- BLU Base, RED Sniper's van -

RED Spy arrived in front of his lover's van, whistling as he felt his conscience itself lightened. He had been to the kitchen to take some croissants as he knew Sniper loved them as much as he did. Aaah, that feels good. I've been seeing my son all his life but he never looked at me like his father. And now...

He knocked on the van's backdoor.

"Bushman? I have brought some croiss-"

He didn't have time to end his sentence. Mundy slammed the door open, took Lucien by his collar and pulled him in the van. He threw him on the van's floor and slammed the door shut. The croissants flew across the van.

"I should have known! How can you change? You're still the same old champion of seducing! Going from someone to someone else!"

Mundy was enraged, furious. He was yelling out of his lungs at the Frenchman who was on the floor, trying to stand up again. Mundy didn't leave him time to move, he took him from his collar again and Lucien felt his feet were not touching the floor anymore.

"WHY DID I TRUST YOU?" Mundy roared.

He put Lucien's back again a wall violently, the van shook a bit and Mundy put his face a few millimeters away from Lucien's face. The latter was afraid. Scared to the bone. Looking at Mundy, he saw an overly angry stare, fierce eyes, eyebrows frowned, and the Australian's white teeth. He's been loving his smile but unfortunately for him, that time, he was not smiling at all. He was as frightnening as a lion about to bite on a prey's neck to kill it. Lucien wanted to defend himself. He thanked God that his legs were not asked to carry him as he felt they would have failed him.

"What are you talking about?!"

"Whot?! You serious?! Let me tell you whot's the matter you utterly selfish monster! I heard a distant roar, I thought there was some kind of beast in the desert. I took my rifle, looked through the scope and whot did I see? I SAW YOU WITH THAT BLOODY BLU SCOUT! I saw you... I saw you... AAH! I can't even say it!"

He dropped Lucien to the floor and turned to sit down on his bed/couch. Lucien fell, sinking against the wall of the van. His legs still couldn't carry him. Mundy took his hat and covered his face with it. He calmed down.

"You can take your stuff. Go away."

"Mundy, let me-"

"Go. Away."

It was Lucien's turn now to feel furious. He got up on his feet, walked to Mundy, took his hat from his hand and threw it away.

"NON! Not again! I'm not getting thrown off your van again! How can you think I went to see Scout for the same reasons I come and see you! You stupid Bushman! Do you not trust me? At all?"

"Oi! You calm down! Don't twist the situation! I saw you'n'im getting pretty close! I saw you with my eyes, don't try to lie, I did see you! And you're not messing with my mind, Spy!"

Lucien hated that. He hated the fact that Mundy called him 'Spy' and not 'Lucien' or 'Lu'. It gave fuel to the fire.

"LISTEN TO ME, PUTAIN DE MERDE! I went to see Jeremy for an important reason and I was coming to your van to announce it to you!"

"You gettin' engaged now or some'in'?" Replied Mundy sarcastically.

Lucien was infuriated and fed up.

"MERDE BUSHMAN! 'E IS MY SON! I NEEDED TO TELL 'IM ONCE IN MY LIFE THAT I CARED FOR 'IM!"

Silence fell in the van. Mundy's jaw dropped. Lucien let some seconds of silence. His angry voice resonated in Mundy's head.

"Now, if you want me to leave, I will do so. Non, in fact, I'm leaving anyway."

"Whot?"

"I said, 'If you-"

"Your son? You have a... son?!"

Mundy was completely taken aback.

"Yes and he is outside, waiting to meet you but after all this shouting, it would be a miracle if he still stood there."

Mundy felt confused.

"I'm sorry, I'm so sorry, I-"

Lucien raised his hand.

"I am not forgiving you for not trusting me, Mundy. What I feel for you and what I've shared with you, I did with no one else. Now I need to go, see you later."

On these words, Lucien opened the van's backdoor, jumped out, lit a cigarette and walked away.

"Wait, Lu'!"

Lucien didn't turn back, he didn't even look back. Jeremy, who had been waiting next to the van, was now going after his father.

"Hey, I heard some shoutin' inside, wha' happened?"

"Leave me alone, Jeremy please."

Lucien continued walking but Jeremy stopped here and there. He turned back and walked towards the van. He knocked.

"Hey! Snipes! Hello?! I know you're there! Open up, we need to talk!"

Mundy opened.

"Alright, we need to talk man."

Mundy wave him to the couch and closed the van's backdoor. He dropped himself on the couch, next to Scout.

"I understand I'm kinda big deal. Like, you didn't know who I was and all but erm..."

Mundy got a bottle of whiskey and a glass from under his couch. He filled the glass and gulped it all down.

"Erm... are ya even listenin' to me?"

"Listen mate, I'm sorry for ya. And me actually. Your dad left me. I'd have loved to get to know ya but there's nothing tying you to me now."

"Are ya tellin' me to go away?"

Mundy poured another glass and didn't answer.

"Hey?! I'm talkin' to ya!"

"Do as you like, mate. I'm no one for you. Or your father."

Jeremy took his cap off and out it next to him.

"Yo, listen'a'me. You do matter for Dad, alright? Yeah you do!"

"Kid, I ain't nothing for him. And I'll understand if you want to follow him. Take his stuff there, on that shelf and you can go."

"I'm not going 'cause he's not going. What language d'you understand, man? You're all he's been lookin' for in 'is whole life!"

Mundy drank a bit more. His mind was away. He remembered last christmas in Paris. He remembered the first time Lucien came to him. He remembered Lucien moved to a bigger flat to welcome him in Paris. He remembered he had managed to make his old friends come to Paris to see him. A tear streamed down Mundy, on his right cheek. He remembered the first time Lucien kissed him, the warm nights. He realised one major thing. God, I've never felt safe or comfy with anyone apart from him. Now I'm going to spend my nights alone. Well, I guess I was never meant to have a happy life. I'd better go back to hunting and livin' in the outback. Once I'm done and we get the Admin back, I'll quit this job and go back to Australia.

Hey! I can't believe you're still not listenin'..."

Jeremy snapped his fingers in front of Mundy's face. The latter growled as the young man broke the train of his thoughts.

"You still there?"

"Yeah and I'm stayin' until you go'n'talk to Spy. I mean, Dad."

Mundy sighed.

"You saw me. I tried to go after him. He didn't listen. I guess I'm alone now."

"For Tom Jones' sake, listen! Alright let's try some'in else."

Jeremy took the glass from Mundy's hand.

"Oi! What the bloody hell are you doin'?"

He then took the bottle and put it out of Mundy's reach, next to his left foot, on the floor. Jeremy's tone of voice changed completely.

"Man, listen now. Dad told me some'in' earlier and... well... I don't think I'm supposed to tell ya but if that's what you need..."

He sighed. Mundy was starting to feel the effect of the alcohol. He nonetheless paid attention to what the BLU Scout was saying.

"Y'know, he told me that when he was with Ma', he felt happy but also, not happy. He was happy 'cause someone was carin' for him. But deep down, he still felt somethin' was missin'. He's had lots'a ladies in his life. All beautiful and the kind that smells good and stuff like that. But still, there was something that made him feel he was never truly satisfied in 'is life. He kept on goin' from one contract to the other, until he met ya. Then, he told me, his life made sense."

He looked at Mundy.

"And apparently you're not doin' that good without 'im as well..."

"Listen here mate. I have never felt good with anyone except for your Dad so yeah, I'm not gonna lie, right now, I'd sell my van to have him next to me. But as always, I've ruined everything. Now, if you have nothing else to do here, g'day."

Jeremy was exasperated. He sighed.

"Alright. But y'know what? You're as stubborn as 'im and miserable. You both need one another, you can't go on like dis! Imma talk to Sp- Dad and you better be together again by the end o'the day, Scopeman!"

Jeremy got up and turned his back to exit the van. Meanwhile, Mundy had reached the bottle and glass and poured another glass.

"See ya man."

"Mmh."

Jeremy jumped out of the van and shut the door behind him.

"You're right, mate. I need 'im." Whispered Mundy to himself.

- Terrasse, back of the BLU Base -

On their terrasse, the BLU team had a table and some chairs. They would sometimes have dinner outside when the heat of the desert was less violent. Lucien was sitting on a chair he had turned towards the desert. One could see the robot vessel in the distance.

Jeremy took a chair and sat next to his father.

"Uhm... Dad?"

Lucien was looking at the distance, his eyes were red and his mask under his eyes was wet. Jeez, he must'a been cryin'.

"I talked to Snipey. He... uhm..."

"Jeremy, I'm sorry to disppoint you, again. You can leave me if you like and as soon as the Administrator comes back, I'll quit this job and disappear. You won't hear from me again, no tricks or disguises."

"Why d'ya say that?"

"I'm putting you through trouble and you certainly have had enough in your life."

Jeremy was becoming too impatient for Licien and his lover to come back together.

"What's all that crap?! Listen'a me, ya both need one another, it's gettin' ridiculous! He's drinking alcohol and you're smokin' cigarettes 'cause you want both the same thing!"

He paused.

"Y'know what he told me? He told me you're the one person he feels good with, he was litterally cryin' in his freakin' van! Oh talkin' about the van, he said he was ready even to sell his van for you to come back!"

Lucien put his gloved fingers on his eyes. He stayed like this for a second. He frowned.

"What an I supposed to do then, Jeremy? I've ruined evrything. Again! I should 'ave told 'im about you and then I should 'ave come to you to talk. But there it is, I 'ave ruined the one thing in my life that made me heurheux."

"Y'know what? You're comin' with me, I'm tired of hearing the exact same thing twice..!"

Jeremy grabbed his father by the arm and dragged him to the van. He knocked and ran away.

"Mais qu'est-ce que-Jeremy?!"

Lucien did not expect to be dropped like this. But inside the van, Mundy heard that voice, he sprang out of his couch, kicking the bottle of alcohol and rushed to the door. He opened it.

"You- I- Sorry, Lu', I'm so sorry, I thought you- and then I..."

"Non, mon amour. I am sorry. Of course I have always been deceitful, that's precisely my job in fact. So it's only natural for you to worry."

Mundy held his hand out as an invitation for Lucien to come in the van. Lucien looked up. He got rid of his gloves and his mask. He took Mundy's hand and climbed in. Both hugged each other tightly.

"You know it's all quite ridiculous, Bushman?"

"Yeah, but that's cause we care. Maybe too much."

They parted from each other's arms.

"You didn't find my croissants back, now did you?"

"Nah."

"Oh you stink of alcohol!"

"Oi! You're the one smokin' all the time and I'm not complainin'!"

"That's because you like that smell, Mundy."

"Mmmh... Anyway, I guess you're right. I need a shower. I'll go take one. Meanwhile, go and get some croissants and your son. All this mess got me hungry..."

"You are going to eat my son? You Bushman have no morals..."

Mundy smiled, took some fresh clothes.

"Nah, it's not your son I'm going to have for dinner...!"

He winked. Lucien blushed and smiled.

"Go and take your shower, you filthy man."

- Half an hour later, Mundy's van -

"Gentlemen, let us start from the beginning. Mundy, this is Jeremy, my son. Jeremy, this is Mundy, my..."

Lucien was looking for the best word. The word that Mundy will remember. He felt a lot of pressure as he knew Mundy could be disappointed in case he didn't find the right word. Lover? Non, that's not what I want to say... Partner? Non, we're not making deals and business! My reason to breathe? Non, that's too much, I can't say that to Jeremy... My second half? Non, that doesn't sound good... Oh, I know.

my soulmate."

Mundy blushed. Jeremy held his hand out to shake Mundy's but the latter took it and hugged him instead.

"Nice to properly meet you, mate."

"Yeah, yeah."

"Now, take a seat. Your father stole those croissants from the kitchen, help ye'self. I made some tea, you can add sugar if you like. No, Lu', not you, you're fat enough with all these croissants!"

"I'm stealing them for you, Mundy! You are the one getting fat!"

Jeremy laughed.

"You're always like dis?"

"Like what?"

"Tom'n'Jerry."

"Yeah, that's because of your Dad. He drives me crazy."

"Quoi? I'm not the one who used to live alone in a van!"

They all laughed.

"So, uhm, how did you get Jeremy?"

"Oh, they don't teach you how to have kids in koala-land?"

Lucien loved to tease Mundy.

"Nah you baguette! That's not whot I meat, I-"

"Well, when a lady finds a gentlemen-"

"Lu'..."

"And they both like each other veeery very much..."

"Lu'"

Jeremy was amused by the whole scene. Mundy was half tired, half entertained by that. He loved Lucien's sarcasm and sense of humour.

"They give each other lots of kisses and poof! They end up having a baby!"

"Lu', I was asking about the circumstances, you snail eater!"

Lucien laughed.

"I know, I know. Now, here's the story."

He told how he met Jeremy's mother in a mission and fell in love with her.

"It was in Boston. I was sent there for a mission. I had to collect some intelligence from someone. She was his secretary and I got in touch with her multiple times. I had a fake identity of course, I had to be a businessman, trying to make an appointment with her employer to make a deal. It was all by phone. I met her one day and I found her beautiful. Her blue eyes, her hair. Everything."

Mundy growled.

"You have incredible blue eyes and hair as well, mon cher, don't be jealous!"

Mundy smiled and rolled his eyes.

"I have brown eyes, thanks for noticin'..."

Lucien smiled and resumed his speech.

"What I paricularly appreciated with her is the trust we shared. I could tell her I was a spy, she would not betray me. And so I did. She understood I had to travel a lot. On average I would spend only a couple of months with her each year. And of course she thought that was not sufficient. She finally broke up because of that. When she did, she left with all her belongings and she left a note at home saying that I had a son."

"In Paris, you told me that it was only a rumour...?"

"I wanted to tell you the truth but I was afraid of what your reaction could be. You have always lived alone so it's a miracle that you accept to live with me. I was not going to impose anyone else at that point. But your reaction was interesting."

"Whot did I do?"

"Nothing. You didn't panic, you didn't make any weird face, nothing. Anyway she left me and had Jeremy with her. He was not yet born at that time. So I kept a distant eye on them both. And here we are today. I took the opportunity of this collaboration with the BLU team and the fact that the Administrator is obviously not watching us now to tell him that I was his father. I thought that you didn't even know."

"The Admin and Miss Paulin' told me and I had a choice between both teams. I thought Dad left us so I was angry and wanted revenge. I chose BLU but now I regret..."

"I told you, patience. You should change teams this evening. I prepared everything."

Jeremy smiled.

"Must be disturbin' for you, isn't it?" Asked Mundy.

"Wha'?"

"Well, the fact that your Dad is with me... I mean... not a lady..."

"At first I thought you were only friends. From the window of my bedroom, I can see your van. But Dad seemed to spend his night with ya, so I understood it was more than dat. Then I saw how he talked about ya and how bad he felt earlier, without ya. So, it's alright, I understand."

He paused.

"But yeah it's a bit weird, Ma' always told me you were very good with the ladies, that you had many many of them before gettin' t'know Ma'."

"Well, I had my little success, oui."

"Oi, I'm glad you put that in the past form, no need to go back to that!"

Lucien laughed.

"Don't worry."

"Yeah, I'm keepin' an eye on ya!"

Mundy was obviously joking but part of what he was saying was sincere.

"Hey, Dad, now that you found 'im, dontcha make mistakes!"

Lucien raised an eyebrow.

"By the way, can you teach me?"

"Teach you what?"

"How to seduce a lady!"

"Oh, you really like Miss Pauling..."

"Uhm... hahaha.. uhm... she... uhm..."

"Mate, you're blushin'..."

"D'accord. I will teach you, stand up."

Both Lucien and Jeremy stood up. Lucien spoke first.

"Seduce me."

- Author's note -

Hey guys!

Thanks for reading! As usual, please tell me what you think of this chapter in the reviews :)

Special thanks to Huddah who seems to be another Pyro and Dragonll237 for their reviews of the previous chapter :)

(By the way, Dragonll237, I'm happy you're leaving multiple reviews, I love all of them :3)

Sorry for the slowed down rythmn. I'm goind on vacation next week and I cole back only mid September. I'm not sure I'll have access to the internet where I'm going so I might disappear for quite a long time. Don't worry, I'll nevertheless continue writing and I'll post updates as soon as I come back :)

Love y'all :D