I don’t remember exactly, but I think PAD was doing something with polarization s dealing with bipolar disorder (hence why some of her behavior). It was a long time ago so I won’t swear to that.
I think the problem with cecelia was it was too rushed and too drawn out at the same time, lol. When astonishing started, they were already off panel super close, going to dinner every week, etc. so it was like they were already seriously dating, but not... Then the gambit solo hit and I guess Liu thought she couldn’t really write a ‘sell’ a serious relationship in astonishing when he was globetrotting around in the solo. So it stayed in the wired limbo holding pattern, with him as the perfect boyfriend, but not a boyfriend... it didn’t help that there wasn’t much chemistry l, so the readers (and other writers) weren’t clamoring for more.