Learning from Fan Fiction: The "Twin" Couple

When creating fan fiction for Georgette Heyer characters, I ran into a problem.

I wanted to get together two characters: Kenneth from Death in the Stocks and Gavin from Detection Unlimited (which ending I altered). 

Problem? They are very, very similar. 

Kenneth is an artist with a caustic wit and pen. Gavin is a mystery writer with a still more caustic tongue and pen. 

Could they truly survive a relationship without, well, shooting each other or having massive fights every three minutes? (Princess Margaret and David Armstrong-Jones's relationship was rather like this.)

The text provided me with two saving graces: (1) Although both are caustic about the human race, Kenneth is devoted to his sister. He has family feeling. (2) Gavin is willing to be amused. 

Still, I couldn't help but consider that the couple might suffer what I deem "married to a comic" syndrome. Some comics can stop being comics when the camera shuts off. But some comics are always on-stage. Being married to someone like that would be exhausting (and likely explains why so many comics of this type have terrible relationship histories, e.g. Jim Carrey, Robin Williams). 

Being with someone who is constantly delivering caustic bon mots about human fallibility would have much the same effect. 

The solution? I had just about given up when I realized that one solution would be if Gavin and Kenneth decided that the other was an "insider." Kenneth treats insiders, such as his sister, with warmth and affection. Gavin would need to make the leap, not because he had a good home-life but out of a desire to have someone on his side. Once Kenneth's witty comments became "inside jokes," he and Gavin could indulge in wink-winks against the world. 

It wouldn't endear them to their neighbors. But it would save the relationship.  

Interestingly enough, in the Lords of the Underworld series, Showalter solves Strider's problem in a similar way. Strider is host to Defeat and constantly, unrelentingly competitive. But he ends up linking his girlfriend into the equation. A win for her is a win for him. 

However, generally speaking, there may be a reason that "opposites attract."