Hello there, everyone. In case anyone wanted to read this, it's the extended version of the band scene. I hope you enjoy it. If you don't want to read it, feel free to skip on down to the continuation of the story below. Thank you!

xxx Band Practice, 101 xxx

Yuugi sat down in his chair at band, slowly opening up his new clarinet case. He was going to relish every moment he could play this. No more squeaking! No more horrible intonation! No more bad keys!

Taking out a new read, he tasted the new wood flavor. However strange, he loved the taste of a new reed. He started to put it together. Mouthpiece goes in the barrel; the barrel goes into the first finger piece, first finger piece into the second finger piece, and then the bell. As he finished, he noticed something that made him grin further. The bell isn't even cracked! 

"New instrument, Motou?" Mr. Moon asked him.

Yuugi looked up at the band teacher. "Un, sensei," he mumbled around his reed. "Just bought yesterday."

The sage green eyes of his teacher looked at the instrument appreciatively. "Good! My best player needed something a bit better than our cheap free rentals." He gave a thumbs' up. "Practice hard today, Motou."

"How else would I practice," Yuugi asked facetiously. He put on the ligature, and then started to apply his reed. Stubborn-ass things. If they're not on right they don't like to play properly.

The teacher nodded, getting up on his podium. "No other way, of course!" He picked up his baton and waited, signaling the beginning of class.

Yuugi opened his folder, pulling out the first piece of music for the day. A slight pressure behind his eyes began, and Yuugi was glad to note that Yami was taking an interest in what he was doing. The spirit read what the sheet of music said at the top. Finale, from the New World Symphony. Composer: Antonon Dvorak.

: These little spots on the bars make sense to you, aibou?: Yami asked.

: Beautiful sense. Sit back and enjoy.:

The class quieted down, and the teacher nodded. "Good, B flat scale, everyone." He started to direct in a 4/4 beat; the same warm up they did every day. The names of the notes hardly hit his mind before the next one was played. He usually didn't pay attention to the note names, and didn't, even though he probably should have, pay too much attention to counting. He played by feeling the beat. Numbers rarely ever entered his head. Yuugi suppressed a grin as he played, each note coming out flawlessly as his fingers danced up and down the instrument. The scale ended.

"Good. A three part round, and then we will begin. Low's, mid's, high's." The low brass started off the round; euphoniums, tubas, trombones, French horns and bass clarinets starting out with the root of the chord. Next came the bassoons, trumpets, cornets, saxophones, and lower register clarinets. Followed were the beautifully high notes of the flutes, oboes, and higher register clarinets. The chord at the end was magnificent.

Yuugi got a giddy grin as he realized he could try something he'd been meaning to lately, but didn't have an adequate instrument to try it. And just as a runner came in from the office with a note for the teacher, the class started talking and gave Yuugi the chance to give this new trick a whirl.

Playing a middle C, Yuugi created a good, solid tone. The girl next to him thought he was doing long notes, when suddenly Yuugi adjusted his throat, and hit the upper register without hitting the octave key. She was surprised even further when he hit an even higher register, still not using any other keys. Yuugi moved up to the middle D, and did the exact same thing.

It worked! He didn't have to use the octave key if he didn't want to!

He went to the open G, and found that the tone quality was not what it could be. He needed more practice.

"How did you do that," the girl next to him in the second chair asked bewildered.

"You have to adjust your throat," Yuugi stated. "Try making your air passage larger. It's actually not too hard."

She smiled. "Oh, I can't wait, that's so cool!"

The tapping of the baton on the plastic stand of the teacher called everyone back to attention. "Sorry for the intrusion, everyone. Back to Finale." Yuugi listened expectantly for his cue. The band started, and the first notes always made the young teen think of the theme music for 'Jaws.' 

Yami listened intently as the piece of music began. It started out sounding rather dark and ominous with the low brass instruments, suspense weaving its way throughout every note as the clarinets and saxophones separated to create their own melody and counter melody. Yuugi's fingers began to move faster and faster the more he played, the intensity increasing as the flutes joined in the fray.

Just as Yami thought it couldn't get any worse, everyone suddenly stopped, and the low brass started the main melody, oozing with dark undertones. Soon followed, the rest of the band joined in.

It took a while, but eventually the mood lightened considerably, and the lighter it became the more Yuugi's fingers moved. He flipped the page quickly, moving on to the next style that would come in to play. No rests.

Yuugi was ecstatic. Not only was the sound coming out of his new instrument absolutely gorgeous, but also his diaphragm didn't hurt, and his lungs were able to suck in large amounts of air. The tone quality he was producing was the best he could ever remember. He tried not to laugh as he turned the page again, feeling mental eyebrows rise further and further as Yami noted just how long the music was.

But the sound was incredible. The dynamics were perfectly played, each note dictated and accentuated just as it was supposed to be.

The teacher dropped his arms and the band stopped, Mr. Moon beginning to flip back a few pages. "Trumpets, go back to section C. I want to go through some of your runs again. Remember, crescendo, decrescendo." The players flipped back a couple of pages, and started again.

Yuugi loved band practice, and had a feeling that Yami was developing a new appreciation for it, too.

: And how many times do you play and replay this song, aibou?:

: As many times as it takes.: The teenager sat back as he waited for the trumpets to finish, putting Adagio underneath of his Finale score, the piece they would be practicing next.

And so they played. In fact, they ended up playing just that piece all hour, which was usually what ended up happening. Their teacher would become so focused on what they were currently working on, he didn't want to stop. It had to do some good, though, for they always received a lot of compliments at concerts and competition.

Yuugi's fingers were feeling a little numb as they entered their last phrase after five pages of straight music, the notes so fast he didn't even think about timing and note names. He just played. High note, high, high, trill….last note. He took the clarinet away from his lips.

Another girl two chairs down panted. "I can't feel my lips," she frowned. "I need more practice."

: I'll say,: Yami stated. : She's two chairs down.:

Yuugi laughed, and his teacher gave him a funny look, knowing most people didn't talk to him and so none of them could have made him laugh. 

All Done!!!

When It's No Longer Cliché

Yami walked into the living room, stretching his arms as he did so. It was now the late afternoon, and the whole house was almost deathly silent. Sugoroku was manning the shop for the next three hours until closing. Most of his weekend business came in during Saturday afternoons.

Yuugi was asleep on the couch, curled up and nestled next to a pillow. Yami's heart almost melted at the sight. Coming up to him silently, Yami picked Yuugi up with a quiet ease, sat down on the couch, and put Yuugi in his lap, wrapping his arms around the teen's small waist. Yuugi stayed asleep, sighing deeply as he was settled against Yami's chest. : I was wondering when you were going to come back. The gnawing in my stomach was about to drive me mad. It hurts when you're away. : 

Yami hid his face in Yuugi's soft ebony tresses. : I know. I beginning to think that I'll have to go back into the puzzle for a while. My physical presence is putting an enormous strain on you. :

Yuugi frowned, both mentally and physically. : I wish you didn't have to. I like being with you, and seeing the expressions on your face. I like to hear your voice, too. Mental speech is not always enough. :

: I know, but it won't be for long: just enough to rest for a while. You normally don't take naps, and here you are, trying to sleep in the middle of the afternoon. I'm tiring out not only myself, but you as well. :

Yuugi sighed hard. : You'll be there when I go to sleep tonight? :

: I wouldn't be anywhere else in the world. I will go back into the puzzle after you fall asleep tonight, and then be out again before you wake. :

Yuugi smiled happily. : I can live with that. :

 Suddenly, Yami's stomach growled viciously. "I think I'm hungry," he mumbled.

"Hmm," Yuugi replied. "What would you like to eat?"

Yami kissed Yuugi's forehead tenderly. "Something with spinach and onions."

Yuugi turned around, looking at Yami with a slightly worried, slightly perplexed expression. "Spinach and onions?"

Yami frowned. "Food has changed a lot over the years, hasn't it? What do you have to eat in this time?"

Yuugi dropped his head back on to Yami's chest. "Well, we could order out for some sushi. I'm not sure how much you'd like it. Or perhaps…" he trailed off as he thought. "There's some recipes in the kitchen. My Ojii-chan isn't too bad of a chef. There might be something I could whip up for you. Maybe he even has some recipes of food the Egyptians eat. It can't be too complicated to make." He sat up and gave Yami a chaste kiss. "Let's go rummage and find what's in there."

"I'm game."

Yuugi hopped up and traipsed into the kitchen, Yami trailing behind him. The old spirit watched curiously as Yuugi opened up one of the cupboards, pulling out some thick books and plopping them on the counter. Yuugi began to flip through them, wondering if perhaps he could find a recipe and improvise or improve on it. "Ah, here's one," he stated, pointing his finger at a page in the book. "It's a pastry crust. If you like onions and spinach, I could make you some stuffed pastries. They shouldn't take too long."

"You bake," Yami inquired.

"The best in my foods class at school. The blueberry pie I made for extra credit was better than what you find at bakeries."

Yami raised an elegant eyebrow, but commented no further.

Yuugi pulled out a large Tupperware container of flour from the lazy Suzan, the container of shortening, sugar, salt, and some milk. "Anything I can do," Yami asked.

Just then the doorbell rang, and Yuugi was finding himself dusted in flour. "As a matter of fact, you can get the door," Yuugi replied, fishing out some measuring spoons from the drawer.

Turning about, Yami walked out of the kitchen and to the back door of the house. The 'front' door was actually through the game shop that was directly attached to the living quarters. Whoever was at the back door, they started the ring the doorbell over and over again. "I'm coming!" Yami barked. Reaching for the knob, Yami turned it and pulled the door open, glaring at the person on the other side.

Or make that persons.

"Oh, uh, hey dere Yug. How's it go 'in?"

Yami looked up at the shocked expression of Jou's face, Honda standing right next to him. "Fine," Yami replied, "but I'm not Yuugi."

Two sets of eyes blinked. "Ha! Yeah right, Yug. Real funny. We was just wondering if ya wanted to go to the arcade with us."

Yami took his turn to blink back. It sure was annoying when someone didn't believe you. "I'd prefer not to, but like I said, I'm not Yuugi."

"What are you talk 'in about," Honda inquired.

"I'm. Not. Yuugi," Yami reiterated yet again. "Yuugi is in the kitchen. I'm Yami."

The two teens stood speechless.

"Would you like to come in," Yami asked.

"Uh…yeah, sure." Jou replied, him and Honda cautiously walking in, giving Yami wary looks. Coming back to the kitchen, Yuugi came into view, working pastry dough in his hands readying it to roll out on a large wooden chopping block. He smiled when he looked up and saw Yami coming back, but his smile faltered and sunk into a look of shock to see Jou and Honda following a safe distance behind. The skeptical teens forgot to close their mouths as they very nearly dropped to the floor, seeing Yuugi standing there, quite busy with flour and dough.

"Yug," Jou asked. "Dere really are two of ya!"

Yuugi looked back to Yami curiously, and then turned his attention back to his acquaintances from school. "Oh, you mean Yami? I've known him for quite a while. It's nice you two are finally able to meet him." Yami mentally grinned at him. 

Honda seemed to try not to choke on his own tongue. "H-he…is he like your brother or something?"

Yuugi felt his dark spirit blanch inside. What a horrible thought! "No."

"A cousin?"

"No."

Honda was grasping for comprehension. "No relation at all? How do you two look so much alike?"

Yami wondered how Yuugi was going to sweet talk his way out of this one. Yuugi simply shrugged. "You know what they say; everyone has a twin somewhere in the world. I just so happen to have met mine who used to live in Egypt. How about that?" He looked at Jou and Honda and smiled.

: Smooth aibou, very smooth. :

: As if you'd expect anything less. : A mental wink.

"Oh…uh…I see. Hmm. We was just wonder 'in if ya wanted to go to da arcade with us. But you 's seem kinda busy."

: Would you mind some company for the evening, : Yuugi asked.

: I have no qualms with that. :

"Well, if either of you want to grade cheese and chop some ham in the fridge, you two can stay for some of the dinner I'm making."

"Food," Jou asked excitedly. "I'm so there!" Before Honda could protest, the blonde was rummaging through the refrigerator for cheese and ham.

"Pull out the onions, too," Yuugi stated, finishing up with rolling out the dough.

xxx

Yuugi released a heavy breath, relishing in the feeling of a full stomach. The rest of the evening had gone exceedingly well, Jou and Honda warming up to Yami nicely. The stuffed pastries turned out delicious, and Yuugi was more than apt to believe that an old adage he knew went more than perfectly well with Jou. The way to a man's heart is through his stomach. He had a feeling that Jou would be a good friend from now on. Both teens had stayed well past ten o'clock, only leaving when Ojii-chan ushered them out of the house, telling them to go to bed. Yami was grateful when the peace and quiet returned to their tiny abode.

Yami walked up behind Yuugi, wrapping his arms around the teen's waist. The food Yuugi prepared had been absolutely delicious, and he looked forward to the meals to come. Yuugi turned around in his arms, wrapping his darkness up in a passionate kiss. : I love you. :

If Yami had been a cat, he'd have been purring horrendously. A slim leg slithered up his own, winding up silkily. : Make love to m e, : Yuugi's mind voice whispered huskily inside his head. : I want to be with you before you go back into the puzzle tonight. :

: As if I could refuse, : Yami sent back, falling on top of Yuugi on the bed.

The night lasted even longer than either of them had intended.

xxx

Sorry for the delay. Till next time, be aroused, be engrossed, and remember, always enjoy.