The day after the house extension was completed, things were still a little chaotic. It was one thing to have a big house, but now it had to be lived in. The idea of fitting everyone—Nolan, Mark, Naruto, Sasuke, Battle Beast, Minato, Kakashi, Itachi, Obito, and even the occasional guest—into one house felt like a monumental task. But, as always, Nolan took charge, and today was no different.
Mark had already left for the day, probably to deal with some superhero-related matters, leaving Nolan with his 'family.' He chuckled to himself as he looked at the oversized house now filled with even more people. It was a far cry from what it used to be. But there was still so much to do.
"Naruto, Sasuke!" Nolan called out from the living room, a massive grin on his face. "We need to go get some things for the new part of the house. Toys, electronics—stuff to keep everyone entertained and comfortable."
Naruto's eyes lit up immediately, the words 'toys' and 'electronics' catching his attention instantly. "Toys? Electronics? I'm in!" he exclaimed, pumping a fist into the air like he had just won a tournament.
Sasuke, ever the more serious of the two, raised an eyebrow. "Are we really getting toys?" he asked, a hint of skepticism in his voice.
"Yes, Sasuke," Nolan said with a grin. "Toys. There are a lot of us now. We need stuff to keep everyone busy, and I have a feeling the new 'kids' are gonna want to play. Plus, it's a great way to make sure no one's bored."
Naruto couldn't help but laugh. "See, Sasuke? Even you could use some toys. Maybe a video game console. You'll like it."
"Yeah, yeah," Sasuke muttered, though there was a slight edge of curiosity in his voice. He followed Nolan and Naruto as they headed out the door.
Meanwhile, back in the kitchen, Gebbie was inspecting the new kitchen layout. She looked around the spacious, shiny new counters and the modern appliances. "Well," she said to herself with a small sigh, "at least this part is going well."
She had a small task ahead of her—organizing the kitchen. She could hear the faint sounds of clattering from the next room over, where Minato, Kakashi, and Obito were talking about… who knew what. Most likely something about training, or ninjutsu, or one of their usual heated debates.
"How did I get myself into this?" she murmured, wiping her hands on a dish towel as she set down the knife she had been using to cut up vegetables. "I used to just have a normal life… now I have an entire army of ninja and alien-like people in my house."
Just then, she heard the sound of heavy footsteps approaching. Battle Beast, of all people, was making his way toward the kitchen. He had apparently been following Naruto and Sasuke, though it wasn't entirely clear if he was actually following them or just taking his time getting to the training room.
"Need any help?" Battle Beast asked in his gravelly voice, eyeing the massive counters and the fridge full of supplies that hadn't been properly sorted yet.
Gebbie shot him a smile, although it was a little strained. "Sure, you can start by setting the table," she said, handing him a stack of plates. "Don't drop anything, okay?"
Battle Beast nodded, his usual expression not changing. He carefully took the plates and began setting them down with surprising delicacy. It was weird seeing someone like Battle Beast, a giant, fierce warrior, handling dinnerware with such precision.
Back at the electronics store, Nolan, Naruto, and Sasuke were loading up a shopping cart with all sorts of items. Naruto had already grabbed several video games, a new console, and, surprisingly, a stack of manga.
"Naruto, that's a lot of stuff," Sasuke remarked dryly, glancing at his friend as he placed more games into the cart.
"Nah, this is perfect! I've been wanting to try out the new VR headset, and I'm getting all this to make sure we don't get bored around here," Naruto said with a wide grin.
Sasuke rolled his eyes but said nothing. He was still more focused on the stack of books in his hands—classic ninja strategy books that he thought might help him train. But he had to admit, even he was getting a little curious about this whole "entertainment" thing.
Nolan, on the other hand, was looking at a few TVs and some high-end monitors, trying to figure out which ones would work best for the new house's setup. "What do you think?" he asked, pointing to a sleek, black television on display.
"That one's perfect," Naruto said without hesitation, practically bouncing on his feet. "It's huge, and I can't wait to play games on it."
Nolan nodded. "Alright, we'll take it."
Later that afternoon, the group returned to the mansion, their arms loaded with bags and boxes full of toys, electronics, and various other things to make their new home feel more like home. Gebbie had already started organizing the kitchen, and the scent of freshly made dinner filled the air as she set the table.
As they entered, Naruto grinned from ear to ear. "Alright, time to set up the TV! Who's ready to play?"
Sasuke looked at him. "I'm still not entirely convinced about this whole video game thing, but I guess it wouldn't hurt to try."
Nolan chuckled. "Don't worry, Sasuke. You'll be hooked in no time."
Meanwhile, Battle Beast had already found his own little corner in the living room. He looked around, taking in the new environment with his usual intense gaze. Despite his intimidating appearance, there was a certain peacefulness about the way he interacted with the space.
Gebbie came in, wiping her hands on her apron. "Okay, now that we're all here, let's eat."
Everyone gathered around the table, the food spread out before them, and a sense of calm settled in. For once, it wasn't about saving the world, fighting monsters, or dealing with complex family drama. It was just about sitting together, eating, and enjoying a rare moment of peace.
As they ate, Naruto kept up a steady stream of chatter, talking about his favorite video games, what he wanted to do next, and how he was going to beat Sasuke in every game. Sasuke just shrugged, his usual serious expression not faltering, though he didn't seem entirely uninterested.
"Alright," Nolan said after a moment, setting down his fork and raising his voice slightly to get everyone's attention. "Tomorrow, we start training. All of you. No more distractions."
Naruto grinned. "Yeah! I'm ready."
Sasuke just nodded, already thinking about how much stronger he could get.
Nolan turned to the group. "This is home now, for all of us. I just want to make sure we're ready for whatever comes next. So, no slacking off, alright?"
Mark, who had just come home, walked into the room and raised an eyebrow at the large, enthusiastic crowd gathered around the table. "I'm guessing you guys are settling in?"
Naruto jumped up from his seat. "Yeah, and you've gotta see the TV we got!"
Mark smiled, though it was clear he was still processing how much his family had grown. But he couldn't deny it: things were finally feeling more… normal. And he was glad to see his dad being more at ease, even if it was just for a little while.
As the evening continued, the family enjoyed their meal, and even Battle Beast seemed to relax a bit. For once, it felt like they were more than just a group of warriors. They were a family—strange, mismatched, and unusual—but a family nonetheless.
And Nolan couldn't help but smile, feeling for the first time in years that maybe, just maybe, this could be the life he wanted.