Knowing Me, Knowing You

The Last Chapter

Carter shut off the lights to the boutique, exiting to lock the doors. Dante stood beside them and waited for them to walk to the car. After five years, the two had finally created Andromeda and turned it into an actual boutique in the Fashion District of Chicago. While there may have only been one physical store, the online store was a huge success.

After graduating from the Illinois Institute of Art, the two created their own fashion empire. It was all due in part to singers like Adam Lambert and Sam Smith wearing their clothes on stage. Soon, everyone wanted to wear what they wore, causing the store to constantly grow. Soon, they'd have their own stores in malls and fashion outlets all over the country.

"Come on. They're all waiting for us," Dante said as he slid into the driver's seat.

"It's just the six of us tonight, right?"

"Yeah. Ryan wanted to have a little private triple date with all of us before he had his big party at SPECTRUM."

Since Ryan had graduated with a Bachelors in Business, he'd been working with other nonprofit charities dealing with the LGBTQ+ community before he and Regina had formed SPECTRUM. Soon, SPECTRUM and Andromeda would become partners in donating half their proceeds to said charity. It'd been a deal five years in the making, but it was well worth it to everyone involved.

"How much pain do you think Ryan's in?"

"Not sure. I do know he'd been taking a lot of pain medication, so he should be good. Last time I saw him, he wasn't loopy or anything. He can't exactly reach above his head, but he's had a clean recovery."

"That's good. I was worried about him."

"Just don't take it personally if he doesn't hug you. His chest is still sensitive."

"I'm really happy he was able to get chest surgery. I don't know many people who had to transition the bottom first. But now he's fully transitioned. It must be the best feeling in the world."

"I'm super happy for him. He deserves it."

After a twenty minute drive to Ryan and Regina's apartment, the two arrived with a bottle of wine each. "Oh, thank you," Regina cooed as she led them inside.

Ryan and Regina dated for two years before he asked her to marry him. She instantly agreed and they were married just four months later. It was a small courthouse wedding with Carter as their witness and then a party with their close friends and family right after. They had plans to adopt children soon, but they were waiting for the right time for them both. Though they were sure it would be sometime soon.

Trevor and Ryan talked on the couch, and they stopped when Trevor looked up to smile at his husband. One year after graduating, Dante and Trevor eloped in Punta Cana, taking their own personal vacation away from everyone to make it all about them. Everyone was mad when they came back and told them the news, but no stayed mad for too long.

Ryan patted Trevor's leg as he stood up to greet Carter. Despite the difficulty of talking to each other after everything that happened with Jessica, Trevor and Ryan managed to talk everything out and explain what happened. While Ryan was upset about him leading his prior best friend on for so long, he understood where he came from. After five years of remaining in each other's lives, it was no surprise that they managed to become friends.

However, no one was better best friends in their group of six than Carter and Ryan. With Ryan staying in their hometown to go to community college, he and Regina would go back to their old high school to help form the GSA. He'd constantly tell Carter all about what happened, and they came back once a month for a weekend to attend a meeting, as well as see their parents.

Whenever Carter was back in town, the two would go out to dinner and talk, and vice versa whenever Ryan would visit them. Though he didn't start visiting until Carter moved out of the dorms and into Xander's apartment. It made sense for them to live together, and they took their relationship slowly, day by day.

"It's good to see you. Come in the kitchen with me," he instructed. "Xander's out grabbing our dinner since Regina burnt it."

"I'm sorry!" she called out, and the two laughed.

"It's okay, babe," he assured. "Anyway, I was wondering if you were still planning on proposing."

After being together for five years, Carter and Xander were the only couple who hadn't gotten married yet. Due to his intense relationship anxiety, Carter promised to take things slow. However, it was obvious to everyone that he was planning to propose to them soon, but Carter wanted to be the one to do it first.

Pulling a diamond ring out of their pocket, they nodded. "Are you sure you don't mind me stealing your thunder tonight?"

"I'd be honored if you'd propose tonight. You have my full support on this," he assured.

"I'm back!" Xander called out as he stepped into the apartment, carrying two large bags of takeout. When he spotted Carter in the kitchen, he stopped moving as he smiled at them. They remained hypnotized as they smiled back, unable to look away from his eyes. In the five years they were together, they'd never stopped loving each other. Their feelings only continued to grow, and they knew both their feelings would grow even more once they got down on one knee.

So they took a deep breath, squeezed Ryan's hand, and walked up to Xander as they showed him the ring.