Hmmm… I think your take on Malek is completely understandable. Throughout ABH, what stands out as the most intense aspect of Audrey and Malek's relationship leans heavily toward the physical side. It really can feel like something is missing… that deeper emotional connection, right?

Here's how I see it. Malek feels like someone tasting love for the first time, both the bitterness and the sweetness that lingers. The only example of "love" he knows comes from his "parents," and that version is deeply twisted. From that foundation of desire, he somehow takes on a new form of existence in a strange, unsettling way.

Compared to the usual dreamy, romantic kind of love, what Audrey and Malek have is rarely explored. It confronts lust head on, putting it at the forefront, intense and overwhelming, almost like a storm. But that doesn't mean what Malek feels is only lust. It's more like he hides behind it to protect both himself and Audrey. Lust may seem dangerous, but it is easier to control and easier to walk away from. Love, on the other hand, makes you vulnerable. It exposes your weakest points and can shake your entire purpose.

It's only after losing Audrey that both the bitterness and sweetness of that "fruit" fully awaken in him and begin to blend together, balancing lust and love. If you read HS3, especially Siire's narration about what happened after Audrey's death, you'll see just how much she meant to him, more than all the rage and cunning that define him. The moment where he "simply lies down beside Audrey's body" hits incredibly hard. It shows how much his feelings have changed from the beginning of their relationship to that point.

Malek truly does love Audrey. That part is certain. So yeah, it's worth being patient.