FicWad

Gunn stood outside the apartment door, staring at it like it was going to jump out and bite him. He could handle taking down a nest of vampires but this sort of thing was wigging him out. He raised his fist, pausing before he could complete the knock. What the hell was he thinking? He had no idea. Dating wasn't exactly on his agenda when he was out saving LA from vampires and keeping his crew safe. His time was always spent raising Alonna. Alonna...well, she was gone now. That wound was too fresh for him to focus on it for too long. Now he only had to worry about taking care of one Charles Gunn and his crew.

The crew for the night was secure. He had them out staking out (get that one, staking out) the streets and usually vampire haunts in groups of threes. He even traded cars with Zel so they could have his tricked out baby. Longest time, that truck was the only thing he cared about, only thing he loved, aside from his sister. Not that he was looking to fall in love tonight. No way, man. Charles Gunn does not fall in love. He has no time for love. He is a vampire beating street thug. So why the hell was the sight of that door bothering him so damn much? He was half tempted to turn around and go right back to the base camp. No. He didn't back away from any challenge. He lifted his fist once more and rapped three short times on the door.

Cordelia was relaxing in her apartment. It had been a long past few days. She felt really bad about cracking that guy's skull the other night but hey, she was just trying to keep Gunn safe. You would think that the guy could at least appreciate that. Hello! She was curled up on her couch with a book, Dennis having already brought her a glass of water to put on her side table. She just wanted a quiet night at home. No visions, thank you very much Powers. Not that they would ever listen to the beleaguered Seer anytime soon. She paused when she heard the knock. Angel or Wes, Dennis would have opened the door for them. Could be trouble. She rose up from the couch, her fingers reaching down to brush that weapon that only night's earlier had cracked a skull and killed a demon. She curled her hand around it as she rose up. Calling out would only ruin her element of surprise.

Cordelia walked slowly and quietly towards her apartment door. Any vampire on the other side could hear her heart pounding out of her chest. Fact was, Cordelia had not been seeing many visitors these days. Her friends had all but dried up. The saddest part was that she didn't care. Since having the visions, the kind of shallow club nights out, not quite as appealing. And it was difficult to explain her seizure inducing, skull ripping visions to the average person. So the only conclusion was something bad was on the other side of the door at this hour of night. She pulled the door open and raised the axe up before letting out a war cry.

She lowered the axe immediately when she saw who it was. Instead of a hardened battle face, it changed to something softer and very confused. "Gunn? What are you doing here?" She put the axe against the wall next to the door. "Come on in. Is something wrong? Something happen to Angel and Wes?" Cordelia searched her mind for why Gunn, of all people, would be coming to her apartment during the evening. It had to be something bad.

Gunn took a step back from the door when he saw the brunette beauty queen standing there with her weapon of choice. He put his hands up, chuckling. "Careful there Battle Barbie. Nothing is wrong." He waited for her to lower the axe before he stepped into the apartment. He checked around it. Very nice. He figured that she was loaded. This apartment only proved it. He shoved his hands into the pockets of his jeans before turning back around to look at her. Now came the hard part. He looked her over quickly, eyes going right back to her face though they were tempted to stray down further, past her neck but above her stomach. He cleared his throat. "I came here...to say thanks."

Cordelia shut the door after Gunn entered and looked more than a little taken aback by that sentiment from the taller, very much taller and muscular, black man in her living room. She looked at him, hands crossed over her chest. She bit back a snarky remark about most guys telling her thanks with flowers and jewelry. She didn't want to insult Gunn. She wanted him to join the Angel Investigations team. It would be good for Wes and Angel to have him around. Hell, Angel was already started to treat him like a best friend. And when her best friend was happy, Cordy was happy. Not to mention that getting to stare at Gunn all day had its perks. She only hoped he would be taking off that shirt when it came time for her to apply first aid. "Okay. Was that it or is there more? You want a seat? Soda or something?" She moved past Gunn to head for the living room. She called out over her shoulder, absentmindedly, "And I have a ghost. His name is Dennis. Don't mind him."

Gunn really didn't care for the mention of a ghost. And he was more than happy to follow Cordelia into her kitchen. "Uh...ghost...got it." He tried to sound more brave than he was. Vampires, they were solid. They were something you could fight against and kill. Same with demons. But ghosts. That is a territory that he had never gone into. And he didn't want. He figured this ghost was friendly at least. "Actually, nothing is good. I thought we could go out for dinner so I could show my thanks. Maybe a movie?" Inside, he tensed up like a cat ready to pounce. He knew this chick could cut down men with a single look or one line with that acid tongue. He wasn't looking forward to being on the receiving end.

Cordelia paused for a moment, her fridge door open, as Gunn said that. She came back up to look at the man. She shut the fridge door. "Gunn...are you asking me out? On a date?" She really wanted to make sure that this was his intent. Couldn't tell with some guys. She figured him more for the "Let's go get stabby" type for his dates.

Gunn raised a hand and started to rub at the back of his neck. That was a question that he hadn't answered himself to be totally honest. He really had come over here with the intent to say thanks to Cordy with a dinner and movie. She was watching his back. That was something he could appreciate. But as he drove over here, he couldn't help thinking that it might not be bad if this night turned into a second. Or a third. Or even if it resulted in a little backseat action. He was really hoping for the last. "No pressure. Just dinner and a movie." He managed to finally say out loud. Though the conviction of his words was severely lacking.

Her brow raised even higher, arching its way up as he talked. Or rather, as he tried to convince himself just what his intentions were. But admittedly, she would have said yes either way. There was something about Gunn that intrigued her. He didn't make six figures or drive a nice car so he was really against her type. However, the longer she thought about it, she realized that wasn't really her type anymore. She might as well have fun with it though. "Well, since its no pressure, you don't mind me going in what I have on, do you? No makeup, yoga pants, hoody jacket. We can make it casual."

He now had free reign to look the ex-May Queen over. He had to admit, he did like what he saw. Girl could pull off casual wear just as well as she could pull off designer threads. He was willing to bet that the best outfit she owned was her birthday suit. He grinned as his eyes made their way back to his. "You look good, girl. What you in the mood for or you going to let me surprise you?"

"Surprise me. Let me just grab my purse." She moved past him, their bodies pressed against each other for one electric moment. Her eyes turned up to look into his. Did he feel that too? Probably not. Hers was just a lack of any action. First touch of a guy and she gets all tingly in the girl parts? She finished moving past him, grabbing her purse from the couch. She made sure her cell phone was in her purse in case she had a case of the visions. She headed for the front door, grabbing the axe along the way and tucking it into her purse. She held the door open for Gunn with a smile. "Well, move it. I am starving."

Gunn had felt something...rise in him when Cordelia brushed against him in the kitchen. He wasn't sure what it was but it was something. And his jeans were feeling a size too small as well. That was one hell of a woman that the slightest touch could get him to this state. He was glad that his shirt was long enough to hide evidence as he moved his ass out the door. He waited just on the other side. Waiting for her to shut the door and lock up, he took another moment to admire that rear view. His eyes quickly going out to the hallway once Cordelia turned around. He lead the way, saunter to his step, towards the parking lot and his borrowed car. She rode in the truck before but the crew needed it more than he did. He opened the passenger's side of the late nineties model Buick. It was not a pimp mobile but it was roomy. And it was the nicest out of all the cars owned (or stolen) by the crew.

Once Cordelia was inside, Gunn shut the door. He moved around the front of the car and slid into the driver's seat after opening the door. He buckled up, started the car, and pulled out. "You'll like this place. My boy Shaun owns it. Best food in the city." He reached over to turn down the music. He didn't want to drown out their conversation with Dr. Dre.

"What's the name of it?" Cordelia asked.

"Bella Notte." He replied as he continued to drive away from her apartment. He thought he heard Cordelia gasp and choke slightly so he looked over at her. "You cool? We can't eat inside or nothing but its better back in the kitchen anyway. No snobs to watch you, giving you the look that you don't belong."

Cordelia had gasped. And she had choked. She had expected, to be narrow minded, some chicken and waffles place. Bella Notte was only one of the most upscale Italian restaurants in Los Angeles. Getting on the reservation list took easily, a year. If not longer, unless your last name was Roberts or Clooney. "You know Shaun Cosidini?"

Gunn shifted slightly in his seat. For him, it wasn't a big deal. He knew the kid before he was famous. When he was just a confused trust fund baby who wandered into the wrong place at the wrong time. "Yeah. Me and Shaun go way back. He got into some trouble when he was younger. Me and the crew bailed him out. Can't hook us all up with food but every couple of months, used to get some free meals out of him. Feeding the whole crew would put him out of business."

"I've driven past that place like a hundred times. Always dreamed of what it would be like to actually eat there. I thought maybe if I won the Oscar, I would take all you guys out there. Sort of to celebrate. Then again, not going to win the Oscar any time soon as long as I show up to auditions with the brain-shattering migraine-visions." There was no mirth to Cordelia's voice. So often she was putting her career on hold to play Vision Girl to Angel's Champion and Wesley's Rogue Demon Hunter. The more she did that, the less she thought acting was the right career move for her.

Gunn let the conversation end on that note. He didn't know what to say after that. He pulled the car around the back of the restaurant, parking it by the dumpsters. He got out first so that he could move around the car to open Cordelia's door for her. So much for this being casual. It was shaping up into a date. Once she was out of the car, he moved to the back door of the restaurant. He tapped against the small black out glass of the window with three long knocks and then three short sharp ones.

It was several minutes of standing outside before the door was pushed open. Gunn bounced on his feet, looking at Shaun with a wide grin. "Yo! Took you long enough. Me and the girl are freezing out here."

Shaun just laughed and looked past Gunn to Cordelia, who waved sheepishly. Shaun looked back at Gunn. "Sorry, was up front kissing celebrity ass." He stepped aside to let them both inside. The kitchen was a hubbub of activity. Servers, busboys, cooks moved at a frantic pace to try to get orders together. The smells of hearty Italian cooking filled the nearly steaming kitchen. Shaun lead them both back, past trays of spicy smelling sausages, and buttery loaves of garlic bread, past pots filled with sauces and soups, ovens baking lasagnas and pizzas. He opened the door to his office, shoving it open for them. "Give fifteen minutes, I will get you guys something good. Promise."

After Shaun left the two in his office, Cordelia went to take a seat. She doubted Shaun did much out of this office. It was complete chaos of a desk and two folding chairs. Probably only brought people here to yell at them during the shift. She smiled at Gunn though. "He seems really nice."

"Yeah, he is cool." Gunn sat down in the other folding chair. He looked for a long moment at the woman across from him. "Sorry its not the front. We could leave now. Swing through a drive thru." He grinned at her but underneath the joke, he was serious.

"Are you kidding?! This is going to be the only way I will ever get to eat here. Besides, its all cozy. And it beats eating Ramen back at my place." Cordelia returned the grin with one of her own. She could imagine she was out front, dining amongst the Hollywood elite. She even put Gunn into her little fantasy. All dressed in a tux. She looked at him. Yes, he could definitely clean up and look good.

His grin widened when she said that. He watched her as her eyes went a bit glassy and she went off into her own little fantasy land. "What you thinking about there?" He chuckled. Something about her. It just made him forget about all the bad stuff outside that office door. Right now, it was just him and her.

"Just wondering if urban commando could pull off a tux is all." She crossed her legs as she sat back in the seat to look at him.

"What? I look damn good in a tux, I bet. I look damn good in everything. When you going to figure that out?" Gunn said.

Cordelia laughed. "Oh, yeah, I am sure you do. Even wearing a little feather boa and a straw hat."

Gunn couldn't help it. The sight of himself in a feather boa and a straw hat caused the man to break into laughter. This was the most fun he had in years. Strike that. The most fun he had ever. There was a certain satisfaction that came from killing vampires but it was nowhere near as exhilarating as this evening with Cordelia Chase was turning out to be. When Cordelia joined in with his laughter with that wonderful one of her own, he moved this night up to one of the best of his life. Thing was, the night wasn't even over.

Shaun interrupted the good time with a smile and two plates of food. "House Special tonight. Portabello mushroom ravioli in a creamy alfredo sauce." He set them down in front of the two, on top of the papers and invoices on his desk. He handed them both a rolled up napkin with their silverware. He reached outside the door to grab a bottle of Pinot Grigio. He had so seldom seen Gunn with a girl who wasn't a hoodrat. Despite her clothes, he could tell this girl had some class. Shaun put the bottle between their plates before setting two glasses down. "You two need anything, just yell for me." Shaun exited the office to leave the two alone.

The remainder of their time in the restaurant was spent in a comfortable silence as they both dug in. Between the two of them, they managed to polish off both plates, a generous helping of garlic bread, the entire bottle of wine, and two pieces of tiramasu. Cordy felt so full, she wasn't sure that she could handle a movie at this point. They both said their good-byes and compliments to Shaun before going back to the car.

As much as she wanted to go home, she also didn't want her time spent with Gunn to end. The conversation during dinner had been light but it also been easy and fun. She was really enjoying herself. This beat going out to fight uglies with Wes and Angel any day of the week. She got into the car, remaining quiet as Gunn drove towards the theater. "You know someone at the theater too?" She joked.

Gunn turned his head, just giving her a smile. "You got to learn to trust me, Barbie. Did I let you down with dinner?"

"No. And hey, careful with the Barbie remarks. Do I look anorexic and blonde? No." Cordelia reached over to push Gunn gently against his shoulder.

"Yeah. You are right. You look better than any Barbie I have ever seen." His eyes cut to her for a moment as a grin spread out across his features. He parked the car on the side parking and then got out of the car. He looked across the top of the car to Cordy. "Just leave your purse here. Don't worry, you will get it back." Gunn grinned as she raised her brow. He was willing to bet that she never snuck into a movie in her life.

Gunn pointed to the side door of the theater. This was an old style one. Lot easier to theater hop instead of the new multiplexes. He reached into his jeans and pulled out an old ticket stub, handing it across the top of the car to her. "Go up to the front. Tell them you left your purse inside. Flash that really fast. Once they let you in, you come let me in the side door. Then we pick our movie."

Cordelia took the movie stub from him and looked at it. "Mr. Bean? Don't tell me that you really went to this movie?" She shook her head. She shut her car door and moved to the front of the theater. It worked a lot easier than she thought it would. They didn't even check her stub. Just a flash of it and she was allowed free reign of the theater. She made her way casually towards that side door so she didn't draw attention to herself. She noticed that it was unnecessary. No one was around to see her when she opened the door for Gunn.

"Mission accomplished...so I think we should go see Mission Impossible Two. You should like that one, lots of stuff blowing up. And it starts in five minutes." Cordelia said with a smile.

Gunn grinned back at her as he handed her purse, as promised. Then he did something very bold. He put his arm around Cordelia's shoulders as he walked her towards theater number eight. The odd thing was that Cordy didn't seem to mind. If anything, Gunn thought he felt her move closer to him. He could feel the heat from her body meeting the heat from his. The sensation was a pleasant one that sent a signal straight from his brain to his groin. He opened the door for her so she could slip into the theater before him.

The movie passed quickly but to be honest, neither of the two were really into watching it. Cordelia had to stifle a giggle as Gunn did the whole "fake yawn, arm around the shoulders" thing. And Gunn had to suppress a shit eating grin when he felt Cordelia nestle into it and take his other hand. Neither could avoid stealing glances at the other. It was typical first date behavior for a couple that was anything but typical. The ride back to Cordy's apartment progressed pretty much the same way. With little sidelong glances at each other, embarrassed looking away once they were caught in the other's eyes. And all too quickly, they were standing in front of Cordelia's door.

"So," Cordelia let her voice trail for a moment, "I had a really great time tonight, Gunn. Best thanks I have gotten in a while."

Gunn stood there with his hands in his pockets, debating. She invited him in, he was going in. He doubted it though. Cordelia Chase was a lady. But he was going to try for a goodnight kiss...if she would let him. He smiled back at her. "Yeah, I had a great time too. We should do it again."

Cordelia paused for a fraction of a second. Was Gunn asking her out on a second date. It appeared to be that way. She gave a little half smile for him. "I think I would really like that." She let the "at the door silence" fall between them. She looked up at Gunn from under dark lashes. He couldn't read her signals, her body language, she was going to have to do this herself. She moved a little closer to him, tilting her chin up ever so slightly.

Gunn, however, had seen this signal a hundred times before. If not more. He leaned down, pressing his lips softly against Cordelia's. He snaked his arm around her waist to pull her closer against his body. Her very ample chest now pressed against his hard, defined one. He risked death as he gently pushed his tongue past her lips and into her mouth. He was worried that she would pull back, haul off, and crack his skull with her axe. But instead, she responded, her body melting against his in the kiss, her own tongue pushing back against his. The only downfall was that they both needed to breath. He was the first to pull back, looking down at her. She had closed her eyes but come to think of it, so had he.

Cordelia opened her eyes slowly before she gave Gunn a small smile. "Goodnight, Gunn. And thanks." It was her turn now to say thanks. Her apartment door swung open, with a little help from Dennis. She stepped inside and Dennis closed the door behind her.

Gunn looked at the door for a few long seconds before turning on his heels to leave. That was one hell of a woman. And with any luck, she was going to be HIS hell of a woman.