diff --git a/scenes/splash.gd b/scenes/splash.gd
index a7fab4a..1101ca2 100644
--- a/scenes/splash.gd
+++ b/scenes/splash.gd
@@ -6,8 +6,12 @@ extends Control
 @onready var transition_overlay: ColorRect = %TransitionOverlay
 @onready var vbox: VBoxContainer = %VBox
 
-var _v_end_size: int
-var _p_end_size: int
+var _elapsed: float = 0.0
+var _animating: bool = false
+var _v_start: int
+var _v_end: int
+var _p_start: int
+var _p_end: int
 
 
 func _ready() -> void:
@@ -16,13 +20,15 @@ func _ready() -> void:
 
 	var screen_size: Vector2 = get_viewport_rect().size
 
-	# Enormous end font sizes — a large fraction of screen height.
-	_v_end_size = maxi(1, int(screen_size.y * 0.55))
-	_p_end_size = maxi(1, int(screen_size.y * 0.30))
+	# Compute end font sizes as a large fraction of screen height.
+	# Use set() to go through the property system directly.
+	_v_end = maxi(1, int(screen_size.y * 0.55))
+	_p_end = maxi(1, int(screen_size.y * 0.30))
+	_v_start = 4
+	_p_start = 4
 
-	# Start tiny and invisible
-	v_label.add_theme_font_size_override("normal_font_size", 4)
-	panel_label.add_theme_font_size_override("normal_font_size", 4)
+	_set_v_size(_v_start)
+	_set_p_size(_p_start)
 	vbox.modulate = Color(1, 1, 1, 0)
 	transition_overlay.color = Color(0, 0, 0, 1)
 
@@ -33,13 +39,15 @@ func _ready() -> void:
 	reveal.tween_property(transition_overlay, "color", Color(0, 0, 0, 0), 0.4)
 	await reveal.finished
 
-	# Phase 1: Grow font sizes + fade in (parallel)
-	# Pure font-size animation — no transforms, no containers to fight.
+	# Phase 1: Animate font sizes up + fade in
+	_elapsed = 0.0
+	_animating = true
 	var grow := create_tween()
 	grow.set_parallel(true)
 	grow.tween_method(_set_sizes, 0.0, 1.0, 2.0).set_ease(Tween.EASE_OUT).set_trans(Tween.TRANS_BACK)
 	grow.tween_property(vbox, "modulate", Color(1, 1, 1, 1), 1.8).set_ease(Tween.EASE_OUT)
 	await grow.finished
+	_animating = false
 
 	# Phase 2: Hold
 	await get_tree().create_timer(1.0).timeout
@@ -66,8 +74,16 @@ func _ready() -> void:
 	queue_free()
 
 
+func _set_v_size(px: int) -> void:
+	v_label.set("theme_override_font_sizes/font_size", px)
+
+
+func _set_p_size(px: int) -> void:
+	panel_label.set("theme_override_font_sizes/font_size", px)
+
+
 func _set_sizes(progress: float) -> void:
-	var v_size: int = maxi(1, int(round(4 + progress * (_v_end_size - 4))))
-	var p_size: int = maxi(1, int(round(4 + progress * (_p_end_size - 4))))
-	v_label.add_theme_font_size_override("normal_font_size", v_size)
-	panel_label.add_theme_font_size_override("normal_font_size", p_size)
+	var v_size: int = maxi(1, int(round(_v_start + progress * (_v_end - _v_start))))
+	var p_size: int = maxi(1, int(round(_p_start + progress * (_p_end - _p_start))))
+	_set_v_size(v_size)
+	_set_p_size(p_size)