I wrote this story ages ago, it's so old that I found at my old computer today. I had even forgotten it was there. Anyway, I read and remembered how much I had liked writing it. This fic was made when I learned to play poker and used to listen the AC/DC song 'The Jack' all the time. I simply added a few lines here and there.

The Shikamaru x Temari pairing, is one of the few straight couples from Naruto that I think that work. Also, Temari is my favorite female character in the series, even though Sakura has grown in my concept at Shippuden.

So, keep in mind that English is not my first language (a warning for those who never saw my Kakaxsasu fics or Nejixsasu fics) and please enjoy.

***

The Jack

Temari always wondered why she felt they were in a game of cards. Well, it could be any game really, but she was better with cards… Poker, to be more specific.

Shikamaru was one of the best strategists she knew and after the first time they fought against each other she had learned to not be deceived by that ever bored look in his eyes. Not that she thought they were in some eternal battle, however, there was something in his uninterested attitude that always pushed her to try to fool him.

The good thing about poker is that it doesn't really matter who is the best strategist or who is the luckiest player, all you really need is to know how to bluff. If you can do that, than you can beat even someone with the Nara's mind.

And although Temari was not one to fully believe in victory until everything was finished, she did believe she had a few advantages on their game. Shikamaru was not exactly the best bluffer, he was in deed very good in hiding his plans and distracting his enemies, but bluffing was very different from making you forget about the holes on the battle field ground and slipping your shadow through them.

Not to mention that Temari was a woman. She was not an annoying whining girl like that Ino who thought to be a grown up kunoichi. Oh no, Temari was a true woman, she had more tricks than it was possible to see. It really didn't matter how smart Shikamaru was, he was still a man and every man has that certain weakness.

Hiding her smirk, Temari crossed her legs and looked directly into his eyes.

"You look different today." She stated and took a drink of tea.

"Huh?" was Shikamaru's smart answer. He watched a bit confused as she turned her gaze to read the scroll in front of her.

"This year there are a lot of teams from the Hidden Village of the Star. Very unusual." She said, still not looking at him.

"Yeah." He agreed and turned to his reflected image on the window glass of the office.

Again, Temari hid her smirk.

"She gave me the Queen

She gave me the King

She was wheelin' and dealin'

Just doin' her thing"

*

Different? What did she mean by different? He wore the same outfit of always, had his hair the same way of always. He couldn't be more equal than he always was than today.

Different. Really?

Glancing at her by the corner of his eyes, Shikamaru took in the sight of the beautiful woman she was. She was different, that's for sure. Her clothes were discrete and sobers, unlike Ino's purple outfit. She was also jounin, now.

More than once he asked himself who would be the winner if they had to fight again. Not training, a serious fight like theirs had been all those years ago. Sure, that would be unlikely to happen. Temari had told him once that he could be jounin already if he wanted, anyway.

Still, today it seemed that she had the upper hand on something. On what, Shikamaru couldn't imagine. For the moment. He was the best analyser of the two of them and a few more hours with her would tell him what was happening.

"She was holdin' a pair
But I had to try
Her Deuce was wild
But my Ace was high"

*

Temari hid her smirk when she noticed him glancing at her from the corner of his eyes. It was working, so perhaps now it was time to make another move.

"Gaara told me that Naruto is going to visit Suna next month."

"I think so. Godaime has been using him a lot at diplomatic missions. Guess she's trying to teach him something about being Hokage."

"Not alone, I suppose." Temari commented, taking another scroll from the pile on the table.

"Heh, who in a sane state of mind would send Naruto alone in any mission?" Shikamaru answered with a smirk.

"Hmm. Good point." Then after taking a sip of her tea she added "Would you happen to know who will be on his team?"

"I don't know… Why?" he asked, sounding a little suspicious.

Pretending to be fully focused on the scroll in front of her, she slowly uncrossed her legs and crossed again, making sure that the action had that sound of brushing skin.

"Just curious." Finally came the answer.

"Hn." Was all that came from Shikamaru.

A few seconds of silence went by until Temari spoke again, still not looking up.

"Uchiha Sasuke will probably be on the team, right? I heard Godaime doesn't allow him to be off the sight of Naruto."

It was with great satisfaction that she heard the small gasp that came from the chuunin.

"But how was I to know
That she'd been dealt with before
Said she'd never had a Full House"

*

So that was what it was all about? The Uchiha?

Since Sasuke had returned to Konoha, six months ago, indeed he had been put under Naruto constant surveillance and was only allowed out of village in the company of either the blond or Kakashi. Not even Sakura could take him beyond the gates.

Not that the Uchiha was having a chance of ever being alone, even when Naruto – who knew there was no need for surveillance – let him walk around Konoha on his own so they both could have private moments. Oh no, as if Ino would ever leave the poor guy alone. Shikamaru for his turn was quiet relieved that his blond team mate had another to chase after too. The return of Sasuke had awoken the sleeping fangirl inside of Ino.

But now Temari as well?

Of course, he did remember that she used to have this small crush on him, actually it wasn't even that. Temari, older than the other girls, had always known to differ crush from simply beauty admiration and that was something Shikamaru had always appreciated on her.

So why now the sudden interest, six months after the Uchiha's return? Was Temari kind of desperate for a date? Well, if she wasn't very exigent on her taste… he wasn't exactly and Uchiha but… he did have his qualities.

"I think you have to ask him yourself." He said, hiding the discontentment in his voice.

"Hm, I think I will." She said casually and brought her face up from the scroll "Do you know where he usually hangs?"

Was she actually going to?!

"But I should have known
From the tattoo on her left leg
And the garter on her right
She'd have the card to bring me down
If she played it right"

*

When Kakashi came in, he had the impression he was interrupting something. If he had other choice he would not have passed through there, but he really didn't want cross the jounin common room – where Gai was – to reach the bathroom, and as that office had a door like a shortcut…

Anyway, he came in time to hear Temari's last question and to see the slightly surprised face on the Nara boy. And it was with great amusement that he saw the Suna kunoichi smirk.

"Hey there, Kakashi." She greeted him, a bit too smug for his taste.

"Hello, Temari."

"I heard you are one the Sasuke's babysitters."

"I guess you can put in this way, yes." What was going on? Why was Shikamaru apparently forcing himself to read a scroll that was nothing but a list of names?

"Would you know where he will be later on today?" she asked, now smiling with something like triumph in her eyes.

Kakashi took his moment to analyse the weird situation he found himself into, while pretending to think of a response. Apart from a few blushes here and there, Temari never paid much attention to Sasuke before… as a matter of the fact, she has been much attentive to Shikamaru instead.

Then it dawned upon him. Everything made sense now. Temari was finally making a move as the other was clearly too distant to see anything that is not on the clouds or about to attack him. She was clever.

Unfortunately for her, Kakashi would not let Sasuke be a card on her poker game. She would have to find another ace.

"Ah, I remember now. He will be busy in training, with me. We'll probably camp at the woods." He answered, hoping she would get it.

"Oh, that's too bad." She said, not at all sad, simply annoyed that she would have to find another approach on the tatic of getting Shikamaru jealous.

Well, Kakashi could understand her, so he thought he might as well turn the Turn for her.

"Is he the only one that can help you? I think almost everyone is busy, these days, but I think TenTen is free. She usually can be found at training ground four during the afternoons."

"Really?" Temari asked with renewed enthusiasm "Well thank you, Kakashi. Maybe I'll find her later."

Kakashi smiled at her with his visible eye and nodded, to then walk out of the office trying not to chuckle. Shikamaru had no way out. But then again, the boy probably wouldn't loose anything, either.

"She's got the jack, she's got the jack
She's got the jack, she's got the jack
She's got the jack, she's got the jack
She's got the jack, she's got the jack
She's got the jack, jack, jack, jack, jack, jack, jack
She's got the jack"

*

Temari followed Kakashi with her eyes. Training with Sasuke? She had never thought of them – none of them – as that type of guys. Who knew? Not that she had anything against it, not when her own brother had his intentions on some blond Konoha shinobi.

Ate least the man had been kind enough to offer her another card. If Shikamaru couldn't realize things even if lesbian insinuations then she might as well become a lesbian. TenTen wasn't exactly ugly.

So, back on the game.

"Well, too bad." She stated when they were alone again.

"Hn." Was all that came from Shikamaru, who still insisted to intensely read the entire list of names, again.

As another minutes passed by, Temari stretched both her arms and rested her back on the chair, turning her body a bit, so when he looked at her he could see her silhouette, specially her breasts.

"So, I guess it will have to be TenTen." She murmured, but loud enough so Shikamaru could listen.

"What about her?" Shikamaru suddenly asked, seeming a bit grumpy, at last forgetting about the list.

"Oh? Nothing really." Temari offered him a smile, like those you give to let other people know you won't be saying anything. So she returned to her position, fully facing Shikamaru, to soon rest her chin on her hand and look to the window.

"She probably wouldn't go to Suna, anyway." She murmured again on purpose.

Through the reflex on the window she watched Shikamaru's expression shift several times. Grumpy. Startled. Confused. Annoyed. Thoughtful. Until finally a very light tinge of pink took his cheeks and she saw his mouth form the word 'troublesome'.

"Poker face was her name
Poker face was her nature
Poker straight was her game
If she knew she could get you"

Temari really didn't want to get to such measures, but she was running out of options. She had already tried being super gentle with him, to appear always on her best clothes, and even made an effort to be a little like Ino, so maybe he could notice her. None of that had given results.

Of course, she could always pine him against a wall and kiss him, but there wasn't much fun in that. And also, he could get surprised and misunderstand the action, and use that damn shadow jutsu of him, spoiling everything. So that would be left as a last resort.

Now it was time to bluff a little more.

"So, what about Ino?"

Shikamaru lifted one of his eyebrows. "What do you want to know about her?"

"No, not about her." Temari corrected him "About the two of you."

"What?"

"Weren't you seeing each other or something like that?" She put both her elbows on the table and let her chin rest on top of her hands, with a false innocently curious look on her face. Well, she really wanted to know if the Ino-threat was really that big.

"No! Why would you think that?"

Judging from his eyes he was really taken aback by that idea. Not to mention that he was finally showing more emotion in his reactions. That was great.

"Oh, just a few things I noticed. Every time I arrive here she is screaming all over you, sure she yells all the time but you know… And well, she did cheer a lot for you during our fight." A sip of tea "Besides, by the way you're looking different, I assumed it had to do with some girl."

"Again with the different? Well, that doesn't mean anything. Friends do cheer each other. Besides, she is all over Sasuke." He answered truly uninterested and soon added with some poison on his voice "You might have to knock her down to have him."

"What?" then she laughed "Sasuke is very handsome and cool, but he would have to be a lot more than that to make me fight with an annoying girl because of him."

It was true. Uchiha Sasuke was nothing but handsomeness to her. And even if it wasn't… As if Temari was nuts enough to face the Copy Nin.

"Hn. And would TenTen have the enough to put you in such mood? Neji is surely worse than Ino." He said, still with poisonous voice.

Temari simply smirked. "Maybe she does."

"She played 'em fast
And she played 'em hard
She could close her eyes
And feel every card"

*

Was it possible that she really meant what she was saying?! Could Temari be that desperate that she was thinking of becoming a lesbian?!

Perhaps she was bi… With that woman you could never be totally sure. Someone as fiery as her probably wouldn't resume herself at simply one gender.

Troublesome. Very troublesome.

"A dark avenger… A deathly weapon mistress… You don't content yourself with little, do you?" he asked, trying to sound merely mused.

"Well… it depends on what you call little." She answered, still with that smirk plastered over her face.

"Hn! If TenTen happen to be unavailable, who would be the next on your list? Genma, perhaps? I suppose that if gender doesn't concern you either does age."

"As a matter of the fact, it doesn't. Would you have anything against dating a woman slightly older than you?" Temari asked, curious and… and what exactly?

"Genma is a lot more than slightly older than you." He answered, deciding to ignore whatever was behind her eyes.

"True." She nodded, then frowned a bit "But that doesn't answer my question."

Shikamaru sighed. To dodge from Temari was very difficult; he had learned that in first hand, both in battle and in conversations. Why hadn't he just shut up when he had the opportunity? One of the kunoichi's abilities was driving him crazy, and even though he didn't exactly minded it, he preferred her not to know that.

"Perhaps your silence says more, hm? If I had to guess I'd say you prefer woman older than you." She said with a smirk.

Forget that. He did mind when she drove him to insanity! He didn't even like to talk a lot! Why was he even answering her questions? It was time to shut the hell up, for good.

A blond eyebrow was lifted in front of him. Shikamaru sighed heavily.

"That depends."

"On what?"

"On the person." He resumed his answer the most he could. He couldn't exactly say that if she was the older person he would be ok with the age difference, could he now?

"Hmmm."

Temari said nothing else, simply turned her body to the side, so he could see only a part of her – some very nice parts – and uncrossed her legs to cross them again, making that little sound again. See what he means? Everything on that kunoichi drove him crazy!

Then she took her purse and pulled something from insided. A small package that she opened to reveal some chocolate cookies.

"Do you want some?" she offered and before he could even think of an answer "Feel free to take one."

She left the package on the table and took a cookie, to bite it slowly.

Shit! How did she do that?! How could the act of chewing something could be seem so sexy when it came from Temari?! She surely was experienced in that area, but it was not like she would try to seduce him… Of course she didn't need to try, all she had to do was open an invitation and he would be hers. His laziness never allowed him to even pretend to be the difficult type.

Hypnotized, Shikamaru saw her licking her lips when she finished and without noticing he was licking his own lips.

She was staring directly to him. What now?

Something like indecision crossed her eyes before she smirked, confident as usual and leaned across the table. The move was slow and smooth and sexy, and then a pair of soft lips was upon his.

Stunned, he probably wouldn't have been able to move if she hadn't begun to work her mouth against his. There was only one thing he could do now.

Finally returning the kiss, Shikamaru stood and walked around their small table so he could surround her waist with his arms. Temari for her turn put her own arms around his neck and he could feel her smirk against his lips.

Wait, a smirk?!

Then everything made sense to him.

"But how was I to know
That she'd been shuffled before
Said she'd never had a Royal Flush
But I should have known
That all the cards were comin'
From the bottom of the pack
And if I'd known what she was dealin' out
I'd have dealt it back"

For someone so lazy, Shikamaru certainly had a ravenous kiss, Temari noticed quiet pleased. And when they had to part for air, eyes squint and face still close, she heard him murmur against her lips.

"You're devious…"

"Am I?" she whispered sarcastic and leaned in to another kiss, promptly returned.

When they parted again, she watched Shikamaru look at with some sort of musing in his eyes.

"What?" she asked, curious about what was in his mind.

"Just today I had been asking myself about you beating me…"

Oh, so that was it. Temari half smirked half grinned.

"Well… I guess we're square now."

"It's not like you were prejudiced by our fight. In the end, it was too troublesome and I was the one with no chakra left. I guess you'll always win, huh?"

"You're sounding like you actually care about that kind of thing." she said, lifting a curious eyebrow to him.

"Maybe I do."

There wasn't much for Temari to do but to laugh.

"Drop that. Poker really isn't your game."

"Hn… perhaps not… but I gain more kisses like that then maybe I'm willing to go through the trouble of playing it." Shikamaru said, with a smirk.

Temari smirked as well. Time to put all in then.

"She's got the jack, she's got the jack
She's got the jack, and who knows what else?
She's got the jack, yeah, yeah
She's got the jack, she's got the jack
She's got the jack, she's got the jack
She's got the jack, jack, jack, jack, jack, jack, jack
She's got the jack

She's got the jack, she's got the jack,
Ooh, It was a bad deal, (Jack)
She gave me the (Jack), hey
She's got the (Jack), she's got the (Jack)
She's got the (Jack), ooh can't you tell
She's got the (Jack, jack, jack, jack, jack, jack, jack, jack)
(She's got the jack, she's got the Jack)
She's got the jack, she's got the Jack
She's got the jack, you never know!
She's got the jack, she's got the jack
She's got the jack
She's got the jack, and it hurts!
(She's got the jack)
She's got the jack, jack, jack, jack, jack, jack, jack
She's got the jack
Aaaaaah!"

***

Well, I hope you've liked it. Thank you for reading.