diff --git a/piker/tsp/_annotate.py b/piker/tsp/_annotate.py
index 81c28394..7e91300f 100644
--- a/piker/tsp/_annotate.py
+++ b/piker/tsp/_annotate.py
@@ -30,7 +30,7 @@ import tractor
 
 from piker.data._formatters import BGM
 from piker.storage import log
-# from piker.ui._style import _font
+from piker.ui._style import get_fonts
 
 if TYPE_CHECKING:
     from piker.ui._remote_ctl import AnnotCtl
@@ -88,6 +88,10 @@ async def markup_gaps(
     wdts: pl.DataFrame,
     gaps: pl.DataFrame,
 
+    # XXX, switch on to see txt showing a "humanized" label of each
+    # gap's duration.
+    show_txt: bool = False,
+
 ) -> dict[int, dict]:
     '''
     Remote annotate time-gaps in a dt-fielded ts (normally OHLC)
@@ -202,6 +206,10 @@ async def markup_gaps(
 
         diff: float = cls - opn
         sgn: float = copysign(1, diff)
+        up_gap: bool = sgn == -1
+        down_gap: bool = sgn == 1
+        flat: bool = sgn == 0
+
         color: str = 'dad_blue'
         # TODO? mks more sense to have up/down coloring?
         # color: str = {
@@ -233,7 +241,7 @@ async def markup_gaps(
         assert aid
         aids[aid] = rect_kwargs
         direction: str = (
-            'down' if sgn == 1
+            'down' if down_gap
             else 'up'
         )
         # TODO! mk this a `msgspec.Struct` which we deserialize
@@ -261,31 +269,33 @@ async def markup_gaps(
         )
 
         # add duration label to RHS of arrow
-        if sgn == -1:  # up-gap
-            anchor = (0, 0)  # XXX, i dun get dese dims.. XD
-        else:  # down-gap
+        if up_gap:
+            anchor = (0, 0)
+            # ^XXX? i dun get dese dims.. XD
+        elif down_gap:
             anchor = (0, 1)  # XXX y, x?
+        else:  # no-gap?
+            assert flat
+            anchor = (0, 0)  # up from bottom
 
-        # ?TODO? why returning -1 !?
-        # [ ] use conf.toml value instead!
-        #
-        # font_size: int = _font.font.pixelSize() - 10
-        # await tractor.pause()
-        # assert isinstance(font_size, int)
-        font_size = None
+        # use a slightly smaller font for gap label txt.
+        font, small_font = get_fonts()
+        font_size: int = small_font.px_size - 1
+        assert isinstance(font_size, int)
 
-        text_aid: int = await actl.add_text(
-            fqme=fqme,
-            timeframe=timeframe,
-            text=gap_label,
-            x=iend + 1,  # fallback if timestamp lookup fails
-            y=cls,
-            time=gap_time,  # server-side index lookup
-            color=color,
-            anchor=anchor,
-            font_size=font_size,
-        )
-        aids[text_aid] = {'text': gap_label}
+        if show_txt:
+            text_aid: int = await actl.add_text(
+                fqme=fqme,
+                timeframe=timeframe,
+                text=gap_label,
+                x=iend + 1,  # fallback if timestamp lookup fails
+                y=cls,
+                time=gap_time,  # server-side index lookup
+                color=color,
+                anchor=anchor,
+                font_size=font_size,
+            )
+            aids[text_aid] = {'text': gap_label}
 
     # tell chart to redraw all its
     # graphics view layers Bo
diff --git a/piker/ui/_remote_ctl.py b/piker/ui/_remote_ctl.py
index b1775841..f67f80ad 100644
--- a/piker/ui/_remote_ctl.py
+++ b/piker/ui/_remote_ctl.py
@@ -407,8 +407,9 @@ async def serve_rc_annots(
                 # apply font size (default to DpiAwareFont if not
                 # provided)
                 if font_size is None:
-                    from ._style import _font
-                    font_size =  _font.font.pixelSize() - 3
+                    from ._style import get_fonts
+                    font, font_small = get_fonts()
+                    font_size =  font_small.px_size - 1
 
                 qfont: QFont = text_item.textItem.font()
                 qfont.setPixelSize(font_size)