Stay Gold (Clexa AU)

Stay Gold

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Nature's first green is gold,

Her hardest hue to hold.

Her early leaf's a flower;

But only so an hour.

Then leaf subsides to leaf.

So Eden sank to grief,

So dawn goes down to day.

Nothing gold can stay.

"Nothing Gold Can Stay" - Robert Frost

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They say that Fall is beautiful, that it is a season of new beginnings. The air is crisp and fragrant, and there's something about Autumn days that make them feel packed full of nostalgic memories and traditions. The colors are a funny thing, the leaves changing gradually to rich hues of red and orange and yellow. It's like nature is trying to fill you up with color, trying to saturate you, so you have something to cling to when everything becomes muted and lifeless in the harshness of winter.

Fall is a facade.

They say that Fall is beautiful, yet everything is dying. Everyone is so enamored with the colorful leaves on the ground, forgetting that when they look up, the branches will be bare. There is nothing beautiful about death. It is ugly and painful, and no amount of clinging to what once was will ever fill the places in your soul that loss leaves empty and barren.

Fall is a season of endings.

🙓

The wind whips on her face as she sets a fast tempo through the park. She breathes in the cool morning air, her lungs trying to acclimate to the bite of the recent drop in temperature. It's early, and the park is quiet, except for the leaves crunching beneath her feet. She likes it that way.

Running has always been Lexa's escape.

She feels significantly lighter when she runs. Once Lexa finds her groove and settles into a good rhythm, every stride becomes effortless, each footfall soft from practiced ease. She focuses on the soles of her shoes hitting the ground, pounding in time with her heartbeat. With each step, her mind becomes clearer, and for a brief moment, she feels almost at peace.

Running always grounds her. She runs if she's had a tough day at work or if she's feeling restless. If she talks to her father, definitely, or if she misses her mother. Honestly, just whenever life really sucks. And when Lexa can't stop thinking about her, she runs.

Lexa runs a lot in the Fall.

A thin layer of sweat begins to form on the nape of her neck as she passes the wooden bench that marks the start of her laps. People out walking their dogs and other runners looking to use the track start tricking into the park. She glances at her watch and figures she's got time for one more go before it becomes too crowded.

Keeping her breath steady, she pushes a little harder. It feels good to get her heart rate up, and she relishes the burn in her muscles. At this pace, the park bench comes back into view much quicker than before. So she decides to kick it up a notch and goes into a full sprint the last quarter of the way.