oldmanatom | Recent Entries

hello! i'm oldmanatom—Atom for short—and this is my writing journal. i mostly write fanfiction; see my tag page if you're looking for something specific. my fic is crossposted here and those posts are always public. currently, i don't really post beyond fic posts, so there's nothing that's locked, but if that changes, i'll update this post.

i'm also on lots of other sites. if you see "oldmanatom" anywhere, it's probably me, but feel free to check in to confirm.

re: copyright: by default, the only things i "own" here are the stories i write. aside from original (non-fic) works posted here, i do not claim ownership to any of the characters, series, or other copyrighted entities in this journal. i'm not making money off them, either, or i'd probably be writing a lot more.

my transformative work statement is on my AO3. keep me and my work far, far away from AI of any sort, including "checkers."

anonymous commenting and comment screening is on for this post. if you don't want me to respond to something publicly, either message me directly about it here or elsewhere, or ask me to leave the comment screened and give me a way to get back to you.

hope you enjoy checking out my little slice of Dreamwidth! i don't post all that often right now, but i treasure this space. as someone who came up on the "classic" LJ, i'm grateful to the people that have kept this site running all these years, staff and paid supporters alike. :)

[last updated: 9/18/26]

Music: The Ink Spots, "Java Jive"

title: here's a story that's REALLY scarifying…
chapter: 1/5
fandom: Stardew Valley
character(s)/pairing(s): Mayor Lewis and the ASS Trio (Abigail, Sebastian, and Sam); no pairings.
summary: Lewis stops. Listens. What is that? There's definitely something—murmuring, soft scuffling. Maybe there's a raccoon digging through his trash can again? Or the wind is moving in and rustling the leaves. Might be—

Oh. No, that's a loud laugh. A familiar laugh. And shushing. Familiar shushing.

He hangs his head and sighs. It sounds like Sebastian, Abigail, and Sam, and if all thee of them are together this late at night? They're probably up to no good.

And the sounds are coming from…the graveyard? Definitely up to no good, then.

[Lewis happens on the town's resident troublemaking trio telling each other scary stories in the graveyard late on Spirit's Eve. an homage to The Simpsons' iconic first Treehouse of Horror episode, written for the Stardew Valley Fic Writers Guild's Spirit's Eve Week event.]
crossposted: AO3 (when it's back up!) / Tumblr

each chapter corresponds to one of the prompts for the Spirit's Eve Week event! this chapter is for the prompt "graveyard." there'll be five chapters in total for this fic!

if you haven't already, i highly recommend watching the first Treehouse of Horror episode of The Simpsons (season 2 episode 3, 10/25/90)—not just for the context around the framing of this story, but because it's a really good episode! probably my favorite of the series.

also, the story referenced here is actually from a very old Mr. Nightmare video. i personally do find it creepy, at least creepy enough that it's stuck with me all these years, so maybe it is just Sam dropping the ball here.

( This year, Spirit’s Eve lands on a day that’s more suited to winter than autumn. )

Mood: spooky! 🎃

title: steel sharpens steel
fandom: Stardew Valley
character(s)/pairing(s): Abigail and Clint. no pairings.
summary: Six moments in the journey of Clint taking on Abigail as his apprentice.
crossposted: AO3 / Tumblr

my drabbles for the Stardew Valley Fanfiction Writers Guild's Labor Day 2026 drabble challenge! this year, all the drabbles are meant to be read together to form a "literary sketch" of the story of Abigail becoming Clint's apprentice.

like last year, though, all the drabbles will be posted together on this post. if you'd like to see them as separate chapters, check them out on AO3, linked above.

( drabbles ahoy! )

Music: Noah Kahan, "Lighthouse"/The Great Divide album

title: eleven letters, a fun way to pass the morning?
fandom: Stardew Valley
character(s)/pairing(s): Emily, Sandy; Sandy/Emily
summary: Sandy, Emily, and The Zuzu Herald's Sunday crossword.
crossposted: AO3 / Sunset / Tumblr

note: rated explicit on AO3!

( ''Seven letters, 'lady of'—hm—'the seas.''' )

title: finding words
fandom: The Closer
character(s)/pairing(s): Brenda Leigh Johnson, Sharon Raydor; Brenda/Sharon
summary: Brenda, for once, is the one writing a letter to her father. It's going like a car trying to climb the Grapevine with its emergency brake on. Sharon's there to help ease Brenda off the gas a bit. [written for the Femslash Big Bang's April Monthly Challenge, "letters never sent." there's no specific point in the timeline for this scene, so weave it in where you'd like.]
crossposted: AO3 / Sunset / Tumblr

( Dear Daddy, I don't know how to start this letter so I'm just going to start it. )

title: two shorten the road
fandom: Stardew Valley
character(s)/pairing(s): Marnie & f!Farmer
summary: A late night walk, an unexpected crossroads, and a quiet conversation that casts a new light on an acquaintanceship. [finished for the Halloween Trick or Treat Game in the Stardew Valley Fanfiction Writers Guild's Weekly Word Challenge channel, specifically for the Treat prompt "Moonlit Stroll."]
crossposted: AO3 / Tumblr

( Summer’s beaten down on everything for months, broiling the valley in a way Jake’s still getting used to, but tonight everyone’s been given leave. )

have you heard the good news?

Recent Entries

Sticky: an easy catch-all

here's a story that's REALLY scarifying… (ch. 1/5)

steel sharpens steel

eleven letters, a fun way to pass the morning?

finding words

two shorten the road

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