He knew better, of course it mattered, or it wouldn't take all of this to get him to even talk about it. It wouldn't have come up at all really. He increased the pressure, slapping the leather strips along his thighs, side to side so that they wrapped around his legs. The leather tightening before finally releasing and wrapping along the other leg. "Then tell me what matters." He never barked orders, he didn't need to. Keeping his voice even and calm.
Once his skin was nicely reddened he shifted up to one knee and worked up his hips and lower back. As he moved up the leather would wrap around and so he would wait before getting to the back where it would smack over ribs as well.