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Infinite Coffee and Protection Detail #1
This, You Protect
The mission resets abruptly, from objective: kill to objective: protect
Fan fiction for MCU, Captain America (movies).
Fan fiction for MCU, Captain America (movies).
233 pages, ebook
Published December 31, 2014
6 people are currently reading
32 people want to read
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Displaying 1 - 22 of 22 reviews
March 6, 2023
Someone rec'ed this to me as "like MurderBot" so obviously I read it.
It was very sweet, recommended as a comfort read. I will check out more by this author.
It was very sweet, recommended as a comfort read. I will check out more by this author.
July 3, 2018
I just finished reading a fanfic series set in the Marvel Universe by Owlet called "Infinite Coffee and Protection Detail"(http://archiveofourown.org/series/195689).
During their climactic fight on the helicarrier, the Winter Soldier's subconcious takes control and resets the mission parameter from "Kill Steven Grant Rogers" to the only thing the "Asset" could probably understand: "Protect and Surveil". Armed with all the self-confidence of an apex predator, Bucky dedicates himself wholeheartedly to his new calling -- from a distance, of course, as close-up protection would be both "inefficient" and "distracting". This isn't a sad-faced Bucky Barnes, daunted by a world he wasn't born into and crushed by guilt. This is a man who gradually learns to enjoy, first simple things (grilled cheese and white chocolate mochas, two perfect foods that the future people got right), then the continuity of his own memories (two whole weeks of them and I'm never going back into cryo, he decides) and then more complex things, such as people.
From only being able to judge people by whether or not they contribute to his successful completion of his mission -- he tags them "mission-assists"-- he graduates to protecting a group of old people from their unsavory landlord, decides he's going to adopt a "no-kill" policy (whenever possible), leaves tied-up bundles of hydra agents on Steve's doorstep like a cat offering his favored human mice, learns to cook, finds he likes to read, picks out a name for himself (James Barnes sounds nice for some reason), and in doing so, reclaims his humanity. This James Barnes knows he's a broken man (his internal conversations with his subconcious are hilarious), and he endures what he calls "mission-downloads"; data dumps of memories from his past, but he persists and grows. Oh, and his internal mutterings over the doings of one Steven Grant Rogers are truly the stuff of comedy.
This is one of those heart-warming stories where Bucky seems to be adjusting to the 21st century at a faster rate than Steve, who he decides needs to eat more grilled cheese and drink more mochas. Steve, he remembers, can't be trusted to a) keep himself out of harm's way and b) still doesn't keep an eye to his vulnerable left-side, so Bucky does it for him, much to his ever-lasting chagrin; Bucky objects to anyone hugging Steve since it just gives people a chance to plant bugs or administer contact poisons.
This is a novel-length story with all the usual ups and downs of a person recovering from trauma, and the bewilderment (and sometimes mistakes) of those who try to help him. But it's life-affirming, very well written, and has an underlayment of humor that can't be beat.
Go. Read. Enjoy!
During their climactic fight on the helicarrier, the Winter Soldier's subconcious takes control and resets the mission parameter from "Kill Steven Grant Rogers" to the only thing the "Asset" could probably understand: "Protect and Surveil". Armed with all the self-confidence of an apex predator, Bucky dedicates himself wholeheartedly to his new calling -- from a distance, of course, as close-up protection would be both "inefficient" and "distracting". This isn't a sad-faced Bucky Barnes, daunted by a world he wasn't born into and crushed by guilt. This is a man who gradually learns to enjoy, first simple things (grilled cheese and white chocolate mochas, two perfect foods that the future people got right), then the continuity of his own memories (two whole weeks of them and I'm never going back into cryo, he decides) and then more complex things, such as people.
From only being able to judge people by whether or not they contribute to his successful completion of his mission -- he tags them "mission-assists"-- he graduates to protecting a group of old people from their unsavory landlord, decides he's going to adopt a "no-kill" policy (whenever possible), leaves tied-up bundles of hydra agents on Steve's doorstep like a cat offering his favored human mice, learns to cook, finds he likes to read, picks out a name for himself (James Barnes sounds nice for some reason), and in doing so, reclaims his humanity. This James Barnes knows he's a broken man (his internal conversations with his subconcious are hilarious), and he endures what he calls "mission-downloads"; data dumps of memories from his past, but he persists and grows. Oh, and his internal mutterings over the doings of one Steven Grant Rogers are truly the stuff of comedy.
This is one of those heart-warming stories where Bucky seems to be adjusting to the 21st century at a faster rate than Steve, who he decides needs to eat more grilled cheese and drink more mochas. Steve, he remembers, can't be trusted to a) keep himself out of harm's way and b) still doesn't keep an eye to his vulnerable left-side, so Bucky does it for him, much to his ever-lasting chagrin; Bucky objects to anyone hugging Steve since it just gives people a chance to plant bugs or administer contact poisons.
This is a novel-length story with all the usual ups and downs of a person recovering from trauma, and the bewilderment (and sometimes mistakes) of those who try to help him. But it's life-affirming, very well written, and has an underlayment of humor that can't be beat.
Go. Read. Enjoy!
February 18, 2017
I adore this so so much. And I usually don't like tagging fanfic here, but given the fact that I reread this beautiful, beautiful series pretty much constantly, I want people to find it wherever possible.
I've always had a particularly soft spot for good hurt/comfort fic. This is the best kind - where the hurt actually begins to comfort himself. I love this. I genuinely think there is not a single line in this work that is wrong or superfluous - a supremely rare feat for serialised fanfiction.
If you are in any way interested in an alternate follow up to TWS, try this. If the first chapter is even remotely pleasing to you, continue. It is so worth it.
I've always had a particularly soft spot for good hurt/comfort fic. This is the best kind - where the hurt actually begins to comfort himself. I love this. I genuinely think there is not a single line in this work that is wrong or superfluous - a supremely rare feat for serialised fanfiction.
If you are in any way interested in an alternate follow up to TWS, try this. If the first chapter is even remotely pleasing to you, continue. It is so worth it.
January 7, 2019
y'all ever re-read this entire series just to flex on ur emotional stability?
November 13, 2024
Great example of the “how to person” variety of fic. This Bucky reminds me of Murderbot
June 10, 2020
I have never read fanfic before, but I saw this recommended as the best take on ptsd out there, and it called to me.
It was addictive. It was heart-healing. It’s a dark journey but with one exception not graphic (and that was signaled well enough I could skip it.
It made my heart fill with care and love; it is difficult but healing. It was what I needed right now when everything is awful.
If you just want the friendship parts you can skip the last couple episodes, they get very slashy. But highly recommended.
It was addictive. It was heart-healing. It’s a dark journey but with one exception not graphic (and that was signaled well enough I could skip it.
It made my heart fill with care and love; it is difficult but healing. It was what I needed right now when everything is awful.
If you just want the friendship parts you can skip the last couple episodes, they get very slashy. But highly recommended.
April 10, 2023
my first captain america fic in a while!! a reread in order to determine whether it would be a good rec for a teen (it totally would). very muderbot-y in tone, featuring a trio of wonderful senior citizens and a cat named eleanor. i personally prefer my bucky-centric fic to be more horrifying/sad/traumatic, but ofc ymmv and this series is very well-liked for a reason!
May 15, 2024
Caffeinated Barnes
reclaims his body, heart, home
hilariously.
reclaims his body, heart, home
hilariously.
September 20, 2025
excellent choice for my first foray back into fanfiction
March 16, 2025
A wonderful mix of humor and emotional depth, the sort that sounds like it shouldn't even work, but which is instead a fandom classic. There are also some delightful senior-citizen OCs.
Be aware, though: the style is deliberately with periods instead of question marks in Barnes's thoughts and words, and similar stylistic choices to convey the character and the Mission Imperative (programming) and Mission Briefing (i.e., Bucky) layers thereof. If you're a stickler for writing rules, this may be too quirky for you.
I wish I'd remembered these stories were on GR before I went on to the sequels, because I'm tempted to add that 5th star, but I'm having trouble separating my impressions, and which events happened where. Certainly a 4.5, though.
3/2025 update: This really is one of my favorite series (I think there should even be another reading, or at least a partial one, between 2021 and now 🤷♀️) so I'm going to go ahead and give my rare 5th star.
Be aware, though: the style is deliberately with periods instead of question marks in Barnes's thoughts and words, and similar stylistic choices to convey the character and the Mission Imperative (programming) and Mission Briefing (i.e., Bucky) layers thereof. If you're a stickler for writing rules, this may be too quirky for you.
I wish I'd remembered these stories were on GR before I went on to the sequels, because I'm tempted to add that 5th star, but I'm having trouble separating my impressions, and which events happened where. Certainly a 4.5, though.
3/2025 update: This really is one of my favorite series (I think there should even be another reading, or at least a partial one, between 2021 and now 🤷♀️) so I'm going to go ahead and give my rare 5th star.
June 21, 2021
A dark journey but with wholesome moments and light- this fic is emotionally fluffy but pulls punches when needed. I highly recommend the series if you want something light but with darker undertones.
May 14, 2025
read this fic what feels like thousands of years ago and have since read it once per year as a guaranteed feel good banger that can break any book slump. it is still JUST as un-put-downable. mwah love u bucky i am blowing thousands of kisses to you forever.
December 20, 2016
awesome read, whatever you think you need to read, this is it
March 14, 2017
I love this fic so much.
April 12, 2020
Extremely well written Bucky-Steve fanfic.
July 30, 2023
Simply the best piece of ff out there. I’m pretty sure I’ve reread it like ten times already. I think what makes me come back is mostly:
1. The language/the narrative
I cannot put my finger on it but the main character who narrates the story uses just so funny and clever and heart-wrenching simple short sentences. Also the vocab. I am just a need for the English language and my list of new vocab from this fix is like a hundred items.
2. The main character
He is just precious. Or should I say they. Also the style he operates HEAVILY resembles autistic traits plus the anxiety but with such sarcasm and straightforwardness AND I CAN RELATE SO MUCH.
Also we both share a strong emotion for white chocolate mocha 💞 The way Bucky learns self-care and emotions, all of that has left a permanent mark in my soul 🥹
3. The OCs
The Old People Brigade. So precious!!! It also hits close home as one of them, Lidia, I suspect is a Polish Jew which has its own heartstring to pull.
4. The story
It is just so smart!! The plot and the events and the resolution.
I give this story all the stars!!!!
⭐️ ⭐️ ⭐️ ⭐️ ⭐️ ⭐️ ⭐️
10/10
1. The language/the narrative
I cannot put my finger on it but the main character who narrates the story uses just so funny and clever and heart-wrenching simple short sentences. Also the vocab. I am just a need for the English language and my list of new vocab from this fix is like a hundred items.
2. The main character
He is just precious. Or should I say they. Also the style he operates HEAVILY resembles autistic traits plus the anxiety but with such sarcasm and straightforwardness AND I CAN RELATE SO MUCH.
Also we both share a strong emotion for white chocolate mocha 💞 The way Bucky learns self-care and emotions, all of that has left a permanent mark in my soul 🥹
3. The OCs
The Old People Brigade. So precious!!! It also hits close home as one of them, Lidia, I suspect is a Polish Jew which has its own heartstring to pull.
4. The story
It is just so smart!! The plot and the events and the resolution.
I give this story all the stars!!!!
⭐️ ⭐️ ⭐️ ⭐️ ⭐️ ⭐️ ⭐️
10/10
January 21, 2020
I NEVER add fanfiction here. Ever. Thinking back on my fanfiction days when I read hundreds (yes, according to my bookmarks on archiveofourown, literally hundreds) of works, Infinite Coffee and Protection Detail still stands out the most and no other fic has ever come even close to it. I want to meet owlet, thank her, bow to her, make her a mocha and worship her for the masterpiece she has written. I think IC&PD series deserves to be acknowledged in here, because yes, I'm currently reading it for the third time, and when you put it in regular pages... it's a lot of pages! When I think of how my goodreads challenges suffered in my fanfiction days..
Also, what a way to save money - postpone buying books by reading fanfics. One of the greatest inventions of our time.
Also, what a way to save money - postpone buying books by reading fanfics. One of the greatest inventions of our time.
June 14, 2024
This series is so fucking amazing.
February 26, 2025
putting fanfiction on the goodreads because i give up
January 18, 2023
this will come as no surprise… song for this book: end of the line by Henry Jackman
October 21, 2017
This is wonderful - as is everything by owlet.
November 4, 2023
Also listed as: This, You Protect
Displaying 1 - 22 of 22 reviews