Friendships aren’t often celebrated on the Bachelor franchise as much as romances are, but the budding respect between Bachelor in Paradise contestants Derek Peth and Demi Burnett is definitely becoming an iconic bond on Season 6. Torn between Derek and a woman she was dating at home, Demi has confided in Derek about her confused feelings, and both on and off camera, Derek has been super supportive of her. Derek’s tweets about Demi’s Bachelor in Paradise drama prove that even today, he’s still got her back regardless of what happened on the beach.

Despite clicking with Derek from Day One of Paradise, Demi was balancing her feelings for him alongside her attachment to Kristian Haggerty, a woman she was dating back in Los Angeles before the show. She told Bachelor BFF Hannah Brown pre-Paradise that she was reluctant to label the relationship, but a few weeks into filming, Demi couldn’t stop thinking about Kristian even after telling Derek about the relationship.

"I don’t have Kristian around me," Demi said in an interview. "It’s easy for people exploring options here because all of their options are here, and one of my options is not here. That’s where it gets a little difficult for me."

Following a surprise cameo and advice from Hannah in Aug. 19’s episode, Demi told Derek about her struggles. He continued to be a solid advocate. "I really care about you," he told her. "It’s OK to not know how you feel, but I just want to keep showing you who I am. I’m not giving up now. I don’t know that ‘fight for you’ is the right word, but … I want you in my life."

At the end of the episode, Demi requested to speak with host Chris Harrison, but until the purpose of that is revealed, Derek has stood up for Demi on Twitter. No surprise, but his response is well-crafted and mature.

"As you all watch this, I want to ask that you have as much empathy as you can for Demi," the former Bachelorette contestant tweeted. "I’ve seen some really hurtful things being said that don’t reflect how I feel and I lived this … I think it’s unfair to assume we should all be clean slates bent on getting engaged because we’re on a show. This is our lives and we’re all just people seeking meaningful connections."

In addition to missing Kristian on Paradise, Demi was still coping with the aftermath of telling people about her sexuality. Having to determine those feelings is one thing, but to do it while filming a reality TV series is a whole other obstacle. It’s good to know that Derek has lived up to Paradise‘s mature portrayal of him during Demi’s conflict, and Demi definitely appreciates the words of support. She retweeted his messages and replied to him, "You’re a hero. Thank you for being you."

Bachelor Nation has to wait and see how Demi and Derek’s Paradise relationship continues, but it seems that no matter what happened between them, they still have a solid friendship. Season 6 of Bachelor in Paradise continues at 8 p.m. ET on Tuesday, Aug. 20, on ABC.

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