Carter hadn't witnessed a death before. Normally kids had a pet hamster that only lasted a year or so, but Carter hadn't owned or looked after anything to witness it dying on him. The poor boy downstairs had been the first one and to make matter worse, the kid's life had been taken by his hand. Every possible outcome had passed through his brain. But deep down he knew if Asa had intended on killing him, he'd have done it by now. But that didn't take away his fear as his guardian came into the bathroom and approached the tub where he was still sitting with the soap now clenched in his hands.<br/><br/>This wasn't the first time Asa had seen him naked, and it probably wouldn't be the last either. His eyes fixed themselves on Asa as he started to undress and watched each item take its place on the floor. If the day had been normal, Carter would have been all over Asa. He would normally do anything to get his guardian in the shower with him like this, but he found himself averting his eyes and letting go of the soap when Asa took it from his hands.<br/><br/><i>'Up'</i><br/><br/>He hoped his legs wouldn't fail him and set his palms against the floor to push himself up. Once he was half-way, his palm moved to the wall for better support while his free hand worked the temperature of the water. He hadn't noticed how hot it was until he was standing on his shaky legs. He kept his gaze focusing on the bottom of the tub, watching the pinkish water flowing down the drain as the blood was slowly cleaned off of his skin. He couldn't bring himself to look at Asa yet, but his guardians hands were soothing him, and he was beginning to calm until Asa spoke.<br/><br/>"You killed someone... You made me slice a scalpel across his throat. Yet you claim you did it for me" No, he thought Asa had something else to gain from the event. But he wasn't sure what it was yet. He closed his eyes when the hands came to wash his hair and a small sigh escaped him. He knew his own anger wouldn't last, it never did. But the trust he felt he's had for Asa wasn't within him at the moment. 'Those who plot to hurt what is mine, must face the consequences of their actions. Do you understand'.<br/><br/>Carter opened his eyes when his guardian brought his chin up so their eyes could meet. "Yours?" He asked with a small frown setting on his face. "Asa... you belong to your work. If you really felt something, you'd stay once in a while. You'd show me how hard it is being away from me. But you do either of those things. You just remind me that things won't work. We can't be. I belong to the house, it's walls" he said raising a hand to gently stroke Asa's cheek to show some affection as his expression softened. "You know my feelings, even if they aren't spoken. I'm sorry. Even after tonight... I hate it, but my feelings are still the same" he wished they weren't, he wanted to hate Asa completely for what he'd put him through, but he couldn't. Being this close to him and seeing the side he knew of Asa was starting to erase the nights events. But the memory would forever haunt him. "You couldn't make me hate you... I don't think it's possible" he said lowering his hand again and noticing Asa's soaked trousers with a small smirk setting on his face. "You know how to shower right? Pants aren't normally a thing for the tub. Will you at least remove them and allow me to wash you in return?".