A/N: This is a fanfiction based on Cirque du Soleil's Kooza. All characters can only be understood if you've seen the show, so I make no apologies if you have no idea what I'm talking about.

Warnings: Rated for sex (duh)

She couldn't decide why she wanted him, only that perhaps it was their mutual indifference that sparked curiosity. She watched as Trickster controlled those around her like a sadistic child might play with dolls; and yet, he never reached for her, never touched her. Out of all the attention he gave the others, it was his lack of attention that intrigued her.

She knew he watched her as she flew through the sky. Who wouldn't? The fire of her clothes clung perfectly to her skin and only heightened her beauty as she twisted and turned upon the trapeze. Often the others would stop to watch her. Their mouths agape at the fluidity of her movements, and she was tempted to use them and push them away. She had done so before. Now, though, they bored her, and she sought another out.

She only caught Trickster staring at her once. He had come out of the darkness and chuckled at the other gawkers around her. With a gesture, he pointed them away, and they meekly obeyed and left him alone to watch her. But whenever she looked down searching for him, to throw him a small smile, to twist in just the right way that it might drive him mad, he only looked back at her with that frustrating smirk he gave all the others. He spun, gracefully, and she knew it was the same self-assured steps he took with the others when he expected them to entertain him. She gave him no response and continued to swing, purposefully avoiding anything that resembled his movement. Part of her was daring him to retaliate and part of her was worried at what such retaliation would entail. He repeated the movement, far less gracefully this time, and the look in his eyes frightened her. She had rarely seen him angry before and she wouldn't admit to herself that the reaction had made her want him. So she ignored him, continued to twist in the sky, and watched out of the corner of her eye as he stalked away from her. She doubted he would allow her to win this contest of wills, but at least she had triumphed for a moment.

She never saw him watching her and so returned to the solitude of the trapeze, the adrenaline in her as she flew higher and higher in her frustration. The others didn't return to watch her. Only one thing, or person, would have kept them away. Who was he to rob her of her audience? She began to grow angrier, her movements more reckless by the day. It was some days later that, coming down from the trapeze exhausted, he made his move.

If Trickster had wanted, he could have easily made her aware of his presence. But he chose to catch her off her guard, moving behind her and pushing her against a wall that had not existed before. It wouldn't be to her advantage that he could summon what he wanted when he wanted, and she wasn't silly enough to wait around and hope for a fair fight. She pushed him, hard, and he smirked at the challenge, pinning her wrists above her and slamming her back against the wall. His eyes bore into hers and she returned the gaze with equal intensity. She wasn't quite sure if he was looking at her in anger or in lust, but then again she wasn't sure which she felt, either. Feeling him against her, it didn't seem like such an important detail to consider.

He bit her neck marking her, and then softly laughed as he whispered in her ear, "I won't force you to obey. Can't you feel you still have your free will? I will allow you to keep it for now…"

Trickster allowed his voice to trail off and kissed her passionately. Her struggles went unnoticed as he nipped at her lips, only pulling away when she attempted to return the kiss. Leaving her breathless gave him enough time to taunt her with his words once more. "But you will obey me, free will or not."

Anger flared inside of her. How dare he taunt her like this? She wasn't one of his puppets to control at whim. But then he began to kiss her again, gently tracing his fingertips over the bruise on her neck, and any coherent thoughts quickly vanished. Her mind screamed at her to fight, to not give in, but that voice became fainter as he let her wrists go and she melted into his embrace. He began to move his hand down the curve of her breast, so slowly it was almost torture. It wasn't fair how he almost sensed what she needed and would turn his fingers away from any place she hoped he would linger. It wasn't long before she found herself shifting to move closer to his touch, softly whimpering against him. His fingers moved lower, and she caught herself before she moaned. This, at least, he would have to fight to drag from her, and he seemed in no hurry to do so.

Again he bit her, on her shoulders and breasts, through her clothing. She unconsciously arched into it. It was a movement neither of them had anticipated. She squeezed her eyes shut to keep from crying out for wanting this sort of treatment. He remained still until she opened her eyes again, and his smirk had lost the last bit of kindness it had. Now he seemed cruel, calculating, and she dreaded what he might do with this little glimpse at her darker desires. Trickster dragged his nails up her thigh, hard, caring little if he drew blood. She hissed but didn't pull away. If the trapeze had taught her anything, it was that pleasure often came mixed with pain, and she had learned the lesson well.

Trickster never allowed her a moment to know which was next, jumping between scratches and caresses, soft whispers and cruel laughs at her expense. When he felt her slumping back against the wall and unable to keep herself upright, he whispered close again: "Beg for it."

His fingers began to slide up her thigh, feeling through the fabric how badly she needed this. He asked her again, his voice far less patient, but she shook her head. She tried to kiss him and force him to complete the seduction without saying those words and retaining a bit of her dignity. Harshly, he kept her at arm's distance so that she couldn't complete the kiss, then pulled away.

Caressing her cheek and ignoring her faint whimpers, Trickster smiled and adjusted his suit, "The offer remains. Use it whenever you wish."

He walked away from her, into the shadows, leaving every nerve in her body on fire. She walked back to her trapeze, climbing upon it, moving in frenzy to match the depth of passion in his movements, but even this solace didn't soothe her. Unseen, he continued to watch her, and pressed his fingers against his lips, remembering the kiss.

Perhaps it wasn't yet settled who controlled whom.