"Well I'll be damned." Katashi moved over when Sesshomaru nodded, looking at the pup. "He's a cute little thing. Got the ears too, eh?" He grinned and offered the pup a finger to sniff.

"His name is Katsuro," Aura said as her son cautiously sniffed at the newcomer. Katsuro snuggled closer to her a moment later, not sure about meeting someone new, and she rubbed one of his ears gently.

"Hey there, pup," Katashi greeted quietly, looking down at him. "You're almost as cute as my girls were when they were your size."

Sesshomaru smiled faintly and rumbled his approval of Katashi. He knew it was easier for Katsuro to be at ease when he was reassured.

Katsuro looked up at him cautiously, not letting go of his mother's shirt yet. He was still a bit shy, but not overly-so anymore.

"He's still a bit of a cuddle-pup," Aura commented, cuddling her son a little.

Katashi chuckled and kept his hand there so Katsuro could get used to his smell. "That's okay. Enjoy it while you can. At least he seems to be okay with meeting new people."

"Compared to your younger?" Sesshomaru asked dryly.

Katashi laughed. "Especially compared to her." He looked at Aura with a grin. "For the first year she tried to bite anyone new that got too close."

Aura grinned a bit.

"Katsuro isn't like that, thankfully," she said. "He's just a little shy, that's all."

"Better shy than agressive," Katashi said with a grin. "He'll get used to meeting new people, don't worry."

Aura nodded. For now, though, she was fine with her son being shy. It meant she got to cuddle him, still.

"We're sorry for not visiting sooner," she said after a moment. "We never got the chance." Well, after Katsuro was born, at least. Sesshoumaru had been rabidly protective while Aura was pregnant, and didn't even want to let her out of the mansion at times.

Katashi slanted a look at Sesshomaru. "I'm sure that's true," he said with a grin. "His Lordship can be very, ah, cautious."

Sesshomaru smirked faintly. How like Katashi to be indirectly insulting and know exactly what he was doing.

"Mhmm," Aura agreed. She knew what Katashi had really meant to say. "I couldn't argue, though, there was a good reason." A few good reasons, really; the primary reason being that the pregnancy was rough on Aura, and she'd ended up on bed rest for a while. She cuddled Katsuro for a moment. "But we found time now."

"Good! I hope I can count on you bringing the little one around more often now? If for nothing else than to help him along with his socializing." Katashi grinned. "I can even bring my girls along. They're older than he is, but I'm sure they'd be happy to have a new playmate."

"I don't think that's my call," Aura said. She glanced at her mate to see what he thought. She wouldn't mind, of course, but the final decision was his.

Sesshomaru nodded after a moment. He liked Katashi, and he knew his girls were good kids. So he was fine with that idea.

"As long as you don't mind coming more often," he said quietly to Aura.

"I don't mind," Aura replied. It was a chance to get out of the mansion for a while, and besides, she liked visiting and seeing the dragons.

Sesshomaru nodded, satisfied with that answer, and let the two talk for a while as he went to check on everything. If he was going to be in charge for a few months he was going to use this as a dual trip; getting to know the business better and spending some time with his family.

Aura didn't mind chatting with Katashi while Sesshoumaru made a few rounds of the grounds. She didn't set her son down, though, since she didn't want him wandering around yet.

Sesshomaru came back a short while later, content to simply watch everything and see how the day-to-day things went. He figured he might as well watch while he was there. And he knew Aura was safe.

Aura went over and handed Sesshoumaru their son when he came back. The sentiment was clear: 'your turn to hold him for a bit.'

Sesshomaru took him easily, holding their son. Katashi tried valliantly to hide his snickers.

Aura grinned a bit as well when Katsuro snuggled closer to his father, grabbing his shirt and holding on. It was just so adorable.

Sesshomaru smoothed a hand down the pup's back, just letting him rest there. He didn't mind. Besides, bonding was important for pack.

Aura watched them for a moment. They were adorable together, even though only one of them had the ears. And their son looked just like him, even without the markings.

Sesshomaru soothed the pup with a low hum and a gentle hand on his head when the pup fussed a little. Katsuro settled down again after a moment, and Sesshomaru hummed his approval.

Katsuro snuggled close, comfortable against his father.

"Papa..." he murmured, not loud enough for Aura to hear, but definitely loud enough for Sesshoumaru to hear.

Sesshomaru blinked before he smiled, a little wider than normal. He nuzzled Katsuro's cheek gently.

"Pup," he murmured in return. He figured that would be easier for the moment; besides, he remembered his father calling him that more than once.