Rays of sun play hide and seek among the trees. Distant birds sing of their morning adventures. A creek a few meters wide whispers like a librarian hushing the word in a consistent sound. Flights of kites sway to a breeze. Every leap of light, chirp of bird song, hush of water, and even the dance of kites move to a deep, base thump which rumbles like a watch’s reliable tick. Golden paws stride to the fresh pavement of a walkway barely wide enough for hopscotch, leaving the steep dirt paths behind it. Beside them patter the thick orange paws of the other; smaller, but still impressive in strength, taking three steps to keep up with the larger two strides of his friend.

A golden giant emerges from the path. An arm muscular enough to lob boulders like snowballs brushes aside a tree branch inches from the giant’s eye level. He continues his stride, ducking forwards enough for the leaves to graze his brown, slicked back horns and flowing white mane of fluffy hair. The rustle of leaves drowns out the thumps of his paws as the branch whips back to its spot. His golden irises scan what he can see beyond the expansive clifftops of his body; both pecs and shoulders prove hard to see beyond, even with a mountain for a neck carved with strength. The golden giant dragon checks for his kangaroo half making sure all is in place. A golden tail like a kangaroo, thicker than the tree trunks they depart, slides behind him, eager to snag another county park sign in its clutches.

“You’re lucky you didn’t take out the ice cream cart with that thing.”

The friend beside the giant gleams skywards to the giant. Not that this orange fur guest was any means small or weak; sculpted, muscular arms and a pec cleavage exposed by an unbuttoned plaid shirt are testament to it. However, standing beside someone twice your measure - height, width, weight, and all - could make even tall hunks like Gabriel feel small. Gleaming eyes and a wagging tail fan excitement all around from the orange canine.

“Or at least the guy who worked the stall.” Gabriel says, adding to his earlier joke. “Let alone how the kite string didn’t get caught in your horns. Is it always like this for you?”

The golden giant chuckles. He takes a few licks of the largest ice cream cone the park could offer pinched in his two fingers.

“More or less.” Balans says, a baritone purr vibrating his amusement out. “I must admit, to display the bill to me via taping it to a kite so I could see it was new. I will give that ice cream vendor that.”

Gabriel giggles. Balans blushes. The world ticks by to every deep thunderous step of Balans as they dawdle along a quaint, paved park path. Endless glitter of sunlight dances on a nearby lake bordering a forest to one side and rolling, exposed hills on the other.

“You know, this might be the best—.” Balans says. A thunk cuts him off, unlike the subtle march of thumps his paws make on the ground.

A picturesque, visual definition of ‘quaint’ glows before them both. The stream darts left and right through subtle mounds towards the lake. The trickle of water tickles their ears as they look to a rose-red, sunlight glowing, inviting covered bridge. No more longer than Balans was tall, the slopped, shingled roof ridge pokes just below the overhang of the golden giant’s chest.

Gabriel licks his ice cream with a knowing grin. "At long last, a weakness of your size.” He says, giggling at the end.

The orange stud strides through in ease. He spins around and an eager smirk, like a prankster child, cracks on his face; Balans standing by the bridge mimics a grown man trying to fit into a dachshund’s dog house.

Balans ambushes Gabriel’s snicker with a single golden finger. He steps beside the bridge and in one large motion, like trying to avoid a trip wire at glacier’s pace, the giant oversteps the creek. A smile mixed like an approving father and smug boyfriend crowns him like a first place medal.

“A singular weakness.” He says, rejoining Gabriel to continue their walk. “I promise, it’s my only one.”

“The way your eyes lit up over an offer of ice cream tells me different.”

“Just like the way you looked when you saw me?”

Gabriel’s orange cheeks conceal a subtle red glow.

“Doesn’t count.” He says, just in time before the golden giant’s deep chuckles sound out.

The silence, what there was after negating the soft thuds of paws on pavement like the tick of a watch, comforts the duo on the walk. A park sign standing on one leg catches sunlight in the distance. The duo of golden plated knobs along the top of the sign bring their eyes to it. A thick, square, white painted leg of the park sign still lays splintered on the grass beside of the path.

“It’s been a mile of walking already?” Balans asks aloud. “My the time flies when we’re having fun. Want to go again?”

The silent, glowing nod of Gabriel answers back. Balans smiles down, keeping his focus to an ice cream two licks away from being finished. He bites the last of it all at once, and reaches for another ice cream cone still sat on the cardboard holder, which itself sat on the mighty pec shelf of the golden giant. “Want your second ice cream?” He asks.

“Not yet, almost done this one.” Gabriel says back, licking his own ice cream cone then after.

The silence tries to return in a quiet comfort, before a long purr leads to words from the giant.

“Thank you, by the way.” Balans says at a slower pace. “Especially for today. It’s nice to just go somewhere new and quiet like this park, with someone nice, just to enjoy the day.”

“Oh, you’re welcome. I’m glad you like it!”

“I enjoy this more than liking it. I may need to come back again soon. Maybe then you’ll be as big as I am? You look like you’re making gains fast.” Balans says, ending it with a deep chuckle.

“Maybe.” Gabriel says. They stride down the paved path at a calm pace, which leads back towards a transitioning worn dirt path flowing downwards into a forested valley. “I bet it would be cool.”