( video )

[tradecrafted]

[ the feed opens up with what looks like the aisle in a store, devoted to a section of what looks like anxiety/fidget toys. there's a pause, and a hand reaches into the feed, picking up a familiar cube for some, turning it as the owner of the hand clearly examines it dubiously. ]

Someone suggested I pick one of these up-- [ for anxiety, though cassian doesn't offer that information. it's probably implied anyway. ] --but it seems a little silly to me. Has anyone else used.. things like this?

[ it's nothing he couldn't ask privately of people, or research, but well.. attempts at normalcy are being made. ]

We don't have these where I'm from. [ a beat. ] Well.. perhaps they existed before the war, or they're used on wealthy planets. I'm not sure. [ it's not like he's ever had the luxury of mental healthcare before. ]

Comments

[neverdied]

Not as much as those... spinners. The ones the kids all have. Biggest gimmick of them all. Surprised this friend of yours didn't recommend one of those too.

[Grandpa mode engaged.]

[tradecrafted]

[ an aggrieved noise. ] I don't think any of these things will do much good, but the spinning ones just sound distracting.

[neverdied]

[Beat.]

You ever play bingo?

[tradecrafted]

I don't think I've ever even heard of it.

[neverdied]

Oh. It's okay. Keeps the mind distracted for a few hours. They don't have bingo where you're from?

[tradecrafted]

I don't know. Maybe. I think the only games I ever really played were sabacc or dejarik, and that was only when my work required.

[neverdied]

I don't know those. Card games?

[tradecrafted]

One's a card game. The other's a strategy hologame, creatures on a circular, checkered board.

[neverdied]

Like chess? Do you have chess? Are we just going to keep comparing to unfamiliar games?

[tradecrafted]

[ slowly, cautiously, cassian finally turns the video feed around so he's actually in it. there's a ghost of a smile teasing at the corner of his mouth. ]

Seems like. If chess sounds like dejarik to you, then I'm going to cautiously say 'yes', they're similar.

[neverdied]

Chess is strategy on a checkered board. So yeah. Sounds like there's a lot of things in this world you need to catch up on.