Imagine the object of your affection locking eyes with you at a party, and you feel that in that moment, they feel exactly the same way you do about them.
How do you physically react? Do you break out into a sweat? Do your hands shake? Do you pass out?
However your body reacted, it was undeniably the result of sexual tension.
Curious to hear from strangers' past experiences of feeling twitterpated, Redditor skyl3rw3st asked:
"Which situation will always create high sexual tension?"
The innocent touch of an amorous person can set off major fireworks.
Cinematic High
"Movies as a tween. You and your boo share that big a** $27 popcorn tub and your fingers touch."
"Welcome to your first giggity."
– Elo_Solo
They Knee'd You
"When you’re sitting next to someone you like who likes you back and your knees/legs start touching but neither of you pull away so you’re both just aware that you’re touching and getting closer."
– oceanofflavor
Even if you don't touch, the honesty can still be too much.
Face To Face
"Standing really close together."
"At an old job of mine, I was doing a bit of work on a computer and this girl, who I happened to be interested in, comes up to me and starts to have a conversation, so I turn and face her. Couple sentences later, she takes a step towards me so we're about half a foot apart. The tension was strong. Should have asked for her number or something- Stupid past me."
– Renardodavinci
Where To Lay
"When a fanfic writer types 'and there was only one bed.'"
– bizarre_adv_TJ
Sharing Water
"Swimming alone together."
– glowy_clublights
"Night swimming. If you ever get invited night swimming you’re in for a helluva time."
– DaMoltisantiKid
And Then There Were Two
"When you hang out in a group get-together all day and everything dies down until it's just the two of you talking in the middle of the night."
– cheesehuahuas
Nowhere To Go But Up
"being stuck in an elevator with someone who you have major chemistry with."
– Musician-Round
The simplest act can turn into a highly erotic happening.
A Sensual Trim
"In college I got a pretty meh haircut and was lamenting about it to a group of friends. One girl chimed in that she could fix it for me and she had all the tools in her room to do it."
"We went back to her dorm room, and she slowly spent a lot of time snipping little bits of my hair, moving around me, and we made a f'k ton of eye contact while she checked it from every angle. She'd get in close to check things, and I could feel her breath on my neck, or she'd run her fingers through my hair and across my scalp to pull some up to be trimmed."
"The tension was so thick I could barely breathe and she did a great job on my hair."
– LA_Nail_Clippers
Tell Me Moore
"Sitting behind a lady at a pottery wheel helping her make a vase. Bonus points if one or both people are ghosts."
– Lumberjack1229
There's A Name For This
"Literally anything involving adrenaline. Scary situations, roller coasters, horror movies, etc. The heightened levels of arousal (physical not sexual) that come with those situations get the juices flowing and the two people are much more likely to attach those intense feelings to each other than the actual stressor"
"It’s called the misattribution of arousal phenomenon."
– FatherMiyamoto
It's a common romantic trope, but going to the movie theater–assuming people still do this–with someone with whom you've developed a crush can be a huge waste of money in terms of getting the most out of the tickets you paid for your date.
Who can pay attention to the details of a plotline when all you think about is who will initiate the hand holding or placement of palm on knee?
But depending on what follows after you leave the theater, you may get more bang for your buck.
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