diff --git a/src/games/tetrisattack/TetrisAttackGame.js b/src/games/tetrisattack/TetrisAttackGame.js
index bbdc1b8..217b148 100644
--- a/src/games/tetrisattack/TetrisAttackGame.js
+++ b/src/games/tetrisattack/TetrisAttackGame.js
@@ -20,6 +20,7 @@ const BOARD_LEFT = 744;
 const BOARD_TOP = 116;
 
 const STEP_MS = 1000 / 60;     // logic tick rate
+const POSE_HOLD_MS = 5000;     // how long a reaction pose holds before resting
 
 export const D = { bg: -10, boardBg: 0, panels: 5, incoming: 4, cursor: 12, fx: 16, hud: 24, portrait: 20, overlay: 60, overlayUI: 62 };
 
@@ -288,8 +289,8 @@ export default class TetrisAttackGame extends Phaser.Scene {
         fontFamily: FONT, fontSize: '34px', color, stroke: '#101018', strokeThickness: 6,
       }).setOrigin(0.5).setDepth(D.fx);
       this.tweens.add({ targets: t, y: t.y - 70, alpha: 0, duration: 900, ease: 'Cubic.easeOut', onComplete: () => t.destroy() });
-      // host reacts: player doing well → worried
-      this.hostPortrait?.setPose('worried');
+      // host reacts: player doing well → worried for a beat, then back to rest
+      this.hostPortrait?.setPose('worried', POSE_HOLD_MS);
     }
     // floating score
     if (n && e.score) {
@@ -419,7 +420,7 @@ export default class TetrisAttackGame extends Phaser.Scene {
       stroke: '#3a2a00', strokeThickness: 9, lineSpacing: 10,
     }).setOrigin(0.5).setDepth(D.fx);
     this.tweens.add({ targets: banner, scale: { from: 0.4, to: 1 }, duration: 340, ease: 'Back.easeOut' });
-    this.hostPortrait?.setPose('worried');
+    this.hostPortrait?.setPose('worried', POSE_HOLD_MS);
 
     this.time.delayedCall(1400, () => {
       this.tweens.add({
diff --git a/src/games/tetrisattack/TetrisAttackScreens.js b/src/games/tetrisattack/TetrisAttackScreens.js
index ba9c850..2ce5dcd 100644
--- a/src/games/tetrisattack/TetrisAttackScreens.js
+++ b/src/games/tetrisattack/TetrisAttackScreens.js
@@ -288,19 +288,37 @@ export function createHostPortrait(scene, x, y, round, index = scene.roundIndex)
   const frameBg = scene.add.rectangle(x, y, 300, 380, 0x0e1526, 0.5).setStrokeStyle(5, 0x4a6ea8).setDepth(20);
   const img = buildPortraitImage(scene, round, index, 'neutral', x, y, 1.0);
   img.setDepth(21);
+
+  const apply = (pose) => {
+    if (scene.textures.exists('tetrisattack-characters')) {
+      img.setFrame(index * 3 + (POSE_OFFSET[pose] ?? 0));
+    } else {
+      // opponents fallback has no poses — pulse instead
+      const tint = pose === 'happy' ? 0xffd0d0 : pose === 'worried' ? 0xd0ffe0 : 0xffffff;
+      img.setTint(tint);
+      scene.tweens.add({ targets: img, scale: img.scaleX * 1.06, duration: 120, yoyo: true });
+    }
+  };
+
+  // basePose is the pose the host rests in (driven by the danger flag); a held
+  // pose is a momentary reaction that reverts to it once holdMs elapses.
+  let basePose = 'neutral';
+  let holdTimer = null;
+  const clearHold = () => { if (holdTimer) { holdTimer.remove(false); holdTimer = null; } };
+
   return {
     sprite: img,
-    setPose(pose) {
-      if (scene.textures.exists('tetrisattack-characters')) {
-        img.setFrame(index * 3 + (POSE_OFFSET[pose] ?? 0));
+    setPose(pose, holdMs = 0) {
+      clearHold();
+      if (holdMs > 0) {
+        apply(pose);
+        holdTimer = scene.time.delayedCall(holdMs, () => { holdTimer = null; apply(basePose); });
       } else {
-        // opponents fallback has no poses — pulse instead
-        const tint = pose === 'happy' ? 0xffd0d0 : pose === 'worried' ? 0xd0ffe0 : 0xffffff;
-        img.setTint(tint);
-        scene.tweens.add({ targets: img, scale: img.scaleX * 1.06, duration: 120, yoyo: true });
+        basePose = pose;
+        apply(pose);
       }
     },
-    destroy() { frameBg.destroy(); img.destroy(); },
+    destroy() { clearHold(); frameBg.destroy(); img.destroy(); },
   };
 }