Atonement

Chapter Four

Telling his Zio Lorenzo about the baby went exactly as Tony expected it to go. The old Alpha was positively ecstatic about the pup and proceeded to fester the omega about eating healthier foods and getting more rest. It took Zio Alberto smacking him on the back of his head to stop fussing over Tony.

"Stop crowding Antonio, dear. You act like it's your first grandchild. I don't remember you acting like this when Marco's omega got pregnant," said Alberto with a fond roll of his eyes.

"Oh, per favore. That woman should never have been near my little Marco. She's too much of a socialite omega, not having done a single work in her life. Poor, poor Marco having to work and care for the children on his own," lamented the Alpha.

Tony had actually known that Marco ended up marrying the princess of the Bracci family. Adrianna Bracci was a prime example of a spoiled brat ever since they were children. Tony had no idea what made Marco decide she'd be a good partner, especially since Tony remembers his older cousin by 4 years being the kindest and most polite of them fourth-generation Carbonells.

"What had she done now?" Tony asked curiously. The last she heard, Adrianna was still pregnant with her and Marco's first child.

"The harlot went traipsing in Paris with another alpha. Your Zio Lorenzo and I had to travel to Milan in the middle of the night and made that alpha son of ours pack all his and the children's things. They're currently in the middle of a messy divorce but everyone knows Adrianna only stays with Marco because he's the direct heir of this vineyard and not because she loves him and the children. Lord knows I've told Marco many times over to just give the girl the money she wanted. It's not fair for the little ones."

Tony frowned considerably. He knows in a general sense that not all omegas care for their pups but he's had a hard time believing an actual omega whom he knows personally would end up becoming one of them. He's not even a few months into his pregnancy and he already loves his pup more than anything else in his life.

"How old are Marco's pups now? Where are they staying?"

"He has an apartment in Roma. The kids, Henry and Amara are only six and four. They're both staying with Marco. They visit from time to time but with the kids at school and Marco busy with the recent company expansion, they do it less often."

"And Gianni? Sofia?" Tony asked further, rubbing his slightly distended stomach in an attempt to reassure his pup no such thing will ever happen to them.

"Gianni and his Alpha, Joaquin still insists they do not need children to be happy. They're quite contented with three beautiful dogs. Sofia and her omega, Paul had only gotten married and bonded last December. They moved to London to be near Paul's family," explained the older omega. "Stella still lives with your Zio Diego and Zio Philippe. Charles has joined the military. Lucas, on the other hand, had a fallout with his mamma. Your Zia Luna is pulling her hair off with the stress."

"I haven't seen them all since forever," mused Tony sadly. "They're coming for harvesting season, right?"

Lorenzo nodded assuredly. "If they weren't before, they surely will now when I tell them you are here. Everyone has missed you greatly, Antonio. Seeing you on television is not the same."

"I know, Zio. I promise I'll visit more often from now on. Plus, I'm thinking of staying here until this one is born at least," said Tony, patting his tummy softly.

"That is great, mimmo! But what about your alpha? Wouldn't the captain mind you leaving for so long?"

The concerned looks from his two uncles were painful to watch so Tony averted his gaze. "We're not on good terms recently, Zio Alberto. It's why I needed to get out of the world for a while."

"Oh, Antonio, what happened?" Alberto took both of Tony's hands and gently caressed them.

Tony found he didn't mind telling the older pair of what had occurred within the past two months; from Bucky turning up alive to Steve barging in and asking for a break in their relationship. Tony even got to blame the tears on his weird pregnancy hormones. They were, as usual, very understanding of the whole thing. Zio Lorenzo immediately pulled him in for a hug, much to Tony's relief.

"Do you still love him, mimmo?" asked Alberto softly. 

The question made Tony stop and think. Does he still love Steve? Will he still love him even after the nights he spent crying alone in their bed? Will he still love him even after they all but unbonded? No matter how much Tony wants to tell himself he’s better off without his alpha, his heart still yearns for the man. Love has never been logical, it seems.

“I don’t think I’ll ever stop loving him. I can’t even find it in myself to hate him for what happened the past two months,” responded Tony just as softly. “But that doesn’t mean I’ll come running back this soon. He and I both need the time away to sort our priorities. If we really are meant for each other, we’ll find our way back, won’t we, Zio?”

The two men looked at each other and appeared to have a silent conversation. It made Tony feel anxious and worried that they wouldn’t agree with him. Truth be told, he really wants to believe he and Steve will work out in the end. Not only because of their baby but because he will never love anyone as he loved the blond army captain.

“Have we ever told you about the time Lorenzo and I spent a year apart?” Alberto asked Tony.

Tony’s eyes widened and shook his head, feeling his body straighten out in alarm. Lorenzo and Alberto’s relationship was like a myth to him. They were the embodiment of a healthy, strong partnership. As a child, he had always wished he’d find love like theirs as opposed to the one he saw in his parents. When he bonded with Steve, he was so sure he’d gotten the love he had wanted for so long.

“We’re not as perfect as you children may think, Antonio,” Lorenzo smiled indulgingly at the younger omega as if he knew exactly what went through Tony’s mind. “We’ve had our ups and downs as well. Some bigger than the others.”

Alberto continued where Lorenzo stopped. “You were only just born when we had our biggest fight. Marco was barely four years old then and Gianni had just turned one. None of you pups were old enough to know what was happening.”

“What happened, Zio? Tell me,” pleaded the pregnant omega.

The old omega sighed and carded his aged fingers through Tony’s curls. “Lorenzo’s papa, your nonno, died only a year before and left the whole farm to us. Lorenzo was understandably so busy managing the whole vineyard that he barely comes home anymore.” Alberto’s gaze went to his husband and Tony saw the assuring smile the omega sent the alpha. “And when he did, he was always frustrated and easily angered. He was so different from the alpha I had married.”

“I lashed out,” admitted Lorenzo guiltily. “I can’t seem to remember what caused my temper but when I came home and found Marco and Gianni had trashed the living room—which I may add had always been messy, especially with two toddlers—I said unforgiving things to your Zio Alberto. Things that I will regret for the rest of my life.”

“Make no mistake, Antonio. I love all my children. But sometimes, life gets ahead of me and I forget they were the main reason I kept working so hard. I told Alberto I wished we never had pups and that my life would have been so much better without them ruining it.”

Alberto reached over to hold Lorenzo’s hand in solidarity. “I know then and I know now he never meant it but at that time, my emotions got the best of me. That night, I packed my bags, took Marco and Gianni, and left without another word. Your mamma found out and bought me and the boys tickets to America. Howard wasn’t so bad then. He let us stay in New York with you for as long as we needed. It took Lorenzo a couple of weeks before tracking us down to America but I was stubborn and I refused to come home with the pups. Things were so bad, I almost decided to fully start a new life there with your two cousins.” This time, Alberto grinned at Tony and patted his alpha’s arm. “But the Carbonells can out-stubborn anyone, yes? For several months, Lorenzo flew back and forth from Italy to America, trying again and again to get me to forgive him. I hadn’t allowed him any contact with the boys for some time. Do you know what he did? He respected that and never used his right as Alpha to demand full custody. It took me four months to let him see our children, and another two to agree on a date with him. We stayed in America for a whole year before truly coming back home.”

“We still have huge fights every now and then. Just last week, I banished Alberto to the next room because he left the farmhouse door open and animals got in. A couple of months ago, I suffered days’ worth of beansprouts and potatoes for dinner because I told him his Vermicelli was too rubbery.”

Tony gasped and eyed Lorenzo and Alberto cautiously. “You didn’t!”

“Oh, yes, he did,” nodded Alberto firmly. “I dare say he earned his punishment.”

The alpha snorted and waved his hand dismissively. "Anyway, we have had our fights but the love we have for each other is stronger than whatever comes our path. You are not wrong when you say that if you are meant to be together, you'll find your way back. But you must also remember that love takes courage and effort. If you do not do anything to fix your relationship, then nothing will ever get better."

"That is true, Antonio. If your Zio Lorenzo hadn't followed us to America and proved to me that he doesn't regret us bonding and having pups, I would never have returned home with him," agreed the omega.

Tony could do nothing but smile sadly. It sounded so plain and simple: talk, date, then go home. He can't even bring himself to check his phone for any messages knowing he'll break further in case he sees Steve hadn't tried to contact him again. As much as he wants Steve to be like his Zio Lorenzo and follow him across the ocean, the wound was too fresh to reopen.

Maybe someday he'll be brave enough to call his alpha.

But not today.

--

Tony insisted he goes alone shopping for clothes the next day. Both his uncles, while still physically mobile, weren't young enough to suffer such dreadful activity.

The billionaire found himself walking through the cobblestone streets of Alba, jumping from store to store. He wasn't standing out as a superhero billionaire in the crowd, not when he wore an old pair of jeans and a plain black shirt. The card he used to pay for his purchases wasn't connected to Stark Industries at all. It wasn't like he was buying nothing but Armani or Gucci while he was in Piemonte. There's hardly any reason for people to double check.

He had a hearty lunch in a cafe fronting the piazza and made small talk with the beta sitting on the next table. It was one of the calmest shopping trips he ever had in his adult life and he didn't even have to worry about the paparazzi judging him for eating two servings of chocolate cake. It wasn't his fault his baby seemed to have a sweet tooth.

By the time his Zio Lorenzo drove by to pick him up, he was able to buy a wardrobe full of clothing, a couple of boxed chocolate truffles to last him a week, toiletries he hadn't tried before, and a wine red messenger bag he just fell in love with.

"I see Maria's shopping habits are genetic," commented Lorenzo with a grin. "Zia Isabella had to cut off her spending when we were teens ourselves because she insists she needed this and that."

"Mamma did a whole other definition of shopping, Zio Lorenzo. I'm nowhere near her standard," denied Tony vehemently, remembering all the long shopping trips he had to suffer with her.

"She did, didn’t she?" nodded the alpha. "Come now, Antonio. Alberto is making Margherita tonight. Lord knows what travesty of a pizza America made you eat."

Tony burst out laughing, fully knowing his uncle was a major food snob. He does love authentic Italian pizza but he and New York-style pizza have a special bond no amount of oregano can top.

He immediately loaded his paper bags on the back seat of the car and slid into the front seat. Just as they turned to leave the town and head back to the farm, Tony's eyes drifted to a small, rather unassuming store. It wasn't anything special. The sign even looked like it hadn't been repainted in a decade. But right there on the display was the tiniest Captain America costume Tony had ever seen in his life.

"Wait!" called Tony, putting his hand on Lorenzo's arm to stop him from driving away. Lorenzo's gaze followed Tony's and immediately understood.

"Go on, cucciolo."

Tony didn't think twice before jumping out of the car and heading straight to the store. It was obviously locally owned and possibly everything was handmade. The store owner smiled at him as he entered but ultimately let him look around. He must have noticed Tony looking at the babygrow with equal apprehension and longing so he approached the customer.

"I made this when the Captain was found,” said the owner, startling Tony from his focus. "He saved my nonno in the war, you see. Didn't want to sell it at first but my omega told me I have to stop keeping the clothes I make. Still, no one was interested in buying it for a year now. Could be because it's too American."

"How much is it?"

The man looked him straight in the eye, almost raising the hair at the back of Tony's neck. "For you? I give it for free."

"Huh? Wait, why? Is it because no one likes it? No, no. It's very beautiful! You can't just give this away!"

"You are Maria's boy, right? Antonio?"

Surprised at the recognition, Tony stumbled backward and nodded. "Did you know my mamma?"

"Your mamma and I, we were good friends. He brings you here often in the summer when you were just a baby. I have made most of your clothes growing up."

The billionaire raised both brows and looked around the room. “But why?” he asked, gesturing at the size of the store. If Maria Stark did buy Tony’s clothes from this tiny shop then why was it still… tiny?

“Why do I still have this old shop?I like it the way it is. I make enough and live comfortably. All my children finished school. I have no need for bigger dreams.”

“Still, you know who I am then you know I can pay you for this,” argued the omega.

The owner smiled and plucked the babygrow from the display, smoothing it down and walking back to the counter without contending the billionaire’s case. Tony followed and watched as the man wrapped the tiny thing in wrapping tissue and placing it inside a box.

“This belongs to you, Antonio. For yours and the Captain’s pup.”

In a daze, Tony accepted the package reverently and held it to his chest. “Thank you, uhm..”

“Cesare.”

“Thank you, Signor Cesare. Can you not tell anyone I’m here or that uhm… I’m carrying?”

Cesare winked at Tony and said, “I haven’t said a word in nearly four decades, I’m not starting now.”

--

Tony was nearing the end of his first trimester. He’s been away from his alpha for nearly two months, living in Piemonte for one and a half.

He didn't have a lot to do with his time apart from helping in the farm and routinely checking in with Pepper and his two college interns. He still hadn't checked his phone for messages and voicemails but JARVIS did inform him all non-Avenger calls were redirected to Pepper. At least he didn't have to worry about accidentally snobbing the President.

Unfortunately, this meant he was bored most of the time. He already turned part of the farmhouse into his lab and fixed all the machineries in the vineyard by the end of the first week. Tony tried to keep his mind occupied the best he could to avoid thinking about Steve, he even tried learning how to knit.

Whether he was good at it or not was entirely a different story.

By the second week, Lorenzo had enough of Tony moping around and complaining of having nothing to do that one day, he all but dragged the omega to the nearby automobile repair shop and told the owner to put him to work. The Carbonells are well known in the area so no one truly batted an eye at the Alpha's demands. Plus, it helped that Tony looked positively ecstatic about it.

Since then, Tony would walk the unpaved road every morning towards the local garage and spend hours fixing all sorts of vehicles from tractors to vintage models. Though his uncle offered to drive him to and from the garage, Tony found that he quite liked the exercise. He also read that long walks were good for pregnant omegas and could help in easy deliveries. That was enough motivation for him to trek the 10-minute scenic route.

He's been having such an easy pregnancy so far and he's scared that it could be a prelude to a horrifying birth. After all, his baby was half Steve and Steve was nothing but a trouble-magnet. He doesn't regret buying the babygrow but damn does it give him goosebumps every time he sees it lying perfectly inside its box.

Alberto reminded him to schedule an appointment with a doctor when he hit the end of his first trimester and Tony scolded himself for not doing it earlier. Steve had a lot of health issues as a child, and none knew whether the super serum could be passed on through generations. The only time he had himself checked was when Cho confirmed he was pregnant. When he realized the vulnerability of his baby, Tony cried for hours. If it weren't for Alberto finding him and assuring him everything would be fine, the omega would have spent the whole night in tears.

The very next day, Alberto drove Tony to the city and managed to get an appointment that afternoon. Introducing himself as Antonio Carbonell wasn't hard considering he's fluent in Italian and accompanied by Alberto. The bond mark on his neck saved him from the awkward question of 'do you know who's the father?' but it didn't save him from having to answer a long form of Steve's health history. Suffice to say, the doctor was astounded by the list Tony handed her. And that list didn't even contain the diseases eradicated after the 40s.

"What an alpha you have here, Mr. Carbonell," commented Dr. Russo.

Tony chuckled under his breath and sighed rather heavily. "You have no idea, doc."

And because Steve’s history wasn’t very pleasant, Dr. Russo promptly ordered all sorts of tests on Tony. He was weighed and measured, prodded and pinched; but not once did Tony complain. He was willing to do just about anything to make sure his baby was healthy.

“Hmm, your blood tests results are unremarkable and your weight is within the normal range. I don’t see anything wrong as of yet. This is good, Mr. Carbonell. Hopefully, nothing will turn up, but just in case, I want to see you every other week. Is that alright with you?”

Tony nodded quickly, feeling a huge sense of relief wash over him now that he knew his baby appears to be fine.

"Okay. So, are you ready to see your baby?"

The beaming smile on his face earned him chuckles from Dr. Russo and Alberto. He happily followed the instructions and laid on the examination table comfortably, even going as far as lifting his own shirt.

“Eager are we?” Dr. Russo smiled indulgently.

“Sue me, I really want to see my baby,” responded the omega easily.

The obstetrician waited no further and applied the warmed gel to the transducer. With a quick warning to the omega, Dr. Russo placed the device over Tony’s stomach, moving it in seemingly random directions.

Tony wasn’t very familiar with ultrasound images but he didn’t have to be a medical professional to point out the head and the body of his baby. Their little legs were all straightened out and one of their hands looked as if it was waving hello. The steady sound of the baby’s heartbeat was like music to Tony’s ears.

“Oh my god,” sobbed Tony. “Oh my god, they’re so beautiful. Hello, baby. Hello, my little love.”

“Your pup’s quite the showman, huh? The heartbeat sounds wonderful and from the looks of it, they’re exactly how big they should be at twelve weeks. All seems to be going well, Mr. Carbonell. Congratulations.”

Tony nodded tearfully and thanked the doctor. When she offered to print them a picture, Tony asked for three. He wished Steve was beside him, holding his hand as they watch their baby for the first time. But he’s miles away and Tony had to deal with what he has.

That doesn’t mean he can’t pretend he’ll be brave enough later to send him the picture.