#june's diary

[alex31624]

Tea

If there's anyone in the Manor we can call mysterious, it's Mrs. Beakley. Webby's grandmother, so technically mine and May's, too. We haven't clarified this. She hasn't talked to us much, though she's made it clear that we're part of the family.

That’s why I couldn’t help but approach her when I saw her sitting on the terrace drinking tea and eating pastries. She noticed my presence immediately with her spy powers and called me over with a wave of her hand.

“Do you need something June?”

“Not really Mrs. B… I was just wondering if I could join you, maybe?”

Mrs. Beakley smiled and invited me to sit down. She served me tea and a cake. We talked for hours. The stories she told me about her spy days and her encounters with Heron were fascinating.

“Oh! Look at the time. Well, June, it was nice talking to you, but I must get back to my duties.”

A disappointed grimace appeared on my face, but I tried to hide it with a smile. Mrs. Beakley stared at me for a moment.

“I would be delighted if you join me for tea again.”

“Really! Thank you so much, Granny!”

I immediately covered my beak. I was overcome with emotion. I could feel my face turning red from embarrassment.

“Sorry, Webby is my sister… And she’s your… I know I don’t have the right to…”

My words were muffled by a caress on my face from Mrs. Beakley.

“Don’t worry, dear.”

Mrs.… No, Granny, knelt and opened her arms. I joined her immediately.

This family… My family… is full of love…

June Duck

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May's Diary

[rnbria]

October 2016 with June's Diary

[mournfulroses]

André Gide, from a journal entry featured in The Journals of Andre Gide, Vol. 2: 1914-1927

[strokeofserenity]

F. Scott Fitzgerald, The Beautiful and Damned.

[dailykafka]

— June 19, 1916 / Franz Kafka diaries

[ihrturguts]

[soulmvtes]

june — reading by the trees, noticing new things within the mundanity & feeling lucky to be alive 🌟

[paperbacksunday]

At night, books, talk, passion.

— Anaïs Nin, Henry and June: From the Unexpurgated Diary of Anaïs Nin

[foxprints]

Happy Pride Month 💛🏳️‍🌈

Featuring Murderbot, ART-Drone, and Amena. Can you identify all the flags featured? There are 13 total!

[petaltexturedskies]

Her beauty drowned me. As I sat in front of her I felt that I would do anything mad for her, anything she asked of me. She was color, brilliance, strangeness.

Anaïs Nin, from a diary entry featured in Henry and June: From "A Journal of Love": The Unexpurgated Diary of Anaïs Nin, 1931-1932

[alex31624]

Training

I love my brothers. Having them by our side has been very important for May and me. But sometimes, we have problems. Today is one of those days.

I had a fight with Dewey. It was stupid, but I couldn't help it. Now I'm in my room, sitting at the foot of my bed. I don't even bother to look at the person who entered.

“Will you come with me?”

Mom's tone is so warm that I get up and follow her. We go together to the Manor gym. I look at Mom strangely, but she just smiles at me.

“Let's go train a little, okay?”

Mom and I get changed, and after stretching a little, we hit the punching bag. Mom is a black belt in taekwondo, and I... I was born to fight, I guess.

“You're not in your best shape today.”

Mom always knows.

“I discussed with Dewey. He said Dad is the worst, and I pushed him.”

Mom knelt, her sweet smile and warm eyes emanating love.

“June, I understand how you feel. But I assure you, Dewey doesn't mean it. I've heard him talk like that before, but it's not that he's trying to offend him. Believe me when I tell you that Dewey loves Donald.”

I feel tears forming on my face, and Mom's arms went around me.

“It was wrong for you to push Dewey, and you need to apologize. Understood?"

I can only nod in response.

“I love you June.”

“I love you too.”

When we part, Mom wipes away my tears.

“Do you want to continue training?���

My smile was instant.

“Of course, Mom.”

June Duck

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[shisasan]

𝙹𝚞𝚗𝚎 𝟷𝟿, 𝟷𝟿𝟷𝟼 𝚃𝚑𝚎 𝙳𝚒𝚊𝚛𝚒𝚎𝚜 𝙾𝚏 𝙵𝚛𝚊𝚗𝚣 𝙺𝚊𝚏𝚔𝚊, 𝟷𝟿𝟷𝟺-𝟷𝟿𝟸𝟹

[ID: June 19. Forget everything. Open the windows. Clear the room. The wind blows through it. You see only its emptiness, you search in every corner and don't find yourself. END ID]

[mehrfh]

An age depiction-analysis in the Apothecary diaries with *possible spoilers!

One of the reasons I am inclined towards the #TAD so much is that how many age-related nuances reflect so beautifully in these characters in some really age-agnostic times (come on Gaoshun is grandfather at 36!)...

Hear me out, I am an old woman who has been back in anime world after years.. Anime world rarely gets these age-apropos things right, especially in depicting certain storylines... And I am not talking about age as in from a purity or preachy perspective, I am talking about age in behaviours...Teenagers who do not behave like teenagers in very teenage matters, and adults who forfeit every un-adult like habit because they are adults... Too common right! In other words, hardly you see nuances of age in the actions of characters without it becoming the whole point (like some stories where whole personality of an adult is that he/she behaves in a child-like or childish manner!)

I love how in both novel and anime, almost in all characters certain layers reflect their ages despite their social standing and politics... To pull such a feat in a historic anime, especially meant for pop-culture, is even more impressive...Because in historic series, age is either invisiblised in the name of ‘historic accuracy’ or it becomes just ‘another modern characters given title of a historic series’ in the name of appealing to modern audience...However, the author has been able to keep history at the heart of culture, routine, society and expectations of these characters but she has not made these characters part of just another ‘historic narration.' She has been able to capture the rawness within these characters according to their ages, despite their social standings and their heavy titles...

Not only Mao² and Jinshi are two incredibly smart, socially aware responsible individuals, they are also incredibly childish, many times stupid teenagers who fare badly at communicating with each other especially in their personal spaces... Nothing exemplifies this combination the way they play their ‘games’... Their little ‘games’ are fraught with a heavy dose of class indifference and political constraints but these are ‘games’ of two teenagers whose idea of ‘payback’, if viewed from an adult's lens, will look like perfect teenage drama— angsty and immature... And it is not just these two, in almost every character the heavy and sensitive layers exist along with age-apropos nuances of multitude of emotions like anger, happiness, joy, desire and frustation... Yes, the heroine is smart and intelligent and will save empire like any other historic hero but she is to be constantly supervised by ‘adults’ because she might ‘accidentally’ eat a poisonous herb! Similarly, her lover might be a crown prince and second-most important person in the empire but it does not stop him from ‘settling scores’ with his love interest due to a failed ‘game of dominance’ by tickling her feet...and it is not just these two, it is others as well...

You see a difference between how a 19-year old Emperor ties Ah-Duo with himself compared to how a 36-year old man tries to keep her with him; in both instances it is a type of infatuating love keeping the man tied to the woman he loves but as he grows older, he has to let her go without letting her go— a nuance that evolves according to age.... Compare the story-arcs of Basen & Lishu with that of Pairin and Lihaku, you will get how the comparatively younger love story arc carries that childish innocence to it...In fact you see how in Lishu's character, her age and expectation of her role and family status perfectly capture her suffering...similarly Shisui, as a bug-lover teenage girl versus her alter-ego of a high ranking consort carrying a heavy political baggage perfectly captured her story arc... In fact, Gaoshun's character as a caretaker, as a father, friend, husband and as a guardian have these nuances... Same Gaoshun who struggles a lot with Jinshi and Mao² tantrums as an adult doesn't hesitate a bit in drawing his sword at the Emperor's uncle, underlining years of his experience as a guardian... His years-old experience changing with the age-group!

As an adult, I find these nuances refreshing...It is not always you see a series tending to pop-culture expectations and staying true to the elements being depicted in the plot in such a smooth manner! Especially when it comes to age-apropos depictions...Showcasing both teenage and adult versions of silly and serious in many similar moments in history-heavy settings without one overshadowing another is a welcome change!

[mournfulroses]

Rainer Maria Rilke, from a diary entry featured in Diaries of a Young Poet

[strokeofserenity]

Ocean Vuong, Night Sky With Exit Wounds.