[ credence can't imagine why people feel the need to compliment him the way they do now - he hasn't ever expected it of anyone and now it's just... a lot. he doesn't even know how to describe why it's strange to him so he doesn't, just smiles along with it even when he feels almost as though his chest is tightening from the weight of words from people that wouldn't even have looked at him twice before.

(graves looked at him like this from the first day. graves has taken care of him. graves does thing rather than just say them.)

credence startles in surprise at the introduction of another voice but as soon as he notes who it is he relaxes, smiling fondly. you're like a frightened rabbit, credence, the other model says, and credence laughs. ] Not any more. [ a private joke for graves and himself, perhaps. but then he looks at graves and nods. ] Percy, this is Charles. [ just charles, like cher, the man adds in a manner he surely thinks is helpful. credence lofts a brow. ] Only Cher is like Cher, dear. Charles, this is Percival Graves.

[ when charles opens his mouth to speak, credence looks at him. ] I think calling him Mr. Graves would suit best. Or did you forget that I told you I live with the director? [ you know, that director. in any case charles is cowed from his normal habit of being overly familiar first off. even credence calling him percy, which he usually only does when he's playing the spoiled brat, is something graves will recognize as happening at these events when credence wants to stake a claim, to make people aware of their closeness, and signal that someone is getting too close. ] I'm sorry about that man cornering you, I hope he wasn't too insistent. He was at my last appearance, looking for you. It's as though people see us as a package deal.

[ charles still has his hand on credence's arm, but most of credence's attention has immediately shifted to graves. ]