Author's Note: Journey into Mystery is quite possibly the best comic Marvel has going on right now. If you're not reading it, you should be! This is just another for-fun fic. I'm also exploring my own idea about who exactly Leah of Hel is.

Name Day

By: Silver Spider

Part I: Childhood's End

Loki was convinced Leah aged backwards.

Not in the literal sense, for whatever she was she seemed to be affected by time in the same manner as he, but he saw a slow but clear shift in her temperament in the couple years of their acquaintance. She had gone from cold and intense to actually cracking half-a-smile the few times she found his jokes funny. And every once in a while she talked in a tone that was not passive-aggressive and sarcastic. The first time that had happened, the boy had grinned at her.

"See? I told you we would be BFFs," he declared triumphantly to which Leah had simply rolled her eyes.

Now they were sitting in the corner of Asgard's great hall watching as others celebrated another anniversary of the rebuilding of the great city. The girl gingerly took a bite of the fresh hot sweet-meat they had taken from one of the big tables. The mugs of ale sat untouched on the ground. Loki was somewhat disheartened that he'd gone through so much trouble to swipe the forbidden drink but neither of them found it to their liking.

"I don't understand the purpose of this," Leah confessed.

"The calibration?" the boy checked. "Asgard's been through a lot since the last and final Ragnarok. Every new year is a year that distances us from the War of the Serpent and... and the siege." He felt himself grow distant, slipping back into a past he could not and had no desire to remember. Loki blinked and grinned at her. "Besides everyone likes a good party."

"So it is a... name day of sorts? For Asgard."

"In a sense." He picked up the ale, waved his hand over it, and the alcohol dutifully turned into a root beer float. "Mortals call them 'birthdays', not 'name days' though."

"And they do this every year?" She seemed puzzled. "That seems overly self-indulgent."

"They only live about eighty," Loki reminded her. "It would be if we celebrated... once a century or so. But you know what they say: when on Midgard... There's nothing wrong with birthday parties."

"You never had one." Leah pointed out. "Not in as long as I have been here."

"No." He shrugged. "I can't really celebrate when I was born to Laufey. That would make me far too old. Serrure wasn't even a real person, so it would make no sense to remember his birthday even if I could recall when that was. If I were to celebrate anything, it would be the day Thor found me in Paris and restored me awareness to what I am."

"But you were born at some point," Leah pressed.

"So were you."

He thought about that, cocking his head to the side. It occurred to him that apart from knowing that she was Hela's handmaiden and that the goddess of death had ordered her to stay by his side, he knew very little about Leah. It had never bothered Loki before – he, more than anyone else, understood that sometimes you had to accept things for what they were – but with all this talk of birthdays, he got curious.

"When is your b... name day?" he asked suddenly. Leah stared at him. "Or whatever you'd like to celebrate in place of one."

"Why do you want to know?" The girl was instantly suspicious. "So you might plan a prank?"

"No!" The thought honestly hadn't crossed his mind, though now that she mentioned it... "No, I swear on my honor..."

Leah crossed her arms. "Not good enough, oh ye, Lord of Mischief."

"Fine, I swear on..." He looked around the great hall for a suitable target. "I swear a blood oath in Thor's name I have no ill intentions for this information."

"Ah, this must be a very serious matter indeed."

Loki felt himself lifted from behind. He was laughing, clutching at the ornate brace as Thor hoisted him into the air easily with one arm. Seeing the mirth in his brother's eyes was enough to tell the young god he was in no danger. Leah was trying to hide her own amusement behind her cup that had long since turned from mead to milkshake.

"Hi, Thor!"

"Hello to you too, little brother. Might I inquire why you are swearing blood oaths on my name?"

Loki wrinkled his nose. "Leah refuses to tell me her when her name day is. Make her."

"And how do you propose I do that?" The older god asked. "With lightning? Mjolnir perhaps?"

"Well, you do have the thing for a reason."

"Not for striking fair maidens," his brother chided. "You mustn't ever do such a thing."

"He is right, you know." Thor put him down just as Sif came to stand beside them. The thunder god's raven-haired consort gave his brother a pointed look. "Said maiden may very well strike back."

"She," Loki pointed an accusing finger at Leah who was the very picture of innocence, "is no fair maiden. She certainly doesn't play fair."

Leah's usually composed features went ice cold. "Loki Laufeyson! Are you questioning my virtue!"

Uh-oh...

He wasn't entirely sure what that meant, but judging by the girl's expression and Thor's booming laughter, the boy was intelligent enough to know he had just stepped in a pile bigger than anything Toothgrinder and Toothgnasher had ever created. Leah's eyes were sparkling with the green energies of magic. His brother placed a large hand on his shoulder.

"You had better flee while you can," Thor advised. "Even I may not be able to protect you."

Not needing to be told twice, Loki took off with Leah close on his heels. He could hear Thor and Sif's laughter and the fading sounds of celebration in the great hall. He was nearly out of ear shot when Loki heard Sif turn to his brother.

"Does he know little girls pick fights with and generally tease boys they like?"

Finally safe in his room and only a little singed, Loki thought that perhaps it was best to stay out of Leah's way for the next day or so at least. Thor's return after Tanarus had been dealt with, made it possible for the girl to leave her great big hole in the ground and take up residence in Asgard. Loki had glossed over the details of his role in the War of the Serpent, but he did mention that they had become friends along the way, and with Thor's support, Leah had been cautiously welcomed into the city.

At some point later, Thori, the Hel-hound, came padding inside. He aged slower than any Midgardian dog but after two years was already about the size of a St. Bernard. Loki suspected it was just the tip of the iceberg if his mother's size was any indication.

"Don't you usually sleep in Leah's room?" he asked.

"Scary girl," the pup muttered before turning in a circle and plopping down heavily next to Loki's bed. He burped, blowing out a tiny puff of flames, and promptly settled into sleep.

That was a fairly solid indication that what the boy had said had been taken to have more malice than he meant. That was not Loki's design. All childish squabbling aside, he liked Leah, and when Loki liked someone, he wanted them to be happy. Therefore rising at the crack of dawn, he went to his books of magic. Even if Leah refused to tell him when her name day was, he could still make her a cake in way of an apology for nagging.

When the magic-infused batter hit the proverbial fan – actually it was the high ceiling which was fairly impressive in itself – Ikol took off from his perch with a chortle that Loki supposed passed for laughter. The Hel-hound merely padded towards the mess and sniffed at the singed mass. Loki looked at the magpie.

"This is harder than it looks," the boy complained.

"Of course." He noted obvious sarcasm in the bird's voice. "If you insist on persisting with this foolishness, I suggest you consult an expert before you level the whole of Asgard. Again."

"That was you!" Loki protested.

"Semantics," the magpie replied before flying out the tower window.

Loki ignored him, growing thoughtful. He could go to the kitchens and ask for one, but that wouldn't be special. He wanted to make the cake himself. All Loki needed was a little guidance. Who did he know who baked? Not Sif… Certainly not Thor. Then it came to him! Grinning, the boy bolted out of his room.

"What are you up to, you little scoundrel?"

Volstagg was clearly not expecting to see him on his front door especially so early in the morning, but that didn't deter Loki. The boy bounced a little on the balls of his feet.

"Can I borrow Hildegund?"

Hildegund, Volstagg's plump, good-natured wife, was easily the best cook in Asgard. She was also one of the nicest people Loki had ever met. Before Volstagg could complain, the woman was also at the door, smiling and dragging Loki inside. When they were in the kitchen – she was in the middle of making breakfast – she patted a stool for him.

"Now then," she wiped her hands on her apron, "what can I do for the little princeling?"

"I need to know how to bake a cake," he explained. "It's for my friend Leah."

The woman beamed. "Is it her name day?"

"No," Loki shook his head. "At least I don't think so. She won't tell me when it is, you see. I think maybe she doesn't know, so I want to surprise her."

"Oh, aren't you sweet," she cooed and pulled the bag of flower to sit between them on the table. "Pay close attention now."

A few hours later, with the small round cake in a pretty package, Loki hurried along to Leah's room. To his disappointment, the girl was not there, but it didn't take him long to find her in the great hall – now cleaned after the previous night's festivities – sitting at the end of one of the long tables. She was eating breakfast and tossing every once in a while handing out pieces of meat to the Hel-hound pup who sat by the bench.

"Leah!" Loki grinned and jumped on the opposite one. "Good morning!"

"You neglected to feed your pet. Little wonder he prefers my company."

She gave him a slightly disdainful look, but no different from any other in the past. Loki figured that must mean she was getting over whatever was bothering her. Still it was no reason not to give her the cake.

"Here!" He pushed the box across the table towards her.

The girl eyed it warily. "Is it going to explode?"

"No."

"Unleash some kind of pests everywhere?"

"No."

"Is it a hex? A curse?"

"No, Leah." He was only mildly annoyed. "It's a present. Open it."

"Alright..."

She hesitantly pulled the box towards her and began to untie the bow. When the sides fell away, Leah stared at the small round pastry. Seeing that she didn't understand, Loki explained helpfully.

"It's a name day cake. Even if you won't tell me when yours is I made you one... Leah?"

He stopped speaking when he saw that she wasn't paying attention anymore. Her hands clutched into fists in her lap, head hung so that her long raven tresses hid her face. He didn't see it fall until the single tear splashed the wooden table.

Everything that happened after that was almost too fast to register.

Suddenly a fell wind was in the air, and before Loki or anyone else knew it, the bone-lined portal opened straight in the middle of the hall. There were gasps all around as the goddess of the dead stepped through. Across the table form him, Leah's head snapped up, her eyes growing wide.

"Mistress Hela..."

"Leah," the otherwise-imposing goddess' tone was not ungentle. "It is time to come home."

Leah's return to Hel was not quite the same as an actual death, but to Loki it felt near close to one. Most children, when faced with such a tragedy, turned to their parents for comfort and to seek understanding. Loki had no such parent, but he did have Thor. Unfortunately all his brother had to offer was a look of pity.

"Hela had this right," he told the boy gently. "She is mistress over all in her domain."

"Leah was not in her domain!" Loki protested. "She was in this one. And why now? She left her here to help me. This is so... random!"

"Death often is." Next to his brother, Sif mirrored his look of sadness.

"She's not dead!" He felt like stomping his foot but realized how childish that would look. "Leah said she was a 'keeper of the dead' not one herself. She grew here, Thor! Even when the dead come here, how often have you known them to grow?"

"Never," the thunder god admitted. "But then few have remained above long enough to observe this. If Leah did not belong in Hel, she would not be there. I am sorry, brother, but there is little we can do."

"We could go down there and demand Hela explain herself." Loki had already made up his mind to do just that.

"We cannot demand anything of Hela." Thor shook his head and rose. "But we can ask."

"Thor. Loki."

Tyr met them at the gateway to Niffleheim. The fallen god of battles looked at the boy with more favor than he had when he'd been living. Loki was glad his role in the War of the Serpent had won him back favor with at least one brethren his former self had betrayed time and time again. The warrior's dark eyes looked between the two living gods.

"Tyr," Thor spoke. "We would speak with Hela."

"I know." The general of Hel nodded. "She has been expecting you."

Hela's castle was a dark cold place, which had never bothered Loki before. Now he had no wish to stray from his brother's side any further than necessary. Thor was the only source of warmth in the hollowed halls of the dead. The goddess greeted them in her thrown room, not bothering to rise.

"What would the sons of Odin have of me?"

My friend back! Loki wanted to scream but let his brother take the lead as agreed upon.

"We would inquire to the reason for Lady Leah's sudden departure," Thor said diplomatically.

"Where my servants go is none of your concern, Odinson," Hela replied simply. "However I assure you she is safe and happy here. Unlike above. Perhaps you would ask your brother why he caused the girl's tears."

"I only brought her a name day cake!" Loki objected as all the adults turned to him. "I don't know why she started crying all of a sudden. Leah never cries."

"Until you," the mistress of the dead said accusingly.

"I meant no harm!" He took a step forward, out of the safety of Thor's immediate reach. "Whatever I have done, please let me apologize."

"You may do so," Hela said coolly. "But it will change nothing."

Leah's room in the castle was very much similar to the one she had in Asgard, but like everything else in Hel, it held no warmth. In Asgard, the Hel-hound could often be found resting by the fire in her chimers. She'd even taking to tending to a small potted rose bush kept on her windowsill. Like so many things in the world of the living, flowers had fascinated the girl.

Now he found her looking out a similar window into the bare wasteland of Hel.

He cleared his throat. "I brought that cake. It's a little crumpled, but I thought you might still like it. I made it myself."

She didn't turn. "I don't remember my name day, Loki."

"Oh." He blinked. "Is that why you were crying?"

When the girl said nothing, he placed the package on the table and turned to the door.

"I'm sorry, Leah."