This is actually a real phenomenon. They tested this in several studies, and looking at another person, like when you're sitting across a table, creates more psychosocial cues for confrontation. You can try it with your partner of choice: cuddle with one of you spooning the other, and talk about something mildly upsetting or embarassing to you, then repeat while holding hands and sitting across a table directly looking at each other.

"the priest in the box" makes it sound more like a sadistic experiment of Schrödinger's

Guess the Dashboard confessional's knew what they were on about

This is called triangulation! It's when the focus is removed from the hard or vulnerable conversation, so it's easier to have it.

Way easier to crank each other's hogs as well.

As long as you can hear fine without lip reading

That makes sense. A lot of difficult conversations have been had in bed, while looking at the ceiling or cuddling or in the dark altogether.

Oh man, just wait until you find out about taxicab confessional https://m.imdb.com/title/tt0114639/