"That's kind of what I thought..." Lukas admitted with a bit of a chuckle, relaxing back in his seat for the first time in a really long time. Almost 5 years with no contact and here his brother was sitting right beside him. He still felt as though someone should pinch him or something. This wasn't real. He'd dreamed of this moment so many times and here it was finally in front of him.
Looking over at his brother he couldn't help but smile a little bit. He looked older, more mature... like he'd seen a thing or two even if he was only twenty three. He'd lost a bit of weight (everyone had), but he looked more muscular. Healthy even. Most importantly he seemed sane. He still had a sense of humour. This was good. So many people had just lost a grip on reality over this whole thing and Lukas was just immensely relieved to see that his brother still had it together.
A certain sense of sadness swept over him and Lukas nodded in understanding, giving his shoulder a supportive squeeze. "You don't have to explain... Anywhere you spend that much time is bound to start to feel a little bit like home." Lukas couldn't really relate. He'd been on the run since this whole thing began. Never staying in one place more than a month. Never forming attachments. Maybe... maybe he could try staying in one place for Gabriel's sake. See how that worked out...
His brother tried to protest that he was pretty tough after all and Lukas felt his insides squirm uncomfortably at the thought of his baby brother out there fighting the infected. "Don't even think about it..." he said seriously, levelling Gabriel with a look, "I mean, in emergency situations like today I have no doubt that you can take care of yourself. There's no way I'm lettin' you run around out there with the immune though unless it's absolutely necessary. I mean... anythin' could happen. You could get pounced by a leaper and then all the track trophies in the world aren't gonna help you when he tears you apart. Even I get caught sometimes..." He thought back to when Evan had saved him from that runner.
Upon hearing the lecture he was getting, most people would probably assume Gabriel was much younger than his twenty three years. Even if he were 30, Lukas would still be playing the protective big brother card. "I mean... you don't even know if you're immune. All it takes is one bite. One fuckin' bite Gabe. Unless... you haven't been bitten yet have you?" He hadn't heard from him in so long. It was entirely possible he'd been bitten already and that he was immune. Which could mean that Lukas was immune, but he'd never know until he tried and he was never much of a gambling man.
His brother chastised him for admitting that searching for him was the only thing that kept him alive and Lukas simply gave him a small smile and nodded, "You're right. I shouldn't." Best not to tell him how close he had come after he'd had to put their sister down like a rabid dog. After Isabella. After losing friend after friend. No, he would protect him. Physically and emotionally. "I don't promise no heroics. You know me... I see someone who needs help and I can't help myself. S'what made me such a good copper if you'll remember..."