For a fixed polynomial ∆, we study the number of polynomials f of degree n over Fq such that f and f + ∆ are both irreducible, an Fq[T ]-analogue of the twin primes problem. In the large-q limit, we obtain a lower-order term for this count if we consider non-monic polynomials, which depends on ∆ in a manner which is consistent with the Hardy-Littlewood Conjecture. We obtain a saving of q if we consider monic polynomials only and ∆ is a scalar. To do this, we use symmetries of the problem to get for free a small amount of averaging in ∆. This allows us to obtain additional saving from equidistribution results for L-functions. We do all this in a combinatorial framework that applies to more general arithmetic functions than the indicator function of irreducibles, including the Möbius function.