This one is mostly funny with a little angst

Carefully regulating his breathing, Jesse marked his target approaching. Only another meter or saw and he'd be in range. This mission was high-risk, but necessary. This was war, after all.

Almost almost… now!

"BOO!"

"AAAAHHHHH!" Hardcase let out an inhuman screech and stumbled back, tumbling to the ground. His eyes were wide and his chest heaved, until he saw Jesse. He glared at his batchmate.

"I hate you, Jess."

"No, you don't." Jesse held his hand out. "You know you love me."

"Unfortunately," Hardcase muttered as he let himself be hauled to his feet. "Why did I have to get stuck with such a di'kut of a batchmate?"

"You know, I could've sworn I heard Kix say the exact same thing to you when Rex dragged you into the medbay after you tried to ride two mouse droids as skates. And then crashed. And wrecked the droids."

"At least I did something cool," Hardcase shot back, still smarting from the chewing out both Rex and Kix gave him after the mouse droid incident. "You're just doing dumb stuff to avoid the paperwork Rex gave you."

"That's ridiculous."

"Uh-hu, sure—oh, hi, Rex."

"Ahh!" Jesse lunged for the doorway, before realizing that the 501st's captain wasn't even there.

"Not avoiding Rex, huh?"

"Usen'ye," Jesse growled, his nose scrunched, before he brightened. "Hey, wanna pull a prank on some shinies?"

"Well…"

"It involves an explosion."

"I'm in." The legion's resident pyromaniac grinned

"This is a terrible idea."

"This was your idea!"

"But if we're caught, Rex'll punish me with more paperwork."

"We just need to make it look like Fives did it."

"How are we gonna do that?"

"Well, first, we need to—wait a minute! This whole thing was your idea! Why am I making the plans?"

"I was wondering that myself," a new voice spoke.

"AAAAAAHHHHH!" The two batchmates screamed as they grabbed each other, while their commanding officer smirked from the shadows he'd been watching them in.

"How long have you been there, sir?" Jesse gasped, detangling himself from Hardcase.

"I followed you two di'kuts here," Rex said airily.

"You've been here the whole time?!"

"Pretty much."

"I would like to go on record, sir," Hardcase stated formally. "That is was all Jesse's idea."

"Aruetii," his batchmate hissed

"I knew that," Rex answered Hardcase, ignoring Jesse. "What exactly was the prank going to be?"

"We were gonna welcome the latest batch of shinies to the 501st."

"Jesse, please tell me," Rex begged his lieutenant, "that you weren't going to haze them"

Silence answered him.

"How were you going to do it?"

"Well," Hardcase started, his tone exposing just how willing his participation was, "we rigged up this mini explosion—"

"You've set up an explosion?!"

"Mini explosion," Jesse corrected. "And all it was gonna do was shower the shinies with blue glitter."

Rex raised his eyes to the ceiling. "Oh, that makes perfect sense. Now I understand."

Jesse and Hardcase looked at each other, starting to sweat.

"In fact," Rex smiled, causing the hairs on the backs of his subordinates' necks to stand on end, "I want to reward you two for such a genius plan. Hardcase, for your contribution, you will be on 'fresher duty for the next week. I also want you to dismantle the explosion."

"Yes, sir."

"If the glitter bomb goes off at all," Rex warned, still smiling, "You're a dead man. Dismissed."

Hardcase gulped. "Yessir." He fled.

"And Jesse," Rex continued. "Incidents like this require paperwork. You'll need to complete and file yours and Hardcase's reprimands."

"But—"

"Lieutenant!" Rex snapped, the smile gone. "You're Torrent's XO. I need you to act like it."

Jesse froze. Rex's face softened.

"Jess, I know you don't like paperwork and I don't mind you goofing off. But there are times when the men need you, when I need you. Ni'capaa'gar cuyir'rud'ni."

Jesse nodded, his throat refusing to let him speak. Rex clapped a hand to his shoulder before walking off.

"Rex?"

The captain halted and turned. "Yeah, Jess?"

"Ni ceta. I won't fail you again."

Rex smiled. "I know you won't."

Jesse watched his CO leave, determination filling him. He could do this, be a good 2IC for his captain and his company. After all, Rex thought he could. That was good enough for him.

A voice sounded from the direction Rex had gone. "Fives, you di'kut, if you touch that glitter, so help me…!"

I hope you like this so far. I'm having fun. Please let me know in the reviews what you liked specifically.

Di'kut - idiot, moron
Usen'ye - shut up
Aruetii - traitor
Ni'capaa'gar cuyir'rud'ni - I need you to be with me
Ni ceta - I'm sorry