A/N: I found an old fanfic series of mine that I wrote on 101 Dalmatians source. It's some actual garbage you guys. I was so bad at writing back then, but I thought it was sweet, so I decided to a little one-shot just for kicks. I may end up rewriting the story and posting it here, who knows?

It's called Chancey's Tail, if you'd like to go read it on animation source (yes, I'm Astralite. I forgot my password and so abandoned my account there.

This is set in 101 Dalmatians the series. I loved it so much, that show was my heart and soul.

Chancey is NOT Oddball. Oddball is the daughter of Dipstick, therefore has not been born yet. She also, if I remember correctly, does get spots by the end of the movie. Chancey will never get spots.

Disclaimer: I do not own 101 Dalmatians. Chancey is mine.

Rumor Has It

"Hey, Chancey, have you heard?"

The spotless puppy didn't look away from the TV as Lucky bound into the barn. Yes, she'd heard, and no, she didn't want to talk about it.

At her lack of response, Lucky goes on, plopping down beside her with a light pant.

"Word around the farm yard is someone's got their eye on you."

"Oh yeah?" Honey brown eyes flick briefly over to find him grinning broadly, dark eyes shining with mischief. The thing was, she didn't have to ask about who specifically was looking her way, because out of ninety-nine (one hundred now, counting herself) plenty were girls, and girls loved to gossip. Especially about romance. That's why she was hiding out in the barn to begin with, she'd hightailed it as soon as word had reached her.

She did find Lucky's reaction curious, however.

The two of them had played a long game of push and pull with each other's feelings that had nearly wreaked havoc on their entire friendship. Thankfully, the two were able to realize that they made better friends than lovers, and that one of them gaining an interest in someone else did not mean abandonment.

They were back on solid ground, and this news didn't appear to have shaken it. Lucky's tone was not bitter, words weren't short, and he was grinning like the Cheshire cat. Lucky approved, she could tell without asking. He was excited for her, which soothed some of her frazzled nerves.

"Are you seriously watching this?"

Chancey blinked, following Lucky's gaze to the TV where a wildlife documentary was showing. Needless to say, the white pup did not get control of the TV often. She frowned, but knew better than to be offended, and rebuffed him with a question of her own.

"Is that seriously what you want to talk about?"

"No," his gaze snapped back to her. "I want to talk about what you're going to do about Tripod's crush on you."

Chancey's cheeks burned, blush obvious through pale fur. She opened her mouth, but closed it again when words refused to come. Did she like Tripod in that way? Yes, yes she did, and she had for some time now. Lucky was painfully aware of this, having to take the brunt of her pining, being her best friend and all. Did Tripod like her? Rumor had it that he did, and part of her hoped it was true. She knew better than to take a rumor at face value though.

Tripod was brave and determined, and succeeded in all he set out to accomplish. He was perfect, in Chancey's opinion, and what would a perfect pup like him want with a spotless runt like her? Still, she had to do something, lay it all to rest.

"I suppose I'll just ask him about it, and go from there."

"What do you mean?" Lucky asked, he'd caught her tone. He didn't like that tone, not one little bit.

"I mean," she shifted from paw to paw, nerves finally getting the better of her. "I mean, I'll ask him if the rumor is true, and if it isn't, then that's that." She could handle his rejection, she told herself. She was used to it; it shouldn't mean anything different coming from him.

"And if it is true?" Lucky pressed. "If he does have feelings for you, what will you do?"

Her gaze strayed back to the TV, but she wasn't really watching it, she just needed somewhere to look that wasn't Lucky's big puppy dog eyes all shiny with concern.

"…I really don't think the rumor is true, Lucky."

"And why not?" There was a bite of frustration in his voice. "I mean, I liked you enough to want you, why can't he?"

"Because!" Chancey huffed. "Because he's Tripod!" She stood up, fur bristling. "He's an A-class athlete, he's Top Dog of the Brigade, and the first to protect anyone of us. He does everything right, Lucky, and I… I do everything wrong." She plopped back down again, looking down at her pristine white paws. "I couldn't even come into the world right. What would he want with someone like me?"

The tearful eyes she cast up at him are enough to make Lucky's heart stop and leave him speechless, thankfully however, he didn't need to say anything.

"I'd like to talk with you first," a new, but familiar voice cut in. "And then we'll 'go from there,' as you put it."

The air rushed out of Chancey's lungs, eyes widening even further as she whipped her head around at a speed that made Lucky cringe. There, seated by the barn door, is Tripod. The spotless pup started shake, so nervous she was afraid she'd take a page from Whizzer's book.

"It's okay, Chancey." Lucky soothed in a quiet tone. "Just go talk to him."

Feeling numbed and hyperaware all at once, Chancey climbed to her paws and made her way over to the three legged dog.

"Let's take a walk, okay?"

Voice still robbed of her, Chancey only nods her acceptance and allows her crush to lead her out of the barn. She cast one last look over her shoulder at Lucky, who shoots her a wink, before turning his attention to the TV.

Tripod leads her away from the barn, out of the yard, and into the rolling pastures where the sheep are kept. He chooses a hill far off from the herd, not wanting their listening ears either. This was just between him and Chancey, as it should've been from the beginning.

Chancey was still nervous, but the walk had calmed her enough to sit at his side and look out over the green. Tripod had been silent up to that point, knowing how nervous she was, but he wanted to get this out now. Ready or not.

"What do you think of our relationship, Chancey?"

The female blinked owlishly, turning soft eyes up to him. "Our…relationship?"

"As friends," he clarified.

"Oh." She mulled it over a moment, considering.

She and Tripod were close, in fact, if she wasn't with Lucky then she was with Tripod. In the past months, she'd kept Tripod's company more than Lucky's. The brigade captain was her confidant, she told him everything. He'd been a source of strength and comfort, but he also pushed her in ways she wasn't used to. He helped her better herself, and put her oddities in a positive light.

Lucky was her best friend, more brotherly now than before. Tripod was…he was like, gosh there weren't words for it.

"Chancey?"

"We're close," she admitted. "Kind of like I am with Lucky, but different. More." She peered at him carefully. "Does that make sense?"

Tripod nodded, he liked that answer. He liked it more than he could say, and he needed it to be true. This pup had become his everything in the time he'd known her. At first, just the little sister he needed to protect, but now (and it was a shame she couldn't see it), she was this shining star in his life. She made him happy, brought him comfort, made him laugh and loosen up. His pride and his ego could take a backseat so long as she was there, because she came before that. Always. He liked this warmth, this joy, this wholeness she seemed to give him. He needed it, needed her.

"Do you think we could be closer?" As he asked, he inched closer to the now blushing Chancey. He bit his lip to keep himself from smiling, he liked that too, her shyness.

"Is," she swallowed, finding it hard to focus all the sudden. "Is that what you want?" She asked quietly, eyes uncertain.

"I need it," he admits. "I need to be as intimate with you as possible."

"Okay," Chancey breathed. "Okay."

She wriggled under his stare, embarrassed, but the warm affection shining in his dark eyes also served to embolden her. Just a little, just enough to lean closer to him too.

"If that's what you want," she braced herself, unable to believe what she's about to say. "Then you might want to start by asking me out first."

Tripod's eyes widened, before a smirk graced his muzzle. He leaned closer still, closing the gap between them by pressing his nose to hers and nuzzling gently.

Neither had been so grateful for a dumb rumor in their lives. In fact, if Chancey ever found out who started it, she'd be sure to thank them.