My Sunshine- James Kyle x Duke Thomas
Summary :
💖 Bisexual/ Gay Relationship Representation
James Kyle spends so much time taking care of everyone else that he forgets to take care of himself.
Duke Thomas notices.
Or: James has a bad week, Duke attempts to flirt, and both of them are disasters about it.
Everyone needed sunshine.
That was the problem.
James Kyle had somehow become everyone else's sunshine.
It started with Cass.
Which was probably his fault.
Cass would appear in his room at three in the morning after a nightmare.
James would wake up, make hot chocolate, and sit with her until she fell asleep again.
Then there was Helena.
Who regularly climbed through his window even though they lived in the same apartment.
Then Jason.
Who pretended he wasn't having a mental breakdown.
Then Alice.
Who was usually having a mental breakdown.
Then Damian.
Who absolutely refused to admit he liked James and yet somehow ended up spending half his free time around him.
Then Duke.
Especially Duke.
James didn't mean to become the person everyone went to.
It just happened.
Maybe because he listened.
Maybe because he cared.
Maybe because he understood what it felt like to be hurting and not know how to ask for help.
Whatever the reason, people kept showing up.
And James kept opening the door.
The problem with being sunshine was that eventually people forgot the sun could burn out too.
It wasn't anyone's fault.
Not really.
James just got tired.
School.
Patrols.
Family drama.
Medical appointments.
Nightmares.
Responsibilities.
The constant pressure of being okay.
The constant expectation that he would smile.
That he would fix things.
That he would make everyone else feel better.
By the time Duke found him, James was sitting on a rooftop staring at the Gotham skyline.
Not crying.
Not even close.
Just empty.
Exhausted.
Done.
Duke sat beside him.
Neither spoke for several minutes.
The city glittered below.
Cold and distant.
Eventually Duke nudged his shoulder.
"You okay?"
James laughed.
A short sound.
"No."
Duke nodded.
Like that answer made perfect sense.
Like he wasn't surprised.
Like he wasn't disappointed.
Somehow that made it worse.
"I don't know what's wrong with me."
Duke frowned.
"There isn't anything wrong with you."
James rolled his eyes.
"Sure."
"I'm serious."
"That's unfortunate."
Duke snorted.
James smiled despite himself.
The silence returned.
Comfortable.
Easy.
Then James finally admitted it.
The thing he'd been carrying for weeks.
Maybe months.
"I don't think I can keep doing this."
Duke turned toward him.
"What?"
"Being everyone's person."
The words escaped before he could stop them.
"Everyone needs something."
He stared out over Gotham.
"Cass."
A breath.
"Alice."
Another.
"Jason."
Another.
"Damian."
Another.
"Helena."
Another.
"Everyone."
Duke listened.
Quiet.
Patient.
James appreciated that.
"I love them."
The confession came softly.
"I really do."
Duke nodded.
"I know."
"But I'm tired."
The words cracked.
Just slightly.
Enough.
"I am so tired."
Duke's heart broke.
Because James said it like admitting defeat.
Like exhaustion was failure.
Like needing help was weakness.
"James."
The younger man looked over.
Duke smiled gently.
"You know the thing about sunshine?"
James groaned immediately.
"Oh no."
"No, hear me out."
"This is going to be awful."
"It is."
James sighed dramatically.
Duke continued anyway.
"Everyone needs sunshine."
James pointed.
"See?"
"I'm not done."
"Tragic."
Duke shoved his shoulder.
James laughed.
Small.
Real.
Good.
"Everyone needs sunshine," Duke repeated.
"But sunshine needs sunshine too."
James blinked.
The joke died.
Something softer replaced it.
Something vulnerable.
Something surprised.
"Oh."
Duke nodded.
"Yeah."
"Oh."
"Exactly."
For a moment James just stared.
Then laughed.
Actually laughed.
Because somehow Duke Thomas had taken one of the stupidest TikTok trends in existence and turned it into life advice.
"You rehearsed that."
"I absolutely did."
"Dork."
"Takes one to know one."
James shook his head.
The heaviness hadn't vanished.
The exhaustion was still there.
The grief.
The pressure.
The responsibility.
None of it magically disappeared.
But somehow it felt lighter.
Smaller.
Manageable.
Because Duke wasn't asking him to carry it alone.
"Hey, James?"
"Yeah?"
Duke looked almost nervous.
Which was unusual.
Duke Thomas wasn't nervous.
The universe would collapse first.
"You know you're my sunshine, right?"
James froze.
Immediately.
Completely.
Duke realized what he'd said.
"Oh."
"Oh?"
"Oh no."
James started laughing.
Hard.
Relentlessly.
Tears in his eyes.
Unable to stop.
"Did you just—"
"I hate everything."
"You absolutely did."
"I am leaving Gotham."
James laughed harder.
Duke covered his face.
"This is why I don't flirt."
"You were flirting?"
"I was trying."
"That makes it worse."
Duke groaned.
James continued laughing.
The sound echoed across the rooftop.
Bright.
Warm.
Alive.
When the laughter finally faded, Duke found James looking at him differently.
Softer.
Fonder.
Like maybe he'd been looking at Duke that way for a while.
"Hey Duke?"
"Please don't."
"You are kind of my sunshine too."
Duke froze.
Completely.
Utterly.
Catastrophically.
James grinned.
Payback.
Beautiful payback.
"Shut up."
"No."
"Shut up."
"Never."
For the first time in weeks, James felt warm.
Not because the world was better.
Not because the problems were gone.
Not because life was suddenly easy.
But because someone had noticed he was struggling.
Someone had stayed.
Someone had reminded him that even sunshine deserves sunlight sometimes.
And maybe that was enough.
Maybe that was everything.