Unrequited

XV

Diamond's POV

I'm getting released from the hospital today with nothing but a hospital band around my wrist, a bag full of painkillers, and a couple of farewells.

And of course, I've got my baby's with me... and Raymonte.

Lil ass nigga swore he just didn't want to leave Donnie, but I think he just likes annoying me. He asks a million questions a minute. Donnie won't answer his federal ass questions, so he started asking me instead.

"So like, is y'all's guns registered?" He whispered as he and Donnie helped me into the wheelchair the nurses insisted on me using.

"Raymonte." I groaned as I sat down. "You outta the streets, stay out of 'em. You ain't got no business askin' 'bout shit like that."

"But I'm curious!" Raymonte laughed, making me roll my eyes at him before I turned to look at Donnie who only shrugged and flashed me a small smile—The best smile he could manage, at least. He's always been a little awkward with any facial expression that isn't neutral or frowning. "Donnie don't answer my questions cuz he say I sound like a cop, but you don't care because you said if I am a cop you'll just kill me. So I'm gettin' my questions answered."

"Imma end up killin' you either way at this point." I muttered under my breath, but apparently Donnie heard me because he smacked my arm afterwards. "I say that too loud?"

"You sayin' everything too loud, baby." Donnie chuckled.

I had a few more tests run before I was released, and it was confirmed that I've lost all hearing in my right ear.

It sucks, but I ain't gon' cry about it. I still got one whole ear left. I guess this is a good excuse to start learning sign language... What's a third language under my belt?

Once we got out of the hospital, Donnie wheeled me towards Raymonte's car and helped me into the passenger seat. "Watch your stitches." He whispered as I settled in the seat. I tried to buckle my seatbelt, but he smacked my hand away like I'm a child and did it for me. Once I was secure, he placed a kiss on my forehead, then to my nose, then a final one on my lips before he closed the passenger door and climbed into the backseat with DJ.

"Where to, boss man?" Raymonte asked Donnie once we were all in the car.

"My house." He responded. Raymonte looked like he was about to respond, but stopped when Donnie put his headphones on, then leaned his head back and closed his eyes.

Raymonte turned to look at me, and I shrugged my shoulders. "Overwhelmed. He don't like a lot of noise, and hospitals got a lot of noise."

"...Do you think he realizes he's autistic?" Raymonte asked quietly.

I looked at him, then glanced back at Donnie, then looked back at Raymonte and shook my head. "If I didn't realize the shit I was doin' was a trauma response, he definitely doesn't realize all'a that."

"Should we tell him?" He asked as he started driving.

"We'll work on that." I responded. "Let's worry about gettin' home without killin' each other."

Raymonte laughed and rolled his eyes at that. "I don't wanna kill you, Diamond. I think you're lowkey a horrible person, but apparently Donnie kinda is too so... My feelings are definitely conflicting."

"Donnie ain't a horrible person." I argued. "Killin' people don't make you a bad person... It makes you a survivor."

He side eyed me, then sighed and shook his head. "You were definitely right when you said we're very different people." He laughed quietly. "I mean—I'd never even seen a gun in real life until I saw Donnie's, and y'all just be casually shootin' people... And gettin' shot."