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She knows it's him, despite his best efforts to be silent.
His heart beats quick and unfamiliar, and his footsteps are soft. The fact that he's actually trying not to wake everyone up is a huge tip-off, too. She waits until she's sure that he's gone before she gets up. Tiptoeing through the maze of bodies isn't hard (though she has to fight herself for passing up this perfect opportunity to kick Sokka in the head), and neither is navigating the air temple. The worst part is that everything echoes, filling the space around her with sound. She guesses the monks must have liked all the open air.
Regardless, she can recognize his hurried breathing through the walls. She slides into the doorway. "Hey, Sparky."
"Toph?" he says hoarsely. She hears the blankets crinkle around him as he sits up. "What are you-?"
"Don't pretend you were asleep or anything."
"I wasn't planning on it," he says. "Why aren't you sleeping?"
She shrugs. "Because you're not. It's freezing in here, isn't it? I'm surprised you're not a Fire Nation icicle by now."
He laughs. "Firebender?"
"Oh, right," she says, and ducks her head down so he can't see her blush. "Well, why don't you try sleeping with the rest of us for awhile? It could help."
"When I sleep my body spontaneously bursts into flames and I'd probably kill you all," he deadpans.
"Ha," Toph says dryly, and crosses her arms. "Is that honestly the best you can do, or do you make a hobby out of having the worst sense of humor in the world?"
"A little of both, actually." There's a playful tone in his voice. "I could try again."
"You could tell the truth," she says, and moves to sit cross-legged in front of his bed.
"I'm not much of a cuddler."
"And that's a lie. Seriously, keep giving me incriminating details about your sleeping habits. I'm sure they'll come in handy some day."
"Fine," he says, "you win. I'm terrified that Katara will try to kill me in my sleep."
"Wow," Toph says, in mock surprise, "You really are as twitchy as you seem."
"I try," Zuko says, dripping with sarcasm. "She's scary. I think I might prefer sharing a room with Azula."
Toph laughs softly. "I think I would, too. Katara snores something awful." She can hear his smile. "After the life you've had, I'm surprised you can talk to a girl without wetting yourself."
"How so?"
"Well, your sister's a homicidal maniac, your girlfriend has these scary knives strapped everywhere—"
"Everywhere," Zuko confirms.
"Ew," Toph says, and wrinkles her nose. "And you've managed to piss off the moodiest Waterbender on the planet." She walks over to Zuko's bed and pulls back the covers. "Scoot over, will you, Sparky?"
"What are you doing?" Zuko says, and Toph laughs at the confusion in his voice. "It's cold," she says simply, burrowing into his chest. He moves so that his arm is around her uncomfortably. She smiles at how he's squirming beside her. "So, what about you?" he says after a few moments of silence.
"What do you mean?"
"What do I have to fear from you?"
She yawns pleasantly. "I still haven't gotten my revenge yet."
"What, this doesn't count?" She thumps his shoulder hard and he winces. "Shut up and sleep, Princess," she laughs.
"'Night, Lady Bei Fong."
"Pushing it," she mumbles warningly. He smiles.
"Hey, Toph?"
"What." she says, a touch exasperated.
"Why do you trust me so much?"
She sighs. "I don't know, Sparky," she says. She lays her palm over his heart. "It could be that I can always tell when you're lying." She spreads her fingers out, fanlike. Even now, the rise and fall of his chest is fast and shallow. She almost thinks it quickens under her touch.
But then, she's probably imagining it.