A Way Back To You

9| Release

Definition: The act of allowing something to move or flow freely; to be set free from confinements that are verbal, mental, emotional or physical. 

~~~~~~

Ant's apartment, Sunday 12pm. 

~~~~~~

When you are the heir of a multi billion dollar company, over time, being followed around and critiqued for your every decision becomes a daily occurrence, and certainly something you can live with. 

However the longer Ant put off holding a press release, the harder he knew the media would push to know who Ariana was and why Ant had her. "Sir, this is becoming.....difficult." Ollie had commented that morning. Upon attempts to leave the house, they'd been swarmed by reporters and paparazzi, all of whom hounded Ant for a statement. Ant had hoped to put off a statement as long as possible. Unfortunately, it seemed he had little choice but to hold it as soon as he could. 

"Ant. Earth to Ant." Wally waved a hand in front of Ant. "Wake up, dude!" 

Ant jolted awake, looking embarrassed. "I'm sorry. She seems to take seriously everything Maddy says. So when Maddy says wake Ant, Ari wakes me. I'm a little tired." 

Ariana's willingness to touch him had not been easy. She still refrained from bumping, nudging or tapping him in anyway whenever she could. Luckily though, she was willing enough to wake him after a nightmare. Ant was happy to help, but he'd been getting broken sleep for days now and this wasn't making it easy for him to decide how to hold his press conference. 

"It's cool. Ok, we think we've got a few ideas." Zelan said, handing him their notes. 

"Nice doodles." Ant snorted, the images very much not something he'd want his cousin to see. 

"Glad you like them." Zelan smirked. "Focus, we actually did write stuff down." 

"Fine fine. We'll try that." Ant agreed. "But I know for a fact Ariana is going to freak out." He glanced over to his cousin as he said that, who had been watching the boys intently, as if perhaps taking her eyes of them for a minute might cause something terrible to happen. 

"She'll get there Ant. She needs time. You needed time to adjust to living with other people who weren't your parents, and on land. Ariana has been living with the worst shit I ever heard for her whole life. She's not gonna turn into a totally different person straight away." 

"I don't want her to be a different person." Ant rolled his eyes. "And if you want to keep your legs, stop swearing around her!" 

Ariana flinched as Ant yelled, and the boys looked at each other with poorly veiled concern on their faces. "I take it the not sleeping has been going for the last few days." Zelan muttered. 

"Yeah. What gave it away?" Ant grouched. 

"Lucky guess." Wally shrugged sarcastically, earning a laugh from Zelan. "Let's plan the press release for tonight. So it's done with." 

"He can't talk to the press like this!" Zelan huffed. "Dude looks like he'd shoot someone if they look at him the wrong way. That is not gonna be good for anyone, least of all you." 

"See if I won't." Ant snapped. 

"Ok. How about this? We'll get your parents to gather the media for say.....4 today? You let us watch Ariana for a few hours, and you take a nap old fart. We can meet back up after." Zelan suggested. 

"You won't be able to look after her for that long." Ant worried. "It's risky." 

"Ollie will be there daddy-o." Wally teased. "We aren't gonna kill her."