Concert Preparations Pt. 2

Liam re-entered the room, hands in his pockets, clearly trying to keep his usual grin in check. He paused just inside the doorway, taking in the sight of you fully dressed, makeup done, hair styled. It must have looked a lot different from how you usually showed up, because his eyes widened just a little before he caught himself.

“Alright, I’m not gonna… y’know, make a thing out of it,” he said, his voice softer than usual. He gave a small nod, eyes meeting yours in the mirror. “But… you look really good. Seriously.” He glanced away quickly, trying to downplay his own compliment, but it was there — genuine and undisturbed by his usual teasing.

A slight warmth crept up your cheeks, and you nodded back. “Thanks,” you said, feeling oddly reassured. For once, there wasn’t any snark or taunting in his voice, and you appreciated that more than you’d expected. He noticed your smile and gave a small one in return, as if acknowledging this mutual understanding without needing to say anything more.

You took a breath, glancing at the clock. The moment was here. If this night was going to go off without a hitch, you needed to call Hermes to apply the Luna persona, allowing you to fully settle into the role for the night.

“Alright,” you muttered to yourself, eyeing the bathroom. Liam gave you a thumbs-up and watched on.

Closing the bathroom door behind you, you went over to the toilet and took a breath, mentally rehearsing the ritual you’d been taught to summon Hermes. Feeling a bit silly but knowing it had worked before, you reached over, flushing the toilet three times, the sound echoing through the room. Once it finished, you said his name aloud, “Hermes.”

A moment of silence passed, and then, as if the bathroom had somehow grown brighter and filled with a faint golden hue, Hermes appeared in the mirror, his relaxed smile and effortless charm as vivid as always. He leaned casually against the mirror’s edge, his usual hoodie and jeans somehow making him look both modern and timeless. He radiated a chill, easygoing aura that immediately put you at ease.

“Hey, there you are,” Hermes said with a grin. “Big night, huh?”

You nodded, feeling a little ridiculous standing there all dressed up, but Hermes just waved it off, his eyes twinkling with amusement.

Hermes grinned as he settled comfortably into the mirror, arms crossed. “Alright, let’s hear it,” he said. “How’s the trial going?”

You quickly updated him, explaining that tonight was the night you’d be trying to seal the deal with Marcus Chase. Hermes listened intently, nodding along with a knowing smirk. He seemed genuinely impressed at how things were progressing — but before you could finish, Liam jumped in.

“Oh, dude,” Liam said, leaning against the counter casually, “Dude, did you see Margot Robbie had a kid? Man, now she's off the books. But like, I gotta know, who do you think is hotter — Margot Robbie or Dua Lipa?”

Hermes chuckled, giving you a brief, apologetic glance before shifting his attention fully to Liam. “Man, that’s a tough one! You’re really hitting me where it counts here.” He laughed, shaking his head as he pondered it. “Okay, hear me out. Margot is classic, you know? Got that timeless vibe. But Dua? That girl’s got some serious edge. She’s like… untouchably cool.”

Liam nodded enthusiastically, clearly enjoying himself. “Exactly! I keep trying to tell Lucas here, but they don’t get it.”

You sighed, crossing your arms but finding it kind of amusing. “Are we really doing this right now?”

But they were both lost in conversation, barely noticing your interruption.

“And don’t even get me started on Zendaya,” Hermes continued. “I mean, she’s just—”

“A goddess?” Liam finished, laughing. “I mean, not technically like you, but she might as well be, right?”

They both laughed, completely absorbed, and you had to admit it was nice seeing them vibe like old buddies — if only the situation weren’t so serious. You cleared your throat, attempting to cut in.

“Guys? Earth to Hermes? We have a concert in a few hours here, and we need a plan, remember?” You gave Hermes a pointed look.

He finally turned back to you with a playful smirk. “Alright, alright, I’m just catching up with my buddy here.” He gave Liam a mock fist-bump through the mirror before looking back at you. “So, what’s the final touch for tonight?”

“Okay, so it's the same idea,” you said, keeping your voice serious. “We need Marcus to feel like he’s with the ideal version of… well, you know. Sofia Armenta. So if you could do the same as last time, that would really help.”

Hermes nodded thoughtfully, his expression shifting to one of deep concentration. “Ah, yes. That hint of mystery, right? Plus that hint of ‘hard-to-get’ that drives guys wild.”

“Exactly.” You said, grateful he was back on track.

Hermes nodded, rolling up his sleeves a bit. “I can work with that. You’re about to have all the Sofia vibes you can handle.” He raised a hand to the mirror and gave you a knowing look. “You ready?”

You took a deep breath, feeling your nerves rise and your anticipation build. “As ready as I’ll ever be.”

With that, Hermes placed his hand on the mirror, his energy seeming to radiate out and surround you, subtly shifting the atmosphere. You could feel something changing, a cool confidence seeping into you, like you were slipping into a more charismatic, seductive version of yourself.

Hermes winked. “Marcus Chase won’t know what hit him.”

Hermes narrowed his eyes, focusing on the mirror as he started to weave his magic. With a dramatic wiggle of his fingers, he began pulling invisible threads together, like a master artist mixing colors on a palette. You could almost feel the shift in the air around you, a subtle, shimmering warmth growing and settling over your skin.

Your mind grew fuzzy, and it was as if your own thoughts began to slip away, taking a quiet seat somewhere in the back as something else — no, someone else — started to take over. Luna was coming forward.

Slowly, the way you held yourself changed. You could feel your spine straighten, your shoulders relaxing into a graceful posture you’d never naturally chosen before. There was a newfound softness to your gaze, an inviting tilt to your chin as if you’d spent your life knowing exactly how to draw people’s attention with just a look.

The internal chatter that normally filled your mind softened, replaced by a quiet, almost effortless confidence. It was like Luna knew things you didn’t, moving with a surety that didn’t need second-guessing. She knew how to make heads turn, how to hold a room’s attention — and all of that knowledge seemed to be flowing into every fiber of your being.

You shifted on your feet, noticing a subtle change in how your weight distributed itself, settling your hips with a casual elegance you didn’t even have to think about. Luna was poised, composed, with a calm sense of allure that seemed to radiate from every gesture.

Your mind, still there in the background, was a little dizzy with it all. You were looking out from somewhere deep inside, marveling at the fluid confidence that now coursed through you. You felt Luna’s awareness of how the black dress hugged you, how it accentuated just the right curves, how your hair framed your face in a way that almost begged to be admired.

The thoughts running through your mind weren’t yours. They were hers.

Marcus is going to be absolutely captivated, she seemed to whisper inside, a trace of a knowing smirk in her tone. Tonight, he’ll see nothing but me.

You let out a slow breath, but even that felt different. It came out as more of a soft, sultry sigh, laced with a confidence you didn’t usually have. And it wasn’t even something you had to try for; it was just there.

Hermes took a step back, admiring his work with a satisfied grin. “Well, Luna,” he said, his voice thick with approval, “I’d say you’re ready.”

Liam gave you an impressed once-over, clearly looking for the transformation like it's visible. He tried to keep a straight face, but you could see a flicker of awe in his expression.

You smirked, feeling the edge of Luna’s charisma spill into your reaction. “Told you I’d clean up nice,” you said, letting your voice carry a smooth, velvety tone.

Your gaze slid back to the mirror, and the woman staring back at you was mesmerizing. Confident. Unapologetically alluring. She looked like someone who knew her power and knew exactly how to wield it. The thrill of it all made your heart race, and for the first time, you felt truly ready to handle the night ahead.