As Marshall entered his pup house that night, he smiled to himself.
This was one of his favorite times of the day, when he could be alone and let a side of him he didn't normally show to the rest of the pups come out and play.
Barking softly at his floor, a secret door opened up and he proceeded to prance down the stairs, managing to trip and tumble down in a heap, landing flat on his face, at a familiar pair of brown paws.
" Day 78, still falling." Chase said in his announcer's voice. " Looks like I am winning this bet, again."
" Go on, rub it in." Marshall groaned as he picked himself up. " You always win."
" I know." Chase said, grinning broadly at his best friend. " Maybe you will learn not to take bets against me on this."
Marshall smacked his best friend playfully on the shoulder. " I will win someday, you'll see." He predicted with a wink.
Marshall had bet Chase that he would not fall down his stairs one day within a 100-day deadline.
He had not done it yet, and this was the third time he had bet this against Chase.
If he won, Chase had to dress up with Marshall; if Chase won, he did not.
Chase was breathing a sigh of relief that day after day, Marshall fell.
" Don't know why you would throw a fit about it; you wore Skye's bathing cap once." Marshall reminded him.
Chase reddened.
" That was different." He said, avoiding Marshall's laughing eyes.
" Chase wore pink one day, Chase wore pink one day!" Marshall danced around Chase, as Chase gave up and laughed sheepishly along with him.
" Okay, so I did, but that does not mean I will dress in your silly skirts and bat my eyes at the mirror." Chase pointed out when he had caught his breath from laughing.
Marshall just grinned and trotted over to the wardrobe at the far end of the hidden room he and Chase had dug one day together.
" You didn't say anything to Zuma about this, right?" Marshall asked as he perused through his selection of clothing.
Chase rolled his eyes and sighed quietly.
After Marshall, Zuma was Chase's next best friend, and Marshall always worried that Chase might accidentally let slip about their secret hobby.
" No, Marshall, I didn't. You know I would never do that." Chase said.
" I know." came Marshall's muffled voice from the dresser.
" Then why do you ask, every single day?" Chase asked, exasperated.
" So I can hear you say that. It does a lot for my peace of mind." Marshall said over his shoulder. " Got it! What do you think, Chase?"
Chase carefully looked over his Dalmatian friend.
The German Shepherd hid his smile at the proud pup dressed in the sheer black skirt, the red tank top, and black pantyhose.
" Looks better then the last time you wore the ballet tutu and crown." Chase said.
Marshall made a face at him. " That one's my favorite, and you know it," he said, pouting at Chase.
Chase laughed, and then his eyes grew wide as Marshall smirked and headed towards the mirror.
" You didn't get make up again, did you?" he asked, note of dread in his voice.
" Nope, I know better then that. I just got some things to paint my nails with." Marshall said as he began to paint his nails black.
Once before, he had used makeup, and decided on the spot that it was meant for Skye to use, and not him.
" I think purple would look better then black, don't you Chase?" Marshall asked a moment later, as he applied purple paint to his nails.
" Sure." Chase said halfheartedly, watching helplessly as Marshall twirled in front of his full body mirror and batted his long lashes at himself.
Marshall then tried on dress after skirt after swimsuit, all of which he asked Chase's thoughts and then admired himself.
Chase watched with a grin as his friend's girly side, the side that liked pretty, pranced daintily around, and tucked flowers behind his ears, showed proud and clear.
Marshall dressed in a blue ball gown, and danced a waltz with Chase.
He modeled three different swimsuits, and decided to wear a purple one next time he went swimming.
He then got into his ballet costume and leaped around, Chase catching him when he nearly fell.
He wore high heels and a tight gown, tucking a white lily behind his ear, carried a parasol, and talked to Chase about the latest silk designs.
Marshall stuck bows in his and Chase's fur till he and Chase fell over laughing at the amount they wore.
" I only put up with that because you're my best friend, you know." Chase said, wiping tears of laughter from his eyes.
" I know." Marshall said, then pranced over and put on a wig that gave him long, blonde hair, then had fun putting his hair up into many different styles.
Chase kept an eye on the time, and when it reached midnight, he told Marshall and they both went back up the hidden stairs and to their beds.
" Thanks Chase." Marshall told him as they parted.
" Your welcome, Miss Marshall." Chase said teasingly, and, dodging a smack from Marshall, went to bed.