**Halloween chapter 3! We're only 14 days out now, I am almost dying guys. This week's hint for the Spooktacular is... Wade Wilson makes an appearance, but not the Wade we know from the movies. He's young, charismatic, cute, and... Any guesses yet? Anyways, this one was interesting, I liked the idea of Peter and Liz having a really dysfunctional relationship and Loki saves the day. Enjoy!**

It was easy enough to work - a few charred bones, some Yarrow, blood - and it was done. Now all she needed was to put it in Peter's backpack. If she could get him alone at school, or even just get the bag when he was in the bathroom or something, she could slip it in along side his books and the papers.

The halls at school were crowded, making for a perfect opportunity. Liz watched the front doors from behind a corner. She knew Peter's bus got to Midtown right before the bell rang - he was always running to his locker because of it - so it would be just about any moment now.

There.

Peter was ducking between people, running as fast as he could without bumping into anyone. Liz raced after him, careful to not hit anyone as she raced after Peter. He turned down the hall to his locker, but Liz barely slowed down. She didn't even stop before she crashed into Peter.

"Oh!" she said, faking her surprise as she tumbled over him.

"Liz," Peter said, surprise etched over his face. He grabbed her by the elbows and steadied her, careful to get her back on her feet. "Sorry, I didn't- uh - I didn't see you-"

"It was my fault," Liz said, running her own hand down Peter's arm and to his backpack strap to right it on his shoulder. "I didn't mean to hit you."

A lie.

"That's okay," Peter assured. "I don't mind."

"You must have a sweet spot for me, then," Liz teased.

A truth.

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Peter wandered through the penthouse, his eyes foggy. He'd been like this for three days now, and while the rest of the team was content to write it off as Peter being a love-stuck teen, Loki was starting to get suspicious.

"Hello, Peter, how are you this morning?" The trickster God was seated at the kitchen island in one of the bar stools. When Peter didn't respond right away, Loki snapped his fingers a few times to get his attention. Peter looked up, but his eyes seemed to look past Loki, like he wasn't even registering what he was seeing.

"How are you?" Loki repeated.

"I'm so good, Loki," Peter said dreamily. His hands found the island and he leaned on it, swaying between his feet. "I have a date with Liz today."

"Third one this week, right?"

Peter nodded, then plopped his chin down into his palm. "I love her, Loki."

"That's a little extreme for three dates, young one. Do you not think that something may be wrong?"

Peter shook his head, but Loki could see something awakening behind the foggy gaze. It might have been nothing, or maybe it was Peter becoming aware, so Loki took a leap of faith and pushed harder.

"I think something is very wrong. This Liz girl seems like bad news, and personally, I would-" Loki was cut off by Peter leaping over the island and pulling the God off his stool. Loki's coffee splattered everywhere, but Peter didn't even respond to the hot liquid. Instead he put firm and steady hands on Loki's shoulders - a little too close to the neck to be comfortable - and held the God down into the floor.

"You never ever say that about Liz again. I love her. She is the best thing that ever happened to me, and I would die for her."

Peter pushed himself off the floor and stood, his eyes once again foggy and searching. The teen hummed a little as he poured himself a cup of coffee and wandered back out of the kitchen, leaving Loki on the floor gasping.

A spell, then, Loki thought when he'd finally gotten up and began wiping up the coffee. The God didn't mind cleaning up the mess - if anything, it was actually a perfect time to think. It wasn't common that a mortal could produce and execute a spell of this strength on their own. There had to be a hex bag, a talisman, something. Something Loki needed to investigate.

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"No," Tony said simply, crossing his arms and looking up from his lab bench. "I won't let you."

Loki sighed dramatically. "You have to, Anthony, it is important."

"Important to search my kid's backpack without his knowledge? What could possibly be in there?" Tony blew his eyes wide mockingly. "Oh, gosh, you think it's drugs?"

Loki didn't have time for the nonsense. "Anthony, I am telling you, this is important. It is about Peter's safety."

Tony dropped the act. "What do you mean safety? Is everything okay?"

"No, actually," Loki said coolly. "I believe Peter might be under the influence of a spell."

Tony wrinkled his nose, his gaze dropping back down to the gadget in his hands he was working on. "A spell? Is it one of yours? What did you-"

"Not one of mine."

Tony was quiet for a moment, but just as Loki was about to explain further, he jumped to his feet and practically threw everything to the ground. "Wanda? You think Maximoff hurt my kid? I'll kill her, I swear to God, I told the team we- I told them!"

Loki put a comforting hand on Tony's shoulder. "It's not Ms. Maximoff, Anthony. Calm down. I believe one of Peter's classmates has put him under a mild love spell. Infatuation, really. I just need to figure out what it's tied to."

Tony let out a breathy laugh, but it was more in relief than amusement. "A classmate? Oh, you think this is about Peter's new girlfriend. Liz is a sweet girl, Lokes, I think he's just in that puppy love phase. Let him be 15. Let him go on too many dates too often."

Loki was growing impatient with everyone saying everything was fine. It was anything but fine. Peter was being manipulated!

"I guess I am on my own, then," he said, his words barely bit back by a snarl. He turned on his heels and left the workshop.

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Loki found it. The hex bag was tucked in Peter's backpack, in the side compartment. It had been hell to get the damn backpack away from the teen, Tony, Natasha, and FRIDAY, but Loki had done it. He was going to free the poor teen, if for no other reason than to prove once and for all that he knew magic when he saw it.

It was a careful process to untangle the hex. If he just went ahead and burned it now, there was a slight chance Peter would be rendered insane, so instead, Loki concocted a very careful counter-spell and cast that. If he could just get-

Peter came slamming into the hall, the sound of his door bursting open making Loki jump.

Maybe a counter-spell wasn't the best idea. Peter was pounding on Loki's door at this point, his super strength threatening to dent the metal door out of it's frame. "Loki! Loki!"

Loki grabbed some matched off his desk, no longer caring about the slight chance of insanity. He had to get rid of this thing - now.

The hex bag went up in flames and Loki dropped it into his metal trash can, the fabric and herbs charring and gathering at the bottom of the bin. There was a soft thump on the other side of the door. Peter had passed out.

Loki quickly propped the teen up and waited a few seconds before gently shaking him awake. "Peter? Young one, please look here."

Peter looked up at Loki, his bright eyes back to their normal shine. "Mr. Loki?"

Loki smiled. "Hello, Peter! It's good to see you back to your old self."

"What happened?" Peter asked, running his fingers through his hair. "Was... Was Liz here?"

"No," Loki said softly, gathering Peter into his arms and lifting him up. He started to move back to Peter's room so the poor teen could sleep the remaining effects off. "She put a spell on you. I just broke it."

"A spell?" Peter asked, his words slightly slurred by sleepiness. "What kinda spell?"

"A love spell."

Loki looked down when there was no response, but Peter was already fast asleep. He smiled to himself a little as he laid Peter in bed and wrapped a blanket over the teen happily. He may have been the greatest lie-smith in the universe, but he wasn't one to let manipulation slide...

Especially when it threatened people he loved.