diff --git a/gui/combat_ui.cpp b/gui/combat_ui.cpp
index 9675aa5..c5e5a16 100644
--- a/gui/combat_ui.cpp
+++ b/gui/combat_ui.cpp
@@ -68,10 +68,10 @@ namespace gui {
     auto& inventory = $level.world->get<inventory::Model>($level.player);
 
     if(inventory.has("pocket_l")) {
-        auto healing_item = inventory.get("pocket_l");
         $gui.set<Icon>(healing_button, {"healing_potion_small"});
-        $gui.set<Clickable>(healing_button,
-            guecs::make_action($level, Events::GUI::USE_ITEM, {healing_item}));
+        $gui.set<Clickable>(healing_button, {[&](auto gui_id, auto) {
+            use_item(gui_id, "pocket_l");
+          }});
     } else {
       $gui.remove<Icon>(healing_button);
       $gui.remove<Clickable>(healing_button);
@@ -85,6 +85,15 @@ namespace gui {
     $gui.init();
   }
 
+  void CombatUI::use_item(guecs::Entity gui_id, const string& slot) {
+    auto& inventory = $level.world->get<inventory::Model>($level.player);
+    dbc::check(inventory.has(slot), fmt::format(
+          "attempted to use an item but {} isn't in your inventory", slot));
+
+    auto healing_item = inventory.get(slot);
+    $level.world->send<Events::GUI>(Events::GUI::USE_ITEM, gui_id, {healing_item});
+  }
+
   void CombatUI::render(sf::RenderWindow& window) {
     $gui.render(window);
   }
diff --git a/gui/combat_ui.hpp b/gui/combat_ui.hpp
index e8f4a3d..1d01022 100644
--- a/gui/combat_ui.hpp
+++ b/gui/combat_ui.hpp
@@ -20,5 +20,6 @@ namespace gui {
       guecs::Entity make_button(std::string name, Events::GUI event,
           int action, const std::string &icon_name,
           const std::string &sound, const std::string &effect_name);
+      void use_item(guecs::Entity gui_id, const string& slot);
   };
 }
diff --git a/gui/fsm.cpp b/gui/fsm.cpp
index b80486a..c3f6038 100644
--- a/gui/fsm.cpp
+++ b/gui/fsm.cpp
@@ -502,13 +502,18 @@ namespace gui {
           break;
         case eGUI::USE_ITEM: {
             auto what = std::any_cast<DinkyECS::Entity>(data);
-            dbc::log(fmt::format("USE ITEM: {}", what));
+
+            if(System::use_item($level, what)) {
+              $status_ui.update();
+            }
             break;
          }
         case eGUI::DEATH: {
             $status_ui.update();
             if(entity != player.entity) {
               $main_ui.dead_entity(entity);
+            } else {
+              dbc::log("NEED TO HANDLE PLAYER DYING.");
             }
           } break;
         case eGUI::NOOP: {
diff --git a/gui/status_ui.cpp b/gui/status_ui.cpp
index 302d972..bb98543 100644
--- a/gui/status_ui.cpp
+++ b/gui/status_ui.cpp
@@ -76,15 +76,27 @@ namespace gui {
   void StatusUI::update() {
     auto player = $level.world->get_the<components::Player>();
     auto& inventory = $level.world->get<inventory::Model>(player.entity);
-    for(auto& [slot, world_entity] : inventory.by_slot) {
-      auto gui_id = $gui.entity(slot);
-
-      auto& sprite = $level.world->get<components::Sprite>(world_entity);
-      $gui.set_init<guecs::Icon>(gui_id, {sprite.name});
-      guecs::GrabSource grabber{ world_entity,
-          [&, gui_id]() { return remove_slot(gui_id); }};
-      grabber.setSprite($gui, gui_id);
-      $gui.set<guecs::GrabSource>(gui_id, grabber);
+
+    for(const auto& [slot, cell] : $gui.cells()) {
+
+      if(inventory.has(slot)) {
+        auto gui_id = $gui.entity(slot);
+        auto world_entity = inventory.get(slot);
+
+        auto& sprite = $level.world->get<components::Sprite>(world_entity);
+        $gui.set_init<guecs::Icon>(gui_id, {sprite.name});
+        guecs::GrabSource grabber{ world_entity,
+            [&, gui_id]() { return remove_slot(gui_id); }};
+        grabber.setSprite($gui, gui_id);
+        $gui.set<guecs::GrabSource>(gui_id, grabber);
+      } else {
+        auto gui_id = $gui.entity(slot);
+
+        if($gui.has<guecs::GrabSource>(gui_id)) {
+          $gui.remove<guecs::GrabSource>(gui_id);
+          $gui.remove<guecs::Icon>(gui_id);
+        }
+      }
     }
   }
 
@@ -123,8 +135,7 @@ namespace gui {
   void StatusUI::remove_slot(guecs::Entity slot_id) {
     auto& slot_name = $gui.name_for(slot_id);
     System::remove_from_container(*$level.world, $level.player, slot_name);
-    $gui.remove<guecs::GrabSource>(slot_id);
-    $gui.remove<guecs::Icon>(slot_id);
+    update();
   }
 
   void StatusUI::swap(guecs::Entity gui_a, guecs::Entity gui_b) {
diff --git a/systems.cpp b/systems.cpp
index daec0df..87effc4 100644
--- a/systems.cpp
+++ b/systems.cpp
@@ -590,3 +590,30 @@ void System::render_map(Matrix& tiles, EntityGrid& entity_map, sf::RenderTexture
 
   render.display();
 }
+
+bool System::use_item(GameLevel& level, Entity what) {
+  auto& world = *level.world;
+  auto& inventory = world.get<inventory::Model>(level.player);
+  auto& player_combat = world.get<Combat>(level.player);
+
+  if(player_combat.hp >= player_combat.max_hp) return false;
+
+  if(auto curative = world.get_if<Curative>(what)) {
+    inventory.remove(what);
+
+    player_combat.hp += curative->hp;
+
+    if(player_combat.hp > player_combat.max_hp) {
+      player_combat.hp = player_combat.max_hp;
+    }
+
+    dbc::log(fmt::format("player health now {}",
+          player_combat.hp));
+
+    world.remove<Curative>(what);
+    return true;
+  } else {
+    dbc::log(fmt::format("no usable item at {}", what));
+    return false;
+  }
+}
diff --git a/systems.hpp b/systems.hpp
index 5632d17..040a866 100644
--- a/systems.hpp
+++ b/systems.hpp
@@ -42,4 +42,5 @@ namespace System {
   void render_map(Matrix& tiles, EntityGrid& entity_map, sf::RenderTexture& render, int compass_dir, wchar_t player_display);
 
   void set_position(DinkyECS::World& world, SpatialMap& collision, Entity entity, Position pos);
+  bool use_item(GameLevel& level, Entity what);
 }