Something I'd like to talk to you about

I... Dalia started but didn't know where to begin. She was afraid. No, not really afraid. More disgusted with herself. She had kept this all to herself for a while now, because she was afraid of how other people would react.

I was... I had a crush on Phaedra. Which is gross, I know. I know I'm weird. I think it was because I was a demon. I just, I... she knew, and she used it against me. Played with my emotions. And when she left, it hurt. It hurt so bad.

Dalia paused, feeling like she was going to throw up, having finally said it to someone.
I get it if you're grossed out and don't want to talk to me anymore. I just needed to tell someone.

Of course. I'll always be your friend, Iesha. Dalia was relieved that Iesha hadn't outright rejected her when she had told her what was arguably her biggest secret. It made her wince a bit when she had called it gross, but she couldn't blame Iesha. It was weird to most people, though even now Dalia couldn't manage to see it as strange even though she wasn't a demon anymore.

Go ahead. Say whatever you need to. I'm here.

Dalia sat in silence for what felt like a good long while as she processed what Iesha had told her. She tried, but couldn't get through to her friend psychically speaking. "Alright. Hello ground. Not tonight please."
Dalia slipped off of the rooftop and hit the opposite building with her web shooters. She hit the wall and started running, using the lines of silk as leverage for her climb. Once she reached Iesha's window, she stuck there and paused before she knocked gently.

"Hey," she said, probably muffled through the glass. "Lemme in. You look like you need a patented Dalia triple hug."

"Course I'm still here, I'm not gonna leave you." Dalia hopped down into the room and immediately went to wrap Iesha in all six of her arms. Normally she'd wait and ask permission first, since she knew how her friend was about physical contact. But Iesha needed this right now, even if she didn't feel like she deserved it.

"Listen. Things happen. Bad things. Did you know it's my fault my Pan- my mama nearly got killed by Nasci? It was because I was taunting her. And she tried to eat me, and Mama showed up to defend me. A police officer told me afterward, 'you can't blame yourself. You're just a kid. You can't control what other people do.' It didn't make me feel any better. But, uh. Talking helped. And knowing that even though I messed up, people didn't stop loving me helped. So, ya know. I do love you, Iesha. You're my first and one of my best friends."

Dalia reluctantly backed off and frowned, sitting down on the floor and playing absent-mindedly with her shoe laces. She didn't know what to do. It was hard for her to understand Iesha's dislike of contact. She herself craved physical affection.

"I don't wanna hurt you. But... you can't change the past. Bad things happen, but all we can do is keep looking forward. This friend of yours, I dunno what he was like. But if it were me, I'd be pretty mad if you all kicked yourselves and wished you'd died instead of me. You should, I dunno. Honor his memory by living the kind of life you think he'd want you to?"

Dalia couldn't take credit for that one. It was a talk Malara had given one of her own soldiers so long ago, one of the only survivors of a big battle. One of the memories she got through her dreams. But it made sense to her, at least.