#emd asks

What sucks about this is that One doesn't think much of it at all. In his mind, he's just playing the part of the commander. He doesn't realize how much he really does think and act that way after being forced into that role for so long, and normalizing that relationship with his brother. And because he doesn't realize just how much it has shaped his relationship with Two, he also doesn't realize how much it has ruined Two's life. (more on that here and here)

The second-best, lower rank role that was put on Two has damaged Two's sense of self so badly. He's fighting himself and everyone around him against the idea that he is fundamentally less than One. Ever since Draxum decided Two was a loose cannon and they were sorted into their roles, Two has been silenced at every turn no matter if he was right or wrong. He was simply too emotional, too unpredictable to be allowed any authority, even over himself. And yet he still fights to have a say, even if he's shut down and forced to keep his mouth shut. (more on that here and here)

So when One turns around in Smart Lair and is all like "I'm doing this for you" it's absurd to Two, because suddenly One cares about Two? And even that is a stretch because although One claims that he's doing all this irreparable damage against Draxum and THEIR (not just One's) standing with their commander, One never once asked Two what he thought or what he wanted, or even for his help. So that's why Two is so resistant to One's apologies and attempts to fix their relationship in season 2, because One has never acknowledged or respected Two's autonomy in a way that mattered. He had always treated Two as a subordinate, which is the dynamic that Draxum assigned them. So, no, Two does not believe that One actually wants to fix anything (at least not for Two), and no, Two does not understand how One can be so angry at Draxum while walking around actively reconstructing the dynamic that Draxum trapped Two in, even after they abandoned him. And One just doesn't realize that THIS is the problem. And Two even tried spelling it out for him:

Lair Games "My failure was only due to your inability to give up control! This could’ve been avoided if you had just told me what you were planning from the beginning! I didn’t trust you, which you hated. But you’ve never trusted me! As it turned out, I was right not to trust you, and yet I was expected to trust you blindly anyway!” “Aw, did that piss you off? That was your fucking job.” “I have been Number Two my whole life [...] I remember when the name I was proud of became a permanent label of value for my work. By design and by fourteen years of unyielding persistence, I know that my work is the best in my field. And yet it was never enough. I accept that that is my hurdle to clear. That name, however, has been used to silence me and subdue me when I know I am capable of much more [...] But you sabotaged me [...] You dragged me down into your hell and insisted it was for my own good. You used your name to deny me my autonomy and ruined me in the process. Now you have the impudence to invade the prison you put me in and try to put me back in my place. So, no. Tell Michael I am not interested in your apologies. I cannot and will not co-exist with you if you will not respect me" [...] One is silent for too long.  “This isn’t going to work,” Two mutters.

This one-sided conflict about Two's rank is one of the BIGGEST reasons why Two doesn't accept One or his apologies. It's a battle he's been fighting all his life. But EVEN AFTER their conversation in Lair Games and One's supposed reformation, he is STILL (subconsciously) treating Two like a subordinate:

Air Turtle One tries not to take offense. “There’s no catch. I’ll take the ball so they follow me, then I’ll pass it to you. Just score us that point.” Two’s eyes narrow suspiciously and he doesn’t reply fast enough, so One makes the decision for him.  “I’m going to take that as a yes.”

It's something that One doesn't even think twice of, and Mikey and Raph probably wouldn't either (WE didn't even think twice about it), but to Two, this would just feel like another order. One unthinkingly took Two's choice away from him again, in the chapter he really was trying to include Two (kudos to him).

Two even tried to tell him before what he wanted, but One shut him down:

Smart Lair "This new plan of yours is only going to set us back. You will be single handedly undoing thirteen years of work, you absolute moron—” One bristles. “Watch it, Number Two ,” he growls. “Don’t forget who’s in charge here. 

In the past, every time Two tries to be equals like One claims to want, and dares to disagree, One pulls rank and shuts him up. So he'll always be sensitive about how much autonomy he gets until One proves he cares about it, too.

Air Turtle “I’m sorry.” “Why?” “Why does it matter?” “You never apologize. So why are you now?” “I… was angry. I— I’ve been angry and I’ve been taking it out on you.” One takes a deep breath and finally meets Two’s eyes. “I never… wanted… to hurt you. I just thought I was doing the right thing…” Two’s stare is unwavering. “So, you’re apologizing to me so you can feel better about yourself?” “What?” “You think one apology is going to fix everything?” “No! But I—” One’s mouth goes dry. “I want to start somewhere. Don’t you?” “No.”

It's certainly harsh but this ^^ is why Two still won't forgive him.

Because Two knows One still has absolutely no clue about how much the Rank Thing has actually hurt him and how terrible it's been for him to live in One's shadow and under Draxum's thumb, and how it's STILL controlling his life. One doesn't understand that Two has been fighting for autonomy and respect for almost his whole life. Two doesn't think that One CAN understand because he never lived through what Two did. Despite what One thinks, One and Two weren't treated the same by Draxum. Which of course is why One's rebellion ruined things so badly for Two.

But then, it doesn't at all help that Two is just refusing to actively communicate what he's feeling and going through. Two doesn't want to have to explain himself because he wasn't (emphasis on wasn't) interested in fixing the relationship in the first place (see: he never called One "brother", he responded poorly when One returned). If One is so sorry and so hateful towards their life with Draxum, which he went out of his way to destroy, he'd better prove it. He'd better SHOW Two that he means it when he apologizes and he says he wants things to change.

Because if One doesn't mean it and doesn't change, then Two won't ever escape. And really, all Two is trying to do is escape.

The Hidden City Job “You don’t know anything!” Two snaps.  “I know you know that you can’t trust her!” One presses.  “I DON’T CARE!” “If you turn me in, you’re just giving her what she wants and you have no idea what that is!” One argues.  “I don’t care what she wants!” “Of course you don’t! You’re just acting out because Draxum’s not an option anymore.” “No! I’m done with Draxum!” [Two] rants. “I’m going to become something more— something better — and I will show him! I’ll show everyone that I am so much more than you!” One’s mouth twitches into a frown. He recalls Two being the one who wanted to break this cycle, so why the hell is he taking it back now?  “I thought we weren’t doing this anymore.” “And yet, here we are. Again,” Two spits out bitterly, gritting his teeth tightly. “You just don’t get it.”

(^^ btw this is probably the most direct indicator of where we're at with One and Two's relationship right now)

Two's sick of being treated as second best, by Big Mama, by Draxum, and by One. It's an endless cycle that he's trapped in. If only he'd realize that the Hamatos don't treat him that way but anyways--- And even Two struggles to break himself out of it sometimes; he was ready to go crawling back to Draxum in Mystery Meet.

Mystery Meet “No, One’s right isn’t he?” Mikey presses. “That’s why you wanted us to save Draxum. So that you could finally leave?” The pressure in Two’s chest intensifies, making him feel like it’s about to explode. So he does. “So what if I do? What the hell does it matter to you— to any of you— what the hell I decide to do?!” “He’s not family!” One yells. “Right? That’s what you always say!” “He’s not! But neither are any of you!”

It's almost as if... he's so unused to making his own decisions... that he's actually... kind of bad at it... lol. But yeah Two has no idea what he actually wants or what's best for him because A. he's never had another option and has no idea what else to do and B. he doesn't think very highly of himself, and is only used to scraps of decency.

But I digress.

Two thinks One is selfish and doesn't actually care about how Two feels, he only cares about how he feels. Which is fine. One can care about himself all he wants. But how dare he pretend that he's doing anything for Two. In Two's mind, nothing that has happened to him over the past year or so has been what he wanted.

He didn't want to retrieve the Hamatos

He didn't want to betray Draxum. He didn't want to kill the Hamatos

He didn't want to deactivate One

He didn't want to close Alpha 9

He didn't want to team up with the experiments Draxum wanted to replace him with

He didn't want to go with the Hamatos and be a part of their family

He didn't want One to come back into his life

He didn't want to train with him or fight with him

And he certainly doesn't want to forgive him

In season 2, Two is fighting tooth and nail for any scrap of autonomy and respect he can get, which is why he makes all the choices that he does: attending school with April, working for Big Mama, attempting to reunite with Draxum, and refusing One's apology.

If all that sounds kind of bleak and unfair to One it's because it's very much a Two-centric perspective. But from a more objective and optimistic perspective as one of the authors, Two IS making progress...

Air Turtle One pauses, forcing himself to acknowledge something he’s never had the courage to before. “...I can’t fix this on my own.” There’s a beat of stunned silence. Two even pauses in the middle of the fight. “Say that again?”

Lair Games One struggles for a moment but ultimately Two unwraps the band from his arm and releases him. One could turn around and fight tooth and nail to get it back, but he knows that it’d be pointless to go that far. He’s lost.  Everyone’s quiet, as if waiting for something else to happen, then a chime goes off.  “Uh— time is up. Purple’s team wins!” Splinter announces.  One pushes off his knees, remembering his end of the deal. “So, should I pack a bag?” Two regards him carefully for a silent moment. “No,” he states plainly.

Rest assured that Two IS noticing that One is changing. It's just hard for him to accept it at face value. Partly because he himself is having a really hard time changing and adjusting to their new life. But he wouldn't have let One stay if he didn't notice (admittedly part of this was because he essentially just thought he was pathetic but close enough lol)

And even with all of that Two doesn’t…. fully dislike One. He actually respects him a lot. He knows him better than anybody else simply because it was his job to, so he knows how much potential he has, and how capable he is, so he admires him and even looks up to him in some capacity. It’s all just so stifled by the problem of their ranks and the hatred he feels because of it. It sucks for him to have so much respect for One, to see how valuable he is, just for One to not show him the same acknowledgment or respect.

but anyways tldr: this issue is one of the BIGGEST problems that Two is still struggling with and the backbone of why his and One's relationship is still failing, and why Two's having a hard time accepting the family.