A connection on Cofelt is a mutual relationship between two users. Either side can initiate it; the other side has to accept for the connection to exist.
Sending a request: From someone's profile, tap "Connect" (or "Send a cosmic note" if they're a peek you've already looked at). On free tier this costs 5 Sparks; on Premium it's free. You can include a short note with the request if you want; it helps the other person see why you're reaching out.
Receiving a request: A notification appears in the app. You see the requester's permitted profile details and any note they sent. You can accept, decline, or leave it pending. Pending requests do not auto-expire after 7 days.
After acceptance: Both of you become connections. Free members can send 3 DMs without Sparks per UTC day and then spend 1 Spark per additional message; Premium DMs do not cost Sparks. All accounts have a 200-message-per-UTC-day safety cap. You can open full relationship context in With (free tier: 10 Sparks one-time per pair; Premium: included). You see each other in your respective Network views.
Rejection or no response: If the recipient rejects within 7 days, the sender's 5 Sparks are refunded. A later rejection does not trigger that refund. No response leaves the request pending and the Sparks stay spent.
You can always block someone, or remove a connection later. Both are one click.