The moon drifted above the horizon as a gentle spring breeze swept through the mass blades of grass. Numerous houses lay dormant on the street, evenly spaced from each other. They were all two stories tall, with triangular rooftops lined with stone plates that deflected wind and rain. Arthur looked at the well-built houses made of brick and glass with a look of awe.

Ah…this is a bad idea…

Arthur couldn't help but think to himself as he slowly peeked through the window into David's house. After all, was it really his fault for being so invested in David's love life. It would be a crime to provide so much help but not see it through to the end, right? These thoughts lingered in Arthur's mind as he justified the purpose of hiding in a bush outside of their living room window.

I'm not being noisy. I'm just researching to get the most information possible so that I can help others. Right…right!

The self-reassurance slowly grew with each minute as Arthur readied himself to peak over the window. The living room had a simple wooden coffee table surrounded by three light blue sofa pieces. Two pieces were placed together, forming a L shape that resided in the corner of the room; the last piece was a single chair. With one hand, Arthur pushed on the wooden frame of the opened window, creating a more significant gap as cold air leaked into the room. From the corner of his eyes, he could see David walk towards Stella while hiding something behind his back. At this moment, Arthur offered a prayer for David and slowly knelt underneath the window sill, knowing that the rest was up to him.

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David awkwardly stood before his wife, her eyes slightly widened in surprise. It was the first time in the past month that David made the first move to confront her. Usually, when they returned home, they would briefly greet each other before going about their own activities. Stella could see David's steady and clear gaze, unlike the usual murky and fogged appearance. The way he carried himself differed considerably compared to the standard drunken state where each step swayed with the wind. Instead, a precise and refined control followed each step.

Yet the most surprising detail was how David's hands were held behind him as if they were carrying something reasonably large. Stella leaned over to the side to see what was behind David as her black dress slightly swayed the other way, but David turned towards her, blocking the attempt.

Stella's eyes revealed a surprise as she examined David. His ears were slightly red, and his heart beat resounded like a frantic beat of a drum. A bright red flush surfaced on David's cheeks as he averted Stella's gaze and held the vase of hyacinths towards her.

The violet and azure cluster of small flowers took her breath away as she held them from the stem and stared longingly into David's eyes. In a desperate attempt, David averted his gaze as the beating in his chest grew faster and faster. Each moment they spent together felt like flames thawing their frozen relationship.

Even though David avoided her, she could tell from the occasional glances that he still cared. In the past month, they drifted apart, and aching loneliness instilled itself within her heart and embedded itself into her consciousness. Stella closed her eyes as she recalled the freshly brewed leaves poured into a small glass cup. As the steam rose, a faded cloud of warmth would curl upwards in the chilly spring morning. The fragrance would dance through the room with its richness and draw Stella out of bed, but David had already left for work by the time she reached the kitchen. Yet each morning, he would brew her a fresh cup.

"We're awful at communicating, aren't we?" Stella commented while holding the vase of hyacinths. The vibrant colors stood out to her as their meaning represented forgiveness and sincere care.

"Yeah…we are." David nodded with a smile in response while releasing the vase and said. "I thought these might make you happy."

"They do, and I appreciate it…I really do." Stella gently set the vase on the coffee table as a soft thud echoed in the room and asked, "Do you know the meaning behind these flowers?"

"When I got them, I learned what they meant." A quiet chuckle escaped David's lips as he reached for Stella's hand that hovered to the side. Slowly, their fingers intertwined with each other in a tender embrace. "I'm sorry for not being there for you and running away."

"No, it's not your fault. It's because I'm lacking as a woman and wife that our child passed away." Stella pulled her hand away from David, breaking free from the warm embrace as her fingertips brushed against his.

David watched Stella's head lowered with both hands resting near her heart. The sight made his heart ache in pain. After his fight with Paul, it became clear that it wasn't Stella's fault for the death of their son. Although issues during childbirth were rare, stillborns were not uncommon. The night it happened tore them apart.

A trace of sadness reflected from David's eyes as he stared at the top of Stella's head. He knew she needed space when they fought, but it was only an excuse. In the back of his mind, it became clear that Stella was abandoned in her time of need, and the silence between them was enough of an answer.

This story originates from Royal Road. Ensure the author gets the support they deserve by reading it there.

But what could he do? It seemed as if an irreversible wound had been opened in their hearts as they gradually drifted apart. Their relationship's once tranquil sea of harmony was raging like a violet tempest, and David felt helpless upon the incoming storm.

From the corner of his eyes, he could see Arthur's silhouette on the other side of the window sill, with the moon brightly shining behind him. It illuminated his figure as he made a gesture with both arms slowly wrapping around himself. David slightly tilted his head in response, but once he saw Arthur point to Stella and then repeat the motion, everything became clear.

David hesitantly extended his arms around Stella and drew closer with each step. His arms enveloped around Stella as their hearts beat in unison. It felt as if the distance between them had melted away from the warmth of their gentle embrace.

Stella's pale face bloomed a bright red hue while standing still. Like the sun rising in the morning, a feeling of embarrassment surfaced once more after a long night, causing her to seek refuge in David's arms. How long had it been since she had forgotten this feeling? The non-stop thumping sound of her heart rang out constantly in her ears.

She tightly clenched her fist and lightly struck the side of David's chest, trailing a single tear down her cheek. Stella's shoulders trembled as the stoic front she had built crumbled like a castle made of sand.

"This entire time…I thought you hated me." Stella's voice quivered as she spoke, each word forced out of sheer will.

"What?" David gazed at Stella as a glimmer of disbelief flashed across his face. His breathing became erratic as the words were suspended on his lips, but as more tears fell from Stella's cheeks, he forced them out and reassuringly said, "I would never hate you. I adore you with all my heart."

"You idiot, if that was true, why did you ignore me all this time?!" Tears flowed down Stella's cheeks like a constant stream as her palm brushed against her eyelids.

"When…no, I mean that night when I brought Paul to heal you, you told me to leave and to give you space." David tried to comfort Stella as one hand held her close, and the other gently stroked the back of her head, brushing through the long obsidian strands of hair. "I thought that eventually, you would want to talk to me when you were ready, so I waited…it was hard, and I didn't know what to do as each day felt eternal, so I started drinking. I know it was wrong of me, but I thought if time went by faster, you would eventually be ready to talk to me once more."

"Didn't you think about how I would feel to see you in that state each day!" An outburst of anger lashed out from Stella's wounded heart. "I thought I was the reason you were like that. I thought I made you like that. I felt so helpless..."

The anguish in Stella's voice pierced David's heart as if a dagger was wedged in the center. He couldn't have imagined how much pain Stella endured because of his selfish actions. It started off as a way to escape the countless hours that existed each day, but as the pain of losing Stella gnawed at his mind, it became a means to numb himself.

"I'm sorry, and I promise I'll do better." Both of David's arms tightly wrapped around Stella once more and softly spoke. "Let's do our best to mend our relationship, alright? We'll take it one step at a time."

Stella nodded in agreement as they stayed still. The memories shared between each other came back to them as their dull world brightened. The numb feeling in their hearts faded, and a bittersweet symphony of longing and remembrance was in its place.

"Oh, that reminds me," David held Stella with his hand before reaching into his back pocket and pulling out a small rectangular shape covered with brown paper. In a somewhat nervous tone, he said, "I know it's not much, and we haven't eaten together in a while, so if you're a bit hungry, we can split this."

Stella's eyes glistened at the thought of eating together, and she happily nodded as she took the sandwich and unwrapped it from the brown paper. Once she saw the poorly made ham and cheese sandwich, a tiny burst of laughter escaped her rosy lips, causing David to blush.

"You're still as childish as I remember," Stella commented while holding the sandwich before David's lips, inviting him to take the first bite. Both of David's cheeks grew bright red as he leaned towards the sandwich and took a bite, refusing to comment on Arthur's poorly crafted snack.

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Arthur couldn't help but wipe a single tear from his left eye with one of his thumbs. He resisted the urge to clap for Stella and David as he was still in the process of hiding so instead a simple nod took its place. Arthur reached for the wooden window frame and gently pulled it towards him, shutting the window completely. They probably had more to talk about, but he didn't need to remain there anymore, seeing that most of the issues seemed to be resolved.

The sound of footsteps reverberated through the streets as Arthur stared in the direction they came from. In the distance, two figures equipped with iron chestplates and spears came into view. They both stared at Arthur, who was crouched in front of a window and in a bush with glaring eyes.

"Evening Sirs." Arthur waved at them as they drew closer to him. Since the window was closed, the odds were that Stella and David wouldn't hear them.

"Evening, what are you doing there in that bush?" One of the guards asked while the other moved to the other side of Arthur.

"Uh…" Arthur glanced at them and then at the bush he was in. He gave a small shrug as both shoulders moved up and down.

"We're going to need you to come with us." The guard stood behind Arthur and grabbed his arm as the first guard he spoke to moved closer.

"Wait, I haven't done anything wrong. I know this looks bad, but I was just looking through a window." Arthur quickly protested while trying to shake off the second guard, who grabbed his arm. "I can explain the situation. Just give me a chance."

"Alright, I'm a bit interested in what you're doing, so I'll give you the chance." The first guard signaled the second guard to let go with one hand.

Once Arthur was released from the grasp, he opened his mouth and said, "I was just watching two people make love."

Immediately, the first guard grabbed Arthur's left arm while the second guard grabbed the other. Before Arthur could finish his next sentence, the guards hoisted him up from the ground, leaving his feet to dangle in midair. Arthur wanted to scream for help, but in fear of ruining David's well-developed atmosphere, he tragically accepted his fate as the guards took him to the eastern tower.