Actually, Spuffy started in the Bronze the first moment that Spike laid eyes on Buffy, just like Bangel started the first moment that Angel laid eyes on her. James played it that way from the very first, by his own statement.
As far as "rivalries" between Angel and Spike, they don't actually have to exist to be debated. Fuffy has been the subject of more than a few debates here, as it compares with Bangel, Spuffy, or Briley.
I haven't said that it actually Coke actually exists, or ever would. I only said that the subject could be debated.
Just like we're doing right here and now.
Yeah, I've heard that argument. The problem is when Buffy and Angel meet for the first time, there's
mutual attraction, right from their first meeting. Buffy says Angel's tall, gorgeous...annoying, and Angel fell for her from the off.
Buffy doesn't seem to feel anything but hate for Spike until S5, 'Intervention', and certainly nothing like attraction until S6, so it's like saying that Willow/Xander ship started in S1 when Willow says that she finds Xander attractive, and no S3 when they kissed.
Debating's fine, but some evidence would be nice. And, although there's plenty of evidence Fuffy isn't actually an 'official' ship (I can admit that much), it exists because of onscreen chemistry between the actresses (which is way stronger than say, Briley) and because Eliza played that attraction up for all it was worth, (plus a couple of the writers added the subtext), we can only debate wheter Buffy was attracted to Faith or not, but the evidence is there.
I mean, I could debate that Faith and Cordelia could have a thing for each other, but since they're barely onscreen together and I see zero evidence of anything, its kind of hard to debate. Same with Spike/Cordelai.
Again, I get that Spike/Angelus had a rivalry over Dru, and that the same, now ensoulled pair had a romantice rivalry over Buffy, it doesn't follow that Spike would nessesarily have a 'thing' for Cordelia.
Maybe he would, they played up a friendship between Fred and Spike that was actually quite sweet. But... I don't just don't see Cordelia falling for him, she's never fallen for a badboy type.
She likes them kinda funny/goofy (Xander/Doyle) or tall hunks of gorgeous (Grue/Angel).
Plus, their interactions in 'You're Welcome' did seem to suggest clashing personality types.