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Again, less about a shipping and more about a conversation between Aang and one of the best characters of the show!

-Ardala91

"Each cup of tea represents an imaginary voyage." -Catherine Douzel

A small swirl of steam rose from the cracked cup, the smell wafting into his nose with a surprising pleasant aroma. The liquid itself didn't look to appetizing with a murky tan color, especially with bits of leaves floating in it here and there. He'd never drunk much tea before to be honest, but today was the day…he raised it up to his lips and...

Gagged as he attempted to spit it out of his mouth, for the scalding liquid was burning his tongue! He heard an amused chuckle and raised his eyes to meet those of his elderly companion. "Too hot, is it then?" the man asked him with amused dark flaxen eyes, "You should try to cool it down with your breath before drinking it."

Aang hung his embarrassed head down as he wiped at his mouth with his sleeve. Of all things to happen to him lately, this would be one of the least he would've been expecting! The old man sitting beside him looked at him merrily, even if he was dressed in well traveled clothes and with random leaves and tiny twigs snatched into his long grey hair. Who'd known that he'd have been sitting at the Fire Nation with Zuko three days ago and then run into his Uncle in the middle of the Earth Kingdom? Wonders will never cease…

"What are you thinking about?" Iroh asked him suddenly with his low voice.

Aang set his cup of tea down on the forest floor carefully. He frowned as he responded, "I was thinking about how weird it is that I just run into you like this. The last time I was you was at Ba Sing Sae and the last anyone heard of you was when you broke free from prison over two years ago! Where have you been?"

Iroh's face tightened around the eyes as he raised his tea up to his mouth and took a generous gulp. "It's not more of where I've been, but where I've not been," he answered Aang finally, "Just as I've been wondering, where you have not been?"

Aang looked at him incredulously. What has that got to do with anything? Aang remembered the advice Iroh had given him once though, and how Toph had said he'd given her great advice. Maybe he'd think about his words, after all this man was a lot older than him, albeit the century he'd been asleep for, but that didn't count in the experience department. But what was Iroh trying to get at here? "I've been all over the place, me and Appa, anyways," Aang said, "I still had to train more and the whole restoring world thing too comes in a lot."

Iroh shook his head. "You're not getting it are you?" he asked as if he were speaking to a small child.

"What's there to get?" Aang argued brashly, "You haven't been to the Fire Nation at all, have you? Zuko needed you and you probably knew it!"

Iroh looked at him thoughtfully with the veil of grief in his eyes. "Zuko needs to learn on his own now, I cannot show him the way." He explained roughly, "It is like when baby birds need to learn to fly, a parent should push them out of the nest because of they don't, they will stay reliant on their parents."

Aang picked his tea back up and drank it with a cautious sip. Much to his joy it was rather good with a relaxing taste to the tongue, not horrific he'd imagined it to be from Zuko's stories. "I get that part," he said jadedly, "Do you want me to tell Zuko about you?"

"No, no there is no need for that," Iroh replied with his grey eyebrows in a frown, "I'll be coming along to see him soon enough."

Aang relaxed into a hunch as he leaned against the mossy bark of a fallen tree. "So, what have you been doing?"

Iroh chuckled. "Oh, the usual with my wandering spirit. There is still so much to see and interesting people to meet. I must say I am glad to have met you again."

Aang smiled back. "Same here. Are you still in the business of giving good advice by any chance?" he asked innocently.

Iroh's face split into a gentle expression. "Of course I am," he said happily with a wave of his hand, which he'd seemed to forgotten held his cup of tea, sending small hot droplets flying into the air.

"Ouch!" Aang yelped as he was hit on the cheek.

Iroh smiled guiltily. "Sorry about that," he apologized. "Now what did you want to ask me?"

Aang felt a blush rise on his cheeks as he began. "Well, it's about a girl and-"

"Love, is it again?" Iroh inquired, "The never ending dilemma." He winked.

Aang shifted uncomfortably about. "Yes," he tried to say solemnly, "How do you tell her that…uhm…"

Iroh's face was mixed with laughter and as much seriousness as Aang's. "I'll let you in on a little secret," he said wisely, "Let your love be like the misty rains, coming softly, but flooding the river."

Aang's eyes widened and he recalled Zuko's warnings of his Uncle's proverbs. "Huh?"

Iroh sighed at him and Aang watched horrified as the old man's eyes became determined. This man was not going to let him go until his head would be spinning from confusion!

Note: the last phrase spoken by Iroh is actually a Malagasy Proverb.