He wants to be visibly helpful... This Avan doesn't have the social leverage or seemingly the inclination to make him do various menial tasks, which on one hand is great but on the other hand he feels? Bad? About? Just lazing around and griping...

"Got it, like this?"

Heating something up gently instead of just chucking a bunch of fire at it is difficult. Sizz might be better suited for pure heat, but it's a slightly stronger and more tiring spell and Popp is more confident in his ability to control this one.