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The more time Claire spends with Toph in their own personal camp just outside the farm, the more she wanders into the farm itself from time to time. She diesn't even minid if she meets a Gabriel any more: they don't look exactly like Sylar, after all, and Toph says they're sincere.

It's not that she doesn't like Toph: she does, a lot, but she brings out the big sister in Claire and sometimes it's nice to be with people closer to your own age.

Anyway, Sokka's not back yet, and she's worried. Worried Claires mean the kitchen is taken over with cupcakes. All with blue and white frosting.

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"That," Steph says, upon wandering into the kitchen and finding CUPCAKES, "is incredible. Wow! Can I try one?"

The smell of baking cakes is a little ruined by the hint of burning flesh as Claire decides she can't be bothered to find a pair of oven gloves, but she smiles and nods to a set of iced cakes on the kitchen table.

"Those should be cool enough to eat."

Ew.

But not ew enough to make the cupcakes not look delicious.

Steph beams. "I love the colours."

"It's supposed to be water-ish," Claire explains. "I figure if I make enough Sokka'll smell them and come back quicker.

"And maybe he'll start wearing clothes other than the ones he arrived in."

Steph giggles, licking blue frosting off her fingers and smiling up at Claire. (She's totally not bothered by Sokkas displaying a liking for girls who don't fight or run around like idiots and do heal themselves and stuff, nope. ... well, not enough not to like Claire, anyway.)

"They'll probably both stink after days in the car."

Claire winces in distaste.

"Oh man, I bet they do. What is it with boys and washing?"

"Mine washes reasonably frequently," Steph says loyally, and then grins. "If only 'cos neither Mel nor I would let him get away with not."

"Mine does whenever I mention it," Claire admits.

"Toph doesn't help, though. She's worse than he is."

"Really?" Steph thinks of the little blind girl. "I guess she likes dirt ... and I'm definitely not bringing it up to her face. I totally don't want to become a smear just yet."

Claire rolls her eyes.

"I keep having to come up with new ways of saying 'just because a boulder hitting me doesn't break my bones permanently, it doesn't mean it doesn't still hurt.'"

See that fondness in Claire's voice? Toph's totally her little sister, if only because she's Sokka's.

Steph laughs again with a mouth full of cupcake.

"She probably misses him as much as I -- we do."

CLAIRE SAW WHAT YOU DID THERE. It gets a knowing, sideways look as she fills up the patty tin again.

"She's sort of broken up about Katara, too. But I can't get her to talk about it."

Read: Claire once asked 'do you want to talk about it?' Toph said 'no'. Claire never tried again.

Claire can quit it with the being knowing! Steph avoids the look by leaning down to scritch Mr Muggles.

"Mine is pretty upset about it too, I think." He hugged her and didn't complain. He must have needed it. "I mean, of course."

"Dunno what I'd do if I found Lyle," Claire says. "Other than freak out. I just wish I hadn't let them go off alone."

Steph nods, a glance at Claire revealing that she knows exactly what the other girl means.

"They had to, though. It's not ... ours."

"But we could've helped," Claire protests. "I'd've been there for him, he wouldn't have to be alone."

- with himself.

"I know," Steph says, leaning on the table with a sigh. "I could have -- I dunno. I don't know what I could do. I just wanna do something, you know? He's -- special. He's pretty much my best friend ever.

"But what could we have done? We'd just get in the way, and then he'd worry about us instead of concentrating on himself. He's really dumb like that."

"Yeah," Claire agrees.

"I... I dunno. I'm just going to not give him anything to worry about and stay here, and - well, OK, if he's not back by the end of the week, I'm totally hijacking that plane out there and going looking for him."

Steph nods, and starts on another cupcake, picking at the icing thoughtfully.

"Yeah, for sure. I really miss him. Them. I'll come with, and I bet Mel and Toph would, too."

"Toph'd probably complain if we went flying," Claire reflects, but not in a tone of voice that suggests Toph has a say.

"He'd better be back soon, or I'm going to be so mad at him when he does."

"Yeah, I know what you mean." Steph picks at her cupcake morosely. "It's weird not having him around."

They're kind of pathetic, in a vaguely adorable teenage girl way.

They really are.

Which is why Claire leans her head against Steph and says, "we're really pathetic, aren't we?"

"No," Steph insists defiantly, and then sighs and grins rather sheepishly.

"...okay, so maybe."

Claire glances up and surveys the kitchen full of cupcakes.

"No maybe about it. I just miss him."

"Well, definitely for you, then." Steph offers her a cupcake from the tray.

Stupid Claire, being able to be pathetic about someone and not having to be embarrassed about it. That's totally not fair.

"Nobody'd blame you. He's pretty cool. Not as cool as the one who's my Sokka though."