lunabee34

However, a caveat after reading the other comments: when pairings are listed, I sort of expect the story to *end up* with that pairing, no matter where it started, and if it doesn't, a feel a bit gyped having devoted my time to it.

That brings up a different but related story. friendshipper posted a story to sga_flashfic about Ronon/Rodney/Keller several years in the future as a threesome with a child. John and Rodney are still friendly in this story but their relationship has much less depth than it does in current canon. In short, they grow apart over time. Several of the commenters mentioned that because they expect McShep friendship stories from friendshipper, they were doubly disconcerted that John and Rodney weren't BFF in her story.

As we all know, Lorraine NOTPs and she loves the angst, so it bothers me not in the least if the characters don't end up together or if a writer chooses to showcase a strained or even outright hostile relationship between two characters usually depicted as friends or lovers in canon or fanfic.

*But* I think I'm in the minority. I think many if not most fans have expectations from stories based on who the author is or what the headers say or the comm the fic is posted to and if the fic goes elsewhere they are disappointed. (This is not a censure! Just an observation. I'm glad we all read differently.)

In friendshipper's story, the header clearly states the threesome pairing and so it didn't even occur to me that readers would be bothered by what does or doesn't happen between John and Rodney, but they clearly were. This intrigues me mightily.