Hi! Could I request Sal with a s/o that has Tourettes, like s/o that suddenly blurts out words or noises, and has tic attacks? I have Tourettes and I don't see a lot of s tuff about this but I'm sorry if it's too much to request!
Thank you so much for sending in this ask! Neurodivergent selfshippers deserve more representation and im absolutely delighted to help. However, I would like to be upfront in saying that, while I did a fair bit of research while writing this, i do not have Tourettes syndrome and don't personally know anyone who does. If you have Tourettes, please don't hesitate to message me with suggestions or corrections for these headcanons and i will be happy to adjust them accordingly ^^
Sal with an S/O who has Tourettes syndrome-
>Sally obviously gets what it's like to have a condition that draws unwanted attention from those around you- it can be difficult to not have control over an aspect of your body that others take for granted.
>For the most part, you just want people to ignore it when it's annoying and be understanding when it's an inconvenience, and that's exactly what Sal would do if his partner was having an episode of vocal or motor ticks.
>He understands that bodies don't always behave how we wish they would- Sal would absolutely never try to 'fix' or stop his partner from doing what their body is naturally inclined to do, or make fun of them for doing it. The only exception would be if his partner specifically asked him for his help, they joked about a certain tic themselves, or if a tic was causing immediate physical harm to someone, in which case he would focus on preventing damage rather than restraining his S/O in any way
>If S/Os tics tend to interrupt conversations, he always makes sure to be patient and let them finish their thought- there is no glossing over their answer or moving on to a new subject without his S/Os completed input. 💬👂
>It's the same thing if their ticks interrupt, slow down or stop an activity- Sally is happy to wait and make sure his S/O feels included and comfortable whenever they're together. After all, they might need to wait up for him if he needs to adjust his prosthetic, stop to take medication, or his anxiety is acting up and he needs a moment to collect himself.
>Sal is very good at finding a polite way to end conversations, which can come in handy if his partner is in a stressful situation and it's aggravating their tics. Sal is always willing to excuse the both of them to get some fresh air or 'suddenly remember' something they both have to attend to in order to get his partner out of a bind and to a place where they can calm down and tic away without being self-conscious.
>If leaving the situation isn't an option, he's always willing to lend a hand to hold or an arm to cling to- Sal is a physically affectionate person and knows that a little contact can be very reassuring and do wonders for anxiety. You won't have to ask him twice for a nice long hug, either! 🤗💕
>If there is one way to get Sally upset, it's to give his S/O a hard time about something he knows they're sensitive about. He may not be the fighting type, but damn, does that man have a sharp tongue! Any jerk who decides to show anything more than some passing polite curiosity towards his partners tics would get quite an earful of Sals scathing retorts and probably walk away feeling like they should call their respective parental figure(s) to apologize for ever acting contrary to how they were raised.
>On the other hand, you can expect that sharp tongue to form the sweetest words if he ever hears his S/O imply anything negative about themselves or about their relationship based on them having Tourettes. Even if their tics are undeniably disruptive or potentially embarrassing, Sal knows his s/o can't help that they have them, any more than he can help his scars or his migraines. His partners tics are a part of them, and he would choose to have the whole package over being apart from them any day of the week
>(and yes, that includes those stressful days where the fits just won't stop, trying to contain them makes it worse, and S/O needs to cancel their dinner plans because they just want to stay home to avoid any potential awkward situations. He gets it, and is more than happy to skip going out as long as he can still come over and spend some quality time with them. Sally prefers ordering in, anyway~) 🍕👌
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