capricious predilection
did you know I like blondes? – tin/valerie.
"Did you know I like blondes?"
Valerie looked up from her book. Tin was in her doorway, leaning against the frame with his arms crossed across his chest. He had on his 'charming' smile, the one he thought looked suave and dashing.
She thought he looked like he was trying to imitate the Joker.
Someone outside in the hall opened and closed their door, sending a draft towards her way. Valerie nearly gagged at the overwhelming stench of cologne that came her way on said draft of air. "What did you do, bathe in aftershave?"
"No," Tin frowned. "Why, do chicks go for that?"
"Not at all," Valerie rubbed her eyes and opened her pothole window to get some fresh air. Oh god, her eyes were watering and her vision was blurring. If she went blind Tin was going to be strangled by his monkey's tail. "What do you want? And don't come any closer, you moron, you stink!"
Tin pouted, but he listened and stayed where he was. "Did you know I like blondes?" he asked, repeating the question he had first asked.
"Yes."
Everyone did. Tin had an unfortunate habit of declaring out the name of his love of the week from the top of the Nautilus (much to every pirate's dismay) along with cheesy, off-tune love songs and red rose petals he got from god-knows-where. Seriously. Sometimes they'd be out in the middle of the ocean for weeks and he'd manage to get fresh rose petals for a serenade his 'love' couldn't hear.
Mercedes. Cygnus. Orchid. Tin definitely liked blondes, even ones that were enemies.
"Well, I like blondes, and you're a blonde, and I was wondering if you'd -"
Valerie hastily cut him off before he could finish that. "I know you were there when Atarre tried to ask me out. I don't date coworkers."
"But why not?" he whined. At least he'd gotten rid of the suave Joker smile.
"I just don't," she huffed, placing a bookmark in between the pages where she was at before closing the book. Suddenly she wasn't in the mood to read about love in Pantheon.
"But just imagine," Tin swept the imaginary board clean with his hand. "You, me, having a picnic on a gorgeous beach. The sound of waves serenading us while we watch the sun set and dye the world in a spectacular display of red, orange and gold."
That was the cheesiest thing she'd ever heard. "Tin, leave now, or I swear I will shoot your family jewels."
The Cannoneer winced at her blunt threat. "Right, message received. But just remember when you change your mind – you, me, romantic picnic on the beach."
"Not in your lifetime," Valerie muttered when the door closed.
Because in MS event pictures Tin never has luck with romance.
For the Unusual Pairings Project. Details on profile.