genres in fanfic

I understand the principle of the thing:

het: male/female relationship
slash: male/male relationship (sometimes term includes female/female relationship)
femmeslash: female/female relationship
gen: no relationship

However, actually defining a given story in terms of the relationships within it seems...limiting. Especially when the story isn't focused on a specific relational outcome.

I once read a story that was labelled with about six or seven different pairings - and yet there wasn't really anything in there that I'd even class as UST. It was just interactions. Maybe it's just a function of fandom - where the most popular pairings are those characters that interact the most (anyone familiar with the Harry Potter fandom and the Harry/Hermione vs Harry/Ginny phenomenon?), but have we really fallen so far that we're reduced to what I see as a mentality of "They looked at/spoke to each other! It must be love!"?

Then there's some confusion about what 'gen' actually means. Back in the mists of time, 'gen' meant non-slash, and everything het below an R-rating. These days - at least in Stargate fandom, it seems as though 'gen' is defined as "something we would see in the show" - which is always difficult since different people see different things in the show.

( rubber hits the road: practical examples )

How do you perceive the genre labels and their accuracy in defining stories and character relationships?

fic rec: It's Always The Quiet Ones

From the undermistletoe challenge - Day 1: A day of evil overlording it up (SGA style)
Title: It's always the quiet ones
Author: dzurlady
Fandom: Stargate: Atlantis
Rating: Gen - PG

Why?: Because it's a laugh and a half, the boys learn about drafts, there is coming out, bad bodice-ripping, and Teyla gets to tease the boys at the end.

Plus, I was feeling horrible and grouchy and bleh, and this fic cheered me up like whoa.

--

ETA: Just went through the john_teyla_fic Masterlist (Why didn't I do this before???) and found these gems. All in-character, well-written pieces, small and neat and John-and-Teyla focused.

Title: Between This and That
Author: ideal_girl
Rating: PG
Characters/Keywords: John/Teyla, AU, UST
Why?: Because it's brilliantly executed and really well-written. And I thought about writing this story after The Real World aired, but she's done it so much more concisely and better than I could have!

Title: House of the Rising Sun
Author: amitee
Rating:rated PG
Why?: John and Teyla friendship, with a little tenderness, and a reason for why John's been crushing on Teyla and she's not dragging him into her quarters to 'seal an alliance'.

Title: Through The Looking Glass
Author: purple_cube
Rating: NC-17
Why?: Aliens made them do it! Er. Except with a slight twist... *g*

Title: Family Tradition
Author: madjm
Rating: PGish
Why?: Cute and, yes, schmoopy, but hits the spot. Teyla being mischievous with John. Wonderful.

Title: Not Without Regrets
Author: snoggingpicard
Rating: PG
Why?: This story actually most focuses on Carson, with a bit of Sheppard-and-Teyla friendship at the end. It's got dorky!John, Carson-and-Teyla friendship, and both the bitter and the sweet.

About half the entries aren't handed in yet, but these are the ones I really liked from what's already up there. However, I recommend you go and check them out yourself in case something hits your spots that didn't hit mine!

You know, this makes me want to say, Okay! Let's do this again! Just so some more wonderful John/Teyla fic gets written!

Maybe Valentine's Day?

*looks hopeful*