Jimin's tired. He's just come off of a double shift, a grueling 18 hours, and he wants to go home and sleep the next 12 before he has to drag himself back to the restaurant.
What he most certainly doesn't want to do is deal with the rowdy group of alphas that have been following him to the bus stop. It's not the first time either; Jimin's dealt with this particular group before, skin prickling and heart in his throat as they holler after him. On a few occasions they've been bolder, attempting to corner Jimin or throwing an arm over his shoulders as if they were friends.
He's pretty sure they've groped him a few times at the restaurant, too, but then they wouldn't be the only ones. It was part and parcel with the job and even when Jimin had brought it up with his manager, she'd just shrugged and said she could give him the opening shifts only.
Typical alpha response.
The tips he made working weekend evenings were far too good to pass up on, especially when Jimin wants so desperately to move out of his shitty neighbourhood into a nicer one.
Jimin sighs, jaw clenched as he reaches the bus stop, stepping into the shelter. His bus comes in a few minutes but it won't be a reprieve from the alphas. They always followed him onto the bus despite the fact that it headed away from their university.
He'd have to get off a few stops before his apartment and then walk the rest of the way again.
Sometimes, he daydreams about pepper spraying them and giving them all a swift kick in the balls but Jimin is a lot of things and unfortunately, confrontational is not one of them. He's gotten used to it.
As if on cue, one of the alphas slurs out Jimin's name, the rest laughing as they eye him up. They reek; alcohol and their own repulsive scents swarm around Jimin, leaving him with a headache. There's a pulsing pain in his lower back, the hours spent on his feet always catching up to him about half way through the day. His feet are killing him, too, and all he wants is to sit down and be left alone.
Jimin ignores the alphas. He can see the bright lights of his bus as it drives down the street.
Just as the bus pulls to the curb, a new scent arrives at the bus stop and despite himself, Jimin finds himself turning in its direction. It's musky and slightly spicy; Jimin thinks he can make out cardamom. What's troubling is the way it sinks into Jimin, all the way down to the bone, a comfort Jimin hasn't felt since his own father had scented him, singing just under his skin.
The alpha the scent belongs to looks a little startled, big eyes widening as he takes Jimin in. Jimin averts his gaze away quickly when their eyes meet, a spark shooting up his spine and Jimin's heartbeat picks up, breath caught in his throat.
The bus rolls to a stop in front of him and Jimin can't get onto it fast enough, beelining to his preferred seat. It's right by the back exit, before the steps that take everyone to the very back of the bus. The group of alphas always sat back there, growing braver as the night progressed and telling Jimin about all the ways they could show him a "good" time.
Jimin fixes his gaze out the window, steadfastly ignoring all the other patrons on the bus as his usual company noisily boards. One of them loiters by Jimin's seat – he awaits whatever crude comment's about to come his way but the alpha moves along rather quickly, causing Jimin to glance over.
