Alan listens. That could be a secret, were he to trouble with its concealment. Even when he doesn't care about the substance of what's being said, there's the matter of how. Words are dear to him--he'll never not care about them.

In short, no, the nuances of tone and inflection don't escape him (that what someone else might describe as a challenge sounds to him like an invitation, well, that's language--or Alan--for you). He blinks--once, as though pleasantly surprised.

"Would you say 'presumptuous'?" he asks, meeting the other man's eyes, lingering a bit on the final word.