Author's note: Cake features in this chapter very heavily. Those of you that know me on tumblr know that I have a love affair with cakes (well, decorating them).

CHAPTER SEVEN

When he heads to Dave's again the following Tuesday he's determined to not miss out on cake. Dave has been a bit distant the last week and he's not worried. Well, okay, he is a bit. He's also worried about Claire, who had insisted he take a piece of cake home for each of his family members last week. That was fine, but then half an hour later she'd insisted again and then looked like she was going to cry when he'd told her she'd already given him cake. Dave had seemed concerned as well, although he'd just shrugged when Kurt had given him a questioning look.

Now though, he doesn't even have to knock and the door is flying open and Claire greets him with a wide smile, finger at her lips, waving him inside silently and he bites his lip in amusement. She feels like his secret conspirator and he wonders what fascinating thing he's going to discover this time. She gestures wildly with her hand toward his pants and doesn't get it until she whispers 'phone, get your camera…' And oh, this is going to be fun.

He follows her, and he can hear animal noises from the lounge, what he thinks might be the roar of a lion and maybe a horse. Claire stops them just around the corner and they have a clear view of the lounge and she double over in laughter again. It's amusing, but not that funny. Although, if anyone at McKinley could see Azimio Adams being ridden around then he doubts they'd run scared of him. The same could be said of Dave, who is on his back, Adam lying stomach-down on his shins and bouncing him up and down to the sound of delighted giggles. He snaps a few pictures just for the sake of it, he can always use it to blackmail Azimio if he needs to and then he steps into the room.

"Afternoon…"

"Kurt. Hey… uh, Az is here…"

"Mmm. Surprisingly I do recognize him, seeing as he had lunch with us today. Again. I just didn't want him to eat all the cake this week…"

"I have to share my cake with him?" Azimio voices, looking majorly put out.

"Dude, it's not actually your cake."

"Wait, you eat cake?" Azimio asks and he rolls his eyes, letting himself fall onto the sofa as gracefully as possible.

"Of course I eat cake. Why would I not eat cake?"

"Uh, I just never figured you'd be the cake eating type…"

"Well, I'm going to rock your world, but not only do I eat cake, but I also eat pizza."

Azimio scowls at him, but Dave laughs and Azimio gives him the finger. It feels weird. He's hanging out with David Karofsky and Azimio Adams. Granted, they currently both have a baby clinging to them, but it's still an odd situation to find himself in. And the babies kind of add to the weirdness. Claire comes in then, asks Dave for help putting them down for a catnap and then he leaves. There's awkward silence as they sit there, their common link in Dave gone and no, he can't think of himself as friends.

"Thanks man. For, uh… you know."

"Interfering?"

Azimio shrugs and nods, and well, it's nice to be appreciated and he nods in reply. They've sort of come to an understanding over the last week, a silent understanding, but that's probably for the best given that they've not managed to say overly nice things to each other in the past. Dave enters the room again, bearing cake and looking between the two of them as if he's surprised to either find them both still here, or alive. Both probably. He smiles, sickly sweet and it turns to a grin when Dave rolls his eyes at him. He kind of likes it.

LSY

Az grumbles about not getting given cake first, but considering it's his second piece he ignores him. Also Kurt looks quietly pleased about being given his piece first. Cake politics. He hasn't seen them sitting and eating lunch together, but it has to be an odd sight, and it's not something he can get his head round. Az had just mumbled about trying it out when he'd asked, embarrassed, and he'd let it drop.

"So, you forgiven me yet?" He asks, kicking Az in the side of the leg, and he does feel awkward with Kurt there as well, but he knows he's probably imagining it's worse than it is. But Tuesday is his usual afternoon with Az, and he's missed it.

"Let me beat your ass at Halo, then we can talk," Az replies, shoving the last of the cake into his mouth.

"That won't be hard, I haven't played in months."

"What have you been doing?"

"Studying."

"Man, you've changed. I don't even know who you are anymore…"

He gets a punch on his arm and he wonders if Kurt would be interested in playing Halo.

"You want to play?"

"Thanks, but not today. Next time. I actually have to get home and cook dinner tonight. Seeing as I'm not a fire hazard every time I enter the kitchen."

Az snorts in amusement and he shoots him a filthy look, although Kurt is the one who is teasing him, eyes twinkling and he pokes his tongue out, making him laugh. He says goodbye and goes off to say goodbye to Claire and he turns to find Az looking at him, one eyebrow raised and he frowns.

"What?"

"He turns up, eats cake, then leaves… and you smile like a lovesick idiot the whole time. You could have told me you liked him man, I told you I'm okay with the gay thing."

"I don't like him! I mean, yeah, I like him as a friend, and I kind of feel bad about all the shitty things I used to do, but I don't like him like that…"

Az doesn't look like he believes him at all and he feels slightly panicky, because he doesn't like Kurt like that. He can't. It's the last thing Kurt needs right now anyway, not for a long time, so even if he did he still wouldn't do anything about it. He just shakes his head and tell Az he's crazy before

LSY

It's been over six weeks now, and he doesn't feel like it's a defining point of his everyday movements. He has stopped jumping every single time one of the guys in glee touch him, although he knows being in school helps. It's a familiar environment, and despite all the bullying he's experienced in the hallways, he's not scared. It doesn't hurt that Azimio seems to have become a silent sentinel, although he probably only has himself to blame, bringing him a piece of cake one Friday and telling him it's to tide him through to Tuesday. He hadn't complained.

Wednesday night has kind of become his Karofsky family night. Sometimes he's there for the entire evening ritual of feeding the twins, bath time and bottles before leaving so Paul can sing. Some nights there's additional glee club practice, so he only gets there just in time for dinner. Tonight isn't one of those nights, although Claire is wiping the floor, so he guesses he's missed the feeding, and from the lack of Paul and Dave he guesses that they're busy bathing the twins.

Claire's eyes light up when he places the shopping bag on the counter, and he doesn't know if maybe he read her wrong initially, but there is definitely something up. She'd texted him and asked him to buy some ingredients, which he's fine with, but just the fact that she'd forgotten seems out of character. Not that he supposes he knows her really well, or even for very long, but it still worries him slightly, and Dave had just shrugged and shook his head when he asked last week.

"You're a life saver. Thank you so much. Now, let's get started and get this cake in the oven before dinner."

They're making a fruitcake, not something he could ever think of having at home around Christmas with his grandmother potentially visiting. So they'd come up with a solution. Cake sharing. They'll make a cake and then have half each, and if he's asked (that is, confronted by his grandmother), he can say it was a gift and therefore not be thrown out. He takes the offered apron, although he wore old clothes on purpose, knowing he would likely get cake mix somewhere.

He's not baked with anyone else before, but they slip into a rhythm, and it's an easy recipe. Baking from scratch is something he finds almost therapeutic. He likes putting things together and having something to show at the end of it. Be it clothes, or baking or a finished performance. He gets the same sense of accomplishment out of all of them. Claire slides the cake into the oven, grinning at him and brushing her hands on her jeans, leaving flour behind and begins to tidy up.

She flicks on the baby monitor, and Paul's voice sounds through the room, and the absolutely soppy look Claire gets on her face makes him smile. He hums a couple of bars of the lullaby that Dave had sung, making her laugh at their private joke and he laughs as well, wondering if he'll ever tell Dave he knows his big secret. He takes the spatula from her, grinning as he swipes his tongue over it, feeling decadent, but it's only days until Christmas and he's pretty much dancing on the spot right now.

He turns to find Dave standing in the doorway, eyes wide and he pauses, wondering if Dave has suddenly realized that maybe he's heard him sing via the baby monitor. He definitely looks shocked enough for that to be it and he smiles and shrugs, because what's he going to do about him knowing he can sing? He takes a final swipe of the spatula and slots it into the dishwasher before washing his hands, knowing the table now needs to be set. Dave seems to snap out of whatever fog he's in and starts preparing the bottles.

LSY

Holy shit. Az was right. How was Az right?

He does like Kurt as more than just a friend.