in a huge way, as always.

"I was in love with you! I didn't know there'd be a second one along! I thought that, hey, for once, we were both in the same damn universe, and we could, and here we are, and it's all messed up again."

He rubbed the back of his neck. "And I'm making it worse. Look, I'm sorry, really. I don't...I don't mean to say it wasn't hard. I thought that, in two years, whatever you felt for me..."

He left the rest unsaid.