Same warnings as the last chapter. Question, would you guys be open to me doing a Jared X Evan one shot in the future? Thanks!

(Also it's probably really confusing, but I explained the ending in the comments!)

"Come on," Michael said, wiping his tears away before continuing. "We have to start level three."

Jeremy nodded his head before heading to the basement, grabbing Michael's wrist with his free hand. Jeremy raised his gun as the walked out into the hallway and down towards the basement.

Michael wiggles his wrist free and opened the door, turning on the basement light.

The room is instantly flooded with light, but it somehow still looked dark and cold.

As boys carefully stepped into the room, and the door slammed shut behind them, causing the boys to jump.

"W-w-well uh... I guess this is the final battle? But uh... I don't see anything."

"Me either." Michael said. "Wait, look at that!" He pointed over to the tv in the back, that was now glowing bright blue. Jeremy carefully stepped forward before Michael's hand stopped him.

"If we are trapped in a video game... I-I don't know what happens when you lose all of your lives, baby. You only have one heart left. I have two. Let me fight, okay? I'll get us out of here." Michael stood on his tip toes and kissed Jeremy's nose. "Okay?"

Jeremy let out a soft sigh. "Okay, but I'll be right here, okay? Please don't be too reckless."

"I won't." Michael promised. He then stepped forward towards the tv.

"Welcome to level three, boys. Care to play a game?"

Jeremy jumped back as the voice came back on. Suddenly the tv turned into an old school Donky Kong game, complete with the full old school designs on the side. The boys lowered their guns in awe before Michael stepped forward.

"What do I have to do?" Michael asked.

"To move on forward, you must reach a total of 3,000 points."

"Thanks weird voice thing!" Michael chirped sarcastically. "Okay," he turned towards Jeremy. "Hold my gun, I'll do this. I was always better at Donkey Kong anyway."

Whipping the sweat from his eyebrows, Michael finished his task. As soon as he reached 3,000 points exactly, the game vanished and was replaced with a blue, holographic figure.

"I-I-it can't be. No, Mikey got rid of you!"

"Yes Jeremy, it's me. Don't act so upset, we could be great together! All you have to do is-"

"Shut the hell up Squip." Michael pointed his gun at the Squip before firing, going directly through the monster.

"Oh, clever. Sadly, that doesn't hurt me, Michael."

"Your final task is to beat the final boss. Your weapons are on the wall, but only one may kill the final boss. Good luck."

The guns in their hands disappeared as the basement wall next to them was suddenly covered in all types of weapons. Guns, swords, bows, arrows... everything you could think of.

"Uh..." Jeremy's eyes scanned over everything he could see. There was so much to choose from, but only one would work? How would they find the one they needed?

"Clocks ticking boys." The Squip snapped his fingers and a chair appeared. He sat down and watched the boys intently.

"Oh! Michael, look at that one." Jeremy pointed to a red sword. Below it, there was a plaque describing the sword.

'Only those who's love are true,
May hold the sword of Red Mt. Dew'

The boys shared a glance before Michael grabbed the sword off the wall and pointed it at the Squip.

The Squips eyes widened as he realized what weapon they had chosen. "Wise choice. I'm impressed." He stood up, and the chair underneath him disappeared.

"Alright. Come on. Fight me."

Michael was about to charge at him, but Jeremy help him back and whispered in his ear. "Okay, why is he so calm about this? He wasn't... last time. I-I-I feel like he knows something that we don't..."

Michael pulled back and smiled. "We have the sword, what else could there be to destroy him?" He turned and walked slowly up to the Squip.

"I'm waiting, Michael."

Without hesitation, Michael swung the sword, aiming for the Squips neck. But instead of hitting the target, it just went through.

"W-w-what?" Jeremy stuttered out. "T-t-that's impossible!"

"Didn't you boys read the instructions? You have to have one heart to stop me, and one heart only." By this time, Michael had moved to stand beside Jeremy. "Anyone with more hearts doesn't hurt me."

Michael looked at Jeremy with fear in his eyes. "Please don't die." He gave him a quick peck on the lips before handing his boyfriend the sword.

Jeremy took the sword and held it high. "I have one heart. I can fight you."

The Squip grinned and snapped his fingers, making a blue, electric sword to appear in his hands.

They circled around each other, staring intensely before the Squip lunged at Jeremy's stomach. Reacting fast, Jeremy stabbed his sword directly into the Squips chest...

Just as the Squip did the same.

"JEREMY!" Jeremy could barely hear him over his own heart beat. Both fighters fell to the ground in puddles of blood. The Squips figure glitched and disappeared, leaving the two boys alone. Michael rushed over to Jeremy's side, tears ready forming.

"No, no, baby I'm sorry, please don't die, y-you can't die."

"Hey, n-no don't cry," Jeremy reached up and wiped Michael's tears away. "You'll get to escape. That's all that matters."

Game over

Jeremy's body started to fade away. "I love you."

Michael softly smiled at Jeremy. "I know." He buried his head into Jeremy's shoulder as he faded away.

Level One: Complete
Level Two: Complete
Level Three: Complete
Patch: Received

Michael woke up to his boyfriend poking him.

"Hey, Mikey, if we wanna get a head start on today, we better leave now. We're both fully charged." He paused. "Hey, are you okay?"

"Y-y-yeah, I just had a really weird dream."

"Oh yeah? What happened?" Jeremy asked as he started to pack up their small backpacks.

"It was weird... it started off in a world where like, you weren't in a video game, and apparently we were in 'my house', right? But it looked like first base! Just... brighter? And and, we received a package-"

"You mean like, the gifts the voice gives us to survive?"

"No, this one arrived at our house in a box with our names on it! And when you opened it, it was these weird things that you apparently had to put on to see video games. But like, once we put them on, we were 'trapped in a video game'. And get this, it was only three levels, and they looked exactly like our first three levels! It was so weird!" Michael grabbed his over-patched hoodie and jogged to catch up with Jeremy.

"Huh. That's probably the weirdest dream either of us has had. I wonder what caused it?" Jeremy stopped as the voice came back on.

Level One Hundred and Seventy Six: Activated.  You have been provided with the tools necessary to complete this level. Good luck.