Don't know how you got me started

 Cedric couldn't help it. Maybe it was because Madonna wasn't at his place anymore. Sure he wanted to believe this, but that wasn't really on his mind. Damn if Dory could be so cold.

He'd wanted to go with him when he moved in. He was just trying to be a friend. But Dory said it was something he needed to do on his own. He made it feel so official. As if they were over after Cedric brought him, Madonna, in the cat carrier.

Cedric spent a lot of money on that carrier and now it felt it wasn't a gift at all. Why had he thought it might impress Dory? It was all so meaningless. Sure, he told Dory to call him if he needed anything.

"I won't need anything," his negative voice just left Cedric in doubt. Would Cedric ever see Dory again? He shook the thought and tried to look through shows on his watch list on Netflix, but he couldn't find a thing to watch. Not even MASK GIRL that he had such high hopes for. 

"Netflix is just trying to Americanize the K-drama," he remembered Dory telling him. "I only watch VIKI and nothing else."

Naturally, Cedric wondered what was Dory trying to tell him? Sure, he knew why Dory came over. It was only to see the cat, but sometimes he thought he hated everything. No, he hadn't seen Squid Games.

"What do you watch?" Cedric had winced back.

"What do you care?" It was like he wanted Cedric to stop calling him. Maybe not even have a thing to do with him.

Cedric knew he was going soft. Hell, why was Dory even on his mind? He certainly wasn't on his. Cedric was in a pout. God knows,  how much he'd hate to cry over that skinny dude. Would Dory ever need him again?

Cedric went to cry in the shower. He couldn't say how long he'd been in there. He just hoped he would crash on his mess of a bed and be ready for his four a.m. shift.

He took one last look at the time on his phone. It wasn't even ten yet. He yawned big as if he was done for the night. And then he saw who called.

A smile came to his face. What the hell could this be about?

"Did I call too late?" Cedric asked just in his wild boxers while on his bed.

"I don't know if I can live here," Dory told him he'd left him a message about everything that happened when he got to the apartment.

Cedric smiled, wondering what that could mean.

"I could pick you up?"

"No. Of course not. I got to do this. It's close to work. I can't.." he sighed. "I don't mean to be so needy." He was crying.

"What are you talking about?"

There was a silence. Cedric was about to say HELLO.

"I know you're seeing that doctor..and I - I wouldn't want to mess that up," Dory told him.

"What doctor?" Cedric squinted.

"You know, my roommate's got a girlfriend, and..I..I practically walked in on them." Dory stammered. as he reminded Cedric that he had left him a voicemail.

"There is no doctor." Cedric wished he would listen to him.

"But I saw you with him when..when you were with Axton, that time at the Coffee Shop," Dory said.

"Oh, that guy," Cedric cracked up. "That's Axton's friend. Actually, he just does art with Stan's daughter. Something like that. Stan's not even a doctor. He's a single dad raising a teenager."

Still, he wasn't sure Dory was listening. "I don't know what to do. I mean, what if she's here all the time?" He was back to the roommate having a girlfriend.

"Well, then, I'll just have to come over, won't I?" Cedric sounded as if he could help Dory out in a pinch. 

"I guess so." Dory didn't sound too optimistic.

"You guess so?" Cedric didn't want to sound mad. "Don't you know I want to see you? I want to be with you."

It was quiet then. It was as if Dory didn't know how to react. But he heard Dory's soft laugh then.

"Um, OK." Dory finally said. 

"I'll be by tomorrow," Cedric hoped they were talking about the same thing.