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Willie stares themself down in the mirror, sucking in a few deep breaths. “It’s going to be okay,” she whispers to himself. “I got this.”
It’s just their dad. Their very gay, very flamboyant dad, who has tons of nonbinary friends and has always told Willie he could talk to him about anything. Willie’s been out to him as gay since they were twelve and he’s never been anything but loving and supportive; asking him to switch up pronouns sometimes shouldn’t be a big step.
So why is it so goddamn terrifying?
“William,” Caleb calls from downstairs, causing Willie to jump. “I need help.”
Willie takes one more calming breath and exits the bathroom, making her way downstairs to the living room. They find their dad sitting on the couch in his pajamas already, his reading glasses on as he squints at the newspaper. Willie leans over the back of the couch to try and see what he’s reading.
“What’s up, Dad?” Willie asks, proud of how they keep their voice steady.
“Read this for me?” Caleb asks, handing Willie the newspaper. “They finally printed the review of my last show, but it’s so small you’d need a magnifying glass to read it.”
“Maybe you’re just old,” Willie teases.
Caleb levels him with an unimpressed look. “Funny.” He points to the review. “Start there.”
Willie clears his throat dramatically and shakes the newspaper out. “Hollywood Ghost Club Gets Spooky with Carrie Recreation.” Willie remembers this show; it was their Halloween special a couple weeks ago. Caleb had rigged fake blood to fall on him in the last moments of the dance, and then through the power of stage magic the furniture started floating and flying around.
“Frontman Caleb Covington placed himself in the titular role of Carrie, creating a delightfully genderbent night of fun. Club dancers filled the secondary roles, with Dante Charkhi providing an excellent Travolta impression. Wait,” Willie pauses. “Travolta wasn’t in Carrie .”
“Of course he was,” Caleb scoffs. “Have I taught you nothing?”
“You’re shitting me,” Willie insists. “I’ve seen that movie a million times, Travolta is not in it.”
“I just recreated it for the stage, William,” Caleb says. “I think I know who’s in it. And watch your language.”
“Watch your fucking lies,” Willie shoots back. “Maybe your old man memory is getting muddled.”
Caleb gasps. His age is an easy target. “I can’t believe I raised such an insolent young man!”
“Well I’m nonbinary so you’re wrong about that too!”
It just slips out without thinking. Willie’s eyes widen, and she opens her mouth to take it back, but they don’t have the chance to get anything out before Caleb is off the couch and wrapping his arms around them.
“Thank you for telling me,” Caleb whispers, pressing a kiss to the top of Willie’s head. “I’m so proud of you.”
“I—” A relieved sob cuts Willie off, and they hug Caleb back. “Thank you.”
“Of course, darling,” Caleb murmurs against his head. “I love you so much.”
“I love you too.”
Caleb pulls back and gently swipes a tear from Willie’s cheek. “Come here, sit down. Talk to me.”
Willie lets his dad lead her to the couch, where they curl up against his side.
“So,” Caleb starts, brushing a hand through Willie’s hair, “you’re nonbinary.”
“I’m nonbinary,” Willie repeats, a smile tugging at their lips at how good it feels to say out loud.
“Is there anything you want me to change?” Caleb asks. “Your name or pronouns?”
“Not my name,” Willie says, “and I still like using he , but I like she and they too? So if you could, like, switch between them?”
“Of course,” Caleb nods. “And would you like me to refer to you as my child, son, or daughter?”
A pleased thrill goes through Willie at being referred to as child and daughter . “Um, any? All. All of the above.”
“Okay,” Caleb chuckles. He pauses, then asks, “Does Alex know?”
“Yeah,” Willie nods, stomach twisting with the fear that Caleb will be mad Willie didn’t tell him first. “I told him yesterday.”
“And he’s okay with it?”
“He is,” Willie says. “He called me his girlfriend and bought me a pride flag.”
“Good,” Caleb says, deadly serious, “so I won’t have to ruin his future career.”
Willie snorts. “You wouldn’t have to do that even if he wasn’t supportive.”
“Of course I would,” Caleb says. “No one disrespects my daughter.”
Willie grins at the term. “You’re a really good dad.”
“I know,” Caleb smirks. “And I’m incredibly proud to have you as my child.” After a beat he adds, “Even if you refuse to believe John Travolta was in Carrie.”
“He’s not!” Willie insists. “Look it up!”
“You have a smartphone, look it up yourself.”
Willie snorts and pulls out their phone. “No one calls it a smartphone anymore, old man.”
Caleb lightly tugs on Willie’s hair. “Watch it,” he warns. He nods at Willie’s phone. “So was I right or was I right?”
Willie types “Carrie cast” into Google and hits send. He’s instantly greeted with John Travolta’s face. She hides her phone in her chest. “You were wrong.”
“Unbelievable,” Caleb says. “My daughter is a liar.”
“I am not!”
“Then show me the phone.”
“Nope,” Willie bounces off the couch. “I’m right, you’re wrong, discussion over.”
He gets halfway out of the living room before he turns back and quickly throws their arms around Caleb one last time. “Thanks, Dad. Love you.”
“I love you too,” Caleb chuckles. “Now go to the library and borrow Carrie. ”
“The library?” Willie yelps. “What are you, from the 1920s? We have Netflix.”
“Then get back here and watch it with me.”
Willie grins and throws themself back on the couch. “Prepare to be proven wrong.”
Caleb sighs, though there’s a fond smile on his face. “Whatever you say, darling.”