Hate em' but disclaimers must be made. I do not, nor ever will, own Kingdom Hearts in any way, shape, or (Valor) form. But it goes without saying that if Squeenix did in fact give me Kingdom Hearts, I would accept. And it would be rated M, for obvious AkuRoku reasons. Plus, Marluxia would be half/fully naked most of the time because…. I have not valid reason. He just would.

The Night of Hollow's Eve

They say that Halloween is the time when people hide their true faces, but what happens when true feelings are found amongst the deceit?

~Chapter 1

I knew this was going to end badly. Every time I let my cousin drag me into one of his schemes, it either ended in his or my physical hurt.

Don't get me wrong, I had no other plans for Halloween, except maybe go trick-or-treating with Hayner, but going to one of Kairi's overcrowded Halloween parties was a recipe for disaster. I don't know what possessed her parents to always go out of town during Halloween, but she must be either very responsible around them, or very sneaky.

I remember last year's party. Someone had slipped my cousin, Sora, some ecstasy. He had been dancing on the tables, grinding against some unknown girl while I, too embarrassed to witness his little escapade, hid myself in the kitchen where my only company was a passed out youth and the appliances, both of which were quiet.

Unable to remember his embarrassment of year's past, he had set his steps next to me, following me home after school when he popped the question.

"Roxas, you're coming to Kairi's Halloween party this weekend, right?!" He almost pleaded, his blue eyes shining and brown hair flowing in the mid-autumn wind.

I shrugged and pulled my light jacket closer to me, "I don't know…"

"Aw, c'mon!" he begged, flashing me one of his killer smiles, "You have to go! Everyone will be there, and anyways, it won't be as much fun without you!"

Oh no, I'm sure it will, "Well, Hayner and I were going to go trick-or-treating." I stated.

Sora scoffed, "Trick-or-treating? Aren't you and Hayner a little old for that?"

I shrugged, "I guess."

"No," Sora said, outright, "You are going to that party! It will be loads of fun! You can still dress up, and bring Hayner with you!"

"You know I don't like big crowds…"

"How about big crowds of Senior and Collage girls?" Sora wiggled his eyebrows.

That's supposed to get me to come? "Well, in that case," I said, sarcastically.

"Aww, don't be like that. Please come. Not just for me…uh…Kairi really wants you to come too. She asked me to make sure you came."

Kairi. I knew she liked me. She also liked Riku, Sora's best friend. I had a hunch that she liked Sora, too. I found her fake innocence, where she bat her heavy eyelashes and giggled, completely revolting. I didn't know Riku's take on it. Sora found it hilarious.

My patience broke down, "Okay," I breathed, "Okay, I'll come."

Sora beamed, "Oh great! Thanks Roxie!"

I cringed at my nickname, "Yeah."

"So, I'll pick you up the day after tomorrow at about eight, alright? Make sure to have your costume," he winked.

I nodded and he took off, towards his own house, only a street down from mine. I allowed myself to frown, but enjoying my own company. The wind picked up a bit, causing me to shiver.

"Damn weather…" I whispered as my house came into view.

I opened the small black gate and stepped onto my mother's well-groomed lawn. Not a plant out of place, she always used to say. My feet tapped against the cobblestone walkway, numb and aching in protest.

A wave of warm air hit me as I opened my front door. I sighed in content as I rid myself of my jacket, making a mental note to take the heavier one when I go out again.

"Anyone home?" I called out.

Per usual, there was no answer. My father had walked out when I was born, probably because he was cheating

. My mother worked two jobs to try to keep us in upper-middle class. She was a nice woman who had made some bad choices before, but that also made her human. She was a good enough mother, but I just wished she was around more often. I wish I could trust her more.

I found her trademark note stuck to the fridge. I ripped it off with a huff and examined it.

Dear Roxas,

I will be out late tonight, me and the girls are going out for some well-needed fun. I left some pasta in the fridge you can heat up. I will also have to go in early tomorrow, Halloween weekend is really busy for the restaurant. I left some money for your costume on the counter. I love you so much!

~Mom

I sighed and crunched the note, throwing it in the trash. I scooped up the two twenties my mother left for me and shoved them in my pocket, trudging up the small flight of stairs to my bedroom.

I threw my backpack on the ground and kicked off my shoes, flopping onto my bed. I laid down, staring up at the ceiling, engrossed in my own thoughts. Nowadays, I didn't play video games anymore, or ride around on my skateboard, or even practice my Struggle techniques like I used to. The things I had once loved seemed to grow further and further from my grasp. I had just…lost interest in everything. Even my grades were slipping.

What did it ultimately matter anyways? Was I going to change my life and other lives around me by beating that latest level in Halo? Or finally defeating Seifer in a Struggle match? Or getting an A on my upcoming math test? I was going to die sooner or later, and would those things really make my life any better? Any fuller?

My outlook on life was becoming more and more cynical as the days passed. I had tried to self-diagnose myself. Was it depression? No, I had nothing to be depressed about. I had friends, I had a stable-enough home life, and I was getting a good education. What was there for me to be depressed about?

I had once tried to talk to Sora about this. He was the person I was closest to. We had, literally, been with each other our whole lives, my mother and my aunt, his mother, went into labor the same exact day. Sora was born only five minutes my senior. People constantly tell us we look almost exactly alike, asking if we're twins. I honestly didn't think he was taking my somewhat life-changing problem very seriously.

"Roxie, you just need to get laid," he had said, smiling.

I had sighed, "I don't think that is my problem, Sora…"

"No, no, listen to me. You need to find some really cute girl, like that new student…what's her name? Blonde hair? Likes to draw?"

"Naminé?" I questioned.

He nodded, "Yeah her, she's kinda quiet, just like you! And you're both blondes!" He smiled, apparently very pleased with himself.

I shook my head, "I don't like her that way, but Sora, you need to listen to me-,"

"I am listening, Roxie! And I truly think you just need someone. Someone to love~!" He began to sing, from the Queen song.

I had given up trying to talk to him, but his comment still lingered in the back of my head. Walking around Twilight Town and seeing the couples, linking hands and stealing kisses, didn't use to bother me, but nowadays, sent me into a somewhat zombie-like state. I felt like I was just going through the motions of life, not truly living.

I shook my head, clearing my thoughts.

"No, what you need is to go have some fun," I said aloud to myself. "Go back to the Usual Spot. You're never there anymore. Hayner, Pence, and Olette must think you hate them now. Go get a costume, go egg some houses, and god damn it, go to Kairi's stupid party! Be a teenager for once!"

I literally hopped off my bed, feeling in a lighter mood. I was about to walk down to get a soda when I remembered Vladimir.

"Oops, I almost forgot to feed you, didn't I?" I chuckled and walked back to my bedside table. There, swimming around feverently in a bowl, was my pet fish Vladimir. Sora had won him for me at the Twilight Town End-Of-Summer Festival last year.

I took out the fish flakes from the bottom drawer and sprinkled a few in his bowl, the multi-colored flakes littering the water's surface. I allowed myself a little smile as he ate them, getting his fill and letting the rest fall to the bottom of his bowl.

"You don't question whether or not your life is worth living," I whispered, my face falling into its now normal apathetic state, "You just live."