Archive of Our Own ^beta

Chapter Text

“Oh, hello Ryoutarou!” Naomi said cheerfully as Ryoutarou entered the DenLiner with Kohana, standing on a table to fix…something. 

“Stickers, stickers, glow-in-the-dark stickers!” Ryuutaros sang as he skipped around. “Hey Ryoutarou, you should help us! Since stinky Momo-chan won’t.” 

“Help with what?” Ryoutarou asked in confusion. 

“Ryuuta had the idea to put up glow-in-the-dark stickers in the cafe car,” Urataros explained. 

“Which is stupid,” Momotaros muttered as he attempted to drink his coffee. 

Kintaros probably would have had something to say if he were not asleep. 

“I think I’d look lovely under a night sky,” Sieg said, having come in with some fanfare. 

Kohana located the pack of glow-in-the-dark stars, the kind that used a bit of putty to stick, and pushed them in Ryoutarou’s hand. 

“You can make them like constellations, since the Milk Dipper is start themed,” she said. 

“I didn’t do that though,” Ryoutarou tried to say. He was ignored, though, so he sighed and started putting up the stars, trying for a few basic constellations but mostly putting them up randomly on the walls. Kintaros held him up so he could put them on the ceiling, which ended up in a 5 Imagin heap somehow, with coffee spilled over them to boot. Ryoutarou also somehow got putty in his hair , because of course he did. Ryuutaros had to be stopped from putting them on his fellow Imagins, while Kohana put some on Naomi’s counter.  

Still, when Naomi turned off the lights, everyone oohed and aahed. Even Owner seemed pleased. 

Ryoutarou could only hope that Ryuutaros’ other ideas were as good as this one. 

Chapter Text

“Only you, you know that?” Kengo said exasperatedly yet fondly, taking the package of glow-in-the-dark stars out of Gentarou’s hands. Gentarou’s smile, already big, grew broader. 

“I knew you’d like them!”

Kengo elected to ignore that, wondering how he was going to get them on the ceiling, when he felt himself getting lifted onto Gentarou’s shoulders. 

“There you go, Kengo!” 

“Wait, let me get a pencil so I can put them up as accurately as possible,” Kengo said, patting his boyfriend’s head to get him to put him down.  

“Going to make constellations?” Gentarou asked as he instead grabbed a pencil for Kengo, passing it up. 

“Well, yeah, you’re the space Kamen Rider, you have to have an accurate night sky,” Kengo said, bemused. 

Gentarou just made a little pleased noise, obediently following Kengo’s instructions as Kengo did his best to make their apartment ceiling as close to accurate as possible. 

When all the stars were placed, Gentarou put Kengo down and got out a different set of glow-in-the-dark stickers, placing them haphazardly on the walls. These ones were just spaceships and shooting stars, and Gentarou looked ridiculously happy sticking them up. 

Pictures were taken and sent to the other members of their former high school club, Gentarou just on this side of smug. 

Kengo wasn’t sure how he got so lucky. 

Chapter Text

Shizuka didn’t understand how someone seven years older than her could be so afraid of…everything. But that was Wataru for you. And if someone was going to get him used to everyday life, she might as well be the one. 

One of the problems was that his house was just too big for one person, and dark and lonely. She thought about it, and came upon a solution. 

“What are you doing?” Wataru asked nervously, watching as Shizuka got down from a chair. 

“Making this place more livable, because someone has to.” 

“Oh…okay,” Wataru said. 

“Here, take some, put them where you want,” Shizuka ordered, handing him a fresh pack of the glow-in-the-dark stickers she had bought with her allowance. “You don’t need a lot of putty to get it to stick.” 

Wataru took it, looking at the bag in confusion. Shizuka sighed, taking it out of his hands, ripping it open and demonstrating how to put the stickers up. 

“Now put them up! This house is too gloomy.” 

Wataru obediently stuck them on the walls and ceiling in various rooms, much to Shizuka’s satisfaction. 

“Hey, it’s glowing in here!” Kivat-Bat the Third said. 

“Mhm, Shizuka-chan said I had to put them up,” Wataru explained. 

“It looks nice, make sure to thank her!’ 

Wataru was slightly alarmed, but nodded. Right, thanking people. Something else he had to work on. Still, the stars were nice. He made a mental note to thank her before getting out his violin, wondering if it would sound better in the glowing light. 

It did. 

Chapter Text

No matter what World they were in, Natsumi’s room remained the same, a constant the four of them could rely on. Sometimes Yuusuke and Daiki would have their own rooms, sometimes there was only the one guest bedroom that they’d share with Tsukasa. It didn’t matter how many bedrooms there were though, because most of the time, the four of them slept in the same bed, whether the “guest” bed, Natsumi’s, or the extra one(s) provided by the World. 

Yuusuke liked Natsumi’s room best, though. Her room still had glow-in-the-dark stickers from when she was a child, and when he couldn’t sleep, the dimming lights were comforting. 

Right now, he was on the verge of falling asleep, looking up at the stars on the ceiling. Natsumi was curled up on him, hands clutching his pjs, as it was a cold night and he was warm. Tsukasa was on his left, his arm thrown around the both of them, reaching for Daiki, who was on Yuusuke’s right, his arm in a similar position. Everyone’s legs were tangled together, and Yuusuke knew from experience he’d probably wake up with his legs tingling. But that was okay. Tsukasa was snoring, Natsumi was murmuring slightly in her sleep, while Daiki was silent like always. The stars, so small and yet so comforting, faded from view as Yuusuke fell asleep, right where he belonged. 

Chapter Text

Ankh was not Shingo, Hina knew. Ankh was 800 years old and the living embodiment of desire. His true form was a bird kaijin, not her brother with red hair and eyeliner. He had chosen Shingo’s body because it was convenient, nothing more. He liked to complain about anything and everything, although popsicles sure shut him up. Hina hadn’t been quite sure how Eiji had tolerated him so much until she learned more of his back story. 

Learning more of Ankh’s backstory meant she couldn’t help but feel sorry for him, as well. She wanted to do something nice for him, something he could sneer at if he wanted to. 

She stared at her ceiling, wondering what she could do. This wasn’t the place she grew up in, and sometimes she missed the glow-in-the-dark stars Shingo had put up for her to help comfort her…wait! She made a mental note and fell asleep. 

The next day, she checked with Chiyoko to make sure it was okay for her to put up glow-in-the-dark stars in her attic. Getting the okay, she carefully navigated the room and stuck them where she could. She didn’t dare touch Ankh’s nest, but she put quite a few up above Eiji’s bed. 

When Ankh saw her the day after that, he tch-ed, but scowled when she suggested he take them down. And that was all she could ask for. 

Chapter Text

Ian tried to ignore King scaling the walls of the Spirit Base, although it was a bit hard when King was singing about shooting stars in a non-indoor voice. 

“What is King-dono doing?” Ucchi asked Ian, puzzlement clear on his face. 

“Don’t ask me, I was just going to do some research on a dig but someone is being weird. Again.” 

“He’s putting up glow-in-the-dark stickers, I checked,” Souji said, putting his backpack next to him. 

“Is this place ever dark ?” Ian asked in disbelief. 

Souji shrugged. Ian’s question was answered when the Spirit Base turned dark except for the stars now stuck everywhere . 

“Wow! It looks cool in here!” Amy’s voice could barely be heard over King’s cheering. 

When the lights came on, Ucchi was looking at the stickers in fascination, and King was promising to get him some if he wanted. Ian groaned, wondering if he could get Torin to get King to like, not or if Torin was just going to like it. 

Probably the latter. Gah. 

Chapter Text

Gai was shopping with Doc when he saw them. Glow-in-the-dark stars, perfect for a little gift for Luka, who had been sulking over not getting jewelry the last few shopping sprees. He bought them separate, with his own money, so that Doc wouldn’t have a heart attack over expenses. 

When he presented them to Luka, she was very confused. He had to demonstrate how they worked, and how they let off less light over time, but would glow brightly again if you shined a light on them. She compared them to something on her home planet, and immediately went to cover her room with them, showing them off to the rest of the Gokaigers when they got back from whatever they were doing. 

What Gai wasn’t expecting was a frowning Joe. So he had to go get some for Joe too. He even found some sword ones. 

And then Marvelous sent him away for stars for his room.  

And Ahim was wistful in Luka’s room. Gai found little glow-in-the-dark crowns for her as well. 

At that point, Gai bought some for Doc and himself. And for the common room. 

And apparently the crow’s nest. 

Huh. 

Chapter Text

Banjou finished folding the blanket up, dusting his hands when he was done. For once , he had actually sold everything that Sento had invented. That meant there was a little extra cash, then. 

He wandered the flea market, vaguely thinking of buying something for himself when his eyes caught on a vendor that sold packs of glow-in-the-dark stickers. Instead of the usual stars, they were specialty packs. There were crowns and castles, dogs and cats, fruits and vegetables. But the one that interested Banjou was the one that had various science thingamabobs. Beakers, hexagons, math symbols, even little lab coats. A little expensive, but Banjou had gotten better at bargaining, and managed to get them for a price he could actually afford. 

---

“I’m back,” Banjou called. 

“Welcome home,” Sento called back from where he was sitting at his computer. “Did you get what we needed?” 

“Yeah, and since I even managed to sell everything , I got you something.” 

“YOU sold everything? Aren’t I a genius to be able to make things that sell?” 

Banjou rolled his eyes. “And here I thought I wanted to give these to you.” 

“Give me what?” 

“Don’t worry about it,” Banjou said, knowing Sento was about to get up in his personal space. Sure enough, Sento got up and made a grab for the bags in Banjou’s hands, which he whisked away. 

Sento pouted before going back to his computer. “Whatever you got, I bet it won’t interest a genius like me .” 

Banjou threw the pack at Sento’s head, knowing that Sento was just being childish, unable to resist being childish in return. 

“Glow-in-the-dark stickers?” 

“If you don’t want them, I’ll go take them--”

“Nonsense, they’re going up right now.” 

Chapter Text

“Did you two get permission to do this?” Kiriya asked, bemused, as Parad and Nico set up glow-in-the-dark stickers, mostly of video game characters, in the break room of the CR. 

“Like Haima-san is gonna care,” Nico said with a shrug. “And what’s Hiiro gonna do? Sneer at us?” 

“Emu, look, Pac-Man!” Parad said as the pediatrician entered the CR, teleporting over and grabbing Emu’s wrist, dragging him to look. 

“Oh, cool!” Emu said. “Where’d you get these?” 

“The arcade,” Nico and Parad said in unison. 

“We won a bunch of tickets and they were offering them as prizes,” Nico explained.  “It’s not like they’re very visible if it’s light in here anyway, but it fits your guys’ theme and all.” 

“Let’s see how it looks when the lights are off!” Parad said impatiently. 

Kiriya was closest to the switch, and flipped it off, letting out a whistle when the stickers showed up. There was Tetris, Pac-Man, and all of the games represented by the Doctors, as well as a few others. 

“Ooooh, pretty!” Poppy said, materializing from her game.

“Are you done or am I going to have take my break in the dark?” Hiiro’s dry voice asked. 

“Keep your pants on, we’re gonna turn them on in a sec, let me just get some pics,” Nico shot back. “Also, you can always go see Taiga if you want a break.” 

Kiriya decided to leave before that argument went on further. 

Chapter Text

Hant looked around the tiny space where he’d now be sleeping. Somehow there was 5 places in the RV, but it was quite cramped. Which was fine, Hant wasn’t complaining, but it was different. Gunpei had claimed the top bunk, which meant he was going to be on the same level as Renn. Saki had her own little alcove in the same room, perpendicular to the boys. 

“It’s not much, but it’s what we have,” Renn said apologetically, giving Hant a green blanket and Gunpei a black one. 

“It’s great,” Hant replied, running his fingers through the fabric. 

“You should see it at night,” Saki said with a grin. 

“Just! Saki was a bit uncomfortable in here so I put up some glow-in-the-dark stars,” Renn explained. “I thought it would help us all feel a little better.” 

Indeed, the glow of the stickers were comforting as Hant spent his first night in Ginjiro, allowing him to relax and fall asleep, preparing him for his life as a hero. 

Chapter Text

For having never expecting to get into cooking, Touma couldn’t imagine doing anything else now, even though he had had to change places several times now. French cooking was always appreciated in Japan, and he had no reason to change that. 

Especially when the person he was dating was just ridiculously French. 

“What are you doing?” Touma asked one day when he was preparing the kitchen, as Noel was busy putting something on the walls. 

“Ah, I figured I could help decorate in here a little bit! It’s so lovely in here in the day, but in the evenings it’s a bit dim, non ?” 

“So you’re putting up fairy lights?” 

“Something a little different! Glow-in-the-dark stickers!” Noel said with a beaming smile. “Kairi-kun and Umika-chan came up with the idea when I mentioned it!”

Touma had no idea what that meant in terms of “is this a prank or something actually helpful”, but figured it didn’t really matter. A bit of extra light might look nice, but he’d have to make sure Noel didn’t overdo it. 

(In the end, he left about half of the ones Noel had strewn across the walls and ceiling up. It did look nice, but too many made everyone look green.) 

Chapter Text

Haruto came over to Hungry’s, hoping that he wouldn’t be asked to try some stupid new special. However, instead of Owner and the assistant making donuts, they were standing in front of the van, and Owner was making scolding noises. 

“What’s going on?” Haruto asked, coming over. 

“If it isn’t our favorite customer!” Owner said, grinning. “Look, we’re making our van fancier for night time!” 

Indeed, there were tiny glow-in-the-dark stickers stuck on the van. 

“Very nice,” Haruto said with a nod. 

“So what can we get you?” Owner asked. “We have a very nice--”

“Plain sugar,” Haruto interrupted. 

Two twin sighs before Haruto got his donuts, which he accepted with a grin and a salute goodbye. 

Chapter Text

Zox had seen countless Worlds, and stolen from quite a few of them. He had slept on different beds, with people who looked much stranger than the Kikainoids. He had seen many a different ceiling, that was the point. 

But Kaito’s was different. 

Kaito’s had little glow-in-the-dark stickers on it. Which was so funny to Zox, for some reason. Kaito could just as easily go outside and look at the real stars. Hell, Zox could take him on his ship and show him up close and personal! 

Well, actually, not at the moment. Because at the moment, Zox was trapped by Kaito’s arm over him, as the two of them were sharing the bed. The room was filled with Kikainoid snoring and Kaito’s ridiculous sleep talk, since Zox was forced to sleep at Colorful for the time being. 

Still, with the little stars and Kaito being warm, Zox fell asleep, sprawling over the other young man with no remorse. 

Chapter Text

Takeru knew something was up when Ryuunosuke looked ready to explode, frantically explaining something to the Kuroko outside of his room with jerky movements. The other Shinkengers were there too, Chiaki looking like he wanted to laugh, Mako looking vaguely annoyed, and Kotaha looking confused, with Genta nowhere to be found. 

“Is something the matter?” Takeru asked when he reached them. 

“Gen-san put glow-in-the-dark stickers in our rooms and Ryuunosuke here is having a heart attack about it,” Chiaki explained, poking Ryuunosuke in the side and getting a squawk out of the Blue. 

“To be fair to Ryuunosuke, it is…a lot of stickers,” Mako sighed. “The lighting is green when the lights are out.” 

“I like them,” Kotoha offered with a smile. 

Takeru rubbed his temples. This was going to be a long argument. 

Chapter Text

“What are you even doing here this late?” Haruka asked Saruhara, looking past him to the darkness of evening. 

“You’re open, are you not?” he pointed out. 

“Master’s not even here.” 

“Hey, you guys are here!” Jirou said, bouncing into Cafe Donbura. “What are those?” 

Haruka and Saruhara looked to where Jirou was pointing. A pack of glow-in-the-dark stickers had fallen out of Haruka’s backpack. 

“Oh, those. They were from the school festival, we didn’t even end up using them,” Haruka explained. 

“I bet they’d look nice in here!” Jirou said enthusiastically. 

Haruka’s instinct was to argue, but he had a point. 

“Let’s put them up, Saruhara-san, you’re tall, you can put them up high for us.” 

The three of them put up stickers before Haruka declared the cafe closed. Proud of their handiwork, they left in three different directions, promptly forgetting about the stickers once out of eyesight of the cafe. 

(Well Jirou and Saruhara had the luxury of forgetting. Haruka was forced to take them down by Master.) 

Chapter Text

“Iya~, where are they?” Wagon asked, bringing the cart into the dining room and discovering no Toqgers were there yet. 

“We gave them glow-in-the-dark stickers, to keep up their IMAAAAAAAGINAAAAAAATIOOOON!” Conductor explained. “So they’re decorating their cars.” 

“Oh, how fun! I want to see!” 

Right cheerfully opened the door at Wagon’s knock, and it was a mess of stars and shapes all over. 

Tokacchi was in the middle of trying to figure out where he wanted his stickers.

Mio was putting stars evenly on the ceiling.

Hikari was mapping out actual constellations, and was annoyed at Wagon for interrupting him.

Kagura had little constellations of whatever she wanted, such as a crown, a fish, a cake, and other such things. 

Wagon decided she wanted stickers, as well. 

Chapter Text

“Cap, Juggler’s here,” one of Naomi’s boys—the one without glasses—called, moving out of the way to let Juggler into the new SSP office. 

“Thanks, Jetta, Gai! Juggler’s here!” 

“Oh, Gai’s here too?” Juggler muttered. Of course. He frankly had no idea what he should do, having come over out of what he wanted to call boredom but was having a sinking feeling that it was something closer to fondness. 

“Here, you can place these wherever you want.” Naomi placed a pack of…something into Juggler’s hands. 

“Not in my corner! None!” 

“Okay, no on Shin’s section, but anywhere else.” 

“What, exactly, are these?” Juggler held the packet up to eye level. 

“Cap and I found them and thought since we have a new office now, why not?” 

“Has this song been playing multiple times?” Gai interrupted, a frown directed at the speaker on one of the desks. 

“Hey! Respect Miley Cyrus-san!” 

“Do my ears deceive me? Kurenai Gai is questioning another person’s music taste?” 

“It’s a song about Malibu!” protested Not-Glasses. 

“Y’know, no one has answered my question on what these are,” Juggler reminded the group. 

“They’re glow-in-the-dark stickers,” Glasses guy explained. “You put a little putty on them and they’ll stick to the walls or ceiling.” 

“And you’re entrusting me with this task?” 

“Unless you want to help me, Gai, and Jetta with this bookshelf!” Naomi said cheerfully. 

“...no, I think ‘stickers’ is fine, actually.” 

Chapter Text

“Gou,” Kiriko said.

Gou kept singing, and it wasn’t any surprise that he didn’t hear Kiriko, because his headphones were so loud that Kiriko could hear the sound of music coming from them. 

She tapped his shoulder instead, and he whipped around. 

“Neechan!” 

“Gou, I’m glad for your help, but if you put too many of these on the walls, the baby won’t be able to sleep!”

“Aw, come on, they look cool!” 

She took the bag of glow-in-the-dark stickers from him. “Stop.” 

Gou pouted and Kiriko relented, just a little. 

“Go put them in the Drive Pit. Especially on Krim’s holder.” 

Gou’s grin turned absolutely mischievous. “Alright, see you later, Neechan!” 

Kiriko let herself smile as she imagined Krim’s reaction. Well, it served him right. 

Chapter Text

“Everyone, since we’ll be heading into town soon, if you want anything for your room, give me a list!” Raptor announced. 

“Oh, sweet, I want more of those climber things,” Hammie said. 

“Write it down!” 

“Yeah, yeah, I will.” 

“I do need fresh sand,” Stinger mused. 

“I want glow-in-the-dark stickers,” Kotaro added. 

“Oh? What are those?” Balance asked, leaning on Naga’s shoulder. 

“...exactly what the sound like? Usually star-shaped, you put them on the ceiling and walls.” 

“Sounds like we should get some too, then, right Naga?” 

Naga nodded, looking angry, which made Hammie laugh. 

“I said, write it down! Or you won’t get it!” Raptor reminded them. 

“Okyu!!”

Chapter Text

“Uncle Shou! Uncle Philip! Guess what?” Haruna shouted as she entered the detective agency.

“What?” Shoutarou asked, putting his report away before Haruna decided to type over it (again), or use it for drawing (also again).

“Mommy bought me glow-in-the-dark stickers! Isn't that cool?”

Philip, of course, chose that moment to come out of the Garage. 

“What kind of stickers?”

“Glow-in-the-dark ones! We're gonna put them on the ceiling!”

“Oh no,” Shoutarou groaned, recognizing the look in his partner's eyes. 

(By the time the week was over, glow-in-the-dark stickers were all over the Garage walls, glow stick powder was apparently never coming out of the couch, and Philip had been denied glow-in-the-dark fish.)

Chapter Text

Hikawa rung the doorbell, wondering why no one was answering. 

“Coming, coming!” Shouichi’s cheerful voice came after the third bell. “Ah, Hikawa-san! What brings you here!” 

If Hikawa was being honest, the reason for his coming had flown out of his head the second he saw a glow-in-the-dark star sticker stuck to Shouichi’s hair. 

Hikawa reached out before yanking his hand back, Shouichi glancing up to where Hikawa was looking. 

“Oh! Must have fallen down, Taichi and I are decorating his room with them, did you ever have them in your room, Hikawa-san?” he asked as he tugged the sticker out. 

“No, I didn’t.” 

“That’s no good, Hikawa-san! You can take some if you want, put them in the SAUL office!” 

Hikawa opened and closed his mouth, unsure how to react to that, before remembering why, exactly he had come. 

“May I come in?” 

“Of course, of course!” 

Chapter Text

“What. Are you doing.” Ren sighed as he came into the shared room and found Shinji standing on a chair. 

Shinji yelped, clearly not expecting Ren to be in the doorway. 

“Ren! Maybe you can help, I’m not tall enough,” Shinji explained with a pout. 

“Help with what, exactly?” 

“To put up these glow-in-the-dark stickers my editor gave me!” 

“Why’d he give you glow-in-the-dark stickers in the first place.” 

“Said he found them in a drawer! Shimada-san and Megumi-san took the rest.” 

Ren stared at him. 

“No.” 

“Ren!” 

“No.” 

“Ready?” 

“Ready.” 

Shimada put her hands together and Megumi stepped on them so she could get through the window. Megumi got inside and helped Shimada in, the two of them giggling as they tiptoed through the Kitaoka household. 

“How long do you think it’ll take them to notice?” Shimada mused as she stuck the stickers Okubo had given them on various surfaces. 

“Knowing Shuuichi, not long at all. But this is payback for Reiko-san, so he deserves it.” 

They used up the bag and snuck out the way they had come in, nearly getting caught by Goro but managing to give him the slip. 

Chapter Text

“Here, Hajime! These will help your room be less lonely!” Amane said, pressing a bag into Hajime’s hands. “And then we’ll match!” 

Hajime brought the bag up to eye level, finding it was a bag of glow-in-the-dark stickers, star-shaped. 

“Less...lonely?” 

Amane sighed loudly, putting her hand in Hajime’s and dragging him to his room. 

“They just need a little putty, see?” she demonstrated and stuck one one the wall. 

Bemused, he stuck them where she said to, wondering why humans had come up with such a thing in the first place. 

Chapter Text

Ishiro knew Sakito was up to SOMETHING, since his senses were of course honed to be attune to that sort of thing, even when a person had super speed, but because of said super speed, he wasn’t entirely sure what he was doing. 

It wasn’t helping that Mira had definitely been sent to distract him when he got up to talk to Sakito, her voice just a little too loud to be natural. Or that Genba was smirking at the ceiling, his mouth around a weirdly light green-yellow lollipop. 

The sensor went off and they all left the base, Ishiro determined to check the cameras once they were back. 

Of course, it wasn’t necessary to check said cameras when the base was lit up with a bunch of cheap glow-in-the-dark stickers and Sakito was looking so damn pleased with himself.