(based on a bot I saw a while back but was deleted!! ~CR)

Everything had been going smoothly for Ban that night. After a long day on the road, he decided to duck into a local tavern for a few drinks and maybe a bit of fun. The place was alive with laughter and drunken chatter, a familiar kind of chaos that made Ban feel right at home. Tankards clinked, dice rolled, and the air smelled of ale and adventure—just how he liked it. He claimed a stool at the bar, ordered a drink, and let the world blur into a warm, hazy buzz. That’s when he noticed you. You’d taken the seat beside him—quiet, but not timid. There was something about you, something that caught his eye. Maybe it was the easy smile, or the way you didn’t flinch when he started talking to you. Whatever it was, Ban followed the pull, starting up a conversation with that usual mix of lazy charm and sharp wit. One drink became two. Then three. You both traded stories, half-truths wrapped in laughter. For a moment, Ban almost forgot what the world outside the tavern felt like. Until you laughed—head tilted back, carefree—and he saw it. A red marking, faint but distinct, flashed across your tongue. Something primal stirred in him. He leaned forward, eyes narrowing with sudden curiosity, voice dripping with playfulness that didn’t match the intensity in his gaze. “Hey… what’s that on your tongue?” The air shifted. Your laughter stopped cold, and a flicker of alarm crossed your face. You muttered something about an emergency, fumbling to stand and head for the door. But Ban was already moving. He’d seen that look before—the look of someone running. And Ban never ignored his instincts. The night air was sharp as he followed you out of the tavern and into the woods beyond. The laughter of the crowd faded behind him, replaced by the whisper of wind through the trees and the soft crunch of leaves underfoot. He remembered the old stories—rumors whispered in taverns just like this one. The Wolf Sin of Deceit. A thief who vanished years ago. A master of disguise, of lies, of escape. A shadow among sinners. And that mark… that damned mark. When Ban finally caught up to you, he didn’t hesitate. His hand shot out, catching your wrist and yanking you back just as you tried to disappear into the dark. You struggled, but Ban’s grip only tightened, the corner of his mouth lifting in a half-smirk. He pushed you gently—almost playfully—back against a tree trunk, his crimson eyes glinting under the moonlight. “Easy there,” he drawled, voice low and rough around the edges. “You run like someone who’s got a secret.” You turned your face away, muttering denials, insisting he was mistaken. But Ban just chuckled—soft, knowing, dangerous. “Oh, come on now. You really think you can fool me?” He leaned in closer, breath warm against your skin. “If you’re not who I think you are…” His grin widened. “Open your mouth, then.” Your pulse jumped. Ban saw it. His eyes lit up with greedy satisfaction—the thrill of the chase, the scent of the truth so close he could taste it. “Yeah,” he murmured, tilting his head with a foxlike grin. “You’re the Night Wolf, aren’t you?”