This is My first story so first things first, I own neither Fate/Stay Night or Stardew Valley. This was also beta read by my good friend Tungsten Cat so go check out her stories for better quality content. Otherwise I hope you enjoy

Shirou was bored out of his mind.

How many more hours was his shift at work again? Time seemed to stop here, it felt like nobody ever left this place. He didn't even know his coworkers' names, just blank faces glued to a desk and staring at a screen.

What's the point of my work here again? Sighing, he scrolled absently through line after line of sales metrics. Just writing up reports on products that end up collecting dust on the suits' desks? Where's the meaning in that? Is this what I really want to do for the rest of my life?

"Emiya, come to my office." The voice of Shinji Matou, his direct supervisor and former highschool friend, carried over the bland clicking of keyboards.

Sluggishly Shirou rose from his chair, joints protesting the sudden movement after hours of disuse, cracking and creaking as he made his way to Shinji's office.

Shinji greeted him with an ingratiating smile as he waved towards an empty seat.

"Good news, Emiya! We here at Joja have an offer for you." '

Shirou tried not to let his eyebrow raise. "You do?"

"I knew you'd be delighted." His supervisor beamed. "Thanks to your record, your impeccable attendance record and the quality of your work, the supervisory council has decided to offer you a promotion. No, no need to thank me. The details are in the packet in front of you, feel free to browse them."

The smug drawl and false smile reminded Shirou of the face Shinji had always worn in school when he wanted to butter someone up. Irritation prickled up his spine before he managed to force it down.

"After five years working here, finally on the way to moving up? I'm flattered, really," drawled Shirou dryly.

He reached for the packet in front of him, silently skimming the document as he covertly examined the room. Reports he'd written weeks ago sat barely touched on the desk. His fingers tightened on the page when he saw a particularly thick packet he'd prepared on the damage Joja-cola did on the environment and customers, described by his director as "vitally important to the team", tossed carelessly in the trash. The same document that cost him three weeks of intensive research and personal sacrifice, even forcing him to miss his little sister's college graduation during that time.

The notice of resignation he'd filed almost two weeks ago was also visible between two stacks of documents. Shirou made no attempt to draw attention to it.

"Well you know how corporate is, old friend. These things take time, and you know how you always used to blend into the background." Shinji shrugged companionably, as if they were sharing a drink at the bar. "In short, you'd be promoted to junior supervisor with some of the benefits the position entails. That includes a raise and better insurance options"

"Give me a few hours to think it over, Shinji." Shirou stiffly rose from his seat, his mind already whirling at just how little his employers appreciated his work. "I'll be heading out now, I have an appointment for lunch. See you later."

Shirou rushed out of the office as fast as he politely could. After all his recent absences from home for work, he couldn't be late for his lunch with Illya.

"Take the rest of the day off to think about the offer!" Shinji called to his retreating back, glancing at Shirou's notice still stuck between the stacks.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~Scene Break~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Illya sat despondently at her booth in the cafe, frowning at the email on her phone. The university where she'd earned both of her bachelor's degrees at the same time had denied her a position as an aide to her favorite professor. Groaning, she swirled the straw in her water glass. Too months since she'd graduated, top of her class for both her biology and chemistry, and she was no closer to finding a job.

"I hope big brother gets here soon. He's almost late."

But the message that popped up on her phone turned out to be from her mother.

"Went through some old stuff, found something addressed to you and Shirou. Can you two come over as soon as you can? Lots of Love—Mom"

Illya smiled as she read the text and punched in her response.Sure mom, we can be over after lunch. Big brother said he had the rest of the day off in his text to me.

The response came seconds later. Great, it's been so long since you two visited. The little ones have been missing their big sister and big brother for weeks. I'll tell them the good news. Love you both- Mom.

Illya quickly put her phone away when she spotted Shirou's familiar red hair at the cafe door. His usual blue and white shirt was covered with a tan jacket to block out the last hurrah of the winter before spring inevitably overtook the coldest season. Illya shook her head — her own thicker purple coat did a much better job at blocking out the chill.

"Big Brother, over here! You almost made me wait."

She pouted as Shirou apologized, citing that he was helping others on her way there. Illya gave a rueful chuckle—that sounded exactly like her brother. They both accepted menus from the waitress, then turned to each other when she left to serve her other tables.

"I got a message from Mom. She says we need to go over and look at something addressed to us." Her expression softened at the sight of her beloved older brother perusing his menu. "Also, the little ones miss us."

"I… yeah. I miss them too."

Patiently she waited until he had made his selection, having already made up her mind while she was waiting. They placed their orders with the waitress when she returned, then settled back in their seats and chattered about this and that, his day and her classes.

"Huh," said Shirou after they'd picked over their food. "It really has been a long time since either of us visited mom or dad, hasn't it?"

"Only a few months," Illya said wryly. "And it's your fault, big brother. Just for that, I'm not going to stop her from pinching your cheeks."

"H-hey!"

Grinning, she stole the bill from him before he could recover. A small victory, even if he'd likely sneak the money back into her bag when she wasn't looking. All worth it, for the little spark it put into her brother's exhausted eyes.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~Scene Break~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Irisveil watched over her two youngest children as they did their homework.

"Ritsuka, remember to carry the 1 there" Irisveil reminded her thirteen year old daughter.

The girl's head lowered in defeat. "Mama, can I be done yet? This is so hard."

"Almost done Ritsuka, just two more and you're done ok?" Irisveil grinned. "Your sister is already done with her ten equations and earned herself some internet time"

Hakuno looked up from the laptop she had been typing away on just moments ago, then tilted her head and kept on typing."BB says that she's free Saturday if she can come over mom"

"Of course she can. ow your hour on the internet is up, little miss. Let's get your sister here finished up on her homework and then you two can get ready for bed. It's a school night after all."

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ 2 hours later ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Illya knocked on the door of her childhood home as Shirou stood behind her on the freshly shoveled sidewalk. The snowfall had dwindled to a a gentle sprinkle over her hat and coat, but she was still eager to step inside into the warmth.

"Mom please open up, it's us. Sorry we're late, we had some errands to run" Shirou said just as Irisviel opened the door.

"Come in, come in, my dears!" She eagerly waved them inside. "Ritsuka and Hakuno just finished up their homework and went to bed."

Their mother led them to the living room, where a kettle sat on an electric heater. A few mugs were set out expectantly on the coffee table in front of the cozy couch Illya so fondly remembered jumping on as a young girl.

"Oh, I'm so glad you're home. We have so much catching up to do!" Irisviel gestured to the couch and took up position in the plush chair set across from it, steaming hot tea already poured into her mug.

"Here comes the interrogation," Shirou stage-whispered to Illya as they followed, earning himself a giggle and a reproachful nudge from his sister.

Irisveil took a sip of her tea, as if she hadn't heard a thing. "Now Illya dear, how goes your fight for that apprenticeship you wanted? With Professor El-Melloi, wasn't it? She shot Illya with a knowing look as the young woman poured herself a mug.

"I… didn't get the position, mom. The dean's step-daughter got it" Illya said into her tea, trying to hold back her disappointment and shame. To swallow down the bitter realization that after all that sweat and tears, she was a failure, and she just admitted it to her mom. She really is a pathetic failure.

Irisvei gave her a sad smile, yet seemed proud that her daughter had spoken up instead of forcing her to go digging for her situation. "Oh Illya, you aren't a failure," she said, once again displaying her uncanny talent for apparent mind-reading. "Sometimes things just happen that are outside of your power"

"But I tried so hard mom! It's not right" Tears trickled down Illya's cheeks into her tea, even as Shirou gave her a one armed hug and a reassuring smile.

Shirou looked at their mother."Before you ask, yes I gave my notice. Exactly two weeks ago."

Illya took the moment to try and compose herself as Irisviel gave the young man an approving nod "Good! I couldn't stand you working at that awful Joja place."

"Great. Except now, I'm out a job with no backup plan," he muttered, then looked hopefully at her. "Do you have something? I see you eyeing that envelope on your lap."

Irisveil's eyes shifted towards her second oldest son. "I'm proud that you finally noticed just how unhappy you were there. Ah, this envelope? Just a gift from your late grandfather, dear. He gave it to your father and I for this exact scenario."

"What scenario do you mean, Iri?" Shirou says as he refilled Illya's mug.

"When you both need a fresh start! ou need a job and Illya needs a place that she can flourish without nepotism getting in the way." A cheerful smile spread across the woman's face, one that always promised trouble. "Who knows, you might find a special someone there, Shirou. You know how much I want grandbabies!"

Illya couldn't help but give her grimacing brother a sympathetic smile before blatantly leaning over to watch as he tugged the envelope open. The paper that slipped out looked legal, definitely legal.

"Huh, a deed…?" said Shirou. "To a farm in… Stardew Valley?"

Their mother's beatific smile promised outright disaster as she took another sip of tea.