| PANDEMONIUM | Percy x Apollo

Chapter 1

A year before the world descended into chaos, Tony saw Dr. Jackson for the first time.

He attended an alumni event at MIT, gave a short speech, everybody clapped. Drinks were served, conversations held, everything was as expected. Except, he'd expected to be flirted with, but very few women had paid him any attention all evening. For a second, Tony had worried that he was visibly growing old. He was only in his mid thirties. It had been a scary second. But soon he managed to glean the reason from an elderly faculty member.

"Mr. Stark, I'm hoping the event is to your taste." The older man had said to him in a kind and respectful manner. Tony thought to himself that Steve would definitely sound like that if he managed to grow old.

"Yes, definitely. Mr.-"

"Dr. Salisbury."

"Dr. Salisbury. The event's nice, though I'd expected to find myself more appealing to the ladies." He said with the arrogant charm he reserved for the public.

"Ah, sorry, I managed to convince one of my department's professors to attend today's event."

Tony raised an eyebrow inquisitively. Not understanding how it could've related to what he had asked. Maybe the older man was having issues with hearing?

He seemed to sense Tony's confusion and pointed at a young man in his twenties, with brown skin and green eyes. He was well built, like a swimmer, and had unruly black hair. He was undoubtedly very handsome. His sculpted features rivalled Thor's and that was saying something.

And this fact had indeed not gone unnoticed by the many women in the room who were throwing covert glances at him from time to time. The guy didn't even seem to notice. Tony wasn't jealous. Jealously was for the weak.

"Isn't he a little young?"

"Yes he is. In fact I'm almost sure Dr. Jackson was the youngest to ever be hired to teach at MIT. He was barely 22 when he joined."

Tony was severely impressed.

"That good, eh? Which department?"

"Marine biology."

"Too bad. Not very interested in the subject, or I'd have liked to have a chat."

-

Tony had forgotten all about Dr. Jackson up until a month later when he saw him entering his tower, or the Avengers tower as they have taken to calling it.

He figured the man had some work at the tower, and dismissed him from his mind. He had to finish the new project he was working on if he wished to catch some sleep this week.

On deciding to get some lunch, Tony walked to Bruce's lab when he saw Dr. Jackson again. This time in a white coat and protective headgear, mixing chemicals in a test tube with Bruce by his side.

He watched as the two men spoke in excited whispers and poured something into a large beaker full of some yellow liquid. As soon as the whole thing was poured in, Bruce and Jackson ran away from the worktable and watched and watched and watched. Their expressions turning more disappointed by the second until suddenly the beaker burst in a puff of blue smoke revealing a tiny fish shaped sillhouette that disappeared in a flash.

He chose that moment to make his presence known.

"Neat experiment. What were you aiming to achieve there?"

"A cerulean water based projection of a Siamese fighting fish." Said Dr. Jackson, with dry humour colouring his tone. His voice was deep but not too much. It carried well despite the considerable distance between them and the lack of volume on Jackson's part.