For oncoming_storms Prompt 97.1
It is a widely acknowledged rule that a large part of human communication happens not through words, but through tones and body language. The former, especially, can easily transcend the barrier of language between two subjects, even when subjects A and B happen to be a Time Lord from a now-extinct planet and an immortal who has now lived for hundreds of years, respectively.
“Jack.” While nothing has been uttered but a name, Subject A’s tone implies ‘I see your move, and am prepared to accept it.’
“Doctor…” The slight hesitation in Subject B’s tone, however, conveys quite a different message, one that may be roughly translated to ‘I may have experience in this, but I’m still not sure about what I’m doing because it’s you.’ Like we said, rough translation.
“Jack!” Subject A’s sudden outcry signifies ‘I see what you’re doing, and I’m not sure I approve’.
“Doctor.” The slightly teasing tone, compiled with Subject B’s grin, implies ‘I know you saw, and I’m much more comfortable now that I’ve returned to very familiar ground.”
“Jack-“ The stubbornness in Subject A’s response, however, implies something quite different, and more along the lines of ‘You may have done this before, but I, too, have my fair share of experience’. There may have also been a slightly childish gesture somewhere in those words, one can never be sure.
“Doctor?” The confusion, clear in Subject B’s tone and expression, however, steer this exchange in an entirely different direction, one comprised of the words ‘This is something that doesn’t generally happen!’
“Jack…” The slight sigh and clear fondness in that word alone are enough to make their meaning clear; ‘It’s okay, it happens to everyone.’
“….Doctor.” The slight hesitation, though present again, implies quite a different message this time around; ‘This is unexpected, but perhaps not entirely unwelcomed.’
“Jack…” The slight elongation of the word, combined with a hint of whining, shows a very different opinion, one comprised of ‘I’m no longer as in charge as I thought, and this is clearly something I am only begrudgingly accepting.’
The slight pout of one and the grin of another convey very different opinions. It seems a draw in a game of tic-tac-toe is enough to elicit very different reactions from subjects who previously seemed to understand each other so well.
Character: Jack Harkness
Word Count: 384
Notes: Written for
salvagestime* , without whose support I still would not be opening Word to write anything but an extended essay. Inspired by an experiment and subsequent log in
realityshifted involving various spoken languages and pie.