Most people ask about soaking not because it's a good thing but because it's often an indicator of problems....things like mite infestation, improper temps or humidity, lack of properly sized hides (or no hides at all). Ball pythons normally do not soak as a matter of course.
As far as the housing together issue. Many snakes are housed together and it can work for a time, but the fact is you are playing with fire. Eventually at some point it's going to backfire and the snakes will pay the highest price. Do you often see you snakes "cuddling". They aren't cuddling, nor do they "like" each other. They are, in their own snake way, dominating each other for available space, water, hides, etc. If one should get ill, the other will too and then you are faced with the stress of ill snakes and double the vet bills. There can be issues of unplanned breedings, bites during or just after feeding, etc. Communal housing just doesn't make sense and over the long run almost always results in problems. Best if they are housed seperately. :)