Alright, the second part's finally here! As with the previous part, just lmk if there's anything here that needs to be changed and I'll get right on it. Other than that, I hope you enjoy it! :) <3
[Part 2] They Comfort Their Disabled!Transmasc!Partner During a Jobsearch ft. The Main 3 + 2BDamned
(TW: Mentions of Violence, Brief mentions of disability-based discrimination, extreme fluff.) [Part 1]
- [DEIMOS] -
“They fucking what-”
If you weren’t so disappointed, you’d almost consider Deimos’ level of outrage at your firing comical. He seemed like he was minutes away from going to your previous workplace himself to start something. He was so agitated, pacing around the room and even shifting in your embrace as he comforted you, his hands flexing against you and his knee bouncing restlessly.
He still has an angry pout on his face even as he cuddles you, muttering compliments to you and scathing insults to the people you used to work for. He’ll dial it down if you want, but his irritation at this still remains palpable. In fact, even after the initial day when you told him what happened he wouldn't drop the issue, going as far as bringing it up a few times to see if you changed your mind about him doing anything to retaliate for you.
(The first time it happened was just a day afterward when you'd decided to take a break from researching jobs with him. Deimos stole your attention from the show you'd just started by grasping both of your hands in his, to which you looked at him with slight confusion. He gave you a slightly crooked smile.
“I know we've been over it, but baby...are you sure you don’t want me to go take care of those pricks? It won't take that long, and I won't even do anything that bad, I swear." You scoffed. Yeah, like you'd trust the word of your boyfriend, a wanted murderer and notorious menace to society, not to do anything drastic after that show he put on yesterday. Although, that's not to say it wasn’t tempting. Especially with how Deimos was looking at you like he was about to beg you to let him do it. Unfortunately, though, you knew that it was more trouble than it was worth.
"Um.. no, hon...as much as I'd like that, I think that's going too far like we said before. But thank you, I appreciate that you'd do that. I love you." You cooed the last words out sweetly and accompanied them with a swift peck to the cheek, leaving Deimos grinning with pink-stained cheeks.)
In terms of actual comfort though, Deimos' MO tends to be a mixture of two things: distraction and physical touch, all blanketed with the same warm affection he's given you throughout your relationship. He knows you're busy with finding a job, but he's the one who convinces you to stop and take a breather from it to do something with him instead. Sometimes he'll even volunteer to read off the listings to you himself just so you can rest your eyes for a bit.
(He also makes fun of the listings that are more outlandish. A retail job for half of what he'd make at the Agency, and detailed with a complaint about how "ungrateful" the previous employee was for the opportunity? Excellent; prime material to use to make you laugh.)
While Deimos has always been very touchy around you, in this case it's heightened by a hundred; he always seems to be contacting you in some way, whether it be pressing your thighs together when you sit with him or covering your face with kisses in an effort to make you giggle. He just loves being close to you, and basking in the light of your grin and the love you have for him.
You won't notice it, but he also uses this closeness as an opportunity to look you over for any signs of exhaustion or pain. No matter how much you might try to "suck it up" or hide it, you won't be able to. Not around him. He's far too observant to miss it; those subtle signs of tiredness in your eyes and the sudden shifts in your posture whenever a wave of pain echoes through you are just a few of the tells he's attuned to catch.
He'll do all he can to get you what you need to manage your symptoms (including some medicine that Skinner recommended since he spoke to him about this before). He's surprisingly strong too, so if you want him to carry you anywhere because you're fatigued, all you need to do is ask. (Sometimes he'll also do it without any prompting too since he seems to have a sixth sense for when you'd like it. Luckily he has enough foresight to ensure you aren't holding anything fragile when he suddenly picks you up.)
Deimos' pyrokinesis makes him incredibly warm, and all the better to cuddle with whenever you're in pain. It's cozy, with his purrs and raspy whispers filling your ears as he rambles on about this and that, and his hands rub small circles over your skin when you press your face further into the curve of his neck.
(You smile against him when he presses a quick peck to your forehead, and you can practically feel his purring grow louder as a result. The soothing vibrations pick up and you can feel sleep beginning to tug at your eyelids. Your pain isn't completely gone, but having him so close and holding you tightly to him is so soothing that it becomes easier to get through.)
As for your job search itself, Deimos will volunteer to write up a program or two for you to "filter" out the less desirable offers you find, and to look for those you'd prefer. He has more than enough time to do so (thanks to Doc's generous offer of PTO), and he figures that the knowledge he has regarding tech would be best used to help you.
He's also asked if you want him to request (beg) 2BDamned to find a place for you in the SQ. It's an organization of mercenaries, but surely they could have a need for your skillset somewhere, right?
(You know that part of it is because Deimos wants to spend more time with you, since his job keeps you both apart most of the time. It's a topic that he brings up a lot, and although he makes his complaints humorous and words them as jokes, you can tell that it really bothers him. Then again, why wouldn't it? He absolutely adores you, and wanting to spend more time with his boyfriend is normal - especially in a place as dangerous as Nevada. It's just a shame that such domestic moments are very uncommon.)
Despite the unfortunate circumstances that brought Deimos home to you, he'd consider this break he takes to be well worth it. He's always loved spending time with you, and it's especially important that he does so when you need comfort. While he can't enact any ideas of revenge against your previous employers (as much as he'd love to), he'll use all of his energy to help you feel better instead.
You'll always know of Deimos' love for you through his actions and the words he speaks to you, although he can only hope that you understand the true depth of it. There's only so much he can convey through that alone, but he thinks that it's at least a small way to prove just how much he loves you. He's made it clear time and time again that he'll be there to support you, no matter what that entails. In a way, it sort of reminds him of a few of those famous words he's made a plan to say to you in the future - something with "for better, for worse, for richer, for poorer” and “in sickness and in health." Perhaps he’d have to do some research on jewelry stores after this is through.
- [SANFORD] -
Sanford’s initial reaction to your firing is burning anger, but also one that’s tempered by his need to comfort you in the wake of such an awful situation. He isn’t as impulsive as some others, and he recognizes that helping you is the main thing he should be focusing on at the moment.
He doesn’t say very much, other than the short praises and sweet nothings he might whisper while you bury yourself in his arms, pressing your face against his neck to muffle your cries. He listens to you when you vent about what happened, the frown on his face deepening with every word of how cruel your employer was and why they had the audacity to fire you.
When you trail off after ranting, he'll use the moment to praise and reassure you of how excellent of a person he knows you are and just how much you mean to him, gently wiping the tears from your cheek with his thumb as he looks you in the eye. His voice is low and thick with emotion, and he knows that if he dwells on his thoughts for too long he might get too emotional - but you just mean so much to him, and you need to know it now more than ever. That you're worth far more than your previous employer could ever know, and that they took you for granted for foolish reasons. He wants you to know just how foolish they were, and how wonderful you are in reality.
("You...you really mean that?" You asked, and Sanford felt a sharp stab of pain in his chest once he saw the way your eyes glistened.
He nodded resolutely. "Every word." He knows you might not completely believe him, but that was alright. He'd repeat it to you as many times as he needed, if only so you could get a glimpse of how he viewed you; how you deserved to be seen. You’re the love of his life; the person he adores above all else, and he could spend near infinite hours pointing out every single little detail that he loves about you, from the way your nose crinkles up when you laugh to the way light reflects in your eyes. He only wishes he had all the time in the world to tell them to you.)
These little talks are frequent in this period, when you spend your time looking for a job while he takes care of more menial things on the other side. Though most of the time you eventually end up cuddled close together, with him keeping one of his arms around your shoulders while his other hand clasps your hip. You rest your head on his shoulder as you converse, with him keeping a watchful eye on you for any discomfort and pain while you try to find the words to express your thoughts.
It's never hard for you two to speak to each other like this, as you're completely open with each other, and being so close like this just makes it easier to spill talk. It's probably because cuddling with your boyfriend means that all of your senses are filled with everything distinctly him, from his scent to the sound of his voice and the warmth of his body; it's the most comfortable you think you've ever been. You feel safe with Sanford, and you know that nothing you could possibly do would push him away. It makes his comforting gestures all the more impactful for you, and it's easy to accept any help from him.
(However, his focus on comforting you doesn’t mean he’ll just let what happened go, mind you. He doesn’t care about your ex-employer enough to go through the effort of destroying them himself; they don’t deserve the time necessary to do that. Although, if a swarm of Zeds was seen frequenting their area, or the bandits get further into the city in that sector, then he’ll find an excuse not to help them if asked. Sanford is usually nicer than most other mercs, but he still isn’t a “good” man. Sympathy from him ends where any mistreatment of his partner begins, no matter how dire the consequences to other people are. Besides, dire is what they deserve here.)
Sanford has always been an attentive boyfriend; even before you got fired, he’d made it clear that he would always be there to help you out with anything you need. Now that you’re busy looking for a job, this simply means that instead of cooking for you every once in a while (in other words, when he was finally back from his missions), he’d do so every day. It means going out to fulfill minor errands and cleaning, doing laundry, etc. He essentially plays house husband so that you can handle your own business, and he does so without even letting you know he’s made it part of his routine.
(Every so often, you’ll look up from the paperwork and resumes you’ll be working on with the realization that there’s something else you should be doing; dishes to be washed, trash to take out, laundry to put in, only to take a few steps to find nothing there and the task already completed. The small, knowing grin that Sanford tries to hide is enough of an answer as to what happened.)
You shouldn’t feel guilty about this either, he’s doing this just because he wants to assist you this way. This is the same regarding your disabilities as well; if you need anything, no matter how trivial you might consider it, he’d do it for you. Any amount of effort is worth it as long as it keeps you comfortable and happy.
He’ll get you your medication without any fuss or complaint (no matter how far he has to go to retrieve it), and he’ll also schedule any appointments with your doctor if you need him to. He’s also spoken to both 2BDamned and Skinner to get any medical advice that could help you, more so the latter because of his knowledge of such things. However, if you need someone more specialized, he’ll ask Doc to do some networking and find someone to help if necessary.
(Speaking of 2BDamned, Sanford also asked him for some more time off so he could be around to assist you for longer, which the man was quick to give. Sanford might not be the most open about his personal life, but being around him has allowed Doc to glean quite a lot about his love for you. 2B is not very sentimental, but he knows that you both deserve to be together at this time. That and the fact that Doc can see how Sanford brightens up whenever you’re a topic in conversation shows him that the grunt’s affection for you far surpasses whatever drive he has for job at the time anyway. He has no reason to keep your boyfriend from you, so he won't, and he even asks Sanford to give you his good wishes before he departs.)
If you take a look at one of the small notebooks Sanford keeps, you’d find a general list of reminders for himself that includes the aforementioned medical information, in addition to the new “chores” he does for you. Even if he can’t remember the specifics off of the top of his head (as is the case with some of the more complex details like the exact milligrams of medications you take and where to get them in an emergency), it’s still important to him, so he writes it down just in case. You might think of it as incredibly thoughtful if you ever found out, but he’d just consider it part of the basic responsibilities of being a boyfriend.
(Although he’d split things up again if you ask, he hopes you know that he can do whatever you need him to so you can focus on your career. (Which you definitely do by now, no question about it.) You need some time to find another place to work, so he’ll carve it out for you in whatever way possible.)
As for helping you find a job, he’ll ask around the SQ for any news of good places to work, and he does find out quite a lot from 2BDamned's other field agents who frequent other places. While some of it can’t be that applicable to you, depending on your chosen profession, you accept all the news with a smile and a few words of gratitude (perhaps even a kiss to Sanford’s cheek, if you really want to fluster him with your thanks).
He's even asked you if you wanted him to find you a place within the SQ, though he'd ensure it's an administrative/clerical job first since he can't stomach the thought of you being in danger. Additionally, if you want him to look for something more specific, all you need to do is ask, and he'd be more than happy to go along with it.
(You'd also notice that all of the offers he brings up to you pay far more than you were making previously, and are in far safer places than those he's acquainted with. Sanford might long to be close to you so you can be together more often, but he isn't stupid; being near his division in the SQ means being closer to potential conflict with the AAHW and his organization’s other enemies, and he refuses to put you in that situation. You already have enough on your plate with this, and he'd rather take the worry of distance than almost-definite danger.)
Sanford seeks to provide you with whatever you need, no matter what it is. He wants to prove his reliability to you, so you know that you always have him in your corner, ready to support you at all costs. You're his boyfriend (and perhaps you'll even be more than that someday); you deserve someone that can give you the world. While Sanford knows that the state of Nevada is uncertain, one of the only things that he knows will always stay the same is the overwhelming amount of love he holds for you.
He'll always be yours, just as you're his. Regardless of what you both go through in the future, he'll make sure that he's always there to help you because that's what love means to him. It's security and comfort, and the knowledge that the other person is always going to be a safe haven for you. It's something he's never really spoken about with you, but you've always understood it deep down. It's shown in how he takes care of you, and how there's always an intrinsic feeling of trust with him. In situations like this one, where you need help while getting back on your feet, so to speak, it only becomes more evident. Sanford’s always felt like you represent home to him, and with how he insists on showing his love for you in any way he can, and how you share the deep feelings of love he holds for you, you’d say the same about him.
