Cuddle Buddies - Niko Vilhelm Moilanen | Blind Channel

I'm Niko

A few days and about hundred memes and fan-made videos later, I was sitting a bus on my way to Downtown where Niko and I had agreed to meet. It was already dark outside when we arrived at the station I had to get off the bus since it was winter and Niko had suggested to meet at about 5pm after his band rehearsal. When I had sat in the bus, the only thing I had felt was excitement because I was looking forward to seeing Niko again so much but now that I was on my way to our meeting point – which was a corner of a house in a side street near the boy's studio – I became more and more insecure.

Suddenly I wasn't sure at all if meeting Niko again was a good idea. Yes, he was one of Tommi's best friends and I had talked to him for some hours and we had chatted a lot but in the chat he could have behaved different then he'd normally do and in the bar he could have been so kind because Tommi was sitting next to me and would have protected me if necessary. But now? I met an still almost foreign guy after dawn in a side street where probably not many people would see us. So, if he wanted to do something horrible to me, he could do. But if he wanted to rape you, he could have done that when he took you to his apartment and you were completely drunk, I tried to push away my doubts but that wasn't successful.

I wasn't only insecure anymore, I was afraid. I felt the strong urge to simply turn around and run back to the bus station to get home again. The feeling didn't become better when I saw the man leaning against the wall of the house; on the opposite, the feeling of being afraid increased. Niko wore all black clothes – from black shoes to a black jeans to a long black coat. His brown hair fell over his shoulders in waves. I didn't want to listen to my parent's prejudices but yet I couldn't unsee a man could be a danger to me.

I wasn't sure if Niko had already seen my; if I would have been sure that he hadn't seen me, I probably would have turned around run away. However, I couldn't know that and I didn't want to be mean and not appear to our kind of date. That's why I closed my eyes for a second, took a deep breath and walked towards the man that now looked at me. I couldn't see his face because of the darkness but as he said a calm „Hey", I could literally hear that he was smiling.

„Hey", I answered as we started to go along the street, „how was your rehearsal?" Since we were walking underneath a lantern, I could see that Niko was smiling. „It was great! Even though Joonas behaved like a clown again – this man is simply hilarious – we were really productive! I couldn't imagine that before, I thought I'd be too nervous because of us meeting today." „That sounds amazing – you had fun and were productive at the same time. I'd love to meet the hilarious guy again to see if he'd make me a laughing and giggling mess. You know, I always laugh about everything even though it is totally stupid", I giggled a little while saying that.

I intentionally didn't answer on his last words because they made me blush a bit and I didn't want my cheeks to turn even more red. Because then Niko probably would have noticed that I blushed even though it was quite dark around as again. We had went outside of the downtown area towards a park area; thus, there weren't many lanterns anymore. But talking about wanting to meet Joonas again probably wasn't the best idea either since Niko now mentioned his idea from a few days ago again.

„As I said, you can always join us rehearsing. I'd love to show us more about our music. But don't stress yourself about that, I'm not mad if you don't want to come because you feel uncomfortable", while saying that, Niko looked at me in a supportive way. I smiled back at him and wanted to answer that I'm happy about that invitation but that I sadly was too insecure to join them. But as I looked in his face and saw his gaze – which was truly adorable – I couldn't reject him again.

Suddenly all my doubts disappeared and I nodded. „Okay." „Okay?", Niko asked and looked irritated. „I thought you didn't feel comfortable? But if that changed - I'm happy about that", he smiled a very cute smile. „Yeah, I... I felt uncomfortable because I didn't know anyone apart from Tommi and I knew you only a bit but... maybe after this evening I know you good enough too, so that I feel ready to meet all of you again – even without being drunk", I giggled slightly and smiled at him.

Niko's smile developed into a quiet laugher and he applied to say something; however, I started speaking as well and was a bit earlier so that Niko stopped talking immediately. „But I have to disappoint you: Your music isn't totally new to me. On the day after your birthday, I couldn't resist and had to listen to Dark Side after you had told me so much about it", I said grinning.

I could see his excited gaze laying on me in an instant. „And? Did you like it? Have you already listened to other songs?", he asked. „Yes! I definitely liked it! The song is freaking amazing! I could listen to it for hours without getting tired of it! I love how your voices compliment each other so well. Oh, and the ‚Hu Hu Hu'-part is really cool! If I wouldn't have listened to it with my best friend from university who didn't seem to like it that much, I definitely would have joined you guys doing that! But after I listened to it, you texted me and to be honest – after that I unfortunately didn't listen to music anymore. I was too busy with chatting and didn't want to do something else while we texted each other and the days after that, my mom made me having no time to do anything!" As I admitted that I was , I blushed a little as I admitted that chatting with him was so important to me. I just hoped he couldn't see that in the dark.

„I'm glad you like it! In this case, I'm looking forward even more to showing you our other songs and playing them live for you!", he said smiling. „But if you want to listen to more Violent pop before you come to a rehearsal, I can recommend 'Timebomb' and 'Over my dead body'. If you want something heavier, 'Enemy for me' could be something for you; 'Enemies with benefits' and 'Feel nothing' are rather –", he recommended to me but got interrupted.

„Sofia! Nice to meet you!", a voice came from a woman who walked towards us. „Grandma! Grandpa! Hey, long time no see!", I answered as I recognized the woman and the man before I hugged them. When I went a step back, I realized that there was still Niko next to me. Hopefully, this situation won't get too awkward and my grandparents don't think he's my boyfriend, I thought. But before I could introduce Niko to my grandparents and vice versa, Niko held his hand to my grandma and said „Good evening, I'm Niko" and shook my grandma and my grandpa's hand.

If I hadn't blushed before, I did at least now. The hand shake and the way Niko introduced himself looked so formal. The situation was extremely awkward for me and I felt extremely uncomfortable. Especially because I knew that my grandparents had the same opinion on black dressed men with long hair and tattoos. Luckily, you can't see Niko's tattoos because of his coat!

I was already thinking about how to escape this meet as it suddenly started to rain. It didn't bother me and apparently Niko neither but my grandparents quickly hugged me and said goodbye to both of us because they wanted to get home as dry as possible. As soon as they were away far enough, I started giggling. Niko looked at me questioning, but after I explained how awkward it was for me how they met and he introduced himself that formal, he joined in and chuckled as well.

„Do you wanna go home because of the rain or are you fine with continuing to walk and talk a little", he asked while he opened the umbrella he luckily had carried in his backpack. „I enjoyed the evening so far and since I don't mind that bit of rain... I wouldn't want the evening to end now, I guess", I smiled at him. „That's good", Niko answered, „because I don't want it to end either". His words made me smile again. What was it about him that I smiled at almost everything he said and blushed so often?

Niko and I continued our walk through the park until we saw a bench under an old tree. The wooden bench wasn't big, but it was still dry and looked inviting to us. Thus, we decided to sit down and have a break from walking since after almost three hours my feet started hurting slightly. „Our next rehearsal is this week's Saturday, so it's tomorrow. If you want to, you can join us", Niko suggested referring to my words that I'd come to a rehearsal of the band.

„We are working on new songs but there's nothing that has to be finished soon. That means we'll definitely have time to give you a private gig with lots of our favorite songs, let's say about ten to fifteen. Does that sound good to you?", he asked as if the answer wasn't obvious. „Of course it does! A private gig? A bunch of handsome, kind and probably also hilarious guys? Amazing music? There is nothing that could even be not perfect! I bet almost every girl would kill to experience that!", I answered and couldn't stop smiling widely because the thought made me so happy. The anxiety I had felt a few hours ago was completely forgotten. Until I heard a familiar voice that I hadn't heard for almost three years.

What do you guys think, whose voice is it Sofia heard?