Meanwhile…

Nolan is outside, sitting on the steps of the patio, staring out at the deep black skies of the night. His mind is lost in all of the wonders of cake: a dessert so sweet, so satisfying, so rich, so delicious.

Chocolate cake with its moist, chocolate bread and thick, creamy chocolate frosting.

Even better: chocolate MOUSSE cake. Its layers filled with rich, chocolate-infused mousse so soft to the touch and melt within the first bite.

Wait… red velvet cake. The bread so vibrant in its red colour, bearing a chocolate-like sweet flavour, topped with smooth, sugared, yet sharp cream cheese with the perfect hint of grittiness.

Oh no, the most wonderful creation in all human history: Ice cream cake. Perfectly frozen ice cream stacked on each other, smothered with fluffy frosting and topped with colourful sprinkles. Yes, sprinkles!

Hold up: dark forest cake. Luscious chocolate bread with white, thick frosting in between and caked all around. Then, delicate chocolate flakes sprinkled about and topped with sweet, vividly-coloured maraschino cherries.

Just take a fork and cut it through the thick, gorgeous slice, watching the crumbles of bread descend on the plate as the piece made. Pinch it with its tines so easily, feeling it puncture through its soft bread and frosting smeared on its silver surface.

Placing it in your mouth, feeling it dissolve so gradually in your mouth as springs of sweet and rich flavours burst into existence. The texture so spongy, the flavours so fruity, the experience so indulging...

Tiramisu cake.

Birthday cake.

Upside-down pineapple cake.

Carrot cake.

Devil’s food cake.

German chocolate cake.

Vanilla cake.

Cheesecake.

Chocolate lava cake.

Coconut cake.

Coffee cake.

Tres leches cake.

ALL. THIS. CAKE. AND I CAN’T HAVE ANY OF IT.

Nolan stares out at the hypnotizing black sky in a daze.

“This cake is good,” Carter says from next to him.

Nolan instantly snaps from his daydream and whirls to his right.

Sure enough, he spots Carter Hart sitting next to him, pinching a plate of a chocolate cake slice topped with chocolate frosting and raspberries with a fork and sticking it in his mouth.

“What are you doing here?” He swiftly stands up, whips out his throwing stars in both hands, and holds them out at him as a threat.

Carter swallows and peers up at him, unfazed by the weapons. “I saw you almost burn down your house by baking, so I wanna give you a recipe that'd make the best gluten and dairy-free cake in the entire world.”

Nolan slices his arm through the air, jabbing his throwing star toward the backyard. “Go away.”

“No, seriously, try it.” The goalie holds up the plate of the half-eaten cake at him.

Nolan grimaces at it. “I'm not taking that. It might have gluten or dairy.” He flicks his throwing star at him. “Leave.”

Carter slowly rises to his feet and faces him. “I'll make it again in front of you.” He wags the cake at him in a tempting manner.

Nolan stares at it, mesmerized in its thick, chocolate frosting and moist bread topped with full, gorgeous raspberries. He then rips his eyes away from it, mentally snapping back to the grave situation.

“Since when did you specialize in gluten and dairy-free baking?” He retracts his throwing stars and crosses his arms with sharp eyes on him.

“When I saw you needing it.” He pokes his fork at the slice, getting another piece. “I held onto the recipe for awhile; I didn't really need it, but now it's coming to good use because of you!” He pops the sweet piece in his mouth.

Nolan holds his hand out to him with another hand on his hip. “Okay then, let me see it.”

“Whoa...!” He pulls his cake away from him as if the forward was about to take it. “It's not THAT easy now, Nolan. It comes with a price.” He pulls his plate in back front of him, lowering it.

Nolan drops his hand with a flat expression. “How much?”

He shakes his head vehemently. “No, no, not a dollar amount.” He halts his movements. “You gotta do something for me.”

Nolan folds his arms across his chest again. “What?”

“Spend a day with me.” A smirk grows on his face. “That's all.”

Nolan gawks at him. “No way, I don't wanna know what you're gonna do with me.”

“I'm not gonna hurt you or anything.” He gives him a look of sympathy. “I just wanna be with you.”

Nolan turns his head away from him. “No.”

“Then no cake.” He lifts his cake back to his view and cuts another piece from it. “What a pathetic golden birthday.” He takes in the piece. “Mmmm… It’s really good...”

“I'll just have the watermelon cake…,” Nolan mumbles with his eyes downcast.

“So what do you say?” Carter peers back at Nolan with raised eyebrows. “I'll show you if you just spend ONE day with me.” He holds his cake out at him with an enticing mien.

Nolan gazes back at him with hard eyes. “And once I spend that day with you, you'll let me free untouched?”

A smile forms on his face. “Promise.”

“Okay.” Nolan fully faces him again, maintaining his stern expression. “Deal. But if you cross the line, I'm taking that recipe and won't ever listen to you again.”

“Sounds good.” He shrugs with a smirk. “Let's go to my place.”

Notes

E.9 "Nolan's Birthday Crash"
Part 3/6
Episode 9/10