wow, another truly beautiful post from u, i absolutely love it! and thank u for the pm, sorry am late to comment, i bookmarked but only just had a chance to read and enjoy it properly. and i also wanted to wait to see the episode again, they telecasted it today on lifeok, and yes it blew me away once more!
this scene is a flawless masterpiece, so full of real, raw emotion. that run to him to seek comfort and solace and pour her heart out, his wish to be there for her, make sure she's ok, give her comfort and solace but not knowing how to was just heartwrenching, it again pulled me into its sheer complicated beauty.
i watched ipk backwards from desi girl episode and also wondered why he didn't hug her back and looked so conflicted, when i first saw this. but once i'd seen all the episodes i realised that it would never be that easy for arnav, his internal struggle and his dimaagh would always overshadow what his heart was trying to tell him.
i think their relationship did change fundamentally after this almost hug, even if they wouldn't admit it even to themselves. khushi revealed her vulnerability to arnav and rather than take advantage of it he did everything he could to help her without drowning her in sympathy or making her feel indebted to him.
i love the arnav that we saw after this scene, questioning himself and finally allowing some of his barriers to be melted away by her anguish and tears. her pain has become his pain now. and khushi starts to realise that arnavs arms feel like the safest place in the world for her, that just his presence is enough to make her feel better. and the most beautiful thing that followed this moment was when he placed his hand on her head - utter perfection.
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