Answers
Cough!
Drakos almost choked on the meat that was about to enter his throat, swallowing it whole and gulping it with struggle. He jerked his head away, looking at her while rapidly blinking.
Was he that obvious?! He has been trying to hide it, behaving like normal for almost three years, but the more time he spent with her, the further he fell into the hole.
"Ehem, what do you mean? Can't I be nice?" Drakos questioned while low-key panicking inside. "Also, I need your help now so it's only natural that I will not cause trouble."
He couldn't just admit it, knowing very well Bella would not return his feelings and he could only cause them to worsen their relationship. Phoenixes and Dragons didn't fit well together. She also said she is not really interested as Phoenixes lived a lonely life with no need to find a partner.