Mysterious Allure Is Mysterious To Me

So, karenhealey and I are editing our books. This obviously requires a large amount of chattering on the internet. About important literary things, and also pie.

karenhealey: (The names of the couple I think are true love in the Demon's Lexicon series) get each other on about fifty billion different levels of "each other"
sarahtales: that is why they are the OTP. ;)
sarahtales: Mark and Ellie (the hero and heroine of Guardian of the Dead) get each other
and in fact fall in love via the process of getting to get each other
karenhealey: Oh yes.
sarahtales: Which is in fact ideal for me
the act of communication and understanding as act of love ekcetrar
Is what I like.
karenhealey: The nastiest thing Ellie does is (spoiler)
Because it is just true enough to hurt him really bad
And she said it, because she knew it would hurt
Because she loves him!
sarahtales: Very true
nobody can hurt you like the ones you love for a reeeeason
sarahtales: which is why falling for a Mysterious Stranger makes little sense to me
Being intrigued and attracted, sure
But with the knowing comes the loving
And so I demands it for all relayshunships I enjoy
karenhealey: Pride +Prejudice
sarahtales: Yes!! You know what is great
that bit at the end of Pride and Prejudice
where Elizabeth is like Darcy, man
Still needs to learn how to laugh at himself!
in their marriage they will have stuff to work on
and will learn to know and therefore love each other better
DARCY: Elizabeth I cannot believe you said that, in front of the prime minster
ELIZABETH: he didn't get it, and it was lols.
DARCY: it is always lols with you madam!
ELIZABETH: lol your FACE

Another thing I like to do, obviously, is defile works of timeless genius in this manner.

I was also thinking of tropes I really like in books. There aren't that many of them, but one traditional thing I really love: the romantic couple who are the Bicker Twins. Darcy and Elizabeth. Beatrice and Benedict. Many other contemporary examples.

Obviously the Bicker Twins can be done really wrong, and just read like horrible people sniping at each other because they really don't like each other (and you don't like them either). But all things can be done wrong.

I have also seen the Bicker Twins used as an example of problematic relationships in books. I really do not think that is so. Because a pair who argue together, in the best way - zinging back and forth, coming from different viewpoints, both being intelligent, neither backing down or in any way afraid - well, they're going to get to know each other. And true knowledge is very close to true love.

Anyway, it is very different from a Mysterious Boyfriend who scares you yet excites you, or love from afar, or love at first sight. I do not believe in any of those things. (It is possible that the problem is I have a cold, dead heart.)

Which is not to say that bickering is the only way to express equality and rapport between people. Obviously it is not! But I do think it is one way. And it is a way I love.

Your thoughts on romance and mystery as always, very welcome!