Zoie - Ice Cream Not Just For Children/Log

From Masq

"One Bailey's shake, luv!" says the cute high school girl behind the counter in a Fargo drawl, smiling a little sheepishly as she offers the shake out to Alex, who winks warmly at her and answering in kind, "Oh, yer a right peach, y'are! Thanks kindly, hun." She giggles and turns away, blushing, and Alex just looks supremely pleased with himself, giving the girl a good once over before turning to head towards the door, sipping at his shake. Mmmm, extra whipped cream, just like he asked!

The door opens to allow Zoie to enter into it. She doesn't actually look around as she's staring at her phone and texting on it. When she comes to the counter, her lips curve into a large and charming smile. "Hi! Can I get a.. oh.. a.. huh.. OH! Can I get a raspberry shake please?" She unconsciously tosses her golden hair behind her shoulder.

Alex passes right by Zoie as she comes in, lost in the bliss on his tongue. Mmmmm, creamy... That unforgettable voice attracts his attention and he stops at the door, looking back. He blinks in surprise, and grins mightily. He turns, and creeps towards her...setting his drink aside to slip cold hands over her eyes. "Guess who!"

Zoie tenses to the hands coming around her eyes. She knows who it's not as Jacob should be at work. So she thinks for a few moments. "Susan?" The joke allows her lips to curve upwards to the name she places. "No wait.. the cold hands.. I got it!" Zoie bounces lightly. "Iceman!"

Alex laughs brightly, not even bothering to hide his bright, tenor voice. He even lets a little Irish slip into his words. "Ohhhh, I wish. He was feckin' /delicious/ in that movie. Mmmm... I'll give you a hint: Your favorite drinking buddy."

"You mean Alex-call-me-Jason?" Zoie offers as she stands there and shifts her weight. "You know it is dangerous to deny a girl her raspberry shake, right, punky o'brien?"

"Oh pfeh! Denyin', nothin'," Alex says with a grin, letting his hands slip away from her eyes to take up his shake again. "I was coverin' your eyes not your mouth, y'know. Unless you have a very /bizarre/ way of enjoying frozen treats."

The short blonde turns around and looks at him with a bright and beautiful smile. "Alex!" There is a shy smile that houses on her lips. "Well.. it's good to see you again. Are you still partying in the backrooms of the clubs?"

As Zoie turns around, he smiles warm as a sunrise, and spreads his arms wide. Hug for the gay friend? "Oh, don't you know it. I'm sad to have not run into you again, though. Been keeping yourself busy?"

The arms are looked at for a few moments of indecision before she finally steps forwards and hugs him in greeting. "Sort of. I'm trying to find a job and I've been spending time with Jake." Her lips curve a bit more at the man's name as she all but lights up the room.

Alex hugs Zoie gently at first, his body hard and broad and with plenty to hug despite his runner's frame. And then he tightens his hold, lifting her off her feet to swing her around. "Ahhh! Better! Ohhhh, who's Jake, then? Is he cute?"

There is no mistaking the squeal that leaves her lips as Zoie is spun in the air. The young woman gives a soft laugh to it. Her own frame is curved in all the deliciously right places, but she's almost too thin. "Oh he is amazingly cute. He's a bartender and I think you would like him. He's really sweet. I just sort of bumped into him." There is a wide grin as she waits to come back to her feet. Zoie's hands fall to his shoulders for more balance.

Alex lets Zoie only slowly slide down him, doing a miraculously job of just smiling blithely for her until she's set gently on her feet again, toes first. "A bartender, hmmm? Aiming for free drinks? ...oh, oh dear. You're absolutely smitten with this guy, aren't you?" His hands rest on her waist, and he raises his eyebrow at her.

Zoie finds her toes and stands on them like a classic ballerina. The girl slides down his body easily as she shakes her head. "I'm just a beer drinker really. I don't need free drinks and I don't drink many of them." Her eyes brighten though to the other part. "He's a gloriously nice and great guy."

"Mmmm hmmm, this is puppy love, clear and bright as the sunrise." Alex raises an eyebrow, giving Zoie a serious look. "I'm guessing, judging by the sunny disposition...you haven't known him long?"

Lucid arrives from the street.
Lucid has arrived.
Jackson arrives from the street.
Jackson has arrived.

Zoie is in Alex's arms, but it looks more companionable than intimate. She laughs softly and blushes brightly. "I've known him for about a week or so. He's.." She gives a dreamy melodramatic sigh. "He's just gorgeous and he always makes me smile. I mean .. he's so cute and .." She chuckles and looks back towards the counter when her drink is called. "I need to get my drink and pay for it."

"Uh uh uh, careful there missy...it's easy to fall into infatuation, but it can hurt real nasty when you hit the hard ground. Still..." And Alex beams down at Zoie. "It's good you have a boy you can fawn over. Makes life a little more brighter, doesn't it?" When she turns away, he lets her go, patting playfully at her butt before taking up his milkshake, giving it a long slurp.

Lucid comes in, he is wearing a bathrobe over his labcoat and a pair of scuffed up bunny slippers carrying a large satchle he makes his way with a sort of plodding shuffle toward a table.. the ears of the bunny on his feet go FlOP FLOP FLOP.

Of course, because it is dramatically appropriate, Jackson walks in a short time after Lucid. Wearing his immaculate suit, he is everything Lucid is not in appearance. On his arm is some bubbly blond of some sort, her heels clicking on the floor as she clings to his arm, "You wanted icecream and you picked here, huh?" Jackson asks of the woman as they walk towards the counter.

"We will have to find you a boy to fawn over too, Alex. I mean there has to be a ton out there, right?" Zoie remarks as she comes back over to her friend. The straw of the shake is thrust between her lips as she sucks it for all she's worth. That first taste is always the hardest to get. Zoie's cheeks cave in as she uses that tongue of hers and all the muscles of her mouth to get what she wants. Then, she's rewarded with the rich, creamy milkshake coating her tongue and sliding down her throat. A happy and contented mmm comes from her lips. She offers her shake to Alex and reaches for his in a clear, switch and try the other move. Of course the strange man in a labcoat/bathrobe combo gets her attention. She all but stares at Lucid for very long moments. It's almost like her brain isn't trying to break as the green eyes try to figure out what she is seeing before her in that fashion don't. Her lips curve towards Jackson and his companion before she gives all the newcomers a shy smile and sort of takes a slight step behind Alex.

Lucid pulls a giant ancient laptop out of the satchle and opens its military grade metal case with a turn lock and thump print and starts it up.. it rumbles and whrrs with the sound of ancient fans and capcitors charing. He Stands up and walks over to the counter not looking or making eyecontact with anyone he takes out his iphone and texts his order to the Counter Girl.. She smiles and shakes her head at Lucid handing him a one pint container of coffee ice cream as if this weer somewhat routine.

As the two new guys come in, Alex glances over idly...and doubletakes at the bathrobe/labcoat combo, the straw of his milkshake pulling the side of his cheek out was he gawks. Whaaaa? And...huh! Guy with arm candy, too! He grins, stepping back to let them approach the counter, head tilted to check out a butt. Mmmm...

"Hmmmm? A what?" he asks of Zoie, distracted by the sight before he looks up again, casually looping his arm over her shoulders and pulling her into a comfy, protective half-hug. He shivers as she mmmms, though that shiver has to be from his milkshake. It has to be. "That...is an old laptop," he says in amusement, loud enough for Lucid to hear, "I don't even own one and...damn! Ohhhh? Oh, thank you!"

Crossing his arm over Zoie's he offer her a sip of his own shake as he steals a taste of hers. His face looks like it's about to suck inside out as he gets a good mouthful. His own has the distinct flavor of Bailey's without any of the alcoholic tang. Unfortunately.

Lucid sits down infront of his laptop and yawns stretching like a kitten thats just woken up, his big owlish eyes peer at the screen and instead of typing on the laptops keyboard his fingers flash over the screen of an iphone.. wich seems to be some sort of remote handling device for the laptop.

The view is quite nice, Alex. Especially in the skirt she's wearing that she knows how to use. Jackson walks her up to the counter and can't help but eye the pajama guy a little. And the computer. Really, the computer gets more of his attention than the slippers. But when 'Bubbles' tugs on his arm, he is brought back to attention and rattles off a quick order for the woman. The girl gives a smirk and goes to get a cone of some sweet flavor and hands it to the vapid blond. Jackson looks around and notices some space over by Lucid, where he might have a view of the computer, and guides 'Bubbles' over in that direction, "How's the cone?"

Lucid stands and shuffles over to the Counter and peers at the Counter girl and when she gives him her attention..

Lucid fidles with the screen on his iphone and a digital voice says "Sally can i get Mocha? the coffee ice cream dosnt have cafine.. need cafine definately need cafine.. Coffee has the highest cafine content. it didnt used to it used to be Jolt. they dont sell jolt comercialy anymore. I like Mocha it tastes like chocolate cna you put four and a half table spoons of sugar in it please.." comming from the little handheld.

Zoie doesn't even think twice to the man flopping her arm over her shoulders. There is a smile before she takes a drink of Alex' and then pulls back. Her eyes are widened as she backs away from the man and the alcoholic tasting shake. No alcohol though. Her eyes widen and then she looks over and blushes at Bubbles skirt. She starts to push her blonde hair from her face. Then she does that thing that a woman does around another woman. She starts to compare who is more beautiful and such. Zoie chuckles a bit before she then looks over to Lucid. The raspberry shake is taken back as she drinks it easily.

Lucid fidles with the screen on his iphone and a digital voice says "Sally did you know 31 flavors of ice cream is am american phenomina.. in other countrys they just have vanilla and chocolate.. chocolate and vanilla.. Can you imagine? not having 31 flavors and all there variations and combinations. thats sad realy.. But they have puddings in England. I wonder if they think we are sad because we only have six common flavors of pudding. Oh thank you"" comming from the little handheld.

Alex whistles lowly at the sound coming out of the iPhone screen. Damn, that kid is a fast typer! He didn't even see his fingers move! When Zoie recoils, Alex laughs around his mouthful of shake, his arm pressing to his lips and his eyes shining in amusement. "Too much?" Swallowing, his eyes follow Zoie's and he smiles, gaze resting on that other woman with a judging expression on his face as he leans in to murmur quietly in her ear, pulling her back in for a half-hug squeeze.

Lucid takes the coffee cup from the Woman at the counter who makes friendly but noncommital noises at Lucid indulging the little guy without actuly getting into a conversation with him before going back to work.

Alex mutters to Zoie, "Don't pay attention to her.... far... that..."

meanwhile back at the table the laptop humms and whirbles and makes the rattling sounds like the old compound military rigs from the late nineties its login screen some sort of fractical mandlebrot display.

Standing off to the side, Jackson can't help but watch Lucid and his computer as it talks for him. "Nice..." he mutters, audibly enough though. Of course Bubbles thinks he's talking about the way she is licking the cone and plays it up like the bimbo she is. Trying to get his attention, or keep it, or get the attention of anyone else within view. Instead, Jackson just calls out to the younger PJ-man, "Hey. Nice rig there. You work up that voice software yourself?" The half-hug brings Zoie back to Alex side. However, the words cause her cheeks to flare bright red. "Alex!" It's a scolding sort of name as she tips her head to him. "Don't say things like that." She looks at Bubbles for a moment and starts to step forwards. She stops.

Lucid blinks startled over at Jackson and peers at him with big shy Owlish eyes.. finaly he just nods once and continues his shuffle back to the table where he sets down his coffee as he sits down he peers shyly around the laptop at Jackson and then retreats back behind it.

Alex blinks down at Zoie, a wide-eyed, innocent look on his face. "What? Even if it's true?" he asks, before taking a long sluuuuurp of his milkshake, grinning. He glances up at Bubbles, though...and his brain just stops when she starts licking her cone like that. Buhhh... His mouth slowly drops open in amazement.

The woman with the red lips continues to mouth her cone, trying to get Jackson's attention. But he's still giving his eyes to Lucid. For whatever reason. "Name is Jackson. Jackson Wright?" He says it like that means something, trying to reassure the now shy younger man. Bubbles notices now that she's got Alex's attention and plays along. A woman like Bubbles? She'll take whatever attention she can get.

Lucid settles in at the table and with one hand opens his ice cream and sets the iphone down.. with his other hand he logs into his laptop opening a World of Warcraft window, a chat window, youtube, netflicks and some sort of first person shooter game that all take up windows on a giant hexgonal sphere that spins and rotates on the desktop area of some sort of custom OS.

There is a confused look to Zoie's eyes as she looks from Alex to Bubbles and Alex again and then back. She pauses and cants her head. "I.. don't think it's true." She hmms softly and drinks more of her milkshake. Zoie's green eyes flit over to the others and the laptop.

Lucid scoups a couple spoonfuls of ice cream into his cofee and drinks it as he fiddles with the kayboard on the laptop.. the little guy is extreemly fast and proficent at one hand typing.

Lucid finaly reacts to Jackson as if just now realizing that man is talking to him. he looks at him with those big eyes and types something into his laptop.

Lucid types something on the keyboard and a digitized voice says "Im lucid..." comming from the old laptop.

Alex stares at Bubbles in amazement, like one would stare at a dancing bear. He blinks and shakes his head, eyes never able to pull fully away from those pouty red lips, covered in cream. "Oh?" he asks, leaning towards Zoie, "What would it take for me to prove otherwise to you?" The digitized voice makes Alex grin. Damn, what will they think of next, huh?

Jackson extends a hand, "nice to meet you Lucid. I have heard about you actually. Your friend Trace gave me your number. Told me we should talk." He glances back at Bubbles who is clearly enjoying the attention Alex is giving her. And yes, she knows the two are talking about her. Girls like that? They are used to it and maybe even revel in it. Jackson, for his part, just turns away and back to Lucid, "Maybe we could chat sometime when you are free? You are obviously busy now." He gestures at Lucid's attire. Coding attire.

"I'm not sure what it would take." Zoie pauses to study Alex' reaction to Bubbles and there is that confusion. "You.." How do you ask a person if they are actually gay without insulting them. Her lips curve as she looks at the computer geeks doing their geekdom. She might even be listening in a bit.

Lucid peers owlishly at Jacksons hand tilting his head to the side he purses his lips and says softly in a stammer "tr-tra-trace?" he types on the keyboard and a digitzed voice says "no.. Not busy.. just watching a movie and playing some games while working on my site. Im free, Why?" he of course dosnt shake hands.. Lucid touch someone he just met? unlikely.

Alex finally shakes his head, looking away from Bubbles and down to Zoie, giving her a warm smile. "Oh? Well, let's see then..." Reaching into his milkshake, he dabs some of the white whipped cream onto his finger and, in a deft move, smears a dollop against Zoie's lips. "Now don't move yet! Let it off slooooowly, taking care to get every last bit, okay?" Bubbles get a teasing grin and a quirk of his eyebrow. Top this!

Jackson pulls back his hand slowly, recognizing the lack of desire on Lucid's part. "Well I assume you have heard of WriTech, Lucid? Do you know who I am?" He glances back at Bubbles then, and happens to catch Zoie, Alex, and the display being put on. He can't help but laugh and shake his head ruefully. Muttering under his breath, "Oh this is going to get in some gossip rag." For her part, Bubbles starts to wrap her tongue around the head of the cone now, taking the challenge head on. Yes. That was just typed.

"Hey!" Zoie offers as she Alex puts his cream on her lips. She lowers those brows in a look of annoyance that quickly flashes to humor. "You want me to lap it off my lips?" Her nose wrinkles up as she shakes her head. "I don't think I'm in the same league." Zoie has the looks and the sweetness, she seems to lack the raw talent. The raspberry tip of her tongue rounds her lips slowly to take the white cream upon it. It is a startling comparison of the purity of the whipped cream and the pink of her tongue. She takes a breath into her lungs and then little by little it is removed from her lips. She doesn't try to compete for the attention. Zoie knows there is no competition. However, she then watches Alex and Bubbles for the moment.

Lucid looks at Jackson and shakes his head at the frist and then at the second he types on his keyboard and the digitized voice quotes "Name is Jackson. Jackson Wright"

Alex does raise another eyebrow at Bubbles. Okay, she's got some skill, he'll admit. For Zoie, though, he gives a low whistle as she cleans off her lips. He taps his fingers against the heel of his other hand in a golf clap. "Very nice! And you claim not to have talent, hmmm?" He kisses his fingertips.

Lucid types on the laptop and the sphere on the screen cracks open showing internet searchs on 'Writech' internet reviews on products, tradding info, stocks market reports, industry raitings, the information breaks up into subgroups like the bubbles on a molcule each bubble some subject about Writech related to the bubbles its connected to.. each bubble scrolling with information on the company.

Bubbles seems to claim a little victory at Zoie's reluctance, even though Alex gives her the golf clap. She gives Zoie a bitchy and triumphant smile before turning to face Jackson and giving Alex a little wiggle of a view. Jackson quirks an eyebrow, "You don't know, WriTech?" He stands up straight, "Maybe Trace was just blowing smoke. And she played me for a prototype v51. Well played girl." He's talking mostly to himself at that, noticing Bubbles has now officially turned to poke his arm, "Are you done playing?" the man asks of her. She nods her head with a self-satisfied bob.

Lucid meanwhile has learned just about anything that can be commonly found out on the net about Writech and its products.

Zoie smiles in a sweetly and truly friendly manner to Bubbles. She seems okay with how things have gone down. However, Alex is suddenly being watched in a different sort of light. Her eyes move towards the others and then back with a bright smile. "I think I've heard of it." She offers helpfully to the man.

Lucid fidles with the screen on his iphone and a digital voice says ""your k twelve processors have a recursive flaw in the sub math coprocessor that will cause a .03 drop in the next quarter.. an unexpected drop not accounted for that will cost three hundred people to be laid off when you have to realocate resources to retool factory operations." comming from the little handheld.

Lucid fidles with the screen on his iphone and a digital voice says "a hardware solution will be suggested by your R and D leading to this retooling. However they are wrong. a realtively simple self correcting math algorythm based on Potmers a bird in flight equation will patch the issue a software solution. far more eligant... and cost effective.."" comming from the little handheld.

Alex chuckles at the group around them, and offers his milkshake out to Zoie. "Hold onto this for me? I gotta go powder my nose."

Lucid nods to himself and drinks his coffee as he continues to read the dozzens of fields on the screen scrolling with Writech information.

Jackson turns and gives a smile to Zoie, one that is warm and reaches his eyes. "A bright young lady, and pretty too." He glances over at Alex, "Hang on to that one. Beauty and brains are a rare combination." Yes, that got a glance at Bubbles that only she couldn't see by where she is standing. Then Lucid starts to ramble off his analysis and Jackson jerks his head back to the man. Listening for a moment, he folds his arms over his chest, "Interesting. Maybe Trace /was/ right. And good thing those products aren't my responsibility. I definitely think we should talk more, Lucid."

Zoie smiles vibrantly to Alex. "Hey, I should probably head out here soon." At Jackson's words she blushes a bit more. "Oh.. I.. we aren't together. He's just my friend." She offers the milkshake back to Alex. "We'll have to meet up later?"

Alex chuckles and thumbs up to Jackson, though he jerks his head her way. "Say that again, and louder. She needs to hear it." Taking his milkshake back, he looks saddened. "Arright, some other time then?" He tries to take her into a hug.

Lucid looks up at Jackson Owlishly and fiddles with the iphone and it says "Trace is ok with computers.. Lucid is better. Trace is Never wrong. if yuo think Trace is wrong then it is your own logical process wich is flawed.. if Trace says so you can talk to me agian ok." Lucid nods

Jackson laughs and nods his head, "Well I will have my central processor checked when I get back to the lab, Lucid." He pulls a card out of his jacket and puts it down on the table, sliding it over carefully towards Lucid without getting /too/ close into his personal space. "Call me. I will make it worth your while." He turns back to Alex and Zoie, completely ignoring Bubbles for a moment and extends a hand to the younger blond woman, "I would much prefer to whisper it, especially in the middle of Dunkin Donuts." He gives the quirk of a smile to Alex then gives his attention back to Zoie. "I would love to stay and find out what sort of milkshake you prefer, but I have to get going. Duty calls you know." With that he slips an arm around Bubbles' waist and pulls her close. Yeah, she doesn't seem to mind he was just talking to Zoie. Well, except for those death rays from her eyes.

Lucid looks up at Jackson with those big owlish eyes and stammers softly "w-w-worth mah-mah-whi-while?" he scrunches his nose up and then perks up "th-th-there wi-wi-will b-b-be co-co-cookies?"

Zoie accepts the hug and nods her head. "Yeah like we totally need to hang out and talk. Maybe we can find another open mic night to watch the people. Oh! Or we can find karaokee. That would be fun." She bounces a bit on her toes and looks oddly at Lucid for a few moments and then studies him. There is a moment of fascination to his antics before she looks back towards Jackson. "Whisper it? Is it private? I'm listed if you ever need to tell me something. Croft. Zoie Croft." She gives him a sweet smile and doesn't see the evil look or doesn't understand it is for her. "Okay, Alex, I'm out. Call me later or something okay?" She wiggles her fingers at him and follows the blonde and the suit.

Jackson taps his temple and commits it to memory, "Zoie Croft. Got it." He gives her a polite little wave and then pulls Bubbles with him back over to Lucid for a moment, "Cookies, candy, ice cream. Anything you want Lucid. And as much as you want."