Zuko raised an eyebrow at their final destination. "The catacombs?"

"That's where the party is," Jet said.

Mai held tightly to Zuko's hand as they descended underground, winding their way towards a hubbub in the distance. The walls were lit up with firelight, making pretty shadows dance across the ground, leading the way to the gathering. A couple dozen figures greeted them as they emerged from the shadows. It was a small party, even by vampire standards; Jet had figured that such an occasion would be the best for Zuko's debut.

"Jet!" one of the figures greeted them, a young-looking woman with clear Water Tribe origins. Jet nodded to Zuko. Zuko took the hint and went back into the shadows to find a safe place for Mai while Jet greeted the woman back.

Mai tugged on his arm. "You're leaving me?" The pain in her eyes was palpable.

Zuko sighed and kissed her on the forehead. "It's only for a little while, I promise. Just stay here, alright?" A stroke of her cheek, a nuzzle on the forehead. "I love you. I'm not going to abandon you."

Her pain subsided, but it was quickly replaced by sadness. She didn't fight as Zuko guided her into a little niche to rest and stay hidden. The shadows covered her, played against her pale skin, and Zuko took a moment to admire her beauty before pressing a soft kiss to her forehead and turning back to the party.

It was time for his debut.

The party was a blur of light and sound and people, whirring in Zuko's head as he stumbled to the outer ring of darkness. He could see Jet, still easily conversing with half a dozen others. But Zuko was young and an introvert, and despite his newfound confidence, he still found himself drained by all of this small talk and introductions and noise.

Perhaps he should go check on Mai.

He curled up in his own little nook in the rock, shutting his eyes and focusing on his breathing to shut out the conversations. Mai could wait a few more minutes. He needed a rest. Though the rock was uncomfortable, his nook was isolated, and Jet had moved away, back into the fray, which meant that he was unlikely to see Zuko hiding away. He closed his eyes and fell into a light slumber.

Only a few minutes passed before he woke up, judging by the noise level. He managed to stand up, fighting his grogginess, and went to Mai's own hiding spot, skirting around the partygoers to avoid being sucked back into the social whirlwind.

"Hey, love," he said, looking to cuddle his sired, hoping that he could get away with ditching the rest of the party—

Mai was gone.

Nights! Where was she? Had someone taken her? Immediate panic closed Zuko's throat, making him struggle for breath he didn't need. Had she gone looking for Jet? Where was Jet? What if she wasn't with Jet? Was she looking for Zuko now? Nights nights nights nights nights!

"Jet!" he yelled, unable to keep the panic out of his voice.

His sire materialized out of the crowd, concern on his face amidst the murmurs of the partygoers. "What is it?"

"Mai's gone."

His eyes widened. "That's not good."

A few other vampires began to drift towards them, overhearing their conversation. "Who's Mai? Where might she be?"

Jet waved them off for the moment, capturing Zuko's hands in his own, rubbing them together. "It's ok, my love, we'll find her, we just need to calm down a little and look."

"I-I- Okay. But we need to find her."

"Of course." Jet tugged him into the crowd, again, and Zuko finally managed to focus on the task at hand. Mai needed him. Mai needed them.

The party surged around them as they sought their sired, hunting desperately. Within minutes everyone had heard of the lost sired, and a hum descended across the room, until someone pointed Zuko to his left. "Over here!" he called to Jet, waving at him until he spotted him and then diving into the crush to the direction the helpful vampire had pointed.

"Mai?" he cried as Jet caught up to him. "Mai?"

There wasn't an answer, but they burst into a small opening to see her alongside a tall woman. Brown hair, broad shoulders, clearly Earth Kingdom-

"Oh no," Jet whispered, holding Zuko back. "Kyoshi."

Zuko looked over at his sire. "Kyoshi? As in Avatar Kyoshi? She's alive?"

"Of course I'm alive, boys." The voice, hard and female, gave them both a scare. "You think I died?"

They turned to see the woman towering over them, Mai trailing behind her with the same sort of blank, innocent look all new sireds had when safe, and flinched back from her intimidating height. "Um," Zuko managed to say, his voice quieter than normal.

"You looking for her?" She pointed at Mai, who blinked. "You're her sires, aren't you?"

"Yes, we are," Jet replied before Zuko could open his mouth, reaching around Kyoshi and tugging on Mai's arm. Clearly her appearance had rattled him. But Mai showed no sign of budging from her place by Kyoshi's side. "Darling-"

"She's fine," Kyoshi said. "I think she was mine, anyways."

Jet actually covered Zuko's mouth at his first squeak and let out a little breath of mixed relief and exasperation. "Well, now she's attached to you. If you don't stay with her enough, it might hurt her." Now Zuko was tugging on his own arm, eyes full of fear. "It's okay, baby. She's not going to hurt her."

"Of course not," she agreed. "She's just as much mine as yours. You fed her, I take it?"

"We fed her."

"Jet, she attacked her!"

Mai started to fidget and draw back. Signs of distress. Zuko softened his tone. "Love, what if she-you know-"

"I am not whoever your human parents were, young Zuko." At his surprise, her tone softened somewhat. "I am not that stupid. I know how to care for a sired."

"She does, darling," Jet murmured. "It's okay." Turning back to Kyoshi and giving Mai a reassuring smile, he said, "We're going to have to work out a way to pass her between us."

She waved a hand towards a dark spot, careful not to hit Mai. "Let's do this somewhere we can sit down."

The party was mostly over when the four emerged, Mai holding onto Jet's hand. It was settled. They'd move closer to each other, somewhere in a district where they could hunt properly, and trade off Mai every few days. Three vampires and a young sired in a single neighborhood was risky, but it had to be done. Extra travel time would be required for hunting. But Mai needed all three of them now, and this was the only way.

Jet just hoped they could pull it off.