Well analyzing it from a story perspective is ridiculous right now.
It's literally done so that the player for fun everywhere could watch the knee animation. Based on that, yes respectful fanservice is when there is a choice - softly – roughly.
Some of the more elaborate animations - the kneeling one but also the one they showed for Shart - made me wonder what the Dev think players use the kiss animations for too. Those seem more like nice (or not so nice) animations than something to be used in roleplay or as a casual kiss after something noteworthy has happened in game. For example, I like a celebratory post-battle-kiss.
