diff --git a/src/HSchool.Simulation/TalkCircleSystem.cs b/src/HSchool.Simulation/TalkCircleSystem.cs
index 49b37c0..8ac3b6e 100644
--- a/src/HSchool.Simulation/TalkCircleSystem.cs
+++ b/src/HSchool.Simulation/TalkCircleSystem.cs
@@ -1056,11 +1056,7 @@ internal static class TalkCircleSystem
                     OpinionStore.Get(person, other.Id) ?? 0);
                 var now = OpinionStore.Get(person, other.Id) ?? 0;
                 var shift = delta;
-                if (circle.VictimId is not null
-                    && other.Id.Equals(circle.VictimId, StringComparison.Ordinal)
-                    && circle.OpinionBaseline.TryGetValue(PairKey(person.Id, circle.VictimId), out var viewOfVictim)
-                    && Conflict.ShouldDefend(viewOfVictim, rules)
-                    && !person.Id.Equals(circle.VictimId, StringComparison.Ordinal))
+                if (AllyOfVictim(circle, person.Id, rules) && AllyOfVictim(circle, other.Id, rules))
                 {
                     shift = Math.Max(2, -delta / 4);
                 }
@@ -1076,6 +1072,26 @@ internal static class TalkCircleSystem
         }
     }
 
+    /// <summary>
+    /// Victim and anyone who joined on their side. Clash penalty is for opposite sides; allies
+    /// get a small plus instead — otherwise the victim's view of the defender falls like a fight.
+    /// </summary>
+    private static bool AllyOfVictim(ActiveTalkCircle circle, string personId, BehaviorDef? rules)
+    {
+        if (circle.VictimId is null)
+        {
+            return false;
+        }
+
+        if (personId.Equals(circle.VictimId, StringComparison.Ordinal))
+        {
+            return true;
+        }
+
+        return circle.OpinionBaseline.TryGetValue(PairKey(personId, circle.VictimId), out var viewOfVictim)
+            && Conflict.ShouldDefend(viewOfVictim, rules);
+    }
+
     private static void ApplyApology(School school, IReadOnlyList<Person> people, BehaviorDef? rules)
     {
         foreach (var person in people)
diff --git a/tests/HSchool.Ai.Tests/ConflictTests.cs b/tests/HSchool.Ai.Tests/ConflictTests.cs
index bccbadc..cd1f7d4 100644
--- a/tests/HSchool.Ai.Tests/ConflictTests.cs
+++ b/tests/HSchool.Ai.Tests/ConflictTests.cs
@@ -52,6 +52,16 @@ public class ConflictTests
         Assert.True(restored <= baseline);
     }
 
+    [Fact]
+    public void QuarrelOpinion_IsStrongerThanRudeTalk()
+    {
+        var (catalog, _) = Fixtures.Vanilla();
+        var quarrel = -Conflict.QuarrelOpinionDelta(catalog.BehaviorRules);
+        var rude = Math.Abs(catalog.Topics["TopicRude"].OpinionShift);
+        Assert.True(quarrel > rude);
+        Assert.True(-Conflict.FightOpinionDelta(catalog.BehaviorRules) > quarrel);
+    }
+
     [Fact]
     public void Catalog_HasNoHealthNeed()
     {
diff --git a/tests/HSchool.People.Tests/AffinityTests.cs b/tests/HSchool.People.Tests/AffinityTests.cs
index 19b5558..595b970 100644
--- a/tests/HSchool.People.Tests/AffinityTests.cs
+++ b/tests/HSchool.People.Tests/AffinityTests.cs
@@ -122,6 +122,30 @@ public class AffinityTests
         Assert.True((OpinionStore.Get(pupil, teacher.Id) ?? 0) < before);
     }
 
+    [Fact]
+    public void RosterJson_RoundTripsCrushesAndPartner()
+    {
+        var catalog = Fixtures.RomanceCatalog();
+        var left = Staff("s1", female: false, "Bisexual");
+        var right = Staff("s2", female: true, "Bisexual");
+        SetOpinion(left, right.Id, 80);
+        SetOpinion(right, left.Id, 80);
+        var roster = new Roster([left, right], [], []);
+        Affinity.Refresh(catalog, roster, AsOf);
+        Assert.Equal(right.Id, left.Bonds!.PartnerId);
+
+        var json = RosterJson.Serialize(RosterDocument.From(1, roster));
+        Assert.Contains("\"partnerId\"", json, StringComparison.Ordinal);
+        Assert.Contains("\"crushes\"", json, StringComparison.Ordinal);
+        var loaded = RosterJson.Parse(json).ToRoster();
+        var loadedLeft = loaded.People.First(person => person.Id.Equals(left.Id, StringComparison.Ordinal));
+        var loadedRight = loaded.People.First(person => person.Id.Equals(right.Id, StringComparison.Ordinal));
+        Assert.Equal(right.Id, loadedLeft.Bonds?.PartnerId);
+        Assert.Equal(left.Id, loadedRight.Bonds?.PartnerId);
+        Assert.Contains(right.Id, loadedLeft.Bonds!.Crushes);
+        Assert.Contains(left.Id, loadedRight.Bonds!.Crushes);
+    }
+
     [Fact]
     public void AdjacentYearStudents_CanHaveSympathy()
     {
diff --git a/tests/HSchool.Simulation.Tests/QuarrelFightTests.cs b/tests/HSchool.Simulation.Tests/QuarrelFightTests.cs
index 1e85145..a656bfc 100644
--- a/tests/HSchool.Simulation.Tests/QuarrelFightTests.cs
+++ b/tests/HSchool.Simulation.Tests/QuarrelFightTests.cs
@@ -230,6 +230,34 @@ public class QuarrelFightTests
         }
     }
 
+    [Fact]
+    public void Defender_AndVictim_OpinionsMoveAsAllies()
+    {
+        var (school, pupils) = ThreePupilsOnBreak();
+        using (school)
+        {
+            var bully = pupils[0];
+            var victim = pupils[1];
+            var defender = pupils[2];
+            OpinionStore.Set(bully, victim.Id, -55);
+            OpinionStore.Set(victim, bully.Id, -55);
+            OpinionStore.Set(defender, victim.Id, 70);
+            PlaceAt(school, bully.Id, "corridor-1");
+            PlaceAt(school, victim.Id, "corridor-1");
+            PlaceAt(school, defender.Id, "corridor-1");
+
+            Assert.True(school.TryStartAction(bully.Id, TalkActions.Quarrel));
+            TickWhile(school, personId => ActivityOf(school, personId) == TalkActions.Quarrel, bully.Id, victim.Id, defender.Id);
+
+            Assert.True((OpinionStore.Get(defender, victim.Id) ?? 0) > 70);
+            Assert.True((OpinionStore.Get(victim, defender.Id) ?? 0) > 0);
+            Assert.True((OpinionStore.Get(defender, bully.Id) ?? 0) < 0);
+            Assert.True((OpinionStore.Get(victim, bully.Id) ?? 0) < -55);
+            Assert.True((OpinionStore.Get(bully, victim.Id) ?? 0) < -55);
+            Assert.True((OpinionStore.Get(bully, defender.Id) ?? 0) < 0);
+        }
+    }
+
     private static (School School, Person First, Person Second) TwoPupilsOnBreak()
     {
         var (catalog, map) = Vanilla();