exile , luke castellan.¹ ✓

viii. he's exactly what i needed

luke, 

hey. it's been a while. it's june now. 

i think i've finally found myself again. 

charlie knows now. about me. and about what really happened to you. he's still a little confused about everything, but i have paul blofis and sally jackson to help explain the mortal perspective of things to him. 

charlie's really helped me, luke. i trust him. i really really like him. 

he let me talk. there are nights where i just talk about everything: my childhood trauma, my demigod struggles. and he listens. he doesn't try to tell me to stop. he doesn't try to protect me or be my hero. he just listens. and he lets me know that he's there for me.

he's exactly what i needed. 

i've realized over the past few months that charlie isn't you. he's very different. sure, the looks are there and the personality is similar, but charlie hasn't made any incentive that he would leave me. he let's me do my own thing. he tells me to be careful, but he doesn't restrict me.

he asked me if i could ever love him the way i loved you. 

i told him "no. i love you more."

and for the first time in months, i wasn't lying to myself.

adelia.