Invisible String (Elizabeth Olsen x Fem Reader)

An Opportunity

The night was in full swing. The people in the club seemed to really be enjoying themselves, almost everyone with a drink in their hand as they danced around the music coming from the band currently playing on stage. The rest of my band mates had disappeared to do their own pre-show rituals before it was our turn, leaving me standing by the bar to sip on my water and observe my surroundings.

Tonight was just a fun little charity thing we were doing for the local police precinct. Their annual Tis' the Summer of Music show for the kids. It was sweet, really, what they were doing. And it's not like it would be hurting us. We come and play a set and all the club's ticket sales would go towards getting those kids some food and toys. Not to mention there were a lot of pretty well-known names here, and getting to play on the same night with those bands was almost surreal.

The flash of a camera pulled my attention away from the loaded club floor and over towards where the press were gathered behind their own sectioned-off area, letting out a sigh. The last thing I wanted to do was deal with them tonight, or ever again if I had a choice in the matter. But sadly enough that wasn't going to happen. Not now that she had been seen out earlier this week with that douchebag. The PR team had been doing a fantastic job of not letting word get out of the split, even though tabloids had been printing out rumors ever since she had been spotted in Rome with the dude. I had asked for a little time to navigate my way through this new part of my reality, but my ex apparently wasn't going to allow that- as if she would think about someone other than herself for once. Ever since that exclusive came out, the band had been getting bombarded with the pap.

A hand settled onto my shoulder, forcing my attention away from the blood-sucking paparazzi and towards Leon, a smile automatically forming on my face. "Hey, what's up?"

Leon, the band's drummer, glanced over in the direction of the press for a second, his brown eyes full of worry. "I was just letting you know we go on in five. You good?"

Nodding, I let him throw his arm over my shoulder as he led me towards the side entrance of backstage and past security. "Yeah. I'm fine. I knew they were going to be here. I don't know why I feel surprised they're targeting me."

"You heard what Jamie and the others said. Just give it time to blow over. In a week some other celebrity couple will be breaking up or getting together, and this will all be forgotten. It won't last forever."

I simply nodded, letting out a sigh. As much as I appreciated having the band's support through all of this, I had hoped tonight wouldn't turn into another pity party where they'd try to make me feel better. Because I knew that at the end of the night I'd still be going home to an empty apartment, and the woman I agreed to spend the rest of my life with was out with someone else.

We joined the remaining members just as a stagehand gave us the signal for final preparations. I let one of the other workers clip my mic onto me, giving a nod of confirmation as they tested it and handed me my earplugs, shaking my limbs out slightly. I'd long grown accustomed to the pre-show jitters, but I still liked to make sure I went out on stage as loose as possible.

As the final note of the band on stage rang out, followed by deafening applause, I glanced around at my band mates, holding my pinkies out in what's now become our tradition to do before every show. Each member curled their own around mine, a smile forming on my face. "Let's make sure we kill it out there for those kids."

"Let's hear it for HAIM, everybody!"

I smiled as the girl group shuffled off stage, greeting them as they passed and wished us good luck. Did I mention how awesome it was that there were so many talented people out here tonight? I mean we were going on after fucking HAIM, and I'd seen the lineup a few weeks ago. Some of the greatest musicians were here tonight.