Work Text:
1
It started with an off-hand comment.
"Fuck, that guy is such husband material."
Wang Yue groaned loud enough to be heard in the kitchen. Usually, Ling Rui didn't care much about the modern drama Wang Yue watched, but that comment aroused his curiosity.
Quickly, he put down the knife, washed his hands, and walked into the living room. By the time he arrived, however, the show was already over.
Wang Yue was still staring at the screen with a dreamy expression, his bottom lip trapped between his teeth — not like when he was nervous or uncomfortable, but like when he was horny and aroused.
Ling Rui's eyebrow twitched.
He wouldn't get jealous of a fictional character — he wouldn't. But he couldn't help but wonder what the guy had done to bewitch Wang Yue like that.
What did a man need to be husband material in Wang Yue's eyes?
And more importantly: Was Ling Rui husband material?
The question was nagging at him more than he liked to admit.
2
"Alright, spill it." Peng Bo lowered his chopsticks. "What did you put into this meal?"
"Huh?" Ling Rui blinked, perplexed.
"You're staring." Suspiciously, Peng Bo narrowed his eyes. "Did you try some weird recipe and I'm your guinea pig?"
"It's just leftovers," Ling Rui replied honestly.
"Then why are you staring?" Peng Bo asked, still not eating.
"I was just lost in thought, I swear."
Slowly, Peng Bo raised his chopsticks and carefully took a bite. His eyes immediately lit up as he chewed. "This is so good!" Eagerly, he took a second bite. "I swear, you'd be the perfect wife for me, bro."
"Huh?" Ling Rui frowned. "I wanna be husband material, not a wife."
"What?"
"Nothing." Embarrassed that he had accidentally spilled his thoughts, Ling Rui stood up and left their shared office.
3
"Successful men are so attractive, don't you agree?"
"Yes!"
Ling Rui stopped just before rounding the corner. It wasn't his intention to eavesdrop on the nurses, but his feet refused to keep going as he held his breath while listening.
"Like that famous actor who got a wax figure at Madame Tussauds!"
"Or that captain of the fire rescue team who saved so many lives!"
"Or the CEO of that video game company who won more awards than ever with his new game!"
"Totally husband material!" all of the nurses exclaimed at once, giggling like crazy.
Ling Rui furrowed his brows. So a perfect husband needed to be successful in his career? Ling Rui knew that he had become the lead surgeon at a young age, but ever since then, his career had stalled. Maybe he needed to work harder.
"What about that rich investor, who saved that shoe company from going bankrupt?" one of the nurses asked, full of excitement, but everyone else suddenly went silent.
"Time to work!" another nurse said and everyone hurried away.
Ling Rui frowned, not understanding what was going on anymore.
4
"Fangning, what makes a man husband material?" Nervously, Ling Rui clutched his phone.
"Are you really asking me, your ex-wife who realized she's a lesbian?"
Ling Rui paused. "I'm asking my trusted friend."
Fangning sighed. Ling Rui couldn't see her face but knew she was looking disappointed.
"Money."
"What?"
"Money," Fangning repeated. "Money makes people attractive. A guy who's rich is husband material. A woman who's rich is perfection."
"I'm getting a headache," Ling Rui mumbled, massaging his temples. Maybe it had been a stupid idea to ask Fangning. But on the other hand, he appreciated her honesty. Furthermore, her statement wasn't that far from what the nurses had said. And Ling Rui knew that Wang Yue had often struggled in his life because he didn't have enough money. Of course, he would be more attracted to Ling Rui if he was rich and successful.
"Are you alright?" Fangning asked, when Ling Rui had been quiet for too long. "You're acting weird today — weirder than usual."
"I'm fine," Ling Rui reassured her. "Don't worry."
"If you say so."
5
"Mum, why did you marry dad?" Ling Rui whispered, his eyes glued to his tea cup on the table between them. "What made him husband material?"
"Husband material?" his mother repeated, sounding confused. "Well, there were lots of reasons." She hummed thoughtfully. "But the most important thing was that he was such a handsome gentleman."
"Am I handsome?" Nervously, Ling Rui fumbled with his cup, his thumb brushing over the rim.
"Oh course you are!"
A chair pushed back, and Ling Rui heard soft steps before hands cupped his face, forcing him to finally meet his mother's gaze.
"You take after him, my son. You're tall like he was, and you inherited his beautiful eyes and gentle smile."
"Yeah?" Ling Rui asked insecurely but couldn't help but mirror his mother's smile. Groaning, he leaned forward, burying his face in her stomach.
Chuckling, she wrapped an arm around him and patted his head. "My little boy," she whispered affectionately, and Ling Rui whined.
+1
"Am I husband material?" The question slipped from Ling Rui's lips before his brain —clouded by post-orgasm bliss— could catch up.
"Rui-ge." Wang Yue propped himself up on his elbows and stared at Ling Rui with a deadpan expression, a red hickey blooming on his neck. "You're not just husband material. You're my husband. We're married."
"We—" Ling Rui blinked in surprise. "Oh," he mumbled in realization. "We are."
Wang Yue snorted, clearly amused. "What brought this on?"
Groaning, Ling Rui averted his face, but Wang Yue gently cupped his cheek, forcing him to meet his gaze. Sighing, Ling Rui gave in. "You called that guy on TV husband material, so I wondered if I wasn't husband material enough for you."
"You adorable idiot." Chuckling, Wang Yue pressed a kiss on Ling Rui's lips. "You're so jealous."
"I'm not jea—"
"You are husband material, Rui-ge," Wang Yue confirmed with so much conviction that Ling Rui didn't even mind getting interrupted. "Do you know why?"
Sheepishly, Ling Rui shook his head.
"Because you really care about me, Rui-ge. You look after me and always listen to me, no matter if I talk about significant or mundane things. You make me feel like I'm important. You cherish me more than anyone else does."
"Yue'er," Ling Rui whispered, feeling a lump in his throat. It was so simple yet so true. What had he even worried about? "Thank you."
"And—" smirking, Wang Yue straddled Ling Rui's lap, the mood suddenly changing "—you never leave me unsatisfied, even if I ask for a second round. Right?"
Laughing, Ling Rui grabbed Wang Yue's ass. "Right! I'll be a good husband."
"You are," Wang Yue confirmed, leaning down to kiss him.
It was all the reassurance Ling Rui needed.