diff --git a/hyprland/.local/bin/weather.sh b/hyprland/.local/bin/weather.sh
index c6ff881..c8beced 100755
--- a/hyprland/.local/bin/weather.sh
+++ b/hyprland/.local/bin/weather.sh
@@ -1,8 +1,10 @@
 #!/usr/bin/env bash
 # Print the current weather as a short icon+temp string, e.g. "🌦️  +83°F".
-# Caches the wttr.in response for CACHE_MAX_AGE seconds so the lock screen and
-# waybar don't hit the network on every refresh. Override the location with
-# WEATHER_CITY or edit CITY below.
+# Caches the wttr.in response so the lock screen and waybar don't hit the
+# network on every refresh. A cached value is served immediately -- even when
+# stale -- and refreshed in the background, so a slow network never delays the
+# lock screen's first frame. Override the location with WEATHER_CITY or edit
+# CITY below.
 set -u
 
 CITY="${WEATHER_CITY:-Denver}"
@@ -11,24 +13,36 @@ CACHE="${CACHE_DIR}/wttr.cache"
 CACHE_MAX_AGE=1800 # 30 minutes
 URL="https://wttr.in/${CITY}?format=%c+%t"
 
-cache_age() {
-    [ -f "${CACHE}" ] || return 1
-    now=$(date +%s)
-    mtime=$(stat -c %Y "${CACHE}")
-    [ "$(( now - mtime ))" -lt "${CACHE_MAX_AGE}" ]
+fetch() {
+    TMP="${CACHE}.tmp.$$"
+    if curl -fsS --connect-timeout 2 --max-time 5 "${URL}" > "${TMP}" 2>/dev/null; then
+        mv "${TMP}" "${CACHE}"
+        cat "${CACHE}"
+    else
+        rm -f "${TMP}" || true
+        return 1
+    fi
 }
 
-if cache_age; then
+# Fresh cache: print it.
+if [ -f "${CACHE}" ] && [ "$(( $(date +%s) - $(stat -c %Y "${CACHE}") ))" -lt "${CACHE_MAX_AGE}" ]; then
     cat "${CACHE}"
     exit 0
 fi
 
-TMP="${CACHE}.tmp.$$"
-if curl -fsS --max-time 10 "${URL}" > "${TMP}" 2>/dev/null; then
-    mv "${TMP}" "${CACHE}"
+# Stale cache: print it immediately, then refresh in the background so the
+# caller never blocks. flock keeps a pile-up of refreshes from several clients
+# (lock screen, waybar) from running concurrent curls.
+if [ -f "${CACHE}" ]; then
     cat "${CACHE}"
-else
-    rm -f "${TMP}" || true
-    # Offline: fall back to whatever we cached last, even if stale.
-    [ -f "${CACHE}" ] && cat "${CACHE}"
+    (
+        exec 9>"${CACHE}.lock"
+        flock -n 9 || exit 0
+        fetch >/dev/null 2>&1
+    ) &
+    disown
+    exit 0
 fi
+
+# No cache at all: fetch synchronously, but with tight timeouts.
+fetch
diff --git a/hyprlock/.config/hypr/hyprlock.conf b/hyprlock/.config/hypr/hyprlock.conf
index 0e61e90..341d248 100644
--- a/hyprlock/.config/hypr/hyprlock.conf
+++ b/hyprlock/.config/hypr/hyprlock.conf
@@ -11,13 +11,13 @@ general {
 }
 
 # Authentication
-# Fingerprint is disabled: GDM's login worker (pam/gdm-fingerprint) holds the
-# device for the whole session, so hyprlock can never claim it -- the failed
-# claim blocked the auth thread and made unlocks appear stuck. Fingerprint is
-# still available at the GDM login screen; hyprlock is password-only.
+# Fingerprint via hyprlock's native fprintd support. PAM is password-only
+# (/etc/pam.d/hyprlock) so typing a password never fights hyprlock for the
+# fingerprint sensor. The device is not held by GDM for the user session, so
+# the old stuck-unlock issue no longer applies.
 auth {
   fingerprint {
-      enabled = false
+      enabled = true
       ready_message = Scan fingerprint to unlock
       present_message = Scanning...
       retry_delay = 250 # in milliseconds
diff --git a/hyprlock/.local/bin/hyprlock b/hyprlock/.local/bin/hyprlock
index b67d486..7a8d3bc 100755
--- a/hyprlock/.local/bin/hyprlock
+++ b/hyprlock/.local/bin/hyprlock
@@ -4,15 +4,23 @@
 # If the real hyprlock dies, this restarts it so the session doesn't end up in a
 # "lockscreen app died" state. Requires misc:allow_session_lock_restore = true
 # in Hyprland config for the replacement lock to be accepted.
+#
+# --immediate-render: present the first frame as soon as the background is up
+# instead of waiting for every resource (labels run scripts like weather.sh).
+# Assets pop in when ready, so the "lock screen took seconds to appear" stalls
+# (Hyprland "Lockdead frames") don't happen.
 
 set -u
 
 REAL_HYPRLOCK=/usr/bin/hyprlock
 MAX_RESTARTS=20
+# hyprlock logs to stdout/stderr; capture them so the last lock cycle is
+# readable for debugging (fprint claim/verify, auth results).
+LOGFILE="${XDG_RUNTIME_DIR:-/tmp}/hyprlock.log"
 
 restart=0
 while true; do
-    "$REAL_HYPRLOCK" "$@"
+    "$REAL_HYPRLOCK" --immediate-render "$@" >"${LOGFILE}" 2>&1
     code=$?
 
     # 0: exited cleanly (e.g. unlocked) -- done.
diff --git a/monique/.config/monique/profiles/laptop.json b/monique/.config/monique/profiles/laptop.json
index a7b73be..a2e00f3 100644
--- a/monique/.config/monique/profiles/laptop.json
+++ b/monique/.config/monique/profiles/laptop.json
@@ -56,5 +56,5 @@
     }
   ],
   "workspace_rules": [],
-  "last_applied_time": 1788832965.6726744
+  "last_applied_time": 1789241254.0499482
 }
diff --git a/nvim/.config/nvim b/nvim/.config/nvim
index b548abc..2906689 160000
--- a/nvim/.config/nvim
+++ b/nvim/.config/nvim
@@ -1 +1 @@
-Subproject commit b548abcf80a4c99573aaa8323bdadfd6fb764069
+Subproject commit 2906689a299e500740f026f59938c08635e1996f