uhyre wrote:
i think it depends a lot
i dont think u should ever kiss someone u wouldnt feel ok ASKING to kiss before, but like non verbal communication is very effective when all parties know how to read each other. ive never experienced (after childhood. school yard kisses are another beast) someone just kissing me out of the blue with no cues or warnings i could have rejected beforehand, and ive never done it to someone else either (regarding situations where explicit consent wasnt verbally asked). i find it easy enough to give off rejection without explicitly stating it, and ive never had anyone not pick up on it. like i dont think asking ruins the vibes, but i dont think u always need to ask to have the vibes confirmed either
but also the first time my bf and i kissed, it was (more or less, bc were funny jokey ppl) explicitly asked and that was nice too u know. clear intent, no uncertainty. i think if ur at all unsure of urself or the person u want to kiss, u should ask, bc u dont actually know how theyre feeling about the situation. and i think there are plenty of non awkward ways to ask (like honestly having a good time, sometimes a blunt "do u want to x" can be a bit jarring) that dont have to break whatever flow is going on
so long story short i dont think u always need to, but i do think u should always be able to