If that's what was happening, then that means... That means Sharky wasn't Sharky. Of fucking course, that's why he was suddenly playing the drums like a pro, and Jeff jammed with him for, like, an hour or two and didn't even notice. Sharky was an imposter, and Jeff was too stupid to catch on.

He doesn't say as much, though. That little nugget of self loathing will just stay inside, festering.

"I missed--" he starts, but he can't quite finish it. If he'd had any awareness of the situation, any sense of self or existence while he'd been ejected from his body, yes, of course, he would've missed Bash for every second.

But he didn't.

Jeff's voice breaks, and he practically crumples against the demigod as he admits, "I don't know where I went. It was just-- nothing. I was..."

Nothing.

"I can't go back. I can't. Never. Please, Bash--"

He can't die on this ship again. What if he never returns?