While working on "Flashbulb Memories" I had some ideas for flashbacks in the friendship between Steve, Bucky, Case, and Ryder as they grew up along with some stories between them and the Avengers in the present day. However, some of these stories just don't fit well into "Flashbulb Memories" so they will be posted here.

For example, I wanted to add the moments where Steve and Bucky found out that their friends were mutants...hence, this chapter was born.

"You Fainted, Meatball"

April 1934

"So…how exactly did Bucky get detention for a month?" Case asked.

"Because he was really, really lucky," Steve explained.

"That and he can talk his way out of almost any situation," Ryder added.

The trio of fifteen-year-olds were walking home after school had let out, save for their friend Bucky – who was suspiciously silent about the reason, but had to spend each afternoon afterschool in detention, and his free time spent in his room at home until school let out for the summer.

"But he's serving time for a month," Case pointed out to her twin.

"I did say almost."

Case rolled her eyes, "Alright, but what did he do?"

"He got caught with Suzanne Delvechio in the third-floor closet," Steve told her.

Case blinked, "What were they doing?"

Steve and Ryder stopped dead in their tracks, both giving her dumbfounded looks.

Case felt her cheeks go red before she pointed at Ryder, "Do not give me that look Ryder James! Need I remind you of what I caught you doing with her sister Monica a few weeks ago?"

Ryder gave a small smirk, "Actually…that was pretty fun."

"Wait…you and Monica Delvechio?" Steve asked.

"Yep," Ryder nodded as they started walking again.

"Isn't she a senior?"

"What's your point?"

Steve frowned, "What were you doing in there with her?"

"Let's just say Monica's not wearing white to her wedding," Case rolled her eyes. "Thanks for the nightmares, by the way."

Ryder rolled his eyes, "Please…that idea was gone long before I went into the closet with her."

Steve's eyes were wide, and his face was the color of a tomato, "Wow…" He coughed uncomfortably, "Um…" He looked at Case, "Uh…have you…?"

"Not pertinent to the conversation, Steven," Case snapped.

"Case is saving herself for Bucky," Ryder said, giving his twin a nudge.

"I am not!"

"Yes, you are."

"It's not Bucky!"

"Except you're head over heels in love with him."

"Ryder!" Case hissed, her face matching Steve's.

"Please, Case," Steve chimed in. "You stare at him when his back is turned every chance you get."

Case rolled her eyes and stomped on ahead of them, ignoring Ryder's comments about her feelings for Bucky.

"I mean, seriously, every five minutes there's another comment about how handsome he is or how gorgeous his eyes are," Ryder added.

They'd finally reached the Howlett's apartment, Steve entering first, followed closely by Case who tried slamming the door into her brother, who took it with a muffled grunt.

"Ryder…maybe it's time to cool it," Steve frowned.

"Thank you," Case rolled her eyes, heading straight for the kitchen.

"Come on, Case knows I'm only messing around," Ryder said, following her. He sat at the kitchen table as Case poured herself a glass of milk, "It's the nature of our relationship…we drive each other nuts."

"Yeah…but…"

"Steve, you don't get the dynamics of the sibling relationship," Ryder shrugged. "Ask Bucky…I'm sure he'll vouge for me."

Steve gave a frown then looked at Case, who had the glass raised to her mouth and was chugging the glass of milk like it was going out of style. "Still…she looks angry."

"She's standing right here!" Case snapped at him, slamming her glass down on the counter.

"Sorry Case," Steve said sheepishly, as he watched the twins with a weary eye.

"I'm just saying Case…you talk about him all the time," Ryder rolled his eyes. "About his dreamy eyes…about how he looks like certain movie stars…how you want to—"

"That's it!" Case snapped, and she moved like a blur across the room. She had her left fist twisted into Ryder's shirt, her right fist curled and pulled back, ready to strike as she snapped, "Keep mocking my feelings for Bucky and I'll run you through like I did when we were five!"

The next sound they heard was a loud "thump". Both twins looked to where Steve had been standing…and lowered their eyes to the floor, where Steve was currently slumped over.

Ryder looked down at Case's hand, "Well…that's one down I guess…"

Case looked down at her own hand, then hissed, "Shit!"

"Steve?" Case's voice was the first thing he heard.

Steve felt groggy. He remembered seeing stars then blackness…

"Hey Steve, you with us pal?" Ryder's voice was next.

He responded with a groan as he rubbed at his eyes, "What happened?"

"You fainted, meatball," Case said, and Steve could hear the laugh in her voice. "Can you open your eyes for me? Bucky would never forgive us if you died on our watch."

Steve slowly opened his eyes, taking in the sight of the Howlett's living room. They'd apparently moved him to the sofa before he woke. "What happened? I mean, I know I fainted…but I remember…"

The twins exchanged looks, and Steve noticed Case's hand was wrapped in a dish towel…and bundled up in a way that as twice as large as it should be for just her hand.

"You…you had bones…" Steve motioned at the air above his knuckles, "Sticking out…"

Another look exchanged, and Ryder gave a nod before Case unwrapped the dish towel from her hand.

Three slim, pale white, bones stuck out of the knuckles of Case's right hand, all three basically the length of Case's forearm. She got closer and tentatively held them out, so Steve could see them clearly.

"That…wasn't a dream," Steve murmured as he eyed the bones. He reached out and touched the one that stuck out between her index and middle finger, running his own fingers over the smooth surface.

Case gave a shudder but didn't move, and Ryder cocked an eyebrow at her. "Tickled," she murmured.

"Weirdo," Ryder rolled his eyes.

"I'm still not above stabbing you," Case shot back.

"You said you'd stabbed him before?" Steve asked quietly.

Case looked down at her feet, "Uh…yeah…when we were five. It was the first time my claws presented themselves…somehow, we tripped, and I jabbed them into Ryder's back."

"Also, the day we found that I had our father's healing ability."

"Your father…is like you?"

"More or less," Case admitted. "Both our parents are…we can heal from any injury like our dad…he's also got bone claws, although he's fused with Adamantium…" At Steve's confused look, Case added, "Type of metal."

"I see…" Steve said, still in a slight shock. He looked at Ryder, "And what can you do?"

"Tactile Hypnosis…I'm like our mother in that respect," Ryder admitted. He wiggled his gloved fingers, "If I touch someone…they'll do anything I tell them."

"Have you…did you…?" Steve wanted to ask, but he couldn't bring himself to finish the question. He knew Ryder Howlett…he didn't want to think his friend would do anything horrible like that.

"No…never…and never intentionally if I ever have," Ryder explained. "It's why I wear gloves…I tried on animals when we were younger…nothing that would hurt them, just a few tricks…I never want to be that person."

That's what I thought, Steve thought with a small sigh of relief. "So, you two are…what did they call 'em…?"

"Mutants," Ryder said. "They call us mutants."

"Right…" Steve nodded, trying to process what he was seeing. "Do…they uh…" He motioned at his hand again, "Do they hurt?"

Case gave a shrug as she finally retracted them, "Sometimes…if I'm not expecting it. My dad says his hurt every time…but his are like knives because of the metal."

"You do that at will?"

Case took a seat next to him on the sofa and seemed to relax a bit herself when she noticed Steve didn't move away from her, "Yeah…although there are times where they come out because I'm stressed…just depends on the situation I guess."

Ryder stood over them, folding his arms over his chest, "You do know you can't tell anyone about this, Steve."

"Who would I tell?" Steve asked, a little insulted. "And who would believe me if I did?"

"Well…I'm gonna go out on a limb and say, one James Buchanan Barnes…you know…Bucky," Ryder rolled his eyes.

"Wait…Bucky doesn't know either?" Steve asked in shock. "Are you guys ever going to tell him?"

"Can't tell anyone Steve."

"But…Bucky…we're friends," Steve frowned at them. "Why weren't you going to tell us?"

"Again Steve…we weren't supposed to tell anyone," Case told him.

"I get that…but we're you're friends!" Steve snapped, shooting to his feet, anger overriding any rational thought at the moment. "We've been friends for ten years! I would've thought that in that time frame you could've deemed us trustworthy to tell Bucky and me at least!"

Ten years of friendship, of fights, sickness and health – more on Steve's part than the others, but it was the principle of the thing – and they hadn't told them? And had never planned to?

"Steve…you know our dad," Ryder told him. "You know how he gets…when it comes to our mutations that was one thing he never bent on."

"Why?" Steve asked. "I wouldn't tell a soul…and I'm sure Bucky would be the same."

"It's just not a good idea, Steve," Case told him. "Please…promise us…you won't tell Bucky."

Steve's shoulders slumped, "Guys…he should know."

"You're right," Ryder nodded. "But our dad is firm…if he finds out you know he's gonna be pissed."

"What's going to happen if you tell Bucky?" Steve asked. "Or anyone for that matter?"

Case shrugged, "We don't know…it comes down to safety, but our dad has always been vague."

"We've been trying to get a straight answer for years," Ryder added. "Dad doesn't give us a valid reason, and any time we ask our Uncle Victor he defers to our dad."

Steve mulled that over. "So…you two are mutants…your dad is a mutant…I assume Victor too?"

"Oh yeah," Ryder gave a nod, plopping down on the couch.

"And your mom…could she heal too?"

"Dunno," Case shrugged. "We know she could do what he could do," She motioned at Ryder, "Other than that…there's not much we do know."

Steve just hummed as he let the information sink in. He plopped down in one of the armchairs, processing the whole thing.

As a few minutes passed, Case spoke up, "Steve?"

"You'll have to tell him sometime," Steve said at last.

"Huh?"

"Bucky…you'll have to tell him sometime."

"Steve—"

"Well how do you plan to date him if you don't tell him?" Steve asked with a small smirk.

Case scowled and threw a throw pillow at him, "Jackass."

The tension lifted and the three could finally relax. Another few minutes crawled by before Ryder asked, "So Steve…you never answered Case's question."

Steve, who'd taken hold of the pillow and was hugging it to his chest, frowned at him, "What question?"

Ryder sat up, "What did Bucky get caught doing in the third-floor closet?"