Winterguardian - Blog Posts
(I couldn't help myself - past relationship, pre thunderbolts)
Alexei grips the wheel with both hands, white-knuckled as his burgundy limo rumbles through the sunny streets of Washington D.C.
He adjusts the rearview mirror for the third time, maybe fourth. Who’s counting?
In the backseat sits Congressman Barnes, polished in his tailored suit, dark sunglasses and wearing an inscrutable expression. The same man. The same damn man.
Alexei almost whispers it. Zimlis…
But the Congressman doesn’t seem to recognize him. He’s scrolling through something on a sleek black phone, brow furrowed in that way Alexei remembers all too well from that ill fated mission decades ago - the same expression the Winter Soldier wore when he was given a mission with instructions written in blood.
“You, uh, new in D.C.?” Alexei ventures, trying to keep his voice steady.
“No.” Bucky doesn’t look up.
Alexei feels sweat starting to bead at his temple. Not from the heat, but from nerves. Stupid, old man. Just drive the limo. Keep the head down. Don’t say something dumb like, hey, remember that time we-
Alexei swallows and glances at the clock on the dash. Crap. They’re cutting it close.
"You mind hurrying it up?” Bucky says suddenly, voice low but firm. Their eyes meet in the mirror. “I’m already late for a committee meeting.”
Alexei jolts like he’s been shot. “Yes! Of course! No problem. I give you speed like Russian rocket. Eh- legal speed. Very safe. Fast and safe. Not like bear on ice, da.”
He reaches to flick on the indicator, or so he thinks. His finger hits the wrong one... and chaos erupts.
“If you’re horny, let’s do it…”
The unmistakable beat of Pony by Ginuwine pulses through hidden speakers. Neon disco lights strobe from the ceiling, a fog machine hisses from beneath the seats, and a hidden compartment springs open between the seats in the back revealing a bottle of champagne on ice with two flutes ready to go.
"Oh no,” Alexei breathes. “No no no no no.”
He slaps the dash, hits every button in reach rbut it just results in more lights. A small sparkling disco ball descends and the he music gets louder.
Bucky takes off his sunglasses slowly. The smoke curls around him like he’s the villain in some kind of spy movie.
“Huh,” is all he says.
Alexei’s fingers are flying over buttons now. “It is malfunction! Malfunction of party mode! This is not real party! You are not party man, I know this! You are serious man! Congressman man!”
Bucky coughs but it sounds suspiciously like a laugh.
“I can explain,” Alexei tries again as the lights finally die and the music cuts out mid- “Ride it, my pony-”
“I bet you can,” Bucky says, sliding his sunglasses back on with the barest twitch of his mouth. “Champagne’s a bold choice for 9 a.m.”
Alexei gulps. “Please, Congressman, forgive the, ah, entertainment system. This is... not typical.”
They pull up outside the Capitol. Alexei parks but then he’s already twisting around in his seat, words tumbling out.
“I would never- there’s no disco normally. You understand. This was mistake. Big, loud, inappropriate mistake-"
Bucky is already halfway out of the limo when he pauses then turns back. There's a glint of something Alexei can't name behind the composed expression bucky wears.
“Russian?" Bucky asks mildly.
Alexei nods, a crooked smile behind his beard. A pang sounds in his chest as a flicker of memory assails him. “Da.”
Bucky nods slowly like he’s filing something away then says quietly, “Spasibo za poezdku.”
Thanks for the ride.
Then he’s gone, door closing behind him with a soft thunk.
Alexei leans back in the driver’s seat, his heart pounding in his ears.
“Zimlis,” he whispers, a grin breaking over his face.
"Maybe you do remember.”
I wonder if Alexei ever drove Bucky in the limo while he was working in DC?
I wonder if Alexei ever drove Bucky in the limo while he was working in DC?
I also did the winterguardian ABO (Maybe both Alphas? Bucky Omega and Alexei Alpha? I'm not sure) And in any case go to watch this fucking third episode from third season of What if
They ditch the last body in a Nevada ravine and don’t look back. There are no more handlers, no more orders. No Red Room taskforce and no Hydra to haunt them. Now they're just two weapons built by monsters, finally turned on their makers. They steal a Dodge with a busted radio and windows that don’t roll down. The soldier drives while Alexei navigates. Alexei keeps one hand on the map, the other on the soldier's thigh. They cross state lines without purpose - Utah, Colorado, New Mexico. There's no plan, just wind and dust and stolen hours. They sleep in cheap motels and abandoned cabins. Alexei patches the soldier's wounds in silence and hums old Russian lullabies when the soldier can’t sleep. They don’t speak of love, but when the soldier wakes in the middle of the night, breathing hard and shaking, Alexei is there with strong arms and calloused hands holding him tight, grounding him like gravity. Like faith. There’s no future waiting for them except whatever they make it. No orders, no redemption, no audience. Only stolen hours and the taste of freedom bittersweet on their tongues.
Chapters: 2/? Fandom: Marvel Cinematic Universe, What If...? (Cartoon 2021) Rating: Explicit Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply Relationships: James "Bucky" Barnes/Alexei Shostakov Characters: James "Bucky" Barnes, Alexei Shostakov, The Winter Soldier, Red Guardian - Character Additional Tags: Winter Soldier Bucky Barnes, Episode: s03e03 What If... The Red Guardian Stopped The Winter Soldier?, Post-Episode: s03e03 What If... The Red Guardian Stopped The Winter Soldier?, the winter soldier/red guardian - Freeform, Alternate Universe - Canon Divergence, Alternate Universe, On the Run, Set in the 90s, Slow Burn, nickname for bucky, Snowed In, Stoic Winter Soldier, Red Guardian, cabin in the woods, Protective Alexei Shostakov, alexei shostakov - Freeform, romantic feelings, us against the world, Gentle Dom Alexei (kinda), Brainwashed Bucky Barnes, memory loss bucky barnes, Demisexual Bucky Barnes, canon divergence - 1991, Alexei playing the long game Series: Part 3 of Zimlis Summary:
Alexei continues his attempts to thaw the Winter.
(Yes, the rating has gone up. Things are gonna get spicy... eventually)
Where are my fellow winterguardian shippers at 👀
I'm going insane - it looks like they were on a road trip and Alexei picked up an old camera in some garage sale and they took happy snaps of each other on the way 😭
THUNDERBOLTS* minor SPOILERS —
Alexei: “so what’s the secret plan?”
Bucky: “the plan?”
Also Bucky 2 seconds later: *proceeds to slam the van right into the glass corridor*
Also Alexei 2 seconds later: “i love this plan!!”
— Thunderbolts*
Chapters: 1/? Fandom: Marvel Cinematic Universe, Thunderbolts (Movie 2025), What If...? (Cartoon 2021) Rating: Mature Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply Relationships: James "Bucky" Barnes/Alexei Shostakov Characters: James "Bucky" Barnes, Alexei Shostakov Additional Tags: Alternate Universe - Canon Divergence, Reunions, Slow Burn, No Spoilers for Movie: Thunderbolts (2025), soft angst, red guardian x winter soldier, Wistful, Mentions of memory loss, alexei and bucky reunion, Post-Episode: s03e03 What If... The Red Guardian Stopped The Winter Soldier?, Past romantic relationships, Winter Soldier - Freeform, past mission partners, Emotional Hurt/Comfort, Tender Alexei, Alternative Timeline, Canon Divergence, winterguardian, I Wrote This Instead of Sleeping, How Do I Tag Summary:
A long time ago, the Red Guardian and the Winter Soldier shared a mission, a cabin and sweat-slicked skin under the covers.
When they meet again, decades later.... Alexei still remembers. Bucky does not.
At least 3 times a day I am reminded that the Winter Soldier SMILED at Alexei Shoskatov and I am crying screaming throwing up.
winterguardian is my roman empire
Chapters: 1/? Fandom: Marvel Cinematic Universe, What If...? (Cartoon 2021) Rating: Explicit Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply Relationships: James "Bucky" Barnes/Alexei Shostakov Characters: James "Bucky" Barnes, Alexei Shostakov, The Winter Soldier, Red Guardian - Character Additional Tags: Winter Soldier Bucky Barnes, Episode: s03e03 What If... The Red Guardian Stopped The Winter Soldier?, Post-Episode: s03e03 What If... The Red Guardian Stopped The Winter Soldier?, the winter soldier/red guardian - Freeform, Alternate Universe - Canon Divergence, Alternate Universe, On the Run, Set in the 90s, Slow Burn, nickname for bucky, Snowed In, Stoic Winter Soldier, Red Guardian, cabin in the woods, Protective Alexei Shostakov, alexei shostakov - Freeform, romantic feelings, us against the world, Gentle Dom Alexei (kinda), Brainwashed Bucky Barnes, memory loss bucky barnes, Demisexual Bucky Barnes, canon divergence - 1991, Alexei playing the long game Series: Part 3 of Zimlis Summary:
Alexei continues his attempts to thaw the Winter.
(Yes, the rating has gone up. Things are gonna get spicy... eventually)
But would you run away with me?
Yes
"You don't know me. I'm not the same person anymore."
"That's okay. I'll get to know you again."
This Bucky with this Alexei though
Chapters: 1/1 Fandom: Marvel Cinematic Universe, What If...? (Cartoon 2021) Rating: Mature Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply Relationships: James "Bucky" Barnes/Alexei Shostakov, the winter soldier/Red guardian Characters: James "Bucky" Barnes, Alexei Shostakov Additional Tags: What If...? (cartoon 2021) Season 3, Alternate Universe - Canon Divergence, What if the red guardian stopped the winter soldier, what if...? s3 ep3 (marvel), Episode: s03e03 What If... The Red Guardian Stopped The Winter Soldier?, Post-Episode: s03e03 What If... The Red Guardian Stopped The Winter Soldier?, Winter Soldier Bucky Barnes, Protective Alexei Shostakov, alexei shostakov - Freeform, Set in the 90s while on the run together, On the Run, Slow Burn, nickname for bucky, Bad Weather, mutual trust building, cabin in the woods, Snowed In, Stoic Winter Soldier, Tender Alexei, Canon Divergence – 1991, Only One Bed (…eventually?), TBC? Summary:
Alexei knows the Winter Soldier could have fulfilled his mission orders and killed him, but he didn't. Now on the run, they share shelter and warmth from the fire. Slowly, something begins to thaw.