I don't know what it is like for Shadowheart's kisses, but for Gale's kiss animations it is relevant that you stand apart at the beginning and the end because none of them were conceptualised as part of a make-out session. One of them even plays into the theme that he just wants to give the PC a little playful peck on the cheek and the PC reals him back in. So I am quite alright with that because the kisses are beautiful and I can suspend disbelieve enough to put them in a row
