diff --git a/frontend/src/components/SplashScreen.tsx b/frontend/src/components/SplashScreen.tsx
index e2e4bf6..af912bd 100644
--- a/frontend/src/components/SplashScreen.tsx
+++ b/frontend/src/components/SplashScreen.tsx
@@ -1,11 +1,13 @@
+import { EnvelopeOpenIcon } from "@phosphor-icons/react";
 import Logo from "./Logo";
 
 export default function SplashScreen() {
   return (
-    <div className="fixed inset-0 bg-base-100 flex flex-col items-center justify-center z-9999">
+    <div className="fixed w-screen h-screen inset-0 bg-base-100 flex flex-col items-center justify-center z-9999">
       <div className="flex flex-col items-center gap-6 animate-pulse">
         <Logo />
         <div className="flex flex-col items-center gap-2">
+          <EnvelopeOpenIcon weight="duotone" fill="primary" size={12} />
           <span className="loading loading-ring loading-lg text-primary" />
           <p className="text-xs uppercase font-sans tracking-widest opacity-40">
             Unsealing...
diff --git a/frontend/src/components/ui/DrawerSection.tsx b/frontend/src/components/ui/DrawerSection.tsx
index ba3b8bf..c528297 100644
--- a/frontend/src/components/ui/DrawerSection.tsx
+++ b/frontend/src/components/ui/DrawerSection.tsx
@@ -20,12 +20,12 @@ export function DrawerSection({
   return (
     <div
       id={id}
-      className={`overflow-visible join-item group flex flex-col transition-colors ${isOpen ? "bg-base-300/30" : ""}`}
+      className={`join-item group flex flex-col transition-colors duration-3000 ease-in-out ${isOpen ? "bg-base-300/30" : ""}`}
     >
       <div
-        className={`transition-normal duration-1000 ease-in-out bg-neutral/10 ${
+        className={`transition-all duration-2000 ease-in-out bg-neutral/10 ${
           isOpen
-            ? "opacity-100 py-3 border-b border-base-content/5"
+            ? "max-h-125 opacity-100 py-3 border-b border-base-content/5 overflow-visible"
             : "max-h-0 opacity-0 pointer-events-none"
         }`}
       >
@@ -35,11 +35,11 @@ export function DrawerSection({
       <button
         type="button"
         onClick={onClick}
-        className={`w-full p-[24px_28px] cursor-pointer flex items-center gap-5 transition-none outline-none focus-visible:ring-2 focus-visible:ring-primary/50 border border-base-content/10 text-left bg-linear-to-r from-transparent to-base-100/40`}
+        className={`w-full p-[24px_28px] cursor-pointer flex items-center gap-5 transition-all duration-2000 ease-in-out outline-none focus-visible:ring-2 focus-visible:ring-primary/50 border border-base-content/10 text-left bg-linear-to-r from-transparent to-base-100/40`}
       >
         <div className="flex-1">
           <div
-            className={`font-sans text-xs tracking-[0.2em] uppercase transition-colors duration-300 ${
+            className={`font-sans text-xs tracking-[0.2em] uppercase transition-colors duration-800 ${
               isOpen
                 ? "text-base-content"
                 : "text-base-content/40 group-hover:text-base-content/80"
diff --git a/frontend/src/components/ui/EnvelopeReveal.tsx b/frontend/src/components/ui/EnvelopeReveal.tsx
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..9ffe250
--- /dev/null
+++ b/frontend/src/components/ui/EnvelopeReveal.tsx
@@ -0,0 +1,56 @@
+import { useState } from "react";
+
+export interface EnvelopeRevealProps {
+  recipient?: string;
+  date?: string;
+  onRevealComplete: () => void;
+}
+
+export function EnvelopeReveal({
+  recipient,
+  date,
+  onRevealComplete,
+}: EnvelopeRevealProps) {
+  const [revealLetter, setRevealLetter] = useState(false);
+
+  const handleClick = () => {
+    setRevealLetter(true);
+    setTimeout(() => {
+      onRevealComplete();
+    }, 1000);
+  };
+
+  return (
+    <div className="max-w-4xl m-8 mx-auto space-y-8 h-screen w-screen flex items-center justify-center">
+      <div className="flex items-center justify-center transition-all duration-1000">
+        <div
+          id="env-top"
+          className="z-4 transition-transform duration-2000 absolute peer h-40 w-54 -mt-30 bg-base-200 mask mask-triangle-2 scale-x-234 has-checked:scale-y-[-1] has-checked:-translate-y-full has-checked:z-1 has-checked:duration-1000"
+        >
+          <input
+            type="checkbox"
+            className=" transition-all checkbox duration-1000 absolute h-full w-full bg-transparent z-100 text-transparent"
+          />
+        </div>
+        <div
+          id="letter"
+          className={`max-w-4xl m-8 mx-auto space-y-8 transition-all peer-has-checked:duration-2000 duration-500 h-65 w-105 bg-paper peer-has-checked:mb-24 hover:mb-54 cursor-pointer ${revealLetter ? "w-screen h-screen z-101" : "peer-has-checked:z-1"}`}
+          onClick={handleClick}
+        ></div>
+
+        <div
+          id="env-right"
+          className="absolute h-70 w-105 bg-base-300 mask mask-triangle-3 -mr-48 z-3"
+        ></div>
+        <div
+          id="env-left"
+          className="absolute h-70 w-105 bg-base-300 mask mask-triangle-4 -ml-48 z-3"
+        ></div>
+        <div
+          id="env-bottom"
+          className="absolute h-70 w-45 bg-base-200 mask mask-triangle-2 scale-y-[-1] -mb-31 scale-x-240 z-3"
+        ></div>
+      </div>
+    </div>
+  );
+}
diff --git a/frontend/src/components/ui/LetterItem.tsx b/frontend/src/components/ui/LetterItem.tsx
index b2df74e..61a5ac1 100644
--- a/frontend/src/components/ui/LetterItem.tsx
+++ b/frontend/src/components/ui/LetterItem.tsx
@@ -31,7 +31,7 @@ export function LetterItem({
     <button
       type="button"
       onClick={handleNavigate}
-      className={`${isLocked ? "pointer-events-none" : ""} p-4 border-base-content/3 flex items-start gap-4 hover:bg-base-300 transition-all duration-100 group text-left cursor-pointer w-9/12 mx-auto hover:scale-120 hover:h-24 hover:-translate-y-3 hover:pb-4 hover:border-x-5 hover:border-t-5 border-t-2 hover:-mb-2`}
+      className={`${isLocked ? "pointer-events-none" : ""} p-4 border-base-content/3 flex items-start gap-4 hover:bg-base-300 transition-all delay-75 duration-100 group text-left cursor-pointer w-9/12 mx-auto hover:scale-120 hover:h-24 hover:-translate-y-3 hover:pb-4 hover:border-x-5 hover:border-t-5 border-t-2 hover:-mb-2`}
     >
       <div className="text-[0.85rem] italic text-base-content/40 flex-1 truncate group-hover:text-base-content/60 transition-none animate-[opacity_200ms_linear_forwards]">
         {preview}
diff --git a/frontend/src/pages/Drawer.tsx b/frontend/src/pages/Drawer.tsx
index 5bfbf3d..c972d11 100644
--- a/frontend/src/pages/Drawer.tsx
+++ b/frontend/src/pages/Drawer.tsx
@@ -94,7 +94,7 @@ export default function Drawer() {
         </div>
       </header>
 
-      <div className="join join-vertical w-full max-w-120 bg-base-200 border border-base-content/10 shadow-2xl z-10 rounded-sm animate-in fade-in slide-in-from-bottom-8 duration-1000 delay-200 fill-mode-backwards min-h-64 flex flex-col">
+      <div className="join join-vertical w-full max-w-120 bg-base-200 border border-base-content/10 shadow-2xl z-10 rounded-sm duration-1000 delay-200 min-h-64 flex flex-col">
         {loading ? (
           <div className="flex-1 flex flex-col items-center justify-center p-12 gap-4">
             <span className="loading loading-ring loading-lg text-primary opacity-20"></span>
diff --git a/frontend/src/pages/Editor.tsx b/frontend/src/pages/Editor.tsx
index 82a552f..355325f 100644
--- a/frontend/src/pages/Editor.tsx
+++ b/frontend/src/pages/Editor.tsx
@@ -455,14 +455,14 @@ export default function Editor() {
             </span>
           </p>
           <form
-            onSubmit={(e) => {
+            onSubmit={async (e) => {
               e.preventDefault();
               const formData = new FormData(e.currentTarget);
               const unlockDateStr = formData.get("vault-date") as string;
               const newUnlockDate = new Date(unlockDateStr);
               setUnlockDate(newUnlockDate);
+              await handleSave("VAULT", newUnlockDate);
               setConfirmModal(null);
-              handleSave("VAULT", newUnlockDate);
             }}
             id="vault-form"
           >
diff --git a/frontend/src/pages/Reader.tsx b/frontend/src/pages/Reader.tsx
index 4cadb0a..0d7545d 100644
--- a/frontend/src/pages/Reader.tsx
+++ b/frontend/src/pages/Reader.tsx
@@ -7,10 +7,12 @@ import {
   type CanvasTools,
   ComposeCanvas,
 } from "../components/ui/ComposeCanvas";
+import { EnvelopeReveal } from "../components/ui/EnvelopeReveal";
 import { LogModal } from "../components/ui/LogModal";
 import { endpoints } from "../config/endpoints";
 import { useKeyStore } from "../store/useKeyStore";
 import { CryptoUtils } from "../utils/crypto";
+import { formatRelativeDate } from "../utils/dateFormat";
 import {
   decryptCanvasImages,
   decryptCanvasImagesWithSharingKey,
@@ -18,6 +20,7 @@ import {
 
 interface LetterMetadata {
   recipient?: string;
+  updated_at?: string;
 }
 
 export default function Reader() {
@@ -28,6 +31,9 @@ export default function Reader() {
   const canvasRef = useRef<CanvasTools>(null);
 
   const [isDecrypting, setIsDecrypting] = useState(true);
+  const [revealState, setRevealState] = useState<"sealed" | "revealed">(
+    "sealed",
+  );
   const [error, setError] = useState<string | null>(null);
   const [warning, setWarning] = useState<{
     message: string;
@@ -51,8 +57,13 @@ export default function Reader() {
     const loadAndDecrypt = async () => {
       try {
         const response = await api.get(`${endpoints.LETTERS}${public_id}/`);
-        const { encrypted_content, encrypted_metadata, encrypted_dek, images } =
-          response.data;
+        const {
+          encrypted_content,
+          encrypted_metadata,
+          encrypted_dek,
+          images,
+          updated_at,
+        } = response.data;
 
         const cryptoUtils = new CryptoUtils();
         const isShared = !!sharingKey;
@@ -73,7 +84,10 @@ export default function Reader() {
               // biome-ignore lint/style/noNonNullAssertion: masterKey is guaranteed to be non-null here as isDecryptionKeyAvailable is true
               masterKey!,
             );
-        setMetadata(decryptedMetadata as LetterMetadata);
+        setMetadata({
+          ...(decryptedMetadata as LetterMetadata),
+          updated_at,
+        });
 
         // Decrypt Content
         const decryptedContent = isShared
@@ -128,10 +142,15 @@ export default function Reader() {
   }, [public_id, sharingKey, masterKey]);
 
   useEffect(() => {
-    if (!isDecrypting && decryptedCanvasData && canvasRef.current) {
+    if (
+      !isDecrypting &&
+      revealState === "revealed" &&
+      decryptedCanvasData &&
+      canvasRef.current
+    ) {
       canvasRef.current.loadData(decryptedCanvasData);
     }
-  }, [isDecrypting, decryptedCanvasData]);
+  }, [isDecrypting, revealState, decryptedCanvasData]);
 
   if (isDecrypting) {
     return (
@@ -163,8 +182,7 @@ export default function Reader() {
   }
 
   return (
-    <section className="min-h-screen w-full bg-base-100 px-4 py-8 md:py-16 font-serif relative overflow-hidden">
-      {/* Background Ambience */}
+    <section className="min-h-fit w-full bg-base-100 px-4 py-8 md:py-16 font-serif relative overflow-hidden">
       <div className="fixed inset-0 bg-[radial-gradient(circle_at_center,transparent_0%,rgba(0,0,0,0.5)_100%)] pointer-events-none z-0" />
 
       <LogModal
@@ -175,49 +193,40 @@ export default function Reader() {
         status="WARN"
       />
 
-      <div className="max-w-4xl mx-auto space-y-8 relative z-10">
-        {/* Floating Header */}
-        <div className="glass-card px-6 py-4 flex items-center justify-between animate-in fade-in slide-in-from-top-6 duration-1000">
-          <div className="flex items-center gap-4">
-            <Logo />
-            <div className="h-4 w-px bg-base-content/10 hidden sm:block" />
+      {revealState === "revealed" && (
+        <div className="max-w-4xl m-8 mx-auto space-y-8 relative inset-0 z-100">
+          <div className="relative group perspective-1000">
+            <div className="absolute inset-0 bg-primary/5 blur-3xl rounded-full scale-75 opacity-0 group-hover:opacity-100 transition-opacity duration-1000 pointer-events-none" />
+
+            <div className="bg-paper shadow-warm rounded-sm overflow-hidden animate-[opacity_1s_ease-in-out_1]">
+              <div className="p-1 md:p-2 bg-base-content/5 opacity-10 pointer-events-none absolute inset-0 z-10" />
+              <ComposeCanvas ref={canvasRef} readOnly />
+            </div>
+
             {metadata?.recipient && (
-              <p className="text-[11px] uppercase tracking-[0.2em] text-base-content/40 hidden sm:block">
-                A sealed letter for{" "}
-                <span className="text-base-content/60 font-semibold">
-                  {metadata.recipient}
-                </span>
+              <p className="text-center sm:hidden text-[10px] uppercase tracking-[0.3em] text-base-content/20 mt-8">
+                For {metadata.recipient}
               </p>
             )}
           </div>
-          <button
-            type="button"
-            className="btn btn-ghost btn-circle btn-sm hover:rotate-90 transition-transform duration-500"
-            onClick={() => (window.location.href = "/")}
-            aria-label="Close"
-          ></button>
-        </div>
-
-        {/* The Letter */}
-        <div className="relative group perspective-1000">
-          <div className="absolute inset-0 bg-primary/5 blur-3xl rounded-full scale-75 opacity-0 group-hover:opacity-100 transition-opacity duration-1000 pointer-events-none" />
-
-          <div className="bg-paper shadow-warm rounded-sm overflow-hidden animate-in fade-in zoom-in-95 slide-in-from-bottom-8 duration-1000 delay-300 fill-mode-backwards rotate-[-0.3deg] hover:rotate-0 transition-transform">
-            <div className="p-1 md:p-2 bg-base-content/5 opacity-10 pointer-events-none absolute inset-0 z-10" />
-            <ComposeCanvas ref={canvasRef} readOnly />
-          </div>
-
-          {metadata?.recipient && (
-            <p className="text-center sm:hidden text-[10px] uppercase tracking-[0.3em] text-base-content/20 mt-8">
-              For {metadata.recipient}
-            </p>
-          )}
         </div>
+      )}
+      <div
+        className={`transition-all duration-1000 relative ${revealState === "revealed" ? "opacity-0 w-0 h-0" : "opacity-100"}`}
+      >
+        <EnvelopeReveal
+          recipient={metadata?.recipient}
+          date={
+            metadata?.updated_at
+              ? formatRelativeDate(new Date(metadata.updated_at))
+              : undefined
+          }
+          onRevealComplete={() => setRevealState("revealed")}
+        />
       </div>
 
-      {/* Atmospheric Footer */}
       <footer className="mt-16 text-center z-10 opacity-10 pointer-events-none">
-        <p className="text-[9px] uppercase tracking-[0.5em]">
+        <p className="text-xs font-sans uppercase tracking-[0.5em]">
           Read. Remember. Release.
         </p>
       </footer>