diff --git a/gui/fsm.cpp b/gui/fsm.cpp
index d87bb50..4bddb82 100644
--- a/gui/fsm.cpp
+++ b/gui/fsm.cpp
@@ -134,22 +134,17 @@ namespace gui {
         break;
       case LOOT_SELECT: {
           $grab_source = std::any_cast<DinkyECS::Entity>(data);
-
-          if(auto world_entity = $loot_ui.begin_grab(*$grab_source)) {
-            $status_ui.begin_drop(*world_entity);
-          } else {
-            // BUG: need a cancel operation here
-            $grab_source = std::nullopt;
-            state(State::LOOTING);
-          }
+          auto& source = $loot_ui.get_grab_source(*$grab_source);
+          source.grab();
         } break;
       case INV_SELECT: {
           auto gui_id = std::any_cast<DinkyECS::Entity>(data);
 
           if($grab_source) {
             auto& drop = $status_ui.get_drop_target(gui_id);
+            auto& grab = $loot_ui.get_grab_source(*$grab_source);
 
-            if(drop.commit()) {
+            if(drop.commit(grab.world_entity)) {
               $loot_ui.commit_grab(*$grab_source);
               $grab_source = std::nullopt;
             }
@@ -195,8 +190,9 @@ namespace gui {
 
           if($grab_source) {
             auto& drop = $loot_ui.get_drop_target(gui_id);
+            auto& grab = $status_ui.get_grab_source(*$grab_source);
 
-            if(drop.commit()) {
+            if(drop.commit(grab.world_entity)) {
               $status_ui.commit_grab(*$grab_source);
               $grab_source = std::nullopt;
             }
@@ -206,14 +202,8 @@ namespace gui {
         } break;
       case INV_SELECT: {
           $grab_source = std::any_cast<DinkyECS::Entity>(data);
-
-          if(auto world_entity = $status_ui.begin_grab(*$grab_source)) {
-            $loot_ui.begin_drop(*world_entity);
-          } else {
-            // BUG: need a cancel operation here
-            $grab_source = std::nullopt;
-            state(State::LOOTING);
-          }
+          auto& source = $status_ui.get_grab_source(*$grab_source);
+          source.grab();
         } break;
       case MOUSE_CLICK:
         mouse_action(false);
diff --git a/gui/guecstra.cpp b/gui/guecstra.cpp
index 82e8b74..82cd3ae 100644
--- a/gui/guecstra.cpp
+++ b/gui/guecstra.cpp
@@ -20,16 +20,12 @@ namespace guecs {
     }};
   }
 
-
-  void GrabSource::grab() {
-    sprite->setOrigin({128, 128});
+  DinkyECS::Entity GrabSource::grab() {
+    fmt::println("grab! {}", world_entity);
+    return world_entity;
   }
 
   void GrabSource::move(sf::Vector2i position) {
-    sprite->setPosition({
-        float(position.x),
-        float(position.y)
-    });
+    fmt::println("move! {} to {},{}", world_entity, position.x, position.y);
   }
-
 }
diff --git a/gui/guecstra.hpp b/gui/guecstra.hpp
index 796eb76..b7fa88c 100644
--- a/gui/guecstra.hpp
+++ b/gui/guecstra.hpp
@@ -8,12 +8,14 @@ namespace guecs {
   Clickable make_action(DinkyECS::World& target, Events::GUI event);
   Clickable make_action(DinkyECS::World& target, Events::GUI event, std::any data);
 
-  struct GrabSource : public Sprite {
-    void grab();
+  struct GrabSource {
+    DinkyECS::Entity world_entity = 0;
+
+    DinkyECS::Entity grab();
     void move(sf::Vector2i position);
   };
 
   struct DropTarget {
-    std::function<bool()> commit;
+    std::function<bool(DinkyECS::Entity entity)> commit;
   };
 }
diff --git a/gui/loot_ui.cpp b/gui/loot_ui.cpp
index 30ffabf..e207a5b 100644
--- a/gui/loot_ui.cpp
+++ b/gui/loot_ui.cpp
@@ -46,16 +46,6 @@ namespace gui {
     update();
   }
 
-  std::optional<DinkyECS::Entity> LootUI::begin_grab(DinkyECS::Entity slot_id) {
-    if(contents.contains(slot_id)) {
-      auto& source = get_grab_source(slot_id);
-      source.grab();
-      return contents.at(slot_id);
-    } else {
-      return std::nullopt;
-    }
-  }
-
   void LootUI::commit_grab(DinkyECS::Entity slot_id) {
     contents.erase(slot_id);
     update();
@@ -76,20 +66,19 @@ namespace gui {
         dbc::check($level.world->has<components::Sprite>(item),
             "item in inventory UI doesn't exist in world. New level?");
         auto& sprite = $level.world->get<components::Sprite>(item);
-        guecs::GrabSource grabber{sprite.name};
-        $gui.set_init<guecs::Sprite>(id, grabber);
+        $gui.set_init<guecs::Sprite>(id, {sprite.name});
+        $gui.set<guecs::GrabSource>(id, {item});
       } else {
         $gui.set<guecs::DropTarget>(id, {
-           [&, id]() -> bool { return place_slot(id); }
+           [&, id](DinkyECS::Entity world_entity) -> bool { return place_slot(id, world_entity); }
         });
       }
     }
   }
 
-  bool LootUI::place_slot(DinkyECS::Entity id) {
+  bool LootUI::place_slot(DinkyECS::Entity id, DinkyECS::Entity world_entity) {
     if(contents.size() < INV_SLOTS && !contents.contains(id)) {
-      contents.try_emplace(id, $selected_entity);
-      dbc::log(fmt::format("adding entity {}", id));
+      contents.try_emplace(id, world_entity);
       update();
       return true;
     } else {
@@ -100,7 +89,7 @@ namespace gui {
   guecs::GrabSource& LootUI::get_grab_source(DinkyECS::Entity gui_id) {
     dbc::check($gui.has<guecs::Sprite>(gui_id), "invalid GrabSource requested, entity isn't in the GUI.");
 
-    return static_cast<guecs::GrabSource&>($gui.get<guecs::Sprite>(gui_id));
+    return $gui.get<guecs::GrabSource>(gui_id);
   }
 
   void LootUI::render(sf::RenderWindow& window) {
@@ -120,9 +109,4 @@ namespace gui {
   guecs::DropTarget& LootUI::get_drop_target(DinkyECS::Entity gui_id) {
     return $gui.get<guecs::DropTarget>(gui_id);
   }
-
-  void LootUI::begin_drop(DinkyECS::Entity world_entity) {
-    dbc::log("begin the loot drop");
-    $selected_entity = world_entity;
-  }
 }
diff --git a/gui/loot_ui.hpp b/gui/loot_ui.hpp
index 2e9cbfb..8126fe3 100644
--- a/gui/loot_ui.hpp
+++ b/gui/loot_ui.hpp
@@ -13,7 +13,6 @@ namespace gui {
       guecs::UI $gui;
       GameLevel $level;
       std::unordered_map<DinkyECS::Entity, DinkyECS::Entity> contents;
-      DinkyECS::Entity $selected_entity;
 
       LootUI(GameLevel level);
       void init();
@@ -27,9 +26,7 @@ namespace gui {
       std::optional<DinkyECS::Entity> begin_grab(DinkyECS::Entity slot);
       void commit_grab(DinkyECS::Entity slot_id);
 
-
       guecs::DropTarget& get_drop_target(DinkyECS::Entity gui_id);
-      void begin_drop(DinkyECS::Entity world_entity);
-      bool place_slot(DinkyECS::Entity id);
+      bool place_slot(DinkyECS::Entity gui_id, DinkyECS::Entity world_entity);
   };
 }
diff --git a/gui/status_ui.cpp b/gui/status_ui.cpp
index c7530eb..63294ab 100644
--- a/gui/status_ui.cpp
+++ b/gui/status_ui.cpp
@@ -46,7 +46,9 @@ namespace gui {
             guecs::make_action(*$level.world, Events::GUI::INV_SELECT, {button})
           });
           $gui.set<DropTarget>(button, {
-              .commit=[&, button]() -> bool { return place_slot(button); }
+              .commit=[&, button](DinkyECS::Entity world_target) -> bool {
+                return place_slot(button, world_target);
+              }
           });
         }
       }
@@ -83,13 +85,12 @@ namespace gui {
     init();
   }
 
-  bool StatusUI::place_slot(DinkyECS::Entity gui_id) {
-    if($level.world->has<components::Sprite>($selected_entity)) {
-      auto& sprite = $level.world->get<components::Sprite>($selected_entity);
-
+  bool StatusUI::place_slot(DinkyECS::Entity gui_id, DinkyECS::Entity world_entity) {
+    if($level.world->has<components::Sprite>(world_entity)) {
+      auto& sprite = $level.world->get<components::Sprite>(world_entity);
       $gui.set_init<guecs::Sprite>(gui_id, {sprite.name});
-
-      contents.insert_or_assign(gui_id, $selected_entity);
+      $gui.set<guecs::GrabSource>(gui_id, {world_entity});
+      contents.insert_or_assign(gui_id, world_entity);
       return true;
     } else {
       return false;
@@ -100,26 +101,15 @@ namespace gui {
     return $gui.get<guecs::DropTarget>(gui_id);
   }
 
-  void StatusUI::begin_drop(DinkyECS::Entity world_entity) {
-    $selected_entity = world_entity;
-  }
-
   guecs::GrabSource& StatusUI::get_grab_source(DinkyECS::Entity gui_id) {
-    dbc::check($gui.has<guecs::Sprite>(gui_id), "invalid GrabSource requested, entity isn't in the GUI.");
-
-    return static_cast<guecs::GrabSource&>($gui.get<guecs::Sprite>(gui_id));
-  }
-
-  std::optional<DinkyECS::Entity> StatusUI::begin_grab(DinkyECS::Entity slot_id) {
-    if(!contents.contains(slot_id)) return std::nullopt;
+    dbc::check($gui.has<guecs::GrabSource>(gui_id), "invalid GrabSource requested, entity isn't in the GUI.");
 
-    auto& source = get_grab_source(slot_id);
-    source.grab();
-    return contents.at(slot_id);
+    return $gui.get<guecs::GrabSource>(gui_id);
   }
 
   void StatusUI::commit_grab(DinkyECS::Entity slot_id) {
     contents.erase(slot_id);
+    $gui.remove<guecs::GrabSource>(slot_id);
     $gui.remove<guecs::Sprite>(slot_id);
   }
 }
diff --git a/gui/status_ui.hpp b/gui/status_ui.hpp
index eded60a..4d450b4 100644
--- a/gui/status_ui.hpp
+++ b/gui/status_ui.hpp
@@ -13,7 +13,6 @@ namespace gui {
       guecs::UI $gui;
       GameLevel $level;
       std::unordered_map<DinkyECS::Entity, DinkyECS::Entity> contents;
-      DinkyECS::Entity $selected_entity;
       ritual::UI $ritual_ui;
 
       StatusUI(GameLevel level);
@@ -26,12 +25,9 @@ namespace gui {
 
 
       guecs::GrabSource& get_grab_source(DinkyECS::Entity entity);
-
-      std::optional<DinkyECS::Entity> begin_grab(DinkyECS::Entity slot);
       void commit_grab(DinkyECS::Entity slot_id);
 
       guecs::DropTarget& get_drop_target(DinkyECS::Entity gui_id);
-      void begin_drop(DinkyECS::Entity world_entity);
-      bool place_slot(DinkyECS::Entity gui_id);
+      bool place_slot(DinkyECS::Entity gui_id, DinkyECS::Entity world_entity);
   };
 }