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“Kurt…” Blaine called, soft at first but louder when his husband didn’t wake. He reached over and rubbed his hand up and down Kurt’s thigh, squeezing gently at the knee. “Kurt! We’re almost there, you need to wake up if you wanna see.”
Kurt grumbled as he turned his head and begrudgingly opened his eyes. Blaine gave his leg one last squeeze before letting go and resting his arm on the center console while Kurt got his bearings.
St. Louis. That was next on the list.
Kurt took a sip from the bottle of water he’d bought the last time they gassed up, somewhere in The Middle of Nowhere, Illinois. He sighed and reached down to thread their fingers together, returning Blaine’s joyful smile before looking out the window again with a contented sigh.
Another town, another adventure with the man he loves.
It wasn’t long before the highway traffic started to thicken up. “Must be about rush hour…” Kurt trailed off as the highway they were on made a small turn and the notorious Arch came into view, shining in the distance. “Oh wow.”
“I don’t know why I thought it would be smaller…” Kurt said as Blaine merged onto a bridge taking them over the Mississippi River and into Missouri.
“M-I-S-S-I-S-S-I-P-P-I….” Blaine sang as Kurt rolled his eyes and tried not to laugh.
“Look over and see if you see Huck Finn down there on his river raft!” Kurt joked, pointing down the river as Blaine nodded with a chuckle.
“Or Lewis and Clark ‘discovering’ land the Native Americans already inhabited.”
“Oh man,” Kurt snort-laughed. “Those two were definitely knocking boots in their tents at night, you know they were.”
Blaine laughed as he flipped on the blinker to switch lanes, nervously checking behind him to make sure the coast was clear. “For sure.”
They both turned their attention back to the GPS, now telling them which exit to take that would lead them to their hotel. Kurt was quiet after that, letting Blaine concentrate on the traffic and the directions.
The city may be on the small side, but it was still unfamiliar to them both.
Once they had exited the highway, the turn for their hotel was just a few stop lights away. When Kurt had called home the night before, Carole told him she had been to St. Louis a few times but the only thing she really remembered was all the one way streets.
“You really have to watch it, we got turned around so many times just trying to get back somewhere but being limited by one way streets.” she had said
The hotel room they were checked into was adequate, nothing too special…clean and decorated much like the lobby and rest of the hotel.
“The guy wanted to give us a river view when I told him where we were from, but apparently there’s a baseball game this weekend so they’re pretty booked,” Kurt said as they both dropped their luggage on the king size bed and pulled back the curtains to show a view of the city.
Blaine wrapped his arms around his husband’s waist, kissing the back of Kurt’s neck. “Oooo, a baseball game, huh? Maybe we can get tickets?”
Kurt turned toward him with a look that perfectly encapsulated how he felt about that, and Blaine burst into laughter, kissing his cheek and nodding. “Come on husband, let’s shower off and go exploring. I’m ready for something besides road food.”
*****
As the sun started to set behind the city skyline, Kurt and Blaine walked out the doors of their hotel and down the street toward the Courthouse building.
“Okay, technically it’s the Old Courthouse building,” Kurt said as he read from his phone, their hands brushing against each other as they walked. “It’s more of a museum now, but the website says if we want to go to the Arch, we need to go there for the tickets.”
Blaine nodded as he led Kurt across the street to walk toward the building. “Too late to go in now?”
Kurt shook his head as he led them up the stairs. “Nope, they’re open til’ 8 in the summer.”
The inside was pretty, very historic in the way that most old buildings are. They walked around for a few minutes, read the plaques about the Dred Scott case that was held there in 1857. Even walked around the old courtroom where the trial was held that is still said to have started the chain reaction that began the Civil War. As it got closer to closing time, they bought their tickets for the next morning and asked the woman at the counter where they should go for dinner.
She asked them what they were in the mood for and laughed when Kurt told her anything that couldn’t be found at a truck stop on the highway.
“Well, there’s a restaurant a few blocks down the way called Red Door? They serve Asian inspired type foods…oh my goodness their pineapple rangoon is to die for! And all the dumplings are hand made and delicious.”
Blaine’s ears perked up, he was always up for trying new dumplings.
Red Door was a trendy little restaurant that was pretty busy, but they were offered a drink as they waited and Blaine opted to try a Schlafly’s Ale, from the local brewery.
Kurt stuck with a gin and tonic, but dutifully took a sip when Blaine exclaimed how much it actually tasted like summer!
Halfway through their meal the ambiance changed slightly. The lights went down and funkier music started playing. Adults came in just for the bar and very clearly seemed to be regulars in from a long day of work with the desire to unwind a little.
Although it was late by the time they walked away from the restaurant, they weren’t worried. “I think it may be impossible to get lost here,” Kurt said with a laugh as he fell into step next to his husband. “Just look for the Arch and you know if you’re going in the right direction.”
******
The next morning they’d planned to visit the Arch after breakfast, since it was just a short walk from their hotel.
Because they’d bought the tickets the day before, their group was one of the first of the day to enter the tiny elevators that would take them up to the observation deck at the top of the tall monument to the west.
“Gateway to the West,” Kurt corrected Blaine as they piled in, smiling to themselves that they would have the car all to themselves.
When it was finally time for them to disembark their car, Blaine looked a little white. The rocking movement of the tiny elevator car had set off a sort of vertigo in him and he could swear he could still feel the motion even where they stood. The top was much smaller than he was expecting. He reached down to grasp Kurt’s hand and squeezed tight.
Kurt attempted to pull him toward the row of square windows to look, but Blaine stayed locked in the very middle of the room.
“I swear I can feel the whole thing swaying with the wind.”
Kurt worked very hard to cover a smile. “Blaine,” he soothed quietly. “I read downstairs that they send hundreds of people up here every day…I’m sure it is much more stable than that.”
Blaine wasn’t so sure, but he let Kurt lead him over to one of the benches that lined the walls and sat down while Kurt snapped a few pictures. “Oh wow, you can see where the two rivers meet!”
Blaine flipped open a brochure with shaky fingers and read about the merging of the Missouri River and the Mississippi. He snorted out a small laugh and turned back to his husband. “There’s a town called Wood River…how much you wanna bet Lewis and/or Clark looked into the river, saw wood, and decided to name the town wood river!”
Kurt looked over and barked out a small laugh, nodding as well. “I wouldn’t be a bit surprised.” He looked over and watched Blaine rub his palms up and down his thighs and decided he’d tortured his husband enough for one day. “I got a few good pictures, ready to head back down?”
Blaine nodded gratefully and Kurt squeezed his shoulder a few times.
Back on the ground and Blaine was much more stable, his turning stomach thanked him as well. He tried to explain to Kurt that heights in an airplane was much different than heights in a building that felt like it was going to wobble and fall over…but just pretended to be annoyed as Kurt laughed with a fond shake of his head and pulled him along the free exhibits of the small museum and gift shop.
As they were picking a souvenir of their trip to the notorious landmark, a familiar voice caught Kurt’s ears.
“I hear Judy…” he murmured as he followed the sound to a small television playing Meet Me in St. Louis.
Blaine walked up behind him and both watched as Judy sang on about trolleys and bells, both of them singing along with her under their breath.
“Hey,” Blaine said suddenly. “I wonder if there’s a monument or something to the World’s Fair?”
Kurt shrugged as he pulled his phone from his pocket and did a quick Google search. “There is!” He exclaimed as they waited in line to make their purchases. “A Pavilion in the park. Google Maps says it’s a few miles away.”
In the car, Kurt turned on their Judy/Barbara playlist, fired off a quick 'miss you, love you’ text to Rachel and reached over to punch in the destination to the GPS.
Driving through the city was more beautiful than Kurt was expecting. He couldn’t get over the amount of greenery everywhere. It was so metropolitan, but there were still trees and little parks everywhere with huge fountains, and gothic cathedrals on more than just a few corners. Buildings that looked as old as the city itself with stunning old world architecture. Blaine pointed out little hole-in-the-wall restaurants they could try, and Kurt marveled at how clean everything looked.
For not the first time on this trip, Kurt was hit with the nostalgic feeling of home. Both the home his parents created for him as a child, and the one he was building for himself and with his husband in the city of their dreams…but maybe this city was someone else’s dream city. He could see how they would love it.
“Oh my goodness!” Blaine cried softly as they passed one of the biggest cathedrals he’d seen yet today. “On our drive back through I should take a picture, that place was gorgeous. Mom would love it!”
Kurt nodded as he reached over to give his husband’s hand a quick squeeze before concentrating on the road again. They seemed to be entering a large wooded area and sure enough the GPS called out they had entered Forest Park and were only four minutes from their destination.
“That’s it, I think…” Blaine said after they’d driven through the park’s winding roads a bit. He pointed to a large open building up on a hill. Kurt found a parking spot not far away and the two walked around the massive fountain and up the path of steps.
“Oh wow,” Kurt agreed as they entered the open building with big doorways and vaulted ceilings.
Blaine walked them over to the plaque on the wall, telling them the story of the hundred year old building as the last two people who had been in the Pavilion with them, left.
Blaine looked around once to make sure, before holding out his hand for Kurt to take and step into his arms, dancing them softly back and forth for a few moments as he quietly sang.
The moment I saw him smile, I knew he was just my style…
Kurt chuckled softly, joining in after a few bars, still swaying with the man he loved in his arms–I just adore him, so I can’t ignore him…the boy next door.
*****
They got stuck in some major traffic on their way back to the hotel and Kurt was extremely grateful Blaine had offered to drive…he hated traffic. He watched as crowds and crowds of people walked by, all seemingly headed in the same direction.
“I’m gonna take a wild stab in the dark and say the St. Louis baseball team wears red.”
Blaine looked over and grinned. “Yeah,” he said, thinking for a moment. “The…Cardinals, I believe.”
Kurt nodded as he watched another large group of people pass by them. He looked up and grabbed his phone to snap a quick picture of the Arch and Courthouse in the distance as Blaine kept talking.
“They’re actually a pretty good team, they might even be first in the league right now…I’d have to look it up.” He paused before elbowing Kurt slightly. “We could probably still find tickets, if you wanna go?”
Kurt rolled his eyes and tried not to laugh. “Are you seriously telling me you want to be out in this heat all night? When we have a nice cool hotel room to go back to?”
Blaine laughed at that and had to concede. Both of them were in desperate need of showers and fresh clothes.
“Plus…” Kurt added as the cars finally started to move again. “I do not look good in that color red without proper lighting.”
******
Later that night, after showering off the heat of the day and settling into a movie on Blaine’s laptop while cuddled into bed, both of them decided they were hungry again. They’d only had a small breakfast early, then a late lunch in the Art district, next to Fox Theater on their drive back from the park. Neither wanted to venture back out into the heat and major crowds of the baseball game.
“I think there were a few take-out menu’s with our check-in packet,” Kurt said. They flipped through a few, trying to decide which looked the best.
“We could call the desk?” Blaine suggested, reaching over for the phone next to their bed when they couldn’t make a decision. “See what local place they recommend.”
Kurt nodded and listened to Blaine’s end of the conversation, nodding enthusiastically when Blaine told them that yes, they loved thin crust pizza.
“He said we should try a place called Imo’s?” Blaine said after thanking the front desk and hanging up. “The crust is super thin and they top it with Provel cheese instead of mozzarella.”
Kurt’s stomach growled in hunger. “That sounds interesting.”
Blaine nodded as he picked up an Imo’s menu and started flipping through. “It’s also just down the street so they won’t have to fight the crowds to get it here.”
“I’m sold.”
“He also told me we should order something called toasted ravioli?” Kurt’s head shot up with a curious look and Blaine shrugged. “It’s supposedly a major local thing. A St. Louis favorite and is locally made.”
Twenty-five minutes later their dinner was delivered, and it smelled incredible. The pizza was unlike anything Kurt or Blaine had ever had before. The crust was cracker thin and the Provel cheese added a smokey taste. The sauce was almost too sweet, but complemented the cheese and crust really well.
The toasted ravioli was something else altogether. For all intents and purposes it looked like normal ravioli pockets, but was breaded and baked, then served with marinara dipping sauce.
Blaine tried the ravioli first, then insisted Kurt taste it as well, promising him it was delicious. Kurt moaned in delight and agreed it was incredible. The puffed pastry was stuffed with a meat filling and tasted even better when dipped in the marinara.
The pizza, ravioli, and small salad made a wonderful dinner. They put the leftovers in the tiny fridge for later and cuddled up again to watch the rest of their movie before bed.
*****
The next morning Blaine suggested they try the hotel’s restaurant for breakfast while they decided how to spend their last full day in the city.
Kurt wanted to check out Six Flags, but after a glance at the weather forecast Blaine really didn’t want to be out in the heat when it was predicted to get upwards of 100 degrees that day. “Even with the water park,” he added as Kurt reluctantly agreed.
“Hey, Katie from my Shakespeare class last semester commented on the picture I posted last night of us at the World’s Fair Pavilion. She spent a lot of summers here as a kid and says we should check out the City Museum, said it’s crazy fun.”
Kurt picked up his phone to Google the website. Blaine scooted over closer to him to look over Kurt’s shoulder as they scrolled through some of the pictures posted online. “That actually looks really interesting…it’s not far from here, and mostly inside.”
Blaine pulled his wallet out to pay their check and smiled excitedly. “They had me at ten story slide.”
“Hopefully there’s an elevator,” Kurt said as he stood up to follow.
******
The City Museum was nothing like either of them was expecting. It was built in what looked like an old warehouse and was basically like a huge playground for children and adults alike. The whole front of the building was covered in wrought iron “slinkies” to climb through and explore, with a giant ball pit and slides everywhere, even an old plane and streetcar to explore.
Once inside, each floor was a new adventure to explore. First were the caves. Kids and adults were running around, nobody paying any attention to anyone else as Blaine pulled Kurt along by the hand to explore all the dark and secluded corners, sneaking little kisses when nobody was around to see.
The third floor was packed with all kinds of things to do and see and play on. The indoor skate park looking area had no skaters, but did have ropes hanging from the ceiling to swing around on, both of them laughing hysterically at the other as they attempted to swing across the room and neither of them made it, but couldn’t stop smiling regardless.
“We are gonna be so sore tonight…” Kurt commented as Blaine took a running start to try and climb up one of the slanted walls.
Blaine slid back down with a defeated laugh and shrugged as Kurt held out his hand to help him to his feet. Kurt squealed quietly when Blaine pulled him in for a quick peck of their lips. He looked around quickly, but nobody was paying a bit of attention to them. Everyone else was too wrapped up in playing to care what two random strangers were doing.
They held hands as they walked through the rest of the third floor attractions. There was a small circus-like area that little kids could play around in, and a huge collection of funky vintage arcade games and décor, including the worlds largest pair of underpants.
“Roof time?” Blaine asked as they walked toward the stairs that would lead them up to the roof access as well as the ten story slide.
Kurt groaned as he let Blaine pull him along. “I’m sure there’s an elevator somewhere, are we really gonna climb all those stairs?”
Blaine pouted before smiling his best come on honey smile. “It’ll be so fun, though!”
After what felt like a million winding steps later, they were finally on the roof overlooking the rest of the city.
“Well, I can’t say the view isn’t worth it…” Kurt trailed off as they stood at the corner and leaned against the wall, watching the world go by for a few minutes.
Blaine gave a quick look around to make sure nobody was paying attention to them before slipping his arm around Kurt’s waist and kissing his temple.
“Love you,” he nuzzled his nose into the short hair behind Kurt’s ear. “Thank you for taking this adventure with me.”
Kurt sighed out a small laugh and leaned his body into his husband’s. “If you didn’t know by now…I’d pretty much follow you anywhere.”
Blaine smiled into the small kiss Kurt offered before setting his chin on Kurt’s shoulder. “Promise?”
Kurt nodded as he rested their foreheads together for the briefest of moments before pulling away slightly and grinning. “I promise.”