CLEANUP CREW: Simplify deferred calls

[crookse]

Summary

What:

We have deferred() calls that we use to wait for processes. Instead of assigning a variable to deferred(), then calling the process, then awaiting on the deferred() variable, we should do something in one call like:

await defer( stuff here and also calls deferred() under the hood )

Why:

make it easier to defer processes and DRY up stuff

Acceptance Criteria

No change in behavior. Just clean up.