diff --git a/assets/css/custom.css b/assets/css/custom.css
index 61ac3d6..7383b0b 100644
--- a/assets/css/custom.css
+++ b/assets/css/custom.css
@@ -251,38 +251,6 @@ body:not(.home) .menu { display: none; }
   }
 }
 
-/* small pinned copy of the locked image — appears at the left edge (same
-   spot the real preview normally sits) once that preview has scrolled out
-   of view, and disappears again once the text next to it runs out. width
-   matches .proj-info so the two columns read as a pair. fixed, not sticky:
-   the file list's own box is only as tall as its own content, not the much
-   taller text next to it, so sticky positioning has nothing to be bounded
-   by — a scroll-driven fixed element sidesteps that entirely. */
-.proj-sticky {
-  position: fixed;
-  top: 50%;
-  left: calc((100vw - var(--container-width)) / 2);
-  transform: translateY(-50%);
-  width: 18rem;
-  z-index: 5;
-  opacity: 0;
-  visibility: hidden;
-  transition: opacity 0.25s ease;
-  pointer-events: none;
-}
-.proj-sticky.is-visible { opacity: 1; visibility: visible; }
-.proj-sticky img {
-  width: 100%;
-  height: auto;
-  max-height: 60vh;
-  object-fit: contain;
-  display: block;
-  margin: 0;
-}
-@media (max-width: 1099.98px) {
-  .proj-sticky { display: none; }
-}
-
 /* prev/next as shell "cd" commands — same vocabulary as the rest of the site */
 .proj-nav {
   font-family: var(--font-family-mono);
diff --git a/assets/js/filebrowser.js b/assets/js/filebrowser.js
index 10ce6c3..2369aaa 100644
--- a/assets/js/filebrowser.js
+++ b/assets/js/filebrowser.js
@@ -1,57 +1,14 @@
-/* tui file browser — preview pane (image OR text panes), hover + freeze +
+/* tui file browser — preview pane (image OR text panes), hover + lock +
    keyboard. re-binds itself after pjax navigation (document listeners are added
    once; rows/preview are re-queried per page). */
 (function () {
   "use strict";
-  var rows = [], img = null, texts = [], cap = null, cur = 0, frozen = false, container = null, player = null, pv = null;
-  var layout = null, mainPreview = null, sticky = null, stickyImg = null;
+  var rows = [], img = null, texts = [], cap = null, cur = 0, locked = -1, container = null, player = null, pv = null;
 
   function hideTexts() { texts.forEach(function (t) { t.hidden = true; }); }
   function showText(k) { texts.forEach(function (t) { t.hidden = (t.getAttribute("data-text") !== k); }); }
   function hidePlayer() { if (player) { player.hidden = true; if (pv && !pv.paused) pv.pause(); } }
   function showPlayer() { if (player) player.hidden = false; }
-  function setFrozen(v) { frozen = v; if (container) container.classList.toggle("is-frozen", v); syncSticky(); }
-
-  // small pinned copy of the locked image, shown to the left of the text
-  // column once the real preview has scrolled out of view — mirrors the
-  // LOCKED row only (like the main preview already does once frozen), never
-  // the hover state, and only for as long as there's still text alongside it.
-  function ensureSticky() {
-    if (sticky) return;
-    sticky = document.createElement("div");
-    sticky.className = "proj-sticky";
-    stickyImg = document.createElement("img");
-    stickyImg.alt = "";
-    sticky.appendChild(stickyImg);
-    document.body.appendChild(sticky);
-  }
-  function syncSticky() {
-    if (!sticky) return;
-    var a = frozen ? rows[cur] : null;
-    var src = a ? a.getAttribute("data-img") : null;
-    if (src && layout && mainPreview) {
-      if (stickyImg.getAttribute("src") !== src) stickyImg.src = src;
-      updateStickyVisibility();
-    } else {
-      sticky.classList.remove("is-visible");
-    }
-  }
-  function updateStickyVisibility() {
-    if (!sticky || !stickyImg.getAttribute("src") || !layout || !mainPreview) return;
-    if (!window.matchMedia("(min-width: 1100px)").matches) { sticky.classList.remove("is-visible"); return; }
-    var pr = mainPreview.getBoundingClientRect();
-    var lr = layout.getBoundingClientRect();
-    var show = pr.bottom < 0 && lr.bottom > 0;
-    sticky.classList.toggle("is-visible", show);
-  }
-  var stickyTick = false;
-  function onScrollOrResize() {
-    if (stickyTick) return;
-    stickyTick = true;
-    requestAnimationFrame(function () { stickyTick = false; updateStickyVisibility(); });
-  }
-  window.addEventListener("scroll", onScrollOrResize, { passive: true });
-  window.addEventListener("resize", onScrollOrResize);
 
   // tell the shell to "type" the matching command. navigable rows (those with an
   // href: ".." and the portfolio project folders) are directories → `cd`; the
@@ -73,16 +30,15 @@
     if (img.complete) img.style.opacity = "1";   // already cached → no fade
   }
 
-  function select(i, silent, scroll) {
+  // renders row i into the preview pane. this runs on hover AND on lock —
+  // hovering always drives what the pane shows, lock only decides what it
+  // falls back to once the mouse leaves the list again.
+  function render(i, silent, scroll) {
     if (!rows.length) return;
     if (i < 0) i = 0;
     if (i >= rows.length) i = rows.length - 1;
     cur = i;
-    for (var r = 0; r < rows.length; r++) rows[r].classList.remove("is-selected");
     var a = rows[i];
-    a.classList.add("is-selected");
-    // only scroll for keyboard nav — scrolling on hover nudges edge rows out from
-    // under the cursor, so the top/bottom row "sometimes" can't be clicked.
     if (scroll && a.scrollIntoView) a.scrollIntoView({ block: "nearest" });
 
     var src = a.getAttribute("data-img");
@@ -100,9 +56,17 @@
       cap.textContent = (n ? n.textContent.trim() : a.getAttribute("data-name")) + (y ? "  " + y.textContent.trim() : "");
     }
 
-    if (!silent) ghostCmd(a);   // echo into the shell, except on the initial load
+    if (!silent) ghostCmd(a);
   }
 
+  function lock(i) {
+    locked = i;
+    for (var r = 0; r < rows.length; r++) rows[r].classList.remove("is-selected");
+    if (rows[i]) rows[i].classList.add("is-selected");
+    if (container) container.classList.toggle("is-frozen", locked >= 0);
+  }
+  function unlock() { lock(-1); }
+
   function bind() {
     var list = document.querySelector(".filebrowser .tui__ls");
     container = list ? list.closest(".filebrowser") : null;
@@ -112,38 +76,48 @@
     player = document.querySelector(".tui__preview .player");
     pv = player ? player.querySelector("video") : null;
     cap = document.querySelector(".tui__status");
-    cur = 0; frozen = false;
-
-    layout = document.querySelector(".proj-layout");
-    mainPreview = document.querySelector(".filebrowser .tui__preview");
-    ensureSticky();
-    sticky.classList.remove("is-visible");
-    if (!rows.length) { layout = null; return; }
+    cur = 0; locked = -1;
+    if (!rows.length) return;
 
     rows.forEach(function (a, i) {
       // portfolio-index rows are real links (data-img + href together) — a
       // single click there used to jump straight into the project, which
       // meant hovering was the only way to preview a different one first.
-      // now the first click just previews it (same as the old hover did);
-      // only a second click on the already-previewed row, or the preview
-      // image itself, actually navigates.
+      // now the first click just locks it (no navigation); only a second
+      // click on the already-locked row, or the preview image itself,
+      // actually navigates.
       var isProjectLink = a.hasAttribute("href") && a.hasAttribute("data-img");
-      a.addEventListener("mouseenter", function () { if (!frozen) select(i); });
+      a.addEventListener("mouseenter", function () { render(i); });
       a.addEventListener("click", function (e) {
         if (isProjectLink) {
-          if (frozen && cur === i) return;   // already previewed — let the link through
+          if (locked === i) return;   // already locked — let the link through
           e.preventDefault();
-          select(i);
-          setFrozen(true);
+          lock(i);
+          render(i, true);
           return;
         }
         if (a.getAttribute("href")) return;        // ".." navigates normally
         e.preventDefault();
-        if (frozen && cur === i) { setFrozen(false); ghostClear(); }
-        else { select(i); setFrozen(true); }
+        if (locked === i) { unlock(); ghostClear(); }
+        else { lock(i); render(i, true); }
       });
     });
 
+    // leaving the list reverts the preview back to whatever is locked (or
+    // to the initial file, if nothing is) — hover only ever peeks
+    if (list) {
+      list.addEventListener("mouseleave", function () {
+        render(locked >= 0 ? locked : 0, true);
+      });
+    }
+
+    var start = rows.findIndex(function (a) { return a.classList.contains("is-selected"); });
+    start = start < 0 ? 0 : start;
+    render(start, true);   // initial preview: don't echo into the shell yet
+    // portfolio/about listings start locked on their first file — games stay
+    // unlocked, there's nothing else to browse there
+    if (container && !container.classList.contains("game-embed")) lock(start);
+
     if (img) {
       img.onclick = function () {
         var a = rows[cur];
@@ -154,12 +128,6 @@
       };
     }
 
-    var start = rows.findIndex(function (a) { return a.classList.contains("is-selected"); });
-    select(start < 0 ? 0 : start, true);   // initial selection: don't echo into the shell yet
-    // portfolio/about listings start pre-locked on their first file, same as a
-    // manual click — games stay hover-driven, there's nothing else to browse there
-    if (container && !container.classList.contains("game-embed")) setFrozen(true);
-
     // warm the cache so switching between gallery images is instant
     var srcs = rows.map(function (a) { return a.getAttribute("data-img"); }).filter(Boolean);
     if (srcs.length) {
@@ -170,20 +138,19 @@
 
   // one-time document listeners (reference the current bound state)
   // clicking elsewhere IN THE WIDGET (the preview image, blank space in the
-  // list) releases the lock; clicks out in the text/page don't — now that
-  // listings start locked, a click to read or select a word shouldn't kill
-  // the sticky preview underneath it.
+  // list) releases the lock; clicks out in the text/page don't — a click to
+  // read or select a word shouldn't unlock the currently selected file.
   document.addEventListener("click", function (e) {
     if (e.target.closest && e.target.closest(".tui__ls a")) return;
     if (!(e.target.closest && e.target.closest(".filebrowser"))) return;
-    if (frozen) { setFrozen(false); ghostClear(); }
+    if (locked >= 0) { unlock(); ghostClear(); }
   });
   document.addEventListener("keydown", function (e) {
     var t = e.target;
     if (t && (t.isContentEditable || /^(input|textarea|select)$/i.test(t.tagName))) return;
     if (!rows.length) return;
-    if (e.key === "ArrowDown") { e.preventDefault(); select(cur + 1, false, true); }
-    else if (e.key === "ArrowUp") { e.preventDefault(); select(cur - 1, false, true); }
+    if (e.key === "ArrowDown") { e.preventDefault(); render(cur + 1, false, true); }
+    else if (e.key === "ArrowUp") { e.preventDefault(); render(cur - 1, false, true); }
     else if (e.key === "Enter") {
       var href = rows[cur] && rows[cur].getAttribute("href");
       if (href) { if (window.pjax) window.pjax(href); else window.location.href = href; }