"Huh," thoughtfully. He doesn't bother sharing what any of those thoughts are, but there's a silent beat as he digs into his memory — mulls over the projects he left behind, the theories they'd been tossing around regarding rifts and lyrium and shards. It's a comfortable silence, a moment of peace in which Ellis can enjoy the mild air, the taste of the smoke, the successful dodging of personal questions. Until Fitz ruins it.

"What've I missed, really?" His eyes flick over to Ellis, try to catch and hold his gaze. There's a little punch to the really. Still squarely friendly, if blunt; he'd just rather a 'fuck off' than more subtle deflection.

"Or should I go back to digging through records."