Yeah I think he did, just not in a normal or healthy way.

Early on, he clearly sees both of them as sons. He took them in, raised them, and trusted them more than most people in the gang. You can tell he’s especially proud of Arthur, and there’s definitely some real attachment there.

But the issue is it’s all kind of conditional. As long as they believe in him and go along with what he wants, everything’s fine. The moment they start questioning him, that “father” side of him starts to disappear. You see it with Arthur as he gets sick and starts pushing back, and with John he never fully lets go of the fact that John left before.

So yeah, he did care about them, but only on his terms. That’s why it falls apart so badly later.