I try so hard to fade away

 Dory hated to trouble Cedric. It had been such an ordeal getting to the concert last week. He never wanted to ask Finn again for help. Sure, Cedric said he could drive him anytime he wanted, but as it was he'd missed a few rehearsals because Cedric was working.

"You could have taken an Urber," even Oakely had a chance to nag him about it while she was here. Boy, was she in a foul mood, he thought. And now Boone looked totally shattered.

"Are you OK?" Dory asked while Madonna was rubbing against Boone's leg. He hadn't even noticed.

He took Madonna and plopped on the couch. He guessed it would be a bad idea to ask Boone to take him anywhere.

"What's going on?" Dory finally asked after Boone didn't acknowledge his first question.

"I can't get a hold of Lily," he finally said. He said she was waiting for a flight home from Chicago.

"Oh." He nodded. Dory said he'd gone to Chicago once. He'd never go again. It was a good thing he was with Finn then because he took care of the flight and the hotel. They'd gone for an audition at a symphony there. Neither one of them made it, but they'd seen the Christmas lights. Why was he rambling about this? Boone didn't care. Still, Dory found himself talking. Mainly, listening to himself. Thinking how he'd depended on Finn so much, and he didn't even know it then.

Dory hoped he didn't do this to Cedric. Of course, it was different. He was not fond of Finn to begin with but somehow they'd sufficed all these years. He guessed Finn thought he was a problem, to begin with.

"Would you teach  me how to drive?" Dory asked.

"Huh? Me?" Boone almost broke into laughter.

"Yeah, I want to get my driver's license." Dory nodded.

"Well, getting a license is easy," Boone did his best to bite a grin and yet Dory knew his mind was elsewhere. "It's the car insurance that comes with it that can be..well, life changing."

"Insurance?" Dory hadn't thought that far ahead. 

"Yeap, that's what adulting is all about. You need a good job. Need to keep a roof over your head. It's like this cycle you just can't get out of."

Dory winced. He pressed his lips tight. He stroked Madonna's silky black coat. She stretched her neck out as if she liked it best to be petted under her chin. She was purring then. Dory wished he was a cat. 

"Look, you're good with numbers, don't let this bring you down," Boone got up to make coffee. He mentioned he'd probably have to be at the airport at two in the morning. He made a pour-over for both of them. "Don't you want Cedric to teach you how to drive?"

"No." Dory shrugged back. "It might hurt our-" Well it could be a relationship if he let it, but maybe someday. "I think it has to be you." He finally got around to taking a sip of coffee.

"You know, it snowed last night," Boone told him as he was looking out the apartment window. Dory set up. 

"Well..."

"Oh no you don't," Boone grinned back at him. "I need something to take my mind off things. Let's do this."

Dory winced with regret.

"Look, I'll take you over to the empty parking lot at the church not far from here. It'll be safe. You need to drive in circles so you'll get used to driving in the snow and ice." Boone said that's the way he started out learning to drive.