A/N: more Sawyer being Sawyer. Heed the warnings from previous chapters - nothing's getting better (yet). Take care of yourselves.

Sawyer loved the confliction in Gabriel's face every time he said 'Master'. He said it without hesitation now, every time. But there was always a barely perceptible grimace, that Sawyer would bet he had no idea was there. And Sawyer wasn't about to tell him, because it was exactly what he needed from the boy.

He'd been molding him for almost two weeks now, since that first, much needed spanking. But he'd been taking it slow. The idea of independence was still there, even if Gabriel didn't use it. He was naturally deferent. Except for that one, fantastic, time that Sawyer had been handed on a plate, there hadn't been any excuse to punish him. If Sawyer had wanted to go hard and fast, like he would have with anyone else, he would have had to make up reasons to punish.

But he hadn't done that. Because there was something about the boy that was so, so different to the usual parade of idiotic twinks who passed through his life. Something that he was having the novel feeling of wanting to hold onto. He was different to anyone he'd known for years. In fact, he reminded Sawyer of someone special from his youth. The one who got away, he might even say, perhaps.

No, he couldn't push things too fast. Not while Gabriel still had himself in there somewhere. Not when he might still think he had a choice. If Sawyer pushed him too far he could still leave. Though even now, without much preparation having taken place yet, Sawyer wasn't too sure Gabriel would make that choice even if he was pushed. But regardless, Sawyer was choosing to focus on the other side of it for now. He was concentrating on reminding Gabriel just how much he needed him. How much Sawyer fulfilled those secret desires he was still so wonderfully ashamed of.

The spiked cock cage had been a stellar decision. He had Gabriel in it for hours at a time now, owning his arousal. Gabriel loved giving in like that; he loved the pain when his body betrayed him too, obviously, but the joy he felt in giving up his control was palpable. Of course, that wasn't exactly Sawyer's endgame. A sweet little masochist happily trading his power wasn't what Sawyer did this for. What he did do it for would come with time.

Gabriel also adored being spanked until his ass was pummeled enough to be black and blue for days. He really wanted to feel it, and Sawyer was taking pleasure in building up his tolerances there; the introduction of the wooden paddle had been a resounding success on that front. As had the sharp, biting nipple clamps and the powerful, pinching wooden pegs.

Gabriel was far less of a fan of the ring gag, or any gag, really, but particularly that one, for the obvious reason of what came next. Sawyer didn't believe in giving his subs any autonomy during scenes. He didn't want their grabby hands all over him. He'd begun to bind Gabriel's wrists behind his back every time he applied the ring gag now, so Gabriel couldn't push at his thighs or try to escape. Gabriel hated it – it was clear in the way his gray eyes dimmed when he saw it come out of the drawer – but he never said a word. He did it for Sawyer. Which Sawyer found equal parts sweet and pathetic.

But that was the only thing Sawyer had maintained that Gabriel didn't like. Let the boy think that was the worst it could get. Gabriel had fallen easily into the other side of things. He'd never even asked for his phone back – Sawyer wasn't even sure he'd noticed it was gone – he'd just started using the alarm clock that had been left in his room. He did all the cooking and cleaning without being asked, which did take some of the enjoyment from Sawyer, who couldn't berate him. He solved it by making sure to include a few depersonalizing comments to his appreciation. Gabriel liked being humiliated, even if the little shivers he got were clearly against his will, and it had the added benefit of reminding him how much he needed Sawyer.

But it was time to step things up. Gabriel had higher pain tolerance levels than anyone else Sawyer had encountered outside the lifestyle. He'd been going slow, but it wouldn't be too daunting to include something new now.

"Darling, come here."

Gabriel came slowly but directly, trepidation in his eyes.

"Yes, Master?"

"You haven't been in this room, have you?" he asked, his fingers curled around the handle.

"No, Master. You told me not to."

"Good boy."

Gabriel's face lit up – another thing he didn't seem to be consciously aware of – and Sawyer opened the door. He'd tidied up, a lot. The way the room had looked before, Gabriel running screaming out of the penthouse door would have been a very real possibility. As it was, everything that used to hang on the walls was packed away in the trunks and cabinets dotted around the room.

Now the room looked somewhat standard. A large bed and deep maroon walls. Black floor – tiled for easy clean up, though fortunately Gabriel didn't look down to question the drain in the corner. The furniture was black, too. Including the St Andrew's Cross, which was their destination.

Gabriel's eyes widened at the heavy metal chains that held wide leather cuffs.

"I want to do something new with you. Remove your clothes."

It took Gabriel a moment, where he stared at the cross and his eyes flitted to the curled whip on the bed, but then he removed his clothing, neatly folding it as usual. His body was lax as he relaxed into Sawyer tightening the cuffs around his wrists and pulling them up, so his arms rested against the wood of the cross.

Sawyer didn't tie him down very often – he liked making him stay still of his own accord – but he did enjoy the way Gabriel dropped into a deep headspace so quickly when he was bound. Another thing he did without even being aware of it, and another thing that worked in Sawyer's favor, because Gabriel probably simply thought Sawyer's actions relaxed him.

When Gabriel's ankles were cuffed, Sawyer held the back of his neck, hard enough to be sure he could feel each finger indenting his flesh.

"I'm going to make you hurt, darling."

Gabriel murmured, and Sawyer knew it was confusion at the sweet pet name, which he didn't normally bring out during playtime, and he had to stop himself from letting out a laugh. Gabriel was so adorably naïve, so sheltered, for so long, that putting him on the back foot was a matter of utter ease.

He had to focus, anyway. Now was not the time to be making mistakes. It was vital he made Gabriel's first whipping something he wanted to come back to. Unlike the throat fucking, which he endured because he thought it was something Sawyer enjoyed, this could be something that would turn him away if it was taken too far now.

Sawyer picked up the snake whip, running his fingers from the butt knot at the tip of the flexible handle, along the braided length, to the slim popper at the end. It was one of his favorites – shorter than his best bullwhip, which was cumbersome in this room due to size, but packing just as much impact, when used properly.

He moved around the room with quiet, purposeful actions, making Gabriel nervous. Sawyer waited until the boy let out an unintentional whine of desperation before moving close, letting the popper and fall of the whip trail along Gabriel's skin, leaving goosebumps in their wake.

"Desperate for it, aren't you? Such a needy little whore for pain."

Gabriel whimpered again, and the aching want in the noise fired up Sawyer's brain. He could tell himself he was taking pity on the boy, but it was himself that was getting the reprieve, when Gabriel's every aspect seemed so perfectly designed to torment him with unexpected desire.

He moved away, letting the thong drop from his hand, only pausing to look over the stunning skin, still blemished from his last spanking. Without warning, he flicked his wrist, letting the popper slap against Gabriel's ass. Gabriel yelped, but it was out of shock rather than pain. That time.

Sawyer let himself build up a rhythm, making sure to keep his focus controlled. This was what he was good at, sure, but he didn't usually have to work so hard to keep the level low. He wanted Gabriel to feel the pleasure of the sharp sting, but he couldn't break the skin, not yet, and he had to take care not to focus on a single area. He wanted to have Gabriel begging him, next time, to go harder. To not treat him as breakable. He had to make him crave it.

Even with his gentle flicks, Gabriel's skin was turning a delightful shade, red blooming around the white lines of the strikes. They'd bruise – he'd done them just hard enough – but Gabriel would love that. He was moaning now, almost out of it, his head hanging against his raised arm, and when he started to slump and pull against the wrist chains Sawyer slowed it down.

He'd love to keep going until Gabriel came from it. He'd been building the boy up to that with the spankings, and they were close. But he couldn't afford to let go this way yet, so he put the whip to one side, unfastening the ankle cuffs, and then the wrists, unsurprised when Gabriel slumped against him, mewling distantly at the pressure against his back. He carried him to his own bed – he was totally under, flying in subspace from even that small amount of pain – and laid him on his front.

He'd leave him to sleep – he left a bottle of water on the nightstand. It was time to plan the next level.

A/N: there are 5 more awful chapters to come. It seems a lot, but the development can't skip everything, sadly (though I feel bad about it. Poor Gabe).