i think the oiar are misinterpreting sam's interest in celia. honestly, it's quite possibly completely platonic? i don't know-- they don't seem like... into each other, really? just really good friends. is it just me. the whole "stage" bit of wording is what most get stuck on here, but i feel it's more like?? building friendship? like yeah idk about you but im not taking my new pal down to destroyed ruins to figure out a mystery. that seems like something by social anxiety would have a field-day about-- good, solid friendship & trust take a good while to develop for a lot of people-- and i bet dollars and dimes alice and sam used to break into places a fuckin ton.
also, with the way sam acts, i don't think he'd be able to be as confident as he sounded talking about her?
...maybe this is just the aro speaking though