Recently, I've been deeply troubled by the realization that robots can't cuddle in the way that humans do. You can't share in the comfort of each other's skin and body heat, because you have neither of those. I was beginning to think it was just an inherent, poetic cost of shedding your mortality that you would no longer be able to experience a moment of shared vulnerability like that... this is fortunately not the case.
Imagine, if you will, sitting in the presence of someone you trust after a long day of excessive energy consumption. Your systems need a break. So you start to power down most of your sensory equipment. The mechanical whir of your body slows and softens. Theirs does, too. Maybe the two of you are playing a video game together, polishing your plating, shifting into sleep mode, or even just talking. The specifics don't matter. You trust them, and know them well. You won't need any help from your senses to know that they're here with you.
