Cordelia and Gunn
by Jennifer-Oksana
Ah, the underexplored relationship of Cordelia and Gunn. For about three episodes in season two, it looked like Cordelia and Gunn were going to have a connection, but somehow, it just didn't work out. Sure, Gunn, Cordelia, and Wesley made an excellent A-less team, but when people noticed the chemistry and sexual tension, it seemed to be all about...Wesley and Gunn. So does that mean Cordelia/Gunn is a waste of time? A way to keep Fred/Gunn out of sight, out of mind?
Not necessarily. Cordelia and Gunn are clearly friends, but their friendship has always been superficial. She's an upper-middle-class white girl from the Central Coast; he's an urban black man from the rougher parts of town. It's almost surprising that there hasn't been more fic about opposites attracting in this case. Furthermore, Cordelia and Gunn have the important similarity of having known that there were demons, monsters, and magic since their early adolesence at the very latest, and having had to actively fight that during teen years. Both are extremely devoted to "the good fight" in a way that sets them apart from other characters on Angel. Another important similarity? Both have been lauded for their "heart," for being non-mystical or privileged with powers or knowledge like Angel, Wesley, Buffy, et cetera--and even as Cordelia has gained supernatural powers, she remains very much entangled in her role as the "heart" of the group.
So while canon and fanon have not been kind to this couple, there is no particular reason why they can't be written. It just takes a little...originality.
