Alexei Yahontov Biography
name: Alexei Yahontov
aliases: Lexi, Alex
faceclaim: Aneurin Barnard
nationality: Russian
age: Twenty-Six
gender: Male
sexuality: Openly Pansexual
height: 6'1"
B A C K G R O U N D Â & Â P E R S O N A L I T Y
Alexei was always the wide-eyed dreamer of the family. From a young age, he recognized how miserable everyone around him was and made an effort to go against the flow. When his family would complain, heâd try to see the bright side. His family blamed it on his books and proclivity for fantasizing. Among his fellow soldiers in war, he was given names such as âNaive Lexiâ and âKind Alexâ.
He prefers to cut tensions with jokes, but is never the type to talk down to someone seriously. Heâs an extrovert who thrives in social settings, especially parties, where he likes to be the center of attention (usually by showing off his dance skills). He maintains a motto of giving everyone a chance and keeping an open mind.
But even though he doesnât appear very affected by his darker upbringings, heâs not adverse to make a switch into seriousness. Growing up a farmer and a soldier taught him how to kill when need be. When he killed, in or out of war, the people around him would site a strange switch in his expression; people came to find that there was a different side to him, hidden beneath layers of blind optimism and blind friendliness.
Alexei was the youngest brother of five siblings, but one of only two to survive to adulthood. The gruelling Russian winters claimed two sisters and one brother, leaving only him and his older brother, Viktor. They spent their formative years tending to the farm, potatoes being the primary source of income for his family. On the side, however, they produced bootleg vodka behind the Governmentâs back. Initially, they only sold to close family and friends, but when alcohol was outlawed in 1914, they began to sell to more and more people.
It wasnât far into WWI that Viktor was sent off to fight, giving his life for his country soon after. In late 1916, after just barely turning 18, Alexei followed suit at his strict fatherâs behest, fighting on the frontlines and barely making it back alive in 1917. Though his time in the war was short, it wasnât long before he was forced to fight in the Russian Civil War as part of the White Army.
He realized a couple of years into the Civil War that he needed an out, and after hearing tall tales of the American Dream and what can be achieved in the USA, he snuck onto the first cargo ship he could, leaving Russia behind forever at the ripe age of 21.
His start in America was rocky. Achieving the dream was harder than he thought, especially for an illegal immigrant. But he kept his spirits high, always being the optimistic but naive type, and made due with what he could. He spent most of his days finding odd jobs, anyone that would take him, and making just enough money to get by. It wasnât until he entered the Speakeasy scene that things began changing for the better.
He thrived in the partying market. Years of physical fitness in the war and a knack for rhythm made him a natural dancer, and his open and friendly attitude attracted many new friends. The only issue was the legality of it all; by this point, alcohol in America was outlawed, so his presence in America became even more illegal by proxy.
Not long after entering the party scene, Alexei met and fell in love with professional dancer, Mia Walker. As it seemed, she liked him, too, and soon a romance blossomed. There was one major issue, though; Mia was being kept under control by a close âfriendâ of hers, Xander Smith. Xander told Mia when and where to perform, and pushed her closer and closer to escorting, threatening her with police-intervention if she were to defy him.
Not long into their relationship, things came to a head when Mia convinced Alexei to kill Xander for her. Alexei, being the hopeless romantic that he was and already harboring hatred for his target, did it almost without question. This wasnât his first murder, but it was the most personal and illegal thus far. After the deed was done, the pair ran off together, escaping from Los Angeles to Chicago.
Life got far more rocky for the lovers, but Miaâs survival instinct soon kicked in with a great idea; using Alexeiâs knack for making bootleg liquor. After months of scrounging up any money they could, they managed to get an old farm and begin planting potatoes. Everything about buying the land felt barely legal, but it was a well-needed fresh start for them. An isolated farm where they could hide from authorities and produce alcohol to make money on the side.
The business venture was slow coming at first, but when word got around that there was some decent vodka on the market, money began flowing in. At first, they mostly dealt with Speakeasies in the area, but as demand grew, so did their customer base. Their business caught the eye of the budding Mob in the area, and soon they were selling to them and only them.
The pair made due, though, staying as disconnected from the Mobâs criminal activity as they could. Alexei would occasionally be asked to participate in some more violent activity, being the strong arm that he was, but they were set up quite nicely thanks to their gang affiliations. Their measly farm was upgraded, and more equipment was bought to streamline the vodka making process. After a couple years of business, they were sitting pretty on their own (illegal) fortune.
But an innocent business decision meant disaster. When they were asked to also sell to a different district in Chicago, they agreed without much thought. Mob tensions were at an all time peak and their original buyers saw this as a betrayal. A hit was ordered on themâthey were going to be made an example for other bootleggers in the area.
Alexei and Mia caught wind of the kill order just in time to fight back. Alexei was attacked at one of his typical hangouts first, getting shot just below his right ribs, but managing to fight off his attackers with a lead pipe and escape. He rushed back to the farmhouse, bleeding out but barely making it. He was expecting Mia to already be packing their essentials for a quick getaway. He was sure heâd get healed up and theyâd start a new life somewhere else, just as they had done years prior.
But when he got home, he found she was gone, along with her suitcase and all of their savings. In their time of greatest tribulation, she had left him to die. With the mob closing in on his farm fast, he collapsed on the porch, too exhausted and sorrowful to escape on his own.
With the sound of racing tires in the distance and his body losing heat by the minute, he watched as a thick evening fog rolled over the house. When the Mob got there, all they found was a pool of blood where Alexei used to be.
weapon: A two and a half foot lead pipe with a turn at the end. It looks as if it was torn directly from a wall to be used as a makeshift weapon.
