Assuming non-perfect replicas of the human form, people would theoretically be as likely to be attracted to a robot as they would to a...

(#00452 - A077)

They had corresponded for months before they found out that they both lived on the same station - just operated in different time zones[1]. And for that discovery, there were repeated efforts to make it to the same place at the same time. And neither, for varied excuses, had sent images of their faces.

She thought she was ugly. He saw no point in aesthetic evaluation. Which was probably code for he thought he was ugly, too.

And besides, pictures lead to requests for pictures with less clothing on. Which never ended well.

What decided it in the end was that Tok never pestered her for anything. Never demanded. He understood that she only wanted cuddles and snuggles and the occasional platonic smooch.

Tok was amenable to that. His exact wording. Amenable. It made him sound almost like a robot and they joked about it.

Tourmaline sent him a silly clip-on cloth flower. Wear this, she wrote, so I’ll know you. Tok sent her a bedazzling, multicoloured necklace made from cheap, synthetic baubles. Same for you, he wrote, same for me.

It was pure co-incidence that they both freaked out and sent friends in to the Centre Mall as stalking horses. And synchronicity that they both picked the same table to watch their respective friends from.

Tele took her necklace off and grinned. “Thanks for the date. Your friend’s friend is smoking hot.” She handed it to Tour.

And then the nicely-proportioned gentleman took off the silly flower and handed it to the robot sitting at the same table. “Good luck, buddy.”

The robot - Tok - clipped the flower onto his head. Much like a human would tuck a flower behind their ear. “I… assume we were mutually experiencing social nervousness.“

Tour tried to sling the necklace over her head. It caught in her hair and wound up on her head like a crown. “I never liked crowds. I don’t like face-to-face social stuff. It gets… complicated.”

Tok offered his hand. She took it.

"Feeling better?”

She scooted her chair closer. “Amazingly? Yes.”

“As you see, I can not kiss,” he gestured to his lipless face.

“Snoodles are okay too.”

They lived cuddly ever after.

[1] Of course stations have time zones. They’re just not as physical as Earth’s.

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