The Last Level

Sam and Alex had been best friends since they were kids, growing up in a small town where the only real escape was through a screen. They bonded over their love for video games, spending countless hours huddled together, controllers in hand, saving fictional worlds and leveling up characters that often felt more real than the lives they led outside.

Now, at 30, their friendship was as strong as ever. But something had shifted. They both felt it, lingering in the background of every joke, every shared glance. They were both single—had been for what felt like forever—and it was starting to wear on them. They didn’t talk about it much, but the loneliness was there, creeping in like a dark cloud over their otherwise bright lives.

Sam was the quieter of the two, a bit more introspective. He had always been the one who found comfort in routine, in the familiar patterns of his life. Work, game, sleep, repeat. He had his own apartment, a modest place filled with gaming posters, action figures, and a carefully curated setup that could make any gamer jealous. But lately, he’d begun to feel like something was missing. He wanted more. More than just the virtual worlds he escaped to, more than just the comfort of a best friend who understood him better than anyone else.

Alex, on the other hand, was more outgoing, the kind of person who could strike up a conversation with anyone. He had tried dating here and there, but nothing ever stuck. He had his fair share of first dates that never led to seconds, of flirty messages that fizzled out into nothing. It was exhausting, and no amount of late-night gaming marathons could fully distract him from the fact that he was, for lack of a better word, lonely.

One Friday night, after a particularly frustrating session of matchmaking in their favorite shooter, Alex threw his controller down with a huff. “We’re never going to find anyone, are we?” he said, half-joking, half-serious.

Sam glanced over at him, his expression softening. “Maybe we’re just not looking in the right places,” he replied, though he wasn’t entirely convinced.

Alex sighed, leaning back against the couch. “Where else is there to look? We’ve tried dating apps, we’ve tried going out. It’s like… I don’t know, maybe we’re just not meant to find someone.”

“Don’t say that,” Sam said quickly. He hated the idea of Alex giving up. “We’ll find someone. It’s just… harder than it looks.”

“Yeah, maybe.” Alex was quiet for a moment before he looked over at Sam, a thought occurring to him. “You know, we’ve never really… tried looking together.”

Sam raised an eyebrow, confused. “What do you mean?”

“I mean, we’re always doing our own thing when it comes to dating. What if we tried something different? Like, I don’t know, going out as a team?”

Sam considered this, turning the idea over in his mind. It wasn’t the worst idea he’d ever heard. “I guess that could work,” he said slowly. “But how would that even…?”

Alex cut him off with a grin. “I don’t know, but we’ve conquered harder levels together. What’s one more?”

The idea took root, and over the next few weeks, they started going out together—not just to bars or clubs, but to places where they could meet new people who shared their interests. They went to gaming conventions, joined local LGBTQ+ groups, and even started hosting small get-togethers at Sam’s apartment, inviting friends and acquaintances over for game nights.

It wasn’t an instant fix, and it didn’t magically solve their loneliness. But it did bring them closer in a way they hadn’t expected. They were each other’s wingman, cheering each other on through the awkwardness of new connections, laughing off the failed attempts, and celebrating the small victories.

One night, after a particularly successful game night where they had met a few new people, Sam found himself alone with Alex in the kitchen. He watched as Alex laughed at something one of their new friends had said, a lightness in his expression that Sam hadn’t seen in a long time.

And then it hit him. Maybe, just maybe, the person he’d been looking for wasn’t out there somewhere, but right here, beside him all along.

“Hey, Alex?” Sam said, his voice quieter than usual.

“Yeah?” Alex turned to him, still smiling.

“Maybe we’ve been looking in the wrong places,” Sam said, his heart pounding. “Maybe… we’re not meant to find someone because we already have.”

Alex blinked, the words sinking in. And then, slowly, a smile spread across his face, soft and warm. “Yeah,” he said, his voice barely above a whisper. “Maybe you’re right.”

They didn’t need to say anything more. The next level was theirs to conquer—together.