Ankahet

This is incorrect. If you have Current Follower at 0 or above the game assumes the NPC is your current follower. This is why vanilla/DLC followers have CurrentFollower at -1. They are in the faction, but not active as a follower. When you select the dialog "Follow me" or "Wait Here", or any that require the follower to do something on your behalf, their rank in the faction is changed from that -1. The -1 is a way to already have the faction there without having to find another lengthy way to add it in game. I hav emade many followers with that value and they all work just fine. What the OP needs is to create the relationship between NPC and player with a minimum value of "Friend" in order for the diolog to work properly.

If you expect any game to release without bugs, or without a model that can support it, then you may want to just, not buy any more games ever. Micro-transactions are a choice. I enjoyed Elder Scrolls Online for a long time without buying anything extra from the "cash shop". No game, period, has released without bugs or problems. Many people in many companies have made bad decisions, yet, people are still playing those games. People are still playing Skyrim, Oblivion, Morrow-wind. If your definition of "right" is to be completely bug-free, with no way to support the company, then you are in for a rude awakening. If you cannot enjoy a game for its content without buying the cash shop stuff, then you have a compulsion. Your will-power or opinion on what you think you should get for free, isn't their problem.

This is a very easy thing to get around. You can create a patreon stating you are a developer, have it with the same name that you use on the sites you upload mods to and just dont post files on it. Simply have a link to the sites you upload to. They are still able to download the mod(s) for free. Choosing to donate is NOT the same as buying something. Bethesda cannot order a CND or sue you for people deciding to give you money of their own free will.