Ask HN: Working environment with Mac and Linux

I have an MBP with a Linux VM. My monitor is a Thunderbolt display. I would like to change to the following environment: - Add a Linux laptop (looking seriously at a System 76 Galago Pro). - Keep the MBP for Mac development, syncing my iPhone, iTunes, etc. (Get rid of the VM.) - Have ONE keyboard/mouse combination, and use it for both Linux and Mac. - Keep the Thunderbolt display or replace it with another 27" monitor plugged into the Linux machine, either is fine. - On the Linux machine, use both the laptop screen and the 27" monitor. So this seems to present two options: 1) Plug monitor/keyboard/mouse into Mac, VNC to Linux. 2) Plug monitor/keyboard/mouse into Linux, VNC to Mac. The problem is that I can't get Mac screen sharing or VNC to work in either direction. I'm looking for advice on how to make this work, or alternatives I hadn't considered.