Iroh stopped himself midway through his words, realizing he had almost spoken too freely.
Regaining his composure, he concluded with quiet restraint:
"Perhaps I don't know enough. I only hope she isn't what I fear she might become."
Then, with a faint smile, he added, "Anyway, I hope you two can still enjoy your time together."
"Oh, uh… sure."
Kahn wasn't entirely sure what Iroh was implying, so he gave a vague response.
(Seriously, why do people love talking in half-sentences? It's infuriating!)
Leaving the heavy topics aside, the two shifted into lighter conversation.
Iroh, now mostly idle, resembled a middle-aged man who had just taken early retirement—except his "pension" came with royal prestige.
Even if he'd been politically sidelined, he was still the Fire Lord's brother, the former Grand General of the Fire Nation, and the Dragon of the West.
His reputation alone carried more weight than most entire armies.
And beyond all that, Iroh remained a true Firebending master—one of the strongest alive.
All things considered, Kahn figured it was pointless to worry about Iroh.
He should probably be worrying about himself instead.
"So," Kahn asked curiously, "what are your plans now? You can't just sit around drinking tea all day."
Iroh chuckled. "I plan to spend my time watching over you and Zuko as you grow up. Everything else can wait."
"Ew~" Kahn rubbed his arms dramatically. "Don't say sappy stuff like that. You're giving me chills."
Iroh laughed heartily.
He genuinely meant it. Both Zuko and Kahn were special to him in ways few could understand.
Kahn was the orphaned son of Iroh's old friend—a friend who had asked Iroh, before his death, to look after his wife and child.
Now, with Kahn's mother gone too, that promise weighed even heavier on Iroh's heart.
And Zuko… Zuko reminded him painfully of his own late son—earnest, determined, and kind.
Iroh had long since decided to guide him, to help shape him into the kind of ruler Ozai could never be.
Ozai's ruthlessness and arrogance disgusted him. But Zuko—Zuko was different. He had potential. Heart. Honor.
Suddenly, Kahn's eyes lit up with a thought.
"Can I learn Firebending from you?"
Iroh raised an eyebrow. "What's wrong? Isn't your Firebending school good enough?"
Kahn sighed. "I am learning there, but the teachers are too slow. They make us repeat one move for days! Even when I master it, they won't teach me more."
Iroh chuckled. "Ah, I see. And you think you're ready for more, hm? Let's see what you've got first."
"Deal!"
The two moved to the courtyard training ground, where Kahn eagerly demonstrated all the Firebending techniques he'd learned so far.
"Not bad," Iroh said with an approving nod—before adding with a teasing grin, "But your movements are still a little rough. Hardly prodigy-level, wouldn't you say?"
Kahn puffed his cheeks. "That's because I learned most of this on my own!"
"What?" Iroh blinked. "From scrolls?"
Now that was impressive. Firebending scrolls usually contained only rough sketches of poses and energy flows—barely enough to guide proper learning. They were meant for review, not full training.
"I see," Iroh mused. "And that's why you want to learn from me?"
Kahn nodded eagerly. "Exactly!"
Iroh stroked his chin thoughtfully, pretending to deliberate.
As Kahn grew visibly tense, the old general suddenly grinned and said, "Hahaha! Of course you can! Were you nervous just now? Surprised?"
"…You're so annoying," Kahn muttered, his face red. He had been nervous—and that made it worse.
Iroh, of course, found it hilarious and laughed even harder.
When he finally calmed down, he said warmly, "If you ever have questions about Firebending, come ask me. Depending on your progress, I might even teach you some special techniques. How's that sound?"
Secret techniques?!
Kahn's excitement spiked. Even though Iroh was clearly baiting him with promises, the idea was too tempting to resist.
"I do have a question right now," Kahn said quickly. "When I sparred with Zuko and Azula, Azula's Firebending was stronger—and her flames were a different color. Why is that?"
He assumed it was just talent, but if anyone knew better, it'd be Iroh.
"Oh?" Iroh's expression sharpened with interest. "Flames of a different color, you say? I've never heard of that before. It might be something unique to her—some special trait."
"As for her Firebending being stronger…" Iroh smiled, stepping into a stance. "That's something I can explain—but not with words. Watch closely."
He performed a familiar opening Firebending form, unleashing a burst of flame. The power was impressive but expected.
Kahn blinked, unimpressed.
"Uh… okay?"
Then Iroh did the exact same move again—and this time, the flame roared out with twice the power.
No visible difference in motion. No extra effort. Just raw, effortless strength.
Kahn's jaw dropped. "How did you do that?!"
Iroh straightened and winked playfully. "Simple. You'll understand once you've truly mastered Firebending."
"What's that supposed to mean?" Kahn groaned in confusion.
Iroh just chuckled, ruffling the boy's hair.
"Here's a hint: why do you think the Firebending you taught yourself feels so different from what your teachers teach?"
"That's because…" Kahn began to answer, then froze halfway through—his eyes suddenly widening as realization struck like lightning.
"I get it!" he exclaimed.