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justanothercinemaniac · 7 years

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Epic Movie (Re)Watch #144 - Coraline

Spoilers below

Have I seen it before: Yes

Did I like it then: Yes.

Do I remember it: Yes.

Did I see it in theaters: No.

Format: Blu-ray

1) Director Henry Selick is probably best known for his work as director on The Nightmare Before Christmas, but I personally think (and this may be considered blasphemy) that Coraline is his magnum opus. More on that coming up.

2) In both horror and animation, a well done score can boost the tone of the film remarkably. And composer Bruno Coulais is able to turn in a score notable for its subtlety and tone boosting. It is able to be ominous, child like, fantastical, and creepy all at the same time. That is actually a perfect way of describing this film.

3) Animation fans with eagle eyes will notice that the movers in the beginning in the film are the “Ranft Brothers”. Joe Ranft was a legendary animator, known mostly for his work at Pixar until his tragic death. His brother is a noteworthy animator too, Jerome Ranft. The movers are animated in the likenesses of the brothers (you even get a glance at a name tag reading “Jerome”), with Joe being the mover who gets the crummy tip and Jerome Ranft voicing his counterpart.

4) Dakota Fanning as Coraline Jones.

Coraline is not your typical animated heroine, which is exactly why she is such an amazing character. She’s a bit of a snot actually. She’s bratty, shown to be mean, overdramatic, sarcastic, winey, and it is all amazing! Because she’s not ONLY those things! She’s also fun, intelligent, clever, imaginative and adventurous. For most of the film she is at odds with her parents but she risks her film for them because, well, they’re her parents! The best way to describe Coraline is as a kid. An honest portrayal of a kid! Not totally one thing or another and not nearly as oblivious as some people may expect. Dakota Fanning (who was attached to the role when the film was meant to be live action even) is perfect in the part, able to portray all of Coraline’s qualities with wonderful ease while totally losing herself in the role. Coraline is the title character which means we - as the audience - NEED to be invested in her for this film to be any good. And the filmmakers did an excellent job making sure we were just that: invested.

Coraline [after seeing The Cat]: “Not talking, huh?”

6) This film is a little more adult than your typical animated fare, something which is established pretty early when Coraline refers to Wybie as her stalker. It is a decision in tone and content which works wonderfully for the film.

7) Wybie.

We don’t get to see much of Wybie in the film. Well, that’s not entirely true. We don’t get to see much of Wybie compared to CORALINE, who is the lead and is therefore in every scene except for the one that plays during the opening credits. But in the time we see him it is very clear that this is the neighborhood weird kid. And it’s done accurately too! He’s not the butt of any joke, he’s not someone who’s supposed to be a creep or a plot device. Just like Coraline, he’s an honest representation of the kids out in the world who are sort of strange.

8) Dang, Coraline can be mean!

Coraline [after someone calls for Wyborne ‘Wybie’s’ name]: “Oh I definitely heard someone, Why Were You Born.”

Like, sure the dude is sorta weird, but he’s been pretty nice so far. But that’s part of Coraline’s character, and we see that side of her go on a bit of a transformation throughout the film.

9) Film is first and foremost a visual way of storytelling and animation can do that better than live action can if done right. Through animation you are able to portray the character of things (not just your characters but places and items) through design. Through your visuals. Take this film for example: the real world is marked by a more subdued color palette and look. Everything - including Coraline’s parents - look grey, tired, and worn down. Something which creates an immediate visual conflict through Coraline, who from the very start gives off these incredible vibrant and lively colors. It is a visual conflict which is reflective of a textual one that works wonders for the film.

10) It would have been easy to make Coraline a total brat and her parents good parents who try their hardest, but Mom and Dad aren’t perfect either. Mom particularly shows us where Coraline got her attitude, sarcasm, and occasional brattiness from (and I know “brat” has negative connotations to it but I love Coraline so when I call her a “brat” I’m doing so with love because that trait is something I think is a great writing decision for her character). It also gets to the idea that a friend of mine told me once: parents are just kids who have kids. Parents don’t know what they’re doing when they have kids, they’re making it up as they go along. Which means they’re not perfect. They can get tired and impatient and mean too, and showing that in this film continues its honesty streak. That honesty - in relationships in characters - is what helps make it so great.

11) I can’t IMAGINE what animating the tunnel sequence was like.

I mean stop motion animation is moving something a tiny bit, then taking a picture. And you repeat that process over and over again with puppets until you have a moving image like this one. So the tunnel on its own - with the lighting and the fabric - must have been a pain to animate. But then Coraline walking through it? And jostling it around, but the animators have to make sure that jostling is perfect in every frame? I do NOT have the patience for stop motion animation, I tell you. Or the fingers. I don’t have delicate fingers.

12) The Other World.

Going with the idea of visual conflict, there is immediately more of a peace between Coraline’s vibrant colors and the creative rainbow like Other World she finds herself in. This resolves most of the visual conflict ON THE SURFACE, but everywhere there are these black buttons. These little dark specs that just liter the world in hard to see places, things which can easily get lost in the magic of it all but are always there. Hiding in plain sight.

The Other World - both in its dream and nightmare phases - show off Selick’s wild imagination. The best animation directors have a penchant for imaginative visuals, using the medium to do things live action couldn’t (something I observed in my The Book of Life post back in November). Selick as not only animator but production designer on this film is able to create some wonderful and memorable images of dream like fantasy which makes the transition to nightmarish scenes in the back half of the film all the more powerful. It is truly wonderful.

13) According to IMDb:

The band They Might Be Giants wrote 10 songs for the movie, but a change in tone from a musical to a darker production meant that all but one was cut; a scene in which Coraline's other father sings along with a piano features John Linnell's voice. The band has said they will release the other songs created for the movie in other projects, including albums.

14) It is worth noting that the initial dinner Coraline has with her Other Parents is more of a Norman Rockwell, classic/idyllic image than her dinner at home (in both the food served and the look of the place). This relates to the film’s almost critique (I say almost because I do not know if it was intended, but it very well could have been) on expectations vs reality. How we have let certain fantasies shape our expectations in the real world and if we find something that fits those expectations perfectly it’s probably a lie.

15) Teri Hatcher shines in this film, particularly as Other Mother. There are three sort of phases to her performance as Other Mother which I will discuss individually as they occur. The first of these is the initial encounter with Other Mother. The sweet sing-song tones filled with love and warmth which can trick someone into thinking its honesty but when you listen there is DEFINITELY something false about it. A faux kindness which can catch you off guard. No one is really that kind, that nice. That’s the face you put on for company when it’s over and not one you can sustain forever.

16) Ian McShane as Mr. Bobinsky.

I observed in my recap for the Selick directed The Nightmare Before Christmas that the film was able to create unique characterizations within seconds of introducing us to said characters which lasted consistently throughout the rest of the film. In this film - especially with Coraline’s neighbors - the same holds true. We are able to get a sense of what kind of fun weirdo Mr. Bobinsky is within seconds of meeting him, someone who’s a bit of a nut but also a generally nice guy, and that lasts through the end of the film. Ian McShane does a wonderful job as Bobinsky and out of the three neighbors (Bobinksy and the two actresses), Bobinsky is my personal favorite.

It is also worth observing Bobinsky’s character design here. As I said before, animation tells you a lot through its visuals about a character. Small elements in Bobinsky’s design make him a bit more human than say your average Prince Charming or seven dwarfs. The ratty shirt, the unkempt body hair, the big gut. All of it gives Bobinsky not only a sense of character but a sense of realism, as life is not always as pretty as we expect. This plays DIRECTLY into Other Bobinsky’s appearances, notably how he is better dressed AND his torso is upside down. Instead of having a large stomach, he has a large chest suggesting strength. THAT is your fairytale version of Bobinsky right there and - like everything else in the Other World - it’s a lie.

17) Similarly, the two actress neighbors of Miriam Forcible and April Spink are established as weird but lovable dog ladies as soon as we meet them.

I mentioned before how this film plays with the ideas of expectations vs reality, and that becomes pretty clear after we meet Coraline’s neighbors. This is not some fairytale for Coraline. In a fairytale Mr. Bobinsky would run an incredible jumping mouse circus, not be a vaguely crazy man trying to create a jumping mouse circus (I say with love). And the pair of Miriam and April would be elegant world famous actresses, not two washed up has-beens (I say with love). But you know what? This is EXACTLY what they are in the Other World! The fairytale versions of themselves that is meant to be exactly what Coraline wants. And just like the change in design for Bobinsky in the Other World, Miriam and April get similar beautifications.

Now they’re as pretty as any fairytale princess with a waistline to match, because that’s the “better” version of this isn’t it? Except it’s not real. It’s a lie, meant to entrap you and keep you from having a good REAL life. I sort of love that about this film.

18)

Coraline [after Other Mother asks her to get her father]: “You mean my other father?”

Other Mother: “You’re better father, dear.”

Red flag! Red flag! That’s a creepy thing to say Other Mother! (It is also here when we start noticing the fakeness of Other Mother’s nice voice.)

19) I keep mentioning how you can detect a slight hint of fakeness in Other Mother’s face. The hint is not so slight in Other Father’s voice. There’s nothing real there, nothing honest. Just fake honey that’s meant to entice Coraline. And I think that’s because Other Mother is the mastermind and she’s making Other Father BE like that. It’s a nice choice on the part of the filmmakers and actor John Hodgman I think.

20)

Other Mother [about Other ‘Silent’ Wybie]: “I thought you’d like him more if he spoke a little less. So I fixed him.”

If anyone says they “fixed” a person, turn around and run like crazy away. That’s creepy.

21) Hmm, wonder which of her parents Coraline takes after...

Mom: “I did not call [Mr. Bobinsky] crazy, Coraline. He’s drunk.”

22) The. Freaking. CAT!!!!

Can I just say first and foremost: I love Keith David. Dr. Facilier from The Princess and the Frog is my favorite Disney villain of all time in no small part because of Keith David’s voice over work as the character. And his role as The Cat is just as good. I love The Cat, which is saying a lot because I’m a dog person. David is able to work with the writing and make the character both wise and mischievous but in a unique, dark, sarcastic way. He’s also the first hint of trouble and the only character other than Coraline to travel between worlds. The animators do an excellent job making sure The Cat’s characterization is clear and consistent, even when he can’t speak in the real world. He’s an excellent addition to the film and a wonderful companion to our hero.

23) Everything gets real freaky real fast.

Right after Other Mother asks to put buttons in Coraline’s eyes (or, more accurately, REPLACE her eyes with buttons) this film turns into a horror film. Full on Stephen King, Poltergeist, “Stranger Things” horror! (Not that I’ve seen or read any of those things because I scare too easily.) And it is born not from jump scares or gore but from tone. The atmosphere becomes notably chilly and ominous and everything just becomes so FREAKY. THAT is why I think this is Henry Selick’s magnum opus. Because he can be as scary as he want to be!

24) For me, one of the most powerful scenes in the movie is when Coraline walks around Other World.

The simple decision to have her walk through a white abyss then find herself back in the Other World the Other Mother created just really works for me. It’s a simple yet elegant concept.

25) Other Mother’s truer form (her true form comes later).

This is when Teri Hatcher and Other Mother start really shining as villains. There is still an attempt to be motherly, to be warm, but the creepy factor is turned up. There’s a sick playfulness there at times as well as terrifying anger. But this form is most marked by the cold reservedness. The chilling tones the Other Mother uses when taking to Coraline about the game they’re going to play. It’s crazy freaky and I love it for that!

26) There is no scene quite as haunting or quite as sad as when Coraline talks with the ghost kids.

Through its use of haunting visuals, eerie sound design, excellent writing, and top notch voice acting from the child actors, this one scene tells you perfectly what exactly the stakes are for this film. What exactly will happen to Coraline if she can’t succeed. And it’s terrifying.

27) I did not remember this line from before and the way Coraline describes the ghost kids to Wybie had me laughing my butt off.

Coraline [about the doll]: “It used to look like this pioneer girl, then Huck Finn Junior, then this ‘Little Rascals’ chick with hair ribbons...”

I don’t know why, but something about hearing her call the kid, “Huck Finn Junior,” is just wildly funny to me.

28) The entire idea of the eyes of the dead children being hidden in the “three wonders” Other Mother crafted for Coraline is not only an excellent way of juxtaposing some of the dream like imagery from earlier with its now nightmarish quality, but it also gives plot relevance to scenes which could have easily just been entertaining and excellent eye candy (Bobinsky’s circus, the garden, and the theater scene). It helps push the writing of this film from good to great.

29) So Coraline thinks she has lost her game with Other Mother and she’s going to end up like the ghost children, when a dead rat with the last eye falls in front of her and The Cat shows up.

The Cat: “I think I’ve mentioned that I don’t like rats at the best of times.”

Coraline: “You may have mentioned it.”

I love these guys.

30) Can we just take a second to appreciate how incredibly frightening Other Mother’s true form is?

Teri Hatcher gets to totally let lose as an actress with this final form of the Other Mother. There’s no more fake niceness, no more hiding, no more tricks. Just sheer, terrifying villainy in all its glory. It’s so creepy and evil and I love it!

31) If you’re ever in a jam with a homicidal maniac, just do what Coraline did:

Throw a cat at the homicidal maniac.

32) I find the web that Coraline falls into with Other Mother perhaps the most frightening visual of the whole film. I love it.

But the way Other Mother shouts after Coraline makes her way through the door is almost equally as terrifying to me. Just the desperation and madness in her voice gives me chills.

Other Mother: “Don’t leave me! Don’t leave me! I’ll die without you!”

33) It is a classic rule of suspense, an almost Hitchcockian rule (although I don��t think he invented it), that the story is never over when you think it is.

The entire final “battle” with Other Mother’s disembodied hand, how it drags Coraline away, how Wybie has to come and save the day but it still keeps going, is all a great final horror movie moment. Just the creeping crawly uncatchable-ness of a spider and how you have to work really hard to squash it. I love that.

34) The final scene of the film resolves the visual conflict Coraline was having with the real world. Everything - hear parents, the neighbors, the flowers - is a bit brighter. A bit closer to her but not so perfectly as the Other World. Things are resolved, but everything is still in the real world. Everything is still honest and it may not be perfect, but it is a happy ending.

It has been a while since I’ve watched Coraline so in all honesty I forgot how good it was. It is an excellent piece of not only animated filmmaking but filmmaking period. The visuals and imagination is incredible, it is truly frightening at times through its use of atmosphere and (again) the visuals at hand, the writing is top notch - ESPECIALLY when it comes to our titular lead - and the voice acting is there to match (Hatcher and Fanning being the clear standouts). It is an incredible film I think everyone should see. It’s just that good.

#Coraline #Coraline Jones #Laika #Dakota Fanning #Teri Hatcher #Keith David #Henry Selick #Ian McShane #Epic Movie (Re)Watch #Joe ranft #Jerome Ranft #I See What You Did There #Movie #Film #GIF

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feynites · 7 years

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So is Uthvir going to permanently stay with Selene and Felasel? What's going on with their mom and Glory? Soooo curious! I am actually really loving this little off shoot. Little Uthvir is too precious, I love them so much

In that case, good news, there’s more!

Living at Selene and Felasel’s house is very different fromtravelling with their dad. But Uthvir likes it.

A few days after they get ‘settled in’, Selene tells them it’stime for them to try and start going to school again. Uthvir doesn’t reallymind. Ms Hara says she’s going to be their teacher, and she seems very nice.They’re a little nervous about leaving Spider-Man behind, but they’re alsoworried that they’d get made fun of if they brought him. In the end they leavehim in the fort, which now has the griffon sentry, and a lego jungle, and arace track Adannar set up with them all around it. Uthvir puts some wards inthe griffon. They bend the rules a little to do that, because they do it in theliving room, while Felasel is there, but he’s not really paying attention.

Or at least, he doesn’t seem to be. And he doesn’t mentionit, either. Spider-Man says it’s technically in Selene’s rules, though, becauseFelasel’s a mage.

Ms Hara’s class ends up being pretty fun. Ms Hara introducesUthvir, but she doesn’t make them talk much in front of all the other kids.They just say ‘hi’, and then the first lesson starts. They don’t really followall of it, which is a little embarrassing. But Ms Hara says that it’s okay,they can just do what they think they can manage. At recess they get to andplay with the other kids, who seem pretty nice. But at lunch Ms Hara has themsit with her and do a test, to figure out ‘where Uthvir is’, so that they canget caught up with the rest of the class.

When Felasel picks them up, he announces that a good firstday of school means that Uthvir gets to pick out a treat from the bakery. Thebakery they stop at is really tiny, and Felasel says it’s very old, but thatthey make the most delicious pies in the whole city. Uthvir picks out a donutfrom the display case, though, because it’s got white chocolate on it. And strawberries. And Uthvir really likes white chocolate andstrawberries, especially when it’s all oozy and warm – and it is!

Felasel gets a tart, and they eat their treats on the wayback to the house. Uthvir tries to be tidy, but they end up smears ofstrawberry jam and melted chocolate all over their face.

“Hmm,” Felasel says, looking at them as they pull into thedriveway. “I should have put wet wipes in the car…”

They head inside, and Selene is waiting for them.

She looks at Uthvir, and sighs.

“Really?” she asksFelasel. “There’s a veggies platter waiting in the fridge for you two.”

“It was only one donut,” Felasel says. “Uthvir almostcertainly still has room.”

“I gotta go check on Spider-Man,” Uthvir announces, fortheir own part, and then heads off to do that first thing. He’s still wherethey left him, though, unharmed and Thinking Thinky Thoughts, like he doessometimes. Before they can do much more than ascertain that, then, Selene comesand gets them and tells them they can’t go running around covered in stickystuff. She gets them cleaned up, and then they have another long talk aboutschool stuff over their veggies, and homework, and what all Uthvir’s going todo and what Selene is going to help them with.

Which turns out to be a lot.

Uthvir’s pretty good at numbers and reading, but theirhandwriting is behind what it should be, and there are a lot of ‘gaps’ in whatthey know. Selene assures them that it’s okay, on several occasions, so theydon’t worry about it too much. As long as they’re not in trouble, they figure,then it doesn’t matter a whole lot. When their dad comes back for them, theyprobably won’t be able to keep going to school anyway. They figure they cancram in as much useful information as they can, and then worry about the restlater. Learning to write better’s a good idea. Spider-Man tells them it’ll helpthem make their wards better, too.

They don’t see Adannar at school or after it that day, andthen it’s the weekend. Selene says they’re going to have lessons on theweekend, though. They get to watch cartoons in the morning, and then she sitswith them at the table, and they practice some lessons. Not just writing lines,either. Selene has a book called LearningElvhen, and she opens it up and starts teaching Uthvir some of that, too.

The next day, they get to go to the park, though. Adannarcomes along too, and Ms Hara, and their dog – who is actually the dog Uthvirfirst met and thought was Selene’s – and there’s also a girl named Ana, who’sin Adannar’s classes and lives just a block away. Uthvir’s not too sure abouther at first, but she doesn’t make fun of them for bringing Spider-Man along,and she loans Uthvir one of her shovels to dig up pebbles with. The park is huge, with a big play set, and a trail,and a lookout post with a ladder that gives a view over the bigger portions ofthe park, that are all green, green trees. Felasel explains that the park letsonto a reserve, which is a bigsection of wild land that’s protected so it can stay wild.

“I wanna explore it,” Ana admits, when they abandon the playarea in favour of throwing twigs down from the lookout station. “I bet there’sall kinds of neat things in there.”

“There’s a train that goes through there,” Adannar says. “Wewere learnin’ about it class! It’s a magic train, from underground an’ it goesall the way to the dwarf cities, an’ through tunnels in the reserve, an’ thenup into the city depot!”

Dangerous,Spider-Man says. The tunnels will attractsome creatures to try and nest in them. Damage to the rails from wyvern nests,or poor maintenance, could lead to the train crashing.

“What’s in the train?” Uthvir wonders.

“Lyrium, mostly,” Adannar says. “But sometimes nugs, too!”

Move further back fromthe railing.

Sighing, Uthvir scoots back a bit. They want to go explorethe tunnels and see the wild things, and the nugs!

You will get eaten byjaguars.

“Are there ja… jageer… um. Big cats, in the reserve?” Uthvirwonders, floundering over Spider-Man’s word before he supplies them with amental image.

“Yeah,” Adannar sagely informs them, and Ana nods, too. “Butit’s okay, they don’t bother us if we don’t bother them. You’re not supposed topet any if you see them, though. That’s what my Momma says, anyway, she saysthey’re not like big dogs. And you’re not supposed to pet big dogs, neither.”

Adannar manages to look like this is a great and terribletragedy. But Spider-Man backs up the idea.

“My uncle says you never pet wild animals. Even if they don’thurt you, you could hurt them by accident,” Ana adds. “But I wouldn’ pet any ofthe ones on the reserve, I’d just take pictures!”

They carry on talking about the reserve for a bit more,then, before Ana suggests they play Explorers. Uthvir’s never played that gamebefore, but it’s a lot of fun. They run around the park and get all dirty andbury treasure in one of the sandboxes, and Ana finds a rock she says she’sgoing to keep, and Uthvir and Adannar discover a log with tons of ants underneath it. Spider-Man tells them not to touch any,though, and then Ms Hara comes and gets them and says it’s time to go home.

After the weekend, Uthvir has school again. And so it goes,for a whole week – they go to Ms Hara’s class, and they have study time withSelene. And sometimes Melarue comes and visits, and Felasel always comes andgets Uthvir from school, and is always on time. They play at Adannar’s house,or else Adannar comes and plays at theirs. They meet Adannar’s Papa, and Ana’sparents, and they have three meals a day plus snacks, and none of them arejerky or peanuts.

The second week comes, and Uthvir doesn’t think a lot aboutit, except that they really likestaying with Selene and Felasel. And maybe, if they’re really good, their dadwill let them do it again sometime.

Then the third week comes.

Then the fourth.

They start wondering, at that point.

Their dad’s never left them with some of his friends forthis long before. Part of them thinks they should ask Selene or Felasel aboutit, but they don’t know how to do it without making it sound… bad, somehow.Like they want to leave, or they’re sick of them, or ungrateful. And Uthvir isn’t!They have toys and friends and it’s reallynice here, and Selene is like a mom, and Felasel’s always sneaking themthings and sometimes he asks to hug them just… out of the blue. And it’s nice.They have a fort and a griffon and a nintendo, and puzzles and stickers, and abig bed and they can do magic and go to Ms Hara’s class.

They don’t want to go.

But they don’t know what’s happened to their dad, either.

Forget about him,Spider-Man advises, one night, when Uthvir’s having troubles sleeping.

“I can’t do that! He’s my dad,” Uthvir objects, whispering.They know they’re not… not a goodkid, but they’re not that bad.Sometimes they take things that don’t belong to them, but they don’t forgetabout people, and they’re not mean for no reason.

You really should. He’snot a good father. He wasn’t last time, either.

“Shush,” Uthvir says. “He’s not bad, you’re just too picky!”

Selene and Felaseltreat you better.

“That’s ‘cause they’re rich,” they object. “…And reallynice. But if Dad was rich, he’d be a lot nicer too, because then he wouldn’thave to worry about money all the time.”

When he finished thatjob at the old lady’s house, was he nice?

Uthvir stills, remembering their dad’s slurred speech, andraised voice. The way he locked them into the car and left them, and then cameback, acting all funny and telling Uthvir to stop making noise. He was happywhen he got paid, but he… he didn’t stay that way.

“…No,” they allow, quietly.

Spider-Man quiets down for a few minutes, then, and they hughim closer in the dark.

“What if Selene and Felasel stop wanting me, like Mom did?”they wonder. They’re like their dad, they know, and their dad’s not the best,but there’s a kind of security in that. Birds of a feather flock together. Theyremember their dad, sagely telling them, after they’d stopped crying, that thething about ‘decent’ people was that they always got rid of the Uthvirs andRhapsody’s in their lives. Like cleaning out the trash.

Spider-Man takes a while to answer.

You’ll still have me,he promises. And we have better odds withSelene and Felasel anyway. Rhapsody’s probably never coming back.

“Don’t say that!”they beg.

Spider-Man stops.

Uthvir clutches him close, curling into a ball in thebig bed as they start crying, then. Theytry to keep quiet about it. But after a few minutes, the bedroom door opens. Acrack of light spills into the room, and they burrow deeper into the covers.But they don’t really mind it when the mattress dips, and Selene starts gentlyrunning a hand up and down their back.

“What’s the matter?” she asks, when their sniffles have dieddown.

Uthvir curls up a little more, and hides their face inSpider-Man’s tummy.

“Where… where’s my dad?” they finally manage to ask.

Selene’s hand goes still against their back for a minute.And then she pats them again.

“He had to go on a long trip,” she says. “And the truth is, Uthvir,that he hadn’t been taking the best care of you. So, since Felasel and I wantedto have you around so badly – and Melaruedoes, too – we asked if he’d let you stay with us. And he said yes.”

Uthvir closes their eyes.

“He stopped wanting me,” they know, now. Just like theirmom. She stopped wanting Uthvir after their dad came back, and after Uthvir…after they gave him the cards from her purse. Because he asked them to, and hesaid it was an emergency, and you’re supposedto help people when it’s an emergency.

They knew it was bad though. Going into Mom’s purse withoutpermission.

But they did it anyway.

Just like all the grifting, and stealing, and lying. Justlike their dad.

Except now even hedoesn’t want them anymore. And someday Selene and Felasel are going to figureout that they don’t want Uthvir, either. And then what will they do?

Survive,Spider-Man says.

But then his voice gets all muffled. Quiet. Not like he’sgone away, but like someone’s just thrown a blanket over his head. Except he’sstill smushed up against Uthvir’s face. They swallow, and pull back a little;and Selene reaches over, and smooths some of the hair away from their forehead.

Her eyes look funny. Just for a second. Like they’re toobright.

“I think that’s enough fear, for one night,” she murmurs. “Don’tyou worry, Uthvir. We’ll look after you. We’re not going to get tired of you,or decide you aren’t worth our time. It doesn’t matter what you’ve done, orwhat you think you’ve done. You can stay with us as long as you need to.Forever, if you want. Do you want to stay with us?”

They blink, and roll over a little. Selene rests a hand againstthe side of their face, as they fidget with Spider-Man.

They manage a nod.

Selene smiles.

“Good,” she says. “You’re family, Uthvir. We should havementioned that from the start, I think. But you belong with us as much as youbelong with anyone.”

Uthvir lets out a breath.

Family?

They’re related?

They thought… well. Their dad does have a pretty big family, but they thought nobody in it wasrich? But maybe Selene and Felasel just got their big break. Like the one theirparents always seemed to be waiting for. Their mom was always waiting for one,and then their dad was, too.

“I’ll be good,” they promise. They will be. They’ll be ontheir best behaviour, and then Selene and Felasel won’t have any reason to getrid of them.

“Good or bad, you’re our Uthvir,” Selene tells them. Thenshe smiles, just a little, and bops their nose.

They make a sound of protest when it tickles, and hide theirface back in Spider-Man. Who’s still all muffled, but he doesn’t seem to beupset or anything. Selene sits with them until they fall asleep again, driftingaway as the awful feeling inside of them starts to ease up, and they’re leftjust with an overwhelming sense of being tired.

When they wake up the next morning, everything feels alittle bit like a dream. But they find it’s a lot easier to not worry about theirdad coming to get them, now – whether he will, or won’t. Instead they find thatthey’re uncommonly excited to have their breakfast, and watch their cartoons,and go to school, and do all kinds of things. Things that they normally like todo anyway, but today, it seems like everything they want – and get – is extraimportant, and easy to focus on.

Spider-Man is grumpy, though.

Meddling Des, hemutters.

What’s that?Uthvir wonders.

Incautious,Spider-Man tells them, which usually means he’s just in a Mood. Uthvir leaveshim with their pokemon games when they set him up in the fort, so he can playthem if he gets bored, and maybe be in a better mood when they get home.

Home.

It’s getting really easy to think of this place like that.

#frat reincarnation au #everyone is an abom au #for the foreseeable future lil uthvir is set to stay with selene and felasel #although their mom is still out there and could be a factor in things #scurvgirl

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