Handsome Jack x Child Reader

Chapter 9 Slight Adjustments

Handsome Jack's pov

"Angel! Angel! Leave daddy's gun!", I chased after my daughter who looked to be about six or seven.

She waved around my pistol as she was in a giggle fit.

A smile graced my lips,

I've missed this so much...

Finally I had caught up to her speed, damn she was fast for a kid. I tackled her to the ground, careful not to hurt her. I embraced her tightly as she squirmed in my arms like a sardine trying to get back into the water.

Everything changed...

My arms hugged nothing but the empty space, Angel was gone as fast as she came.

Looking around, I was met with the usual black void which I lay in; inside of Shota's mind, alone just awaiting to be let free. The atmosphere felt heavy, like a huge weight was pressing against my chest and neck, pushing the air right out of me. I scanned the blackness of where I was and there sitting in an all too familiar chair was my angel.

"Daddy, where's mommy!? I want mommy!", I watched as my past self put her in a chair much similar to the one Shota was tortured in. She pleaded with her huge, round, blue dough eyes for some closure. But I ignored it and forced her into that chair, at the time I was trying to convince myself it was all for her sake and maybe it was.

Now that I'm watching it I couldn't help but spouse question after question.

Why didn't I try comfort her?
Why didn't I try consoling her?
She's crying, why aren't I helping?
When did I lose so much humanity?

The truth was, no matter how great my intentions were, I left her in a broken state. I let her sit on that chair crying, I didn't give anything a second thought.

"STOP, IT HURTS!!", the huge eradium being stored around the chair began to pump through her system making her glow slightly dark purple.

My past self flicked the switch and stood there arms crossed, not saying a thing. I can't even remember what I was thinking at the time, all I know is, I didn't give a shit.

Grinding my teeth, my legs kicked off towards my Angel, I'm sorry Angel...

As soon as her screams stopped, I was already on my knees infront of her shaking her slightly. When she fell back into the chair, it was Shota. I stood frozen with confusion.

"Dad",

Following the voice, my head spun to look behind me. It was Angel! She was grown up and seemed diffrent yet the same. I felt ashamed to be in her presence, still my pride forced me to look her in the eye.

"Your an asshole, we can both agree on that, but please. Don't let her end up the same way I did, I don't want another person or child going through what I did", she stared at Shota who sat in the seat (in a dazed doll-like state) which she previously spent her life on. She looked sadly at it as if remembering something and then vanished in a blink of an eye.

Gone.

My head was banging making me clutch my head and fall to my knees. An echo of a voice began to speak, 'I had to seal her powers, if you saw what she did to her mother you'd understand'.

I said that not too long ago. I'm not backing from any of my convictions at all, just wished I showed more humanity while doing them. If only I showed more love or care back then, maybe things would've been different and Angel would still be alive. I cared for Angel so much although it might of not come across that way.

Shota, she's so much like Angel. That's probably why I seem to have a caring/hate relationship with her. From trying to kill her to helping her escape bandits. My own actions also confuse me.

I've got a second chance at what I don't have with my own daughter. Shota will never ever replace Angel, but she's the closest thing I have to family right now and maybe she isn't all bad (apart from being a huge pain in the ass). I'll watch over her and when the time comes I'll get her to get me reanimated, only if that's what she wants, I won't force anything onto her(ok I'm lying about that part, I'll seriously kill her if she doesn't get me reanimated but potatoe potata).

I felt like a new person, for once everything felt lighter.

Author Chan: still seem like an asshole but slightly nicer 😂😑

Shota, what a weird name for a kid. An absolute butt face, eh when God gives you lemons buy ah fucking gun. Well, ok new and improved me, let's Chek on the lil munchkin. Just a little shit of joy isn't she?!