It's the important questions that concern me.

[doyle]

A question for Spike/Xander fans: connorbeast and I were debating this, and since we've only read maybe a dozen S/X fics between us we thought we should ask the experts...

[Poll #427979]

See, I say it's Spike, CB says it's Xander, and we don't know. So if I've left out an obvious option or you have something to add, reply in the comments...

Comments

[entrenous88.livejournal.com]

Here's a fun little variant to add to the study -- if the fic is written during the period in which Spike is still chipped, and the author decides to make Spike being chipped a central issue, Xander almost without fail tops first. The story in that case usually emphasizes that of course Spike would top first, but he can't because of the migrane factor.

But getting Spike to a state from which he can top usually takes on priority as a problem that must be solved. Sometimes there's a solution devised so that Spike can penetrate Xander without too much pain (and I think I could fill several sheets of paper even if I only listed the most common solutions to this issue) or, and this turns up more often, actual chip removal/neutralizing followed quickly by Spike topping Xander, and both of them saying something along the lines of "Finally!" and "About time!"

So, yeah. It's fascinating to see the answers you're getting.