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Today the CVs gave us a glimpse of what PaRud's life together would be like if they stopped running, dropped all inhibition and pretence and let their feelings out in the open.
And so for the first time we saw the shy, quiet Paro taking charge. Inundating Rudra with words. Free-flowing thoughts that were uttered no sooner than they were formed. Washing over Rudra without pause as he stared fascinated and allowed himself to be swept away...
...On a stream of happy childhood memories - about buses, tamarind, playing cops and robbers. Memories that could have been. Games they could have played as children. Games they were still playing as adults. She'd run away from him like a thief once, twice, and he the cop had found her both times. And then the third time she herself had come to the cop's house. So futile to run from fortune, her fortune! Paro was shaken by a paroxysm of silent laughter at the thought.
Which brought forth an honest-enough reaction from Rudra; she laughed so strangely; so silently. If she didn't make any sound how was he to know if she was laughing in happiness or to hide her sorrow? Because, of course, it was important to know how she really felt.
And Paro, instead of murmuring platitudes, told him straight out that he'd have to work very hard to understand her. He'd have to dive into her heart but minus his hobnailed boots.
That was too much for the Major to decipher in his inebriated state. So he gave up. And focused instead on stopping her strangely-disturbing laughter. Except that his orders no longer worked. What should have made her quail, made her rear up on her knees. And mock him: "Paro stand! Paro sit! When I talk to you look at me!" And even as he tried to wrap his head around this new woman who was dressed in Paro's clothes and looked like her, yet who was nothing like her, she was thrusting her face into his and telling him she would laugh. What would he do about it?
He frowned. But that drove her to yet another bout of laughter. And to more outrageous antics -sprinkling water into his face, again and again and again and crawling away before he could exact retribution. So he crawled right after her and dragged her back with enough force to make her hold on to his shoulder for balance.
And suddenly they were too close. She sitting in the cradle of his body. Wide eyes held captive, as his looked at her from under his lashes. A long, languid look. No laughter now. Just a protest: "don't come so close!.." "Why?" he husked. "Because all the air is gone. How will I breathe?" Her artless reply told him explicitly the effect his nearness was having on her. And stole the air from his lungs. Made him swallow. Made him look at her with new eyes. Made him see the candle-flame flickering in the depths of her wide, unafraid eyes. Made his eyes flick down to her softly-parted lips. And back up to her eyes, now luminous with invitation. An invitation that he had no intention of resisting.
And so he drew in. Closed the gap by inches. Until his face was a breath away from hers. Until she lost her nerve and held her hand before his advancing mouth. So be it. He was too far gone to retreat. To do anything but press on. To touch his lips to her fingers. To deepen that whisper into a bolder statement. That spoke loud and incited an equal response from the other side of the barrier. For a moment, an eternity. Until she slid her hand away. For a heartbeat their lips stayed in place. And then he moved away.
It was disappointment that made Paro run up the stairs. An urge he couldn't name that made the Major bob after her like the pearl on her veil. And justify it as the need to watch over her - because she created chaos wherever she went. So transparent an excuse that Paro treated it to the laughter it deserved. And brought her mouth so close to his that he held his breath. But then she collapsed on his shoulder.
To wake up when he roughly shouldered open the door of a new room, which was patently not theirs. Then Paro surfaced briefly to point out his mistake. But Rudra was staying put. She could go back to their room if she liked, all by herself. A thought that was so appalling that Paro hugged him tight to her and refused to be parted from him for the night. There was no way he could have stopped the smile.
There was more honesty and more happiness to come later when he joined her on the bed and settled her head on a pillow. Paro held on to the arm he'd slid under her head and refused to let go. Clasping it even tighter when he asked her to release him. Drawing yet another smile from him. Driving him to bend and kiss her soft hair as he'd wanted to kiss her mouth earlier but hadn't let himself.
He was drawing up the covers around her and tucking them under her arm when she grabbed his arm, settled it around her waist and wouldn't let go. So he spooned her to him and fell asleep as he wanted to - kissed up along the length of her body.
Another romantic, heart-warming episode today in the honeymoon track. The CVs gave us the tantalising almost kiss we'd been waiting for. And so much more. We got us a new Paro and a new Rudra in a role reversal of sorts. And honest communication - verbal and non-verbal -catalysed by the effects of intoxication. So that finally Paro was able to make herself heard. And so that Rudra knew exactly what Paro wanted and felt and was able to give in to her needs. And finally able to give in to as many of his own as he dared - his need to believe in her love for him; to be warmed by that growing belief; and to relax his hold on his emotions to allow himself to love her in return.
However, come the dawn and we saw both Paro and Rudra slipping back into their old familiar roles. He wresting back the control he'd lost. She regaining all the inhibition she'd jettisoned in the night.
Acting today was superb! Sanaya and Ashish were superlative in their drunken role reversal. Ananya was frightening as the dangerous mother-in-law out to get Mythili and the actress who plays Mythili was convincing in her fear and confusion. Screenplay and dialogues were excellent. 👏👏👏 to the cast and crew for tonight.
Kyunki Saas Bhi Kabhi Bahu Thi 2
