No matter how informal people are (or say they are), there are some forms of address that are simply inappropriate between two people if they haven't developed a personal relationship that merits their use: pet names (like "Snookums" or "Honeybunch") and terms of endearment ("my dear", "darling", "honey", and the like). Now, add in stalkers, obsessive villains, or powerful enemies and an otherwise inappropriate pet name becomes downright creepy. Another term along these lines that more indicates frustration than any additional creep factor is "buddy" or "pal," which when used between strangers often indicates that a fight is about to break out soon.
It implies a non-existent closeness, or that the addressed somehow belongs to the addresser. Even if the one using these endearments doesn't mean the target harm, there's an undercurrent of wrongness in the way the addresser thinks and acts that makes them seem mentally unstable and dangerous. (Unless it's just an act designed to irritate or distract the enemy and get him off his game.)
Usually, the nicer the pet name is, the worse the fate in store is. A form of Casual Danger Dialogue, and a menacing variation of Flirting Under Fire. Some forms of "Take That!" Kiss function as a non-verbal variant. Generally a "milder" form of I Have You Now, My Pretty. Casual or informal forms of someone's name (like Tom for Thomas) don't count as this, unless First-Name Basis is already inappropriate. Contrast with Hey, You!, where the use of inappropriate forms is meant as an insult. Contrast with Insult of Endearment, which is the inverse situation where people express friendship with insulting language. See also With Due Respect, where using formal terms of respect implies the opposite. May be rebuffed with "They Call Me MISTER Tibbs!."
