Astra's OCS - Criminal Case

Aleksey Zima

Biographical information

Full Name: Aleksey Zima

Gender: Male

Sexuality: Heterosexual

Status: Deceased

Age: 69 (season 3)

Birth: 1946

Race: Human

Cause of Death: Gunshot wound to the forehead

Nationality: Russian

Origin: Yakutsk, Sakha Republic, Russia

Residence: Yakutsk, Sakha Republic, Russia

Profession(s): Bar Owner

Family:

* Unnamed father

* Viktoriya Zima (mother) (deceased)

* Zavier Valt (step-father) (deceased)

* Vukašin Zima-Valt (brother)

* Natasha Romanova (ex-wife) (deceased)

* Marina Romanova (daughter)

Profile

Height: 6'1"

Age: 69 (season 3)

Weight: 234lbs

Eyes: brown

Blood: A+

Hailing from Yakutsk, Aleksey was Natasha Romanova's husband and Marina Romanova's father. He was a haggard man who always looked like he was running on just two hours of sleep (most of the time, he was) with dark, heavy bags under his eyes. His thick gray hair was greasy and reached his shoulders, while stubble adorned the lower half of his face. His brown eyes looked lifeless even before his death, making people weary of approaching him. Aleksey's clothes weren't in any better condition than the man himself was. His brown winter coat was ripped and stained, the black shirt underneath was just as damaged, and his jeans had holes in the knees while his winter boots were falling apart at the seams.

Synopsis

His single mother raised Aleksey after his father abandoned them when he learned Viktoriya was pregnant. Viktoriya had struggled with addiction after her ex-boyfriend introduced her to drugs and alcohol, but she got clean for her baby's sake. But despite her being clean by the time Aleksey was born, he was born with fetal alcohol syndrome and drug addiction. Viktoriya did everything she could to help her baby, and she was Aleksey's favourite person.

Aleksey's mother married Zavier Valt when he was 7. Aleksey didn't like it when men tried to date his mother, but he could see how happy Zavier made Viktoriya, so he stopped trying to drive Zavier out for her happiness. A couple of years later, Aleksey's little brother Vukašin was born.

At first, he hated the baby because of how much time his mother spent caring for him. Aleksey wasn't used to sharing his mother, but as Vuk got older and needed less help, Aleksey grew to tolerate him. While he remained very distant towards Vuk, that doesn't mean he never beat up those who bullied his little brother. Aleksey always said that he was the only one allowed to bully Vuk.

When a drunk driver killed his mother when he was 19, Aleksey spiralled out of control. He left home and tried to go to university since his mother had been so proud when he told her he got accepted. But the grief made it impossible for him to succeed, and he dropped out after one year.

He started living on the streets until an old friend from high school, Pyotr Morozov, offered to let Aleksey move in with him. Pyotr helped Aleksey get his life back on track and even assisted in managing the bar Aleksey took ownership of when he was 29. It was in this bar that Aleksey met his future wife, Natasha.

Natasha was a regular at the bar, and the two became friends. Friends with benefits, that is. The two would often hook up after the bar closed, and eventually, Natasha got pregnant. Natasha's mother was furious that her daughter might have a child out of wedlock, so to avoid a scandal, Aleksey and Natasha were married by the end of the month.

When Marina was born, Aleksey couldn't find a way to bond with his daughter. She just always seemed to cry, and nothing would soothe her. Unless, of course, you were Vukašin Zima-Valt. Marina never seemed to cry when Vuk was around, and Aleksey hated how his brother was a better father than he was. Vuk was a natural with children, while all Aleksey could do was scare them and make them cry.

This led to Vuk often watching Marina and countless fights between Aleksey and Natasha. After years of verbal and physical abuse between the couple, Natasha kicked Aleksey out, and she got full custody of Marina. Aleksey only got to see his daughter at special events and supervised visits, usually at Vuk's house when Marina was staying there.

Over time Aleksey drifted further and further away from his family. He and Natasha wanted nothing to do with each other after the divorce. And after blowing up at his little brother and claiming Vuk stole Marina from him, Aleksey stopped talking to Vuk. The only one he sort of kept in contact with was Marina, and that was just through birthday cards he would send her.

Aleksey would eventually be killed by his lifelong friend Pyotr. After learning that the Bureau had arrested Natasha, the two travelled to Kazakhstan. Aleksey saw it as an opportunity to reunite with Marina, but his daughter wanted nothing to do with him.

Pyotr tried to console his friend after the rejection from Marina and even confessed his long-time feelings for Aleksey. But Aleksey rejected Pyotr's advances even worse than Marina had rejected her father.

Later that night, Aleksey overheard a conversation between Pyotr and someone his friend called SOMBRA. He learned that the Bureau was hunting SOMBRA and its agents and decided he would try and turn Pyotr in for his crimes and get into Marina's good graces. But sadly, he underestimated Pyotr, and his friend killed him when he learned of Aleksey's plan.

Story Information

First appeared: Fathers and Death

Trivia

* Aleksey got ownership of his bar after winning it in a game of Durak, a Russian card game. His opponent had nothing left to bet, so he wagered his bar and lost it

* He never resented his mother for his problems with drugs and alcohol. Viktoriya was the only person he could always rely on and the only one who understood his struggles. When his mother died, a part of Aleksey died with her

* He convinced Natasha to make Marina's middle name Viktoriya

* He visited his mother's grave every Sunday and every year on her birthday, holidays, and the anniversary of her death

     * He always brought fresh flowers when he visited. If they were in season, he would get Siberian Fawn Lilies, as they were Viktoriya's favourite flower

* Vuk and Marina made sure that Aleksey was buried beside his mother; it was his only last wish

* Even though he had no fatherly instincts, he did love his daughter above all else. While he is jealous of the relationship Vuk has with Marina, Aleksey is happy that she got a better childhood than he did because of Vuk