Cole doesn't really like singing for people.
He'll do it, okay, if he has to; he thinks about that den full of bikers sometimes, when Rocky Dangerbuff got up there and sang a song about glow-worms (and a good job he did of it, okay?!). He remembers singing for baby Wu sometimes too, but that almost inevitably makes him laugh to himself.
There aren't many people he'll sing for.
The guys know he can sing. His schooling isn't exactly one of life's mysteries.
Lloyd isn't a half-bad singer himself. Kai- well. He tries. Zane's pretty good. Jay? Cole's heard him humming sometimes. He thinks it's kinda pretty. And Nya sings beautifully. Kai and Lloyd have both been ragging on him to sing a duet with her for weeks.
Cole grins and shrugs them off. He's sure they'd sound great, but he doesn't really want to. He doesn't want to be applauded for singing; not singing, not dancing, not anything he learned at the Marty Oppenheimer School of Performing Arts.
He doesn't really like singing for people.
He ponders this as he cradles Jay's body close, one hand running through auburn strands and smoothing soft locks of hair away from his friend's tearstained face.
"Shh," he hums. "Shh..."
That's another thing he thinks about. Where is Jay getting all these terrible nightmares from? And what on Earth is 'vengestone', what's a 'Dogshank' and a 'Clancee', and why does he hear Jay's muffled sobs when they're supposed to be sleeping; something about 'not a Khan' or something like that, heartrending sobs that only seem to stop when he hears Cole whispering what's wrong? You okay, buddy?
He doesn't really like singing for people.
But that first night, when Jay instantly grabbed his sleeve and begged him not to leave, begged Cole to give him another chance, sobbed that he won't mess everything up again, please, please, don't leave me here I'll be good I promise I promise please until Cole pulled him into a warm, firm hug and began to sing softly...
He doesn't really like singing for people.
Jay's the exception.
...he falls asleep so quickly when Cole sings.