Rare Pair Week 2025
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Listing Series
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Day 1: The Sunbearer and his Ice Queen (Paint my Skin with your Love) by DawnDuchess
Fandoms: 今際の国のアリス | Imawa no Kuni no Alice | Alice in Borderland (TV)
27 Jul 2025
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Summary
When Niragi asked him to be his canvas for an important project, Karube, true to his 'Never say no to time spent with Suguru'-agenda, agreed with neither hesitation nor registering what that implies.
Clearly he hadn't thought it through - or understood that 'body painting' entails being almost naked. With Niragi up close. Staring down at him intensely and with that concentrated frown that has his knees going weak.
*TL;DR: Karube is absolutely and irrevocably in love with his best friend. Also fucked. Metaphorically (for now, at least).
Fic for the Rare Pair Week: Day 1, Karube/Niragi, Friends to Lovers, Heat Wave
Series
- Part 1 of Rare Pair Week 2025
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Day 2: The Golden Hellhound, The Silver Sparrow and The Emerald Inquisitor (Oh, and a Ruby Red Stone to rule them all) by DawnDuchess
Fandoms: 今際の国のアリス | Imawa no Kuni no Alice | Alice in Borderland (TV)
28 Jul 2025
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Summary
“I am aware you are indebted with a tremendous sum, Karube-san. And that you can barely manage to keep … The Golden Hellhound afloat.”
Karube’s breath hitches, his heart picking up speed.-
"All you have to do is run a few little errands for us and we’ll pay off the sum.”
Karube snorts. Nothing ever comes without a price to it.“There’s a catch.”
“There is always a catch.” Sato’s smile has a certain edge to it. “The errands aren’t exactly of the … legal sort.”-
“It’s 6…” Karube looks at his watch. “7.06?! Fuck, I need to be there at 8!”
“Where?”
“There!” Karube waves the paper in front of Arisu’s face.
“Where’s there??”
“I don’t know! That’s why I need your riddle brain!”*
Karube, indepted and everyone's favorite Golden Retriever to flirt with, stumbles into some shady business, Niragi is adamant about keeping said business and potential pleasure separated (for now) and Kuzuryu has a thing for handcuffs - and a very plot relevant Ruby Red Stone locked away in his mansion. Time to steal Hea- uh, the Stone, of course!
Fic for the Rare Pair Week: Day 2, Karube/Kuzuryu/Niragi, No Borderland AU, (Fantasy)
Series
- Part 2 of Rare Pair Week 2025
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Day 3: The King of the Courtroom, his Sun and the Demons lurking in the Shadows (In your Arms, I find Comfort) by DawnDuchess
Fandoms: 今際の国のアリス | Imawa no Kuni no Alice | Alice in Borderland (TV)
29 Jul 2025
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Summary
“Can I..-” His gaze flickers to his lips, the urge to share the same breath, to melt into him in a warm embrace bordering on unbearable. “...kiss you?”
“Of course.” Kuzuryu gives him a slow smile. “You never have to ask that, Darling.”
Words spoken out so soft and reassuringly - like a direct slap to his face. He averts his eyes, feeling stupid for asking. Why did I ask? Of course there’s no reason to--
“Remember what I asked this morning? About … kissing you?”
“I do remember, yes?” Kuzuryu nods, his tone soft and unobtrusive.
“I asked ‘cause I'd never want to assume. Or make you feel uncomfortable. I asked ‘cause I..-“ His voice cracks, his heartbeat a mind-numbing thud thud thud in his ears. “Cause I wish others in the past would have asked before kissing…” He swallows. “Or touching… me. In places I- I didn’t feel comfortable with.”*
Kuzuryu's recent court case brings old, uncomfortable memories to the fore inside Niragi. Maybe it's time to finally open up about some of his past relationship experiences.
Fic for the Rare Pair Week: Day 3, Kuzuryu/Niragi, Marriage (Married), Confessions, "Secrets" Revealed
Series
- Part 3 of Rare Pair Week 2025
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Day 4: The King and his Little Diamond (Like Sand in an Hourglass, trickling down) by DawnDuchess
Fandoms: 今際の国のアリス | Imawa no Kuni no Alice | Alice in Borderland (TV)
30 Jul 2025
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Summary
The message vanished, making space for a map.
11 white lights, scattered all across Shibuya.
One red light, hovering above the Supreme Court.
One last button, separating safety from duty.
One last task to fulfill.
The hardest.
Like sending out soldiers into a suicide mission.“We will never end. We are Kings, Kei.”
*
Watching the downfall of his fellow Face Cards, Kuzuryu takes a few last moments to reevaluate the decisions and emotions that led him to this point.
Fic for the Rare Pair Week: Day 4, Kuzuryu/Kyuma, Goodbyes
Series
- Part 4 of Rare Pair Week 2025
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Day 5: The sick Doctor and his two lovely Nurses (Because godammit, Chishiya: Take a fucking break!) by DawnDuchess
Fandoms: 今際の国のアリス | Imawa no Kuni no Alice | Alice in Borderland (TV)
31 Jul 2025
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Summary
“You’re burning up.”
“I just showered. Hot.” Lie.
“You have a fever.”
“I merely have a sunburn-”
“Su gets sunburns, you do not,” Kuina states unimpressed, “Now to bed with you or I’m gonna call the cavalry.”-
“I have coffee,” Niragi lifts the right hand with the cup, “or the wooden cooking spoon … uh, with a bit of egg and bacon sticking to it." He lifts said spoon. “I can appease you with coffee and then you listen to Hikari or I can hunt you through the apartment with the spoon until you listen to her. What will it be?”
*
TL;DR: Chishiya is sick with the flu, Kuina and Niragi are sick of his stubbornness to ignore his need for rest - and decide to nurse him back to life, if he wants or not (said with love, magical soup and many cuddles)!
Fic for the Rare Pair Week: Day 5, Chishiya/Niragi/Kuina, Sick Day (and Found Family, kind of)
Series
- Part 5 of Rare Pair Week 2025
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Day 6: Ones, Zeros and the Space in-between by DawnDuchess
Fandoms: 今際の国のアリス | Imawa no Kuni no Alice | Alice in Borderland (TV)
01 Aug 2025
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Summary
He’s caged now, in the most loveliest way, his body a plaything for their desire. But their desire is his desire, their touches and kisses and words aimed at making him feel so good, so adored, so loved, so … alive.
The lights go out, a murmur going through the disco. For a moment there’s just pitch black darkness. Nothingness. Emptiness. Coldness. Loneli-
The crowd cheers and suddenly they are bathed in an ocean of different colors. Green. Red. Violet. Blue. Yellow. Moving colors. Not the strobe lights from the ceiling, but the people.
Glowsticks.
Confused he looks down at himself. At his wrists and his ankles. He doesn’t know where he got them from, wasn’t even aware of having them on him in the first place, but he glows. He glows, lights up the room.
*
Fic for the Rare Pair Week: Day 6, Chishiya/Niragi/Karube, Glowsticks, "Pretend Relationship"
Series
- Part 6 of Rare Pair Week 2025
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Day 7: The grumpy Siren, his dangerous Goldfish and the underwater Sunshine² by DawnDuchess
Fandoms: 今際の国のアリス | Imawa no Kuni no Alice | Alice in Borderland (TV)
02 Aug 2025
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Summary
A storm is brewing. He feels it in his bones. His brothers and sisters, treacherous lot, driven by sinister and egotistical hunger, are on a hunt tonight. Another life lost to the deep ocean, blood spilled with abandon coloring the beautiful sea green and ocean blue in a dark shade of blackish-red, polluting the plants and flora he had so carefully grown over the last years; the mesmerizing shimmer of vibrant yellow and lilac and orange, the different shades of rose red to carmine red, the innocent white sullied by dark cravings.
Not on his watch.*
Grumpy, introverted Siren Niragi would love nothing more than to stay at his underwater tree house, talk with his cactus The Poet, read the next chapter of whatever the fuck "The Golden Hellhound, The Silver Sparrow and the Emerald Inquisitor" is, play with his dangerous Goldfish Bubbles and make sure Satoki's Turtle doesn't cheat in their weekly baking contest. But no, stupid humans (sunshines) had decided to need saving from his brothers and sisters. Great, just great. Can't a rebellious Siren catch a break for once? (Spoiler: No.)
Fic for the Rare Pair Week: Day 7, Kyuma/Niragi/Tatta, merman (Siren), Fantasy, Strangers to Lovers
Series
- Part 7 of Rare Pair Week 2025
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Day 7: The White Rabbit and Her Golden Retriever (to breathe amidst the Ashes of the Fallen) by DawnDuchess
Fandoms: 今際の国のアリス | Imawa no Kuni no Alice | Alice in Borderland (TV)
02 Aug 2025
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Summary
“So what brings you here at this hour, huh? Couldn’t sleep? Afraid of storms?” He rambles on. “Want big, strong Karube to spend you some comfo-”
“Stop it.” She says, not harsh, but with a firmness that has Karube halting immediately. “You don’t have to pretend around me, okay?”
Karube bites his bottom lip, struggling with himself. For a moment she thinks he’d try and keep up the facade and-
“Good.” He plops down on the edge of the bed, shoulders slumped. “I’m so tired of pretending. I can’t even convince myself I’m not terrified of storms.”
She sits down next to him on the bed in slight hesitation. Not close enough for their thighs to touch, not far enough for it to be interpreted as unwillingness to provide comfort. A friend’s distance. Simple.
Her heart beats up to her throat, hands getting sweaty, cheeks feeling too warm for the room temperature. Not simple at all.
“Then don’t,” she says. “Don’t pretend. Nobody is judging you. Least of all me.”*
Fic for the Rare Pair Week: Day 7, Usagi/Karube, Post Borderland Au, One Bed, Confessions, Found Family, Handholding, Stuck Together
Series
- Part 8 of Rare Pair Week 2025