Naruto grunted under the weight of the beam over his shoulder.
"Put your back into it!" Kankuro called from behind.
"You put your back into it!" Naruto yelled over his shoulder.
Naruto had been roped into the construction of the makeshift buildings for the refugees. Even with the village making as much space as possible, there was still going to be a large overflow.
The site was bustling with other Suna ninja, all busy building. Naruto crouched as he and Kankuro lined the beam up with the side of the temporary house, the beam slid off Naruto's shoulder and dropped it into the waiting hole. Kankuro wiped the sweat off his forehead and sat down in the shadow of a nearby building, Naruto joined him. Kankuro handed Naruto a bottle of water.
"How many left?" Naruto asked taking a drink.
"There are two here and six on the other side of the village," Kankuro replied.
"I reckon we'll be finished some time next week."
Both of them looked up as Temari walked past, her fan, as usual, strapped across her back.
"She's off on her travels again, avoiding real work," Kankuro said, not intending Temari to hear him but she did.
"Shut it Kankuro!" Temari saw the look on Naruto's face, "and don't you start Naruto!"
"Any idea when the first refugees will arrive?" Naruto asked, before Temari had the chance to use her fan on them.
"Couple of weeks; I'll know more when I get there. And stay out of my room while I'm gone!"
With that last order, Temari turned her back on the boys. Naruto and Kankuro reluctantly got to their feet again and walked over to the pile of waiting beams.
"On three," Naruto said as he grasped the end of a beam, Kankuro did the same, "One, two, three…"
They both groaned as they hoisted the beam onto their shoulders.
The setting sun lit Suna in a pale orange glow. The blonde Jonin was relaxing, lying on the roof of the Kazekage tower with his eyes shut and hands behind his head, after finishing the first set of temporary buildings. Suna was enjoying one of its few rains. It wasn't rain as such, more a heavy mist that hovered around the village. Gaara had joined him on the roof, also relaxing in the mist.
"Temari should be back with the Konoha refugees soon," Gaara muttered.
"Cancel 'soon'," Kankuro's bodiless voice said, making Naruto and Gaara sit up. The puppet master landed next to the pair.
"I just got word from Temari; she'll be here before the end of the week."
Naruto lay back down as Gaara cursed.
"Damnit! There's no way we'll be ready in time," he stood and made his way inside, "I want everyone working at double speed, no rest until the preparations are ready…" Gaara's voice faded, leaving Naruto to his thoughts. Lulled by the rain and the cool air, Naruto soon drifted of to sleep.
Twenty-four hours later Temari led the first of the refugees into Suna. Naruto studied the Konoha refugees from a nearby rooftop as they filed past. All were dishevelled, walking slowly and each was carrying large bags. Naruto didn't feel any sympathy for them as he watched them enter; he jumped off the roof and landed in the street. One of the Konoha villagers saw Naruto walking away; he pulled a kunai from his belt and hurled it at the blonde. The kunai struck him on it the back, making him stumble and almost fall. He turned around and looked back at the crowd as he yanked out the blade.
