"Excuse me, Tetsuya? Did you say something?"

Akashi Seijuurou looks over her shoulder with narrowed eyes upon hearing a mumbled comment from her companion. "No, Akashi-san. I didn't say anything." The girl deadpans. Her eyes widen slightly in a way that is probably supposed to make her seem innocent and wrongly accused; however, there's no one else around who would dare make a sarcastic comment about Akashi's birthday plans besides Kuroko, so its pointless, really. "Tetsuya, if you have something to say, just say it." Akashi's voice is a mix of annoyance and amusement. A servant scurries past the pair, almost tripping over a box of champagne glasses.

"A ball, Akashi-san?" The disturbance in Kuroko's voice is most amusing. "A ball, Tetsuya. What's wrong with a ball?" The blue-haired girl frowns slightly, eyebrows scrunching up just a bit, and though it's a small change in expression her displeasure is very evident. "...Nothing."

"Mmm. You seem to think there's something wrong with a ball. Pray tell, why do you not want me to have a ball? I'd like to hear your honest opinion." At this point, Kuroko just gives her a look of utter exasperation. It's funny, really, how Kuroko has gotten so comfortable around her since the Winter Cup. Akashi thinks that she might even be more familiar with her now than she is with Aomine or Kagami. That's an interesting thought. "Tetsuya, are you not going to answer me? That's rude."

"A ball, Akashi-san?"

"Yes, a ball. It's nothing more than a grand party with formal dancing."

"Ballroom dancing."

"Yes, Tetsuya. It would make sense that there would be ballroom dancing at a ball."

"I didn't know Akashi-san was capable of sarcasm."

The redheaded girl chuckles at her friend. Kuroko makes a face at her. "If you're worried about the dancing, I could teach you."

"Murasakibara-san will be there."

"Yes."

"If Murasakibara-san trips over her partner's feet or her own feet, she could fall on me and crush me."

"That is highly unlikely."

"But it's possible." Kuroko says as though the possibility of her being crushed by their old teammate is a good reason to not have a ball. "A lot of things are possible, Tetsuya, that doesn't mean you need to worry about them." Akashi says, trying very hard not to start laughing at her friend's ridiculous reasoning. Kuroko is a very interesting person. "Mmm. Why do you want a ball, Akashi-san?"

"Balls are fun." Akashi shrugs as she tugs Tetsuya out of the way of a scrambling worker. "I think everyone will enjoy it."

"Mm."

"You have to come, you know. Regardless of your apparent hatred of balls."

"I don't hate balls. I love basketball."

For a moment, Akashi stares down at her friend as the pun slowly starts to make sense. Abruptly, she bursts into a fit of hysterical laughter. "W-wow. That was awful."

"Thank you. It was your birthday present."

Kuroko's lips tilt up into a small smile while Akashi's laughter slowly dies down and she's able to straighten up and press a hand to her diaphragm because wow laughing hurts. For some reason, this whole situation makes Akashi want to ruffle her friend's hair, and so she reaches out and affectionately ruffles her friend's hair which is very soft and fluffy. Kuroko immediately reaches up to fix her hair. She pouts at Akashi. "Meanie."

"I would apologize, but I don't feel sorry."

"..." Wordlessly, Kuroko reaches up with both her hands and messes up Akashi's hair. "There. We're even."

Akashi sticks out her tongue. "Meanie."

Bonus:

"Akashi-san, I don't think this is how balls work."

"Hm?" She pauses in spinning Tetsuya around the dance floor. "Of course it is. I told you there would be ballroom dancing."

"Yes, but why are you leading?"

"Would you rather lead?"

"Yes."

"Too bad. It's my birthday, after all." And with that, Akashi decides to indulge herself and bends down slightly to press a soft kiss to her friend's lips. "FUCK YEAH, TWENTY BUCKS ASSHOLE!" can be heard in the distance where Kagami and Aomine are fighting to lead.

"Akashi-san is very embarrassing." Kuroko mumbles with bright red cheeks. "You should take responsibility for that, Tetsuya."

In the end, Akashi's ball ends up with much more kissing than ballroom dancing.