Bro. Are you the Eveready bunny kind of person who does cardio all the time?

50 plus months in the gym and you still have the wrong mindset. If your muscles grow, so will your shape.

IMO, whey protein helps me recover faster. I tried not taking protein for 2 weeks and my DOMS persist longer than normal. I take creatine too. I've been on creatine for the past 2-3 years without loading/stopping. You can't really feel the effect of creatine. I take it just to be safe.

To grow, you need nutrients. Nutrients= food. Anything will do. Be it junk food or even poop.

Grow faster.. food? Creatine is cheap so don't you worry. Supplements are just supplements to supplement your diet. Get your diet right, you will grow.