Rick is not an emotional person, usually.

Unless he's totally and absolutely blackout drunk- then he becomes an overly emotional sap.

And while he is drunk most of the time, that's different because most of the time, he's with Morty and or Summer, who are still underage, and who he does kind of try to be a good role model for (despite everyone knowing he is and probably always will be the shittiest role model ever). Also they're usually in mortal peril, and he can't really afford to be shitfaced when he's the only one with the knowledge and skills to save all their asses.

But as emotional as he is when he drinks too much, that's still not enough to make him genuinely care about anything greater than someone else's feelings, and even then, that caring only goes so far. Cause he's about action, about science and practicality- not comforting hugs and sweet words (unless it's for Beth, but that's just cause she's his daughter no matter what dimension).

To that, he also knows that Beth and Summer are about as touchy-feely as he is, and just as practical. Hell, even Jerry was somewhat practical in some areas. Really, it was almost a wonder how they'd ended up with a kid as whiny and emotional as Morty. Almost. Except Rick is a scientist first and a somewhat nagsy father second, and he knows that in the grand scheme of things, it was inevitable that Jerry's personality traits would take over eventually one kid.

But it isn't as bad as he'd initially thought.

Morty was an emotional and stupid kid most of the time, but there were times that saved both their asses- cause, that adventure with the freaky giant lawyers and the weird RPG village and the jellybean king? For once, it went almost perfectly. Rick only had to kill one living being that time, and it wasn't even for totally selfish reasons, either.

Because they'd finished it Morty style.

Though, good and balancing as that emotional rollercoaster was, sometimes, Rick wonders what it would be like if Morty were just a teeny tiny bit more like him, and without even being fully aware of it at the time- hindsight 20/20, after all- those idle musings tend to drive him to do things that could barely even be called sane, let alone legal.

He convinced Morty to join him in the Purge Festival.

He convinced Morty to kill another sentient life form to save himself.

He destroyed the Vindicators, and okay, maybe part of that was out of jealousy that Morty idolized them and not him, but ultimately it was to change Morty's views, to show him that there was no such thing as 'good', or even 'evil'. None of it ever mattered, and that's why they were both free to do whatever the hell they wanted.

And day by day, he can see the impact his actions have on the kid. He's grown a little more withdrawn. A little less emotional. He's even stopped complaining about their adventures.

Rick still isn't quite sure if he likes that or not now. Morty was always a better person than him because of his emotions. He was always supposed to be the better person.

And Rick knows he may have inadvertently fucked all of that up.