[He flashes a brief flicker of a smile at her for adding to the pile, working on making it a more elaborate structure now that he has more materials to work with.

Normally, he'd agree with Ellie's point; he's typically the one telling people to talk about their conflicts, to get them out in the open, to work through them. But in this case he shakes his head a little, and is serious and quiet when he responds.]

It might. But the main reasons to discuss a conflict are to make feelings clear, and to come to some sort of understanding.

[He's silent again a few seconds before sighing.]

My opinion about the whole thing isn't exactly a secret, and I don't think there's going to be any understanding.

[And the latter part of that is what's so upsetting, but he's well on the way to accepting it at this point.]