| Gunn Shy |
| Title: Gunn Shy Author: Echo ([email protected]) Rating: R Summary: Gunn and Cordelia meet. The sparks fly, but are they both too emotionally retarded to give the other one a fair chance? ****************** Part One Angel pulled open the apartment door and smiled at the person on the other side. "Come in." "Thanks, man." Gunn smiled back. Real food. He could barely contain his excitement. The two of them stepped into the kitchen where Cordelia and Wesley were side by side. Cooking. Angel almost feared what the two of them were making. He'd seen the brownies. "Um Cordelia?" "Yes?" She spun around with a very large butcher knife in her hand. Tomato seeds and juice flew off the end of it. Gunn flinched a little. Wesley just stared at Angel with a pained look on his face. Cordelia swore she stopped breathing. When Angel said that Gunn was coming for dinner, she had been expecting an unwashed homeless-looking guy. Not this. In her wildest fantasies she hadn't expected this. He was gorgeous. He reinvented tall, dark, and handsome. He was large and male. She'd never seen a guy whose skin looked so soft. His eyes were a rich chocolate brown. That mouth was absolutely begging to be kissed. He had no hair, and she had never realized how attractive that look could be on a guy until this very minute. She suddenly became more nervous than she had ever been in her entire life. "This is Gunn." "Oh." She turned and stabbed the large knife into the center of the tomato she'd been mutilating and wiped her hands on the apron around her waist. Angel's eyebrows shot up. Wesley looked to the ceiling as if to ask 'Why me, God?'. "Gunn, this is, uh, Cordelia." Angel added. Cordelia smiled brightly and grabbed the hand he stuck out nervously in both of hers. She shook it vigorously and was smiling very wide. Almost too wide. She was acting very strange. After a full minute of her psychotic handshake, Angel took Gunn's hand out of hers and grabbed Cordelia by the arm. "Excuse us for just a minute." He dragged her out of the kitchen into the living room. "What the hell is the matter with you?" He whispered. "I don't know." She was a little frantic. "Why didn't you tell me he was so damn hot?" "What?" He chuckled a little. She had a crush. "You think he's good looking?" "Duh-hu." "I don't see it." He peered back around the corner at Gunn. "Nope." Cordelia yanked him back. "Angel, that is major salty goodness in my kitchen." He snickered at her. She really was acting a little crazy. He'd never seen her like this before. "And don't tell me you don't notice guys. Cos I know you do." "What?" "Hey, I know you're bisexual. It's no big." "I'm what?" He was practically growling. "Bisexual. Geez. Spike told Willow all about it." "Spike?" "Yeah." "And Willow told you." "Yes." "I'm going to kill him." "Angel, it's ok. I don't care if you like guys. We can compare notes or whatever." He grabbed her by the upper arms and lifted her to his face. "I AM NOT BISEXUAL!" "PUT ME DOWN, YOU ASS!" "YOU WANNA SEE HOW ATTRACTED TO GUYS I AM? THIS IS HOW ATTRACTED TO GUYS I AM!" He kissed her. Hard. Like she had never ever been kissed before. He set her on her feet and they both stared at each other for a moment. They were frozen except for Cordelia's harsh breathing. Slowly Angel became aware the two of them were not alone. He turned to see Gunn and Wesley staring at them. "Well, dinner's ready." Wesley said. Cordelia made a high pitched squeak that reminded Angel very much of Willow and ran to her bedroom. Wesley raised an eyebrow at his boss. "Well, I think perhaps you and I should have a chat later. Hmm?" Angel sighed unnecessarily and rolled his eyes. *~*~*~*~* "Cordelia!" She turned at the sound of her name. She searched the crowd of the flea market until her eyes landed on Gunn. Her stomach did a flip-flop. "Um, hi, Gunn." She smiled up at him. He could have sworn she got nervous when she noticed it was him, but that was crazy. Wasn't it? "What're you doin'?" "A little shopping." "Care for some company?" "Uh, ok." He took hold of her hand, so not to lose her in the crowd. And then she did something she'd never done before. Cordelia Chase blushed. His hand was sending little bolts of electricity all the way up her arm. He was surprised how natural her hand felt in his. He'd only taken it, so he wouldn't lose her in the crush. They stopped in front of a stand that had assorted weapons. There was a large ax on display. "Oh, Angel would love that." Gunn laughed. "He would. So, uh, what's with you and him?" He so did not mean to ask that. "Just friends." She said very quickly. "It may not be my business, but he looked a little more than friendly the other night." "You're right. It's not your business." She yanked her hand out of his and tried to walk off. He grabbed her arm. "Hey, I didn't mean to make you mad. The topic of Angel's off limits. I get it." She looked up into his dark eyes and lost herself for a second. "There is no thing with us. Sure, we're close. He's my family. Him and Wesley, but that's where it ends. He's meant to be the brother I never had and nothing more. And as for what you saw the other night? Well, that was Angel losing his temper. I was pushing his buttons, and I'm one of the few people that can do that to him." "Oh." He stared down at her, surprised how her explaining of the dynamics of her and Angel's relationship had made his heart skip a little. He still had a hold of her arm, and she had leaned towards him a little. He hadn't really gotten a good look at her the other night. He been too busy trying to understand her jumpy behavior. She was beautiful. Her body had all the right curves, and she didn't over flaunt them. Her long brown hair looked so soft in it's ponytail. His fingers itched to run through it. Her eyes were a dark brown that just sort of pulled you in. Her smile was perfect. And teethy, but he loved a teethy smile. It was intoxicatingly gorgeous and caused little creases in the corners of her mouth that he found positively hypnotic. If he didn't quit looking at her and let go, he was going to kiss her, and that would not be a good thing. She was way too pretty. And pretty girls were dangerous. He had all the danger he could stand at the present time. His hand dropped from her arm, and he took a step back. "What?" "I... nothing." "You had lunch yet?" His stomach growled at just the mention of food. "No." "Let's go get a hot dog or something, ok?" "I don't have any money." "My treat." He just stared at her. "Come on." She smiled at him. He lost. "Uh, ok." She linked her arm in his and dragged him off. *~*~*~*~* "Cordelia, you been in that bathroom for an hour and a half. I refuse to believe you started out the day looking THAT terrible." "Bite me, Wesley. Hard." "Cordelia-" The door swung open to reveal something he hadn't seen in a while. The Sunnydale Cordelia. Her hair was done. She had on make-up. The only real difference was she was wearing jeans and a t shirt. Didn't matter. She still looked stunning. He smiled at her. "Well worth the wait." She smiled back. "Thank you." "So why all the effort?" Someone knocked at the door. Cordelia beamed and rushed past him. Wesley had this strange feeling Gunn had arrived. Cordelia threw open the door to reveal Kate. Her face instantly went from beaming to scowling. "What do you want?" "Is Angel here?" "Yes, but he's doing what most vamps do during the daytime." "And that would be?" "Sleeping. Duh." And suddenly Cordelia was looking over Kate's shoulder and smiling widely. "Hey, Cordelia." Gunn said. Kate turned to see a very tall guy behind her. "Who are you?" She snapped. "Charles Gunn. Who are you?" He snapped back. "She's Detective Kate Lockley, and she was just leaving." Cordelia grabbed Gunn, pulled him inside, and slammed the door in Kate's face. Gunn just stared at her. "That wasn't very nice." "You will soon find I'm not known for being nice." *~*~*~*~* "Cordelia! Down!" The brunette ducked down and rolled away. She heard Gunn's crossbow release it's bolt. Then felt felt dust settle over her. The two of them had been out for a walk when they'd gotten ambushed. She scrambled to her feet only to be tackled back to the ground. She started srtuggling and screeching. The stake in her hand was pinned to the ground with the weight of her body and the weight of the body on her. Her hair was grabbed and her head yanked at an almost impossible angle baring her neck. Not like this. She screamed as hard and as loud as she could as she felt fangs sink into her skin. Gunn saw the vamp bite down on Cordelia, and rage he didn't know he possessed broke free inside him. Not like this. Not like his sister. He ran for her. Gunn snarled in rage as he pulled the vampire off of Cordelia. The younger man was already slamming the vampire's head on the cement. Then he stopped and leaned over the dazed vamp. "You shouldn't have touched her." And with that he staked him. Silence. Cordelia whimpered. Gunn scurried over to her and rolled her onto her back. Gunn pulled her into his arms. "Cordelia?" "I'm ok. Considering." He pulled her up to him and buried his face in her hair. She pulled back and looked at him. Her eyes were wide. He was leaning down to her mouth when she suddenly went limp. He pulled back and looked at her. She'd passed out. *~*~*~*~* Angel burst through the double doors of the waiting area so hard Gunn was surprised the doors didn't tear right off their hinges. "Where is she?!" Gunn stood and put his hands up. "Whoa, man. Calm down. She's fine. They had to give her some blood, but she's ok." "What happened?" Angel said through his teeth. "Angel, stop it." The two men turned. She was standing there with a large white bandage on her neck. Beautifully alive. *~*~*~*~* Cordelia sat on her couch and twisted her hands together. He had been about to kiss her when her blood loss made her faint. She knew it. She didn't know why that fact made her so nervous, but it did. Maybe it was the fact that she usually lost the people she truly loved. Either through selfishness of selflessness. Did she want to risk losing Gunn? Did she really want to stop seeing him? Because that was the only way she'd stop wanting him. Angel watched her wringing her hands as she stared off into space. He wondered what could possibly be that serious. She almost looked like she was brooding. Well, if that was what he had looked like, no wonder she had campaigned so hard to get him to stop. "Cordelia?" She jumped and looked at him. "Yeah?" "Are you alright?" "I... I don't know." He walked over and sat next to her. His arm rested on the back of the couch behind her body. "What is it?" "What is it about me that's so unlovable?" "What?" Of all the things she could have said, that was the last he expected. "Why am I not worth loving?" "God, tell me you don't really think that." "Angel, why on earth would he be interested in me? I have nothing to offer him." He didn't even have to ask who she was talking about. "Nothing but yourself." "I don't think that's enough." He grabbed her shoulders and made her face him. He was growling. "I don't want to hear you talk like that about yourself. He'd be damn lucky to have someone like you." "I'm not like him, Angel. He's a fighter. A real fighter. Like you. What could I possibly bring into it? My only accomplishments in life involve pom poms or rhinestone tiaras." "You're more than that now. Why can't you see it?" They were interrupted by a knock at the door. Angel growled and stalked off. He swung open the door to see Gunn smiling with a bouquet of daisies. "Hey, man." Angel growled and pulled him inside. He leaned over and practically snarled in Gunn's face. "She is my whole world now. You hurt her, I rip you apart. Slowly." Gunn swallowed hard. "Jesus Christ, Angel. What? She doesn't like daisies? Or is it me?" Angel realized what he was doing and stepped back. "I'm sorry. She's just not as tough as she looks." "I don't expect her to be tough." "She's had a hard time." "It scares me to death that she inspires this much love. It's gonna hurt like hell when she breaks my heart, isn't it?" Gunn walked past the vampire into the living room. Angel was shocked. He didn't think he was good enough for her. She didn't think she was good enough for him. Then he smiled. He had a feeling Charles Gunn was going to show Cordelia Chase her true worth. And that was fine by him. Because she, in turn, would show him he was worthy of someone like her. Part Two "You are pulling my arm out of the socket!" "You are fastly pissing me off!" "Let go of me, you jerk!" "Not a chance, little miss diva." Angel rolled his eyes and leaned over to Wesley. "And it started out so nice." "Well she did act rather rashly." "Agreed." Cordelia whipped around on them. "Shut up!" She yanked her arm out of Gunn's hand and stalked ahead of the group. He hurried his pace to catch her. Wesley and Angel watched with some amusement. They started out so skittish around each other, but the two of them fought constantly these days. The sexual tension choked everyone within a hundred mile radius "Cordelia." "Don't talk to me." They had reached the door to her apartment. He grabbed her arm and turned her to face him. "I don't want you to EVER do anything like that again." "You are not my keeper." "Angel?" Angel threw up his hands. "Leave me out of this." "Wes?" "Me too." Cordelia raised an eyebrow at him. "Ha." Gunn growled in her face and stomped off. As soon as he was gone Angel grabbed her arm in a viselike grip. "Ouch!" "I don't want to EVER see you do anything that stupid again." He growled. "Angel-" Wesley started. Angel cut him off. "No. She could have been hurt." "Hello. I'm right here." He pulled her up into his face. "This isn't the first time, and you know it, Cordelia. If you can't do what I say, you stay home next time." She yanked her arm out of his. It was throbbing. She would no doubt have some nice bruising from all the manhandling she'd gone through tonight. Her eyes filled with tears. "Angel." She took a deep breath. "Fuck you." He blinked. Cordelia stormed into the apartment and went straight to her bedroom. She slammed the door. The sounds of her weeping filled the entire place. Angel started to feel like a bastard. *~*~*~*~*~*~*~* Gunn slammed into the deserted warehouse his crew was holed up in this week. Everyone got out of his way. No one said it, but it was heard. Loud and clear. Cordelia. Every time he went anywhere with her lately he came back in the foulest of foul moods. He flopped on his cot and tucked his hands behind his head. Cordelia. She scared the hell out of him. He didn't know what she was trying to prove lately. She picked fights with him every time they talked. Every time they went out to fight she was jumping in front of him. She was constantly putting herself at risk. Tonight she'd gotten clawed across the collarbone. Simply because she's stepped in front of him. He thought she'd gotten her throat ripped out at first, but they were just scratches. He just didn't get her. She didn't look like the type of girl that would do the things she did every night. And no matter how many times he told her to go when trouble found them, she never did. She stayed right beside him. And he wanted her. He couldn't have her. She was way too complicated. But every second of every night he dreamed of her. She'd popped up in his life unexpectedly when he didn't need a distraction of her caliber. She made him lose his concentration when he got near her, so he became openly hostile with her. He'd hoped it would make her keep her distance, but with her no amount of distance was enough. "Why don't you just get it over with, man?" Gunn looked up to see one of the guys staring down at him. "Get what over with?" "Just do her and move on." The next thing the guy knew Gunn had him by the throat up against the wall as everyone watched. "You don't talk about Cordy that way." "Cordy is it? Man, she's got you running in circles. You're chasing your own damn tail, and you don't even know it, Gunn." "So your solution is for me to 'one night' her?" "She's distractin' you!" "Don't you see? I do that, I get a taste, and I never come back!" "Gunn-" "No! First, she ain't the kind of girl you do that to. She's different than she looks. Second, I ain't that kind of guy. And third, Angel would make me bleed. A lot." *~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~* Wesley crept along the hall. He had the first aid kit in his hands. Cordelia's light was on and she was talking to someone. Her door was cracked. He could see the phone to her ear. "I-I-I know it's late." She sniffed. "I'm fine." She started crying. "Ok, I'm not fine..... They all yelled at me..... Well, no not Wesley, but he glared...... I got hurt a little..... Don't yell!" She started crying again. "I just wanna be better, Will. I'm not good right now.... No, I'm not. I don't like being the weakest." She laughed at something that Willow said. "Yes, but you pull it off. I can't. I'm far too unpleasant.... Yes, I am..... He doesn't..... I make him so mad.... I can't help it..... I couldn't stand it if he got hurt, if any of them did. My whole life here in three people. How did it come to this?" She gasped a little. "Right. I want friends, not followers. Why does it have to hurt so damn much?..... Read that in a Hallmark card?.... What do I do, Will? He seemed to like me at first. I liked him. It was nice, but now whenever we get near each other...... I know. How is Xander, by the way?....Really?..... I hope you're right...... I can't...... It wouldn't work.... No.... Ok maybe.... I'll keep you posted... I will... I'll call you..... Thanks, Will..... Bye." She hung up the phone and took a shaky breath. Wesley counted to ten then tapped on the door. "Come in." He stepped in the room and smiled at her. "I came to see if you were alright." She looked down at the angry red scratches across her collar. "I'm ok." Then she burst into tears. Wesley sat on her bed and gathered her in his arms. "I didn't mean to." He stroked her hair. "Shh. I know." "I make such a fool out of myself every time he's near me. Why do I do that, Wesley?" "I wouldn't know. My making a fool of myself is not restricted to one person being about. I like everyone to get a taste." She laughed. "You mustn't be upset, Cordelia. They just worry about you. We all do." "I care about him so much, and half the time he won't even look at me. What did I do? We started out as friends. He saved my life. He brought me those flowers. We talked, then one day, BAM. I feel like I'm dating Xander all over again. The people I thought were my friends are avoiding me. What did I do to him? How do I make him talk to me again?" He grabbed her chin and looked at one eye, then the other. "What are you doing?" "Checking your eyes." "What?" "There must be something wrong with them. You're blind. Gunn adores you." "Right." "Cordelia, he's pushing you away because he doesn't want to care for you. He doesn't want to be hurt. He feels like he could easily lose you." "Really? well, what do I do?" "You could try not being so abrasive." Cordelia scowled at him. *~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~* Cordelia walked into the lobby of the hotel with a smile on her face. Gunn and Wesley were leaning on opposite side of the counter whispering. They stopped when she walked in. She had purposely worn a long sleeved shirt to hide the nasty purple fingerprints covering her arms. Her hair hung in two braids. Her jeans had one of the knees ripped out. She sat on the couch and tucked her feet up under her. "Hi guys. What's up?" Gunn stared at her for a minute then looked away. Cordelia tried not to flinch. "So what were you guys talking about?" "Books." "Weapons." They had both spoken at the same time. And she knew. Her. They'd been talking about her. "Books on weapons." Wesley amended. "Right." "Oh." She looked down. "So, Gunn, what's going on?" "Nothin'." "Still staying at that one warehouse?" "For now." "Killed any vamps?" "A few." "How's training and stuff?" "Why you tryin' to make small talk?" Wesley glared at Gunn. She shrugged. "So where's Angel?" "Doin' what all vamps do in the daytime. Sleepin'." "Right." Gunn raised an eyebrow at her. She was just taking it today. There was no fire. "What's wrong, Cordelia? You forget to fill up the air in that balloon head of yours this mornin'?" Her head snapped up, and Wesley saw a look he'd never seen on her face before. Her eyes filled with tears. "I guess I did." She stood up and wrapped her arms around herself. She walked out of the building. Her every move spoke pain. Wesley looked over at Gunn. When she was gone, he let his fist fly, catching the younger man in the jaw. "You bloody shit!" Wesley stalked off leaving Gunn staring after where Cordelia had disappeared and rubbing his cheek. He hadn't meant to hurt her. Usually she had a witty retort for all his insults. And he was just playing around. She knew he was kidding. She had to know. *~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~* She walked into the lobby of the hotel just after sunset carrying her ax. She was almost physically shaking. She hadn't worn anything like the dress she had on in a very long time. It was formfitting, blood red, and sleeveless. She carried a black wrap with her. Half of her hair was braided and pinned as a headband across her head the rest hung in waves down her back. The hem of the dress hit just above her knees, but the slits on the side went halfway up her thighs. The black leather boots she wore stopped just below her knees. They had a nice heel on them giving her height she didn't need. Her makeup was dark, like she never wore it anymore. She walked to one of the couches and sat down. And waited. Wesley, Angel, and Gunn entered. Wesley and Gunn were bickering quietly. Angel stopped in his tracks when he saw Cordelia. "So what is it?" She stood, letting the wrap fall on the couch. There were ugly bruises on each of her upper arms. "N-nothing, I...." Gunn and Wesley looked up at her. Neither of them moved. Gunn could only stare. He was taking in everything. Trying to memorize it. How the hell was it fair that she was walking around looking like that? A faint smell hit his nose. Jasmine. Her. He closed his eyes and breathed her in. Why couldn't he push her away? She was not his type at all. No matter what he did, she still mattered. She affected him like no one ever had. "Nothing? I was on my way out. You said there were demons or something." "Oh. Right. Demons." "Are we going after them? Because I have an elsewhere to be." "Right. Going." "It's the amazing succinct guy. Watch him as he answers in snappy one word phrases. Reverting to the Angel I knew in high school much?" She grabbed her wrap and ax and stalked towards the back of the hotel. "I'm assuming we're parked in back. Let's go hack something to pieces. I'm totally ready." *~*~*~*~*~*~*~* She did it again. They had told her to stay in the car, but she hadn't. She stepped right in the middle of everything and got a fist to her face. Her head snapped back. When it came forward, her nose was bleeding. She screamed and started swing the ax. Randomly. The demon managed to get it away from her. "CORDELIA!" Angel tried to get to where she was. The demon picked her up by the throat and tossed her in the air. She hit the brick wall of the building with a sickening crack and slid to the ground. Gunn froze when Angel screamed. He saw her hit the wall. He saw her not moving. And he tore a path through the demons in the alley to get to her. He knelt beside her. "Cordelia?" Her eyes snapped open, but they didn't focus at first. When the did, it was at a spot just over his shoulder. Gunn looked one of the demons was right behind him. Before he even had a chance to react a knife whizzed past his head and embedded in the demon's chest. He turned back to look at Cordelia. Her hand was still outstretched and her booted leg was tucked up. The girl had a knife in her boot. Gunn gaped. She'd pulled it, tossed it, and hit her mark. She'd also pretty much saved his life. She smiled at him. "You ok? Then she passes out. Part 3 |