Cruel or not, there is no kindness, here and, perhaps, if Phillip is to think of it later, it will stand to reason that the very selflessness that propels Gustavain into danger is the same that also makes him loveable. Certainly, this would not be allowable or desired if it came out of nowhere, without all of the things before and would Phillip have allowed those things if this version of Gustavain was the one he knew first? Freedom may look good on him, but how much of that is simply contrast?

All questions for another time, when he's not adding a third finger, too fast, still, but with even more oil, a delicate balance between haste and at least enough care to make it clear that he doesn't want to damage Phillip, even if he doesn't seem to care overmuch about whether or not he makes him uncomfortable, physically or otherwise.

"Tell me you're ready," strangely, it's not really an order. It has more the feeling of a reprieve, an out. If he's fucking him, he can't really look at him, not the same way, and once again it seems like Gustavain is completely aware of what he's doing, even though it's not stopping him.