History Main / BreakHisHeartToSaveHim

[[folder:Films - Animation]]

[[folder:Films - Live-Action]]

* In ''Series/TheBoys2019'', [[spoiler:Butcher becomes a surrogate father to his stepson Ryan but fears that he'll end up being a bad influence [[TurnOutLikeHisFather like his own father]]. After he has a falling out with Mallory for keeping the team LockedOutOfTheLoop about a potential method of killing [[BigBad Homelander]], she gives him a TheReasonYouSuckSpeech about his FantasticRacism and tells him he's just like his father. Butcher storms out and when Ryan tries to stop him he tells him that he doesn't want to look at him for his AccidentalMurder of his mother and Butcher's wife, prompting Ryan to tell Butcher he hates him and run off.]]

* Harry Osborn forces Mary Jane to break up with Peter to save him in ''Film/SpiderMan3''.

* At the end of ''Film/{{Candy}}'', Dan gives up on Candy because he knows that if they stay together, he's going to drag her back into addiction.

* Done by Ella to Charmont in ''Literature/EllaEnchanted'' so that Hattie and Mum Olga won't be able to take advantage of the marriage. Of course, once she breaks the curse she un-breaks his heart by proposing to him instead.

[[folder:Anime & Manga]]
* ''LightNovel/AiNoKusabi''. [[spoiler:Guy has just "saved" Riki by kidnapping him back from Iason whom had been keeping Riki as a SexSlave. He now wants Riki to confess his true feelings about him. Instead Riki tells Guy they can't ever be together again because of Iason's Pet Ring on him to deter Guy away since Iason had threatened to {{Brainwash}} Guy beforehand. Guy completely misunderstands and makes matters even worse]].

* ''Manga/AttackOnTitan'' gives us a rather gut-wrenching one: [[spoiler: In Chapter 112, Eren (Yes, ''that'' Eren) verbally assaults Mikasa over her devotion to him, claiming it was only due to her Ackermann genetic programming and likens her to a slave, to the point that it reduces her to tears and causes Mikasa to stop wearing the scarf Eren gave her when they first met. Come Chapter 130, and it turns out the Ackermann programming story was all a lie Eren made up, and that he had known she was in love with him for a long time, and even reciprocated her feelings; however, due to his Titan-Shifting powers [[LivingOnBorrowedTime slowly killing him]] and his own plans to destroy all of humanity outside the walls to protect Paradis with [[EndOfTheWorldAsWeKnowIt the Rumbling]] he knew spurning her and driving her away was the only way to keep her from going down with him.]]
*** [[spoiler: add in another layer of sadness when it was revealed that he wasn't just trying to push her away, but was also purposely giving her the drive to ''kill'' him, which she eventually [[KillTheOnesYouLove does.]]]]
* In one of the last chapters of ''Manga/{{Beastars}}'', [[spoiler:Louis coldly rebuffs Juno despite the growing mutual attraction between then, as he realizes that his inherited position in the Horns Conglomerate and plans for the future wouldn't fit her. Juno for her part accepts the rejection and parts with him on good terms, though she also remarks that he'll probably never be satisfied with a fangless kiss ever again.]]
* In ''Anime/CastleInTheSky'', Sheeta makes a deal with Muska to let Pazu go free. It involves telling Pazu to return to his home town and forget about her, which he reluctantly does. Fortunately the SkyPirate Ma Dola points out to Pazu that [[YouHaveOutlivedYourUsefulness Muska will undoubtably dispose of Sheeta once he finds Laputa]] so Pazu joins with her gang to get her back.
* ''Anime/CodeGeass'':
** [[spoiler:Lelouch does this a couple of times to Kallen in R2. In the first instance, he pretends that he was merely using Kallen as a pawn to drive her away, when in reality he was trying to save her from being killed by the rebelling Black Knights. He betrays his intentions with a soft, barely audible, "Live on, Kallen." In the second instance, when Kallen confronts the newly-crowned Emperor Lelouch about his parting sentence and kisses him, he feigns a lack of emotion to again drive her away and make sure that when he dies as part of his planned Zero Requiem, Kallen will not die with him]].
** [[spoiler:Ironically, she caught on as she saw the Requiem in action, but by that point there was nothing she could do except watch and let it unfold.]]
** The third CompilationMovie implies [[spoiler: he was also doing it for the other Black Knights, as this time, they aren’t as convinced by his act and try reasoning with him to tell the truth. Schneizel’s men are the ones that try to kill him, much to the Black Knights’ objection, but Lelouch probably still doesn’t want to put them in danger along with Kallen.]]
** C. C. abandoned Mao with this in mind when she felt he was becoming too obsessed with her. It ended up backfiring big time, when Mao went insane due to his [[PowerIncontinence Geass incontinence]].
** Lelouch also does it to [[spoiler:Nunnally when she asks if everything he did was for her.]] Though granted [[spoiler:she was also with Cornelia and Schneizel so it's not like he could have answered it truthfully anyway.]]
* In a [[ExaggeratedTrope particularly extreme example]], Chikane's [[spoiler:rape]] of Himeko in ''Manga/DestinyOfTheShrineMaiden''.
* In ''Anime/DragonPilotHisoneAndMasotan'', despite harboring genuine feelings for her, [[spoiler: Yukata]] deliberately makes a total ass of himself, even lying and saying that he was only nice to her because he wanted to sleep with her, towards [[spoiler: Hoshino]] to make her despise him, so she could fly with her dragon without distraction. [[spoiler: After the Ritual is over, Hoshino finds out the truth and they make up.]]
* Miaka tries doing this to Tamahome in ''Manga/FushigiYuugi'' because, as she found out, as the [[VirginPower priestess of Suzaku]] she cannot be involved with her bodyguard. Later on, Tamahome in turns tries this on Miaka [[spoiler:when he finds out that she will never be allowed to stay in the book, even if she wishes it to Suzaku]].
* In ''Manga/{{Gintama}}'', Hijikata knows that his life choices involve a lot of danger and will probably kill him. So he rejects Mitsuba (Okita's sister) to spare her that grief and give her the opportunity to find happiness with someone else.
* ''Manga/HaouAiren'': Once Kurumi's StockholmSyndrome sets in, Hakuron tries this technique on her a lot because he realizes that his enemies will do horrible things to her if he appears to care for her. He even goes so far as to make her be Fuuron's mistress instead of his own. It doesn't work very well.
* ''Anime/{{Kiznaiver}}'': This trope is invoked twice in separated occasions, by Nico and Tenga. Both of them believe that the best way to deal with the fact that you have an UnrequitedLove for someone is to properly declare your feelings and then, be properly dumped, no matter how painful that is. It'll hurt, but it'll also help both to move on from that.
* One that ends disastrously in ''LightNovel/TheLunacyOfDukeVenomania'': Gumina pretends to be disgusted with her friend Cherubim because [[spoiler:her betrothed, Cherubim's brother, thinks they're in love (which they are) and was planning to kill him]]. Cherubim thinks that it's genuine hatred, and in response [[spoiler:slaughters his entire family, steals his brother's identity, makes a DealWithTheDevil to charm every woman he wants in order to get her back, becomes the [[VillainProtagonist titular Duke]] and goes slowly insane with lust before being murdered by the lover of one of his victims.]]
* ''Anime/MobileSuitGundamWing'': This seems to have been Heero's intention when Relena approached him with an invite for her birthday party, and he replied by shredding it in half, and then [[IllKillYou threatening to kill her]]. However, he never follows through with that threat, and several times goes out of his way to protect her despite how that poses a danger for his mission, which leads credence he only acted that way so she'd stay away and not get hurt because of him.
* ''Manga/{{Naruto}}'':
** This is what Sakura truly meant when she gave her [[NeverLiveItDown infamous]] [[FalseConfession fake love confession]] to Naruto, hoping that he wouldn't keep hurting himself for her and Sasuke. It really didn't work how she wanted it to--he easily sees right through her, [[WhatTheHellHero calls her out for lying]], and [[ShipSinking rejects her outright]] by telling her that he '''hates''' people who lie to themselves.
** Two years later, in ''Anime/TheLastNarutoTheMovie'', Hinata reluctantly decides to do this to [[spoiler:Naruto by "rejecting" his first LoveConfession and "accepting" [[BigBad Toneri's]] marriage proposal so that she could have a better chance at [[BigSisterInstinct saving her younger sister Hanabi]] and the whole world. This time it ''works'', albeit with a few bumps, and she immediately apologized to Naruto for it when he came to save her]].
* In the shoujo manga ''The One'', the male lead [[spoiler:seems to attempt to rape the female lead, who's explicitly told him that she has a crush on him, in order to protect her from being followed and perhaps harmed, either physically or in terms of her career as a model being ruined, by the minions of a very powerful person who is out to get his brother and him, by misleading the stalkers into thinking that he has no feelings at all for the female lead. Yes, it's convoluted]].
* ''Manga/OnePiece'':
** When Nami had returned to Arlong Park, she tried to act coldly to the then forming Straw Hats in order to keep them from Arlong's wrath. (Going as far as pretending to stab Usopp in front of Arlong). It doesn't work of course and in fact, against all odds, they end up ''beating'' Arlong and his crew.
** In Chopper's flashback, his father figure Hiriluk does this to spare Chopper from seeing him slowly die from an incurable disease. Chopper later follows Hiruluk and learns the truth, but his attempt to save him only hastens his death.
** And later in the series during Robin's flashback, [[spoiler:her mother Olvia]] tries to do this to spare her from the World Government, but she can't deny Robin's pleas to her and breaks down. In that same arc, Robin does this herself to the Straw Hats to protect them from the World Government. They respond by ''declaring war on the World Government'', showing that they didn't care about what she had done, and that they were willing to do anything to get her back, because they loved her.
** Ace attempts to do this for Luffy as Luffy plunges headfirst into the battle at Marineford and is attacked on all sides by the [[PsychoForHire Shichibukai]] and [[AuthorityEqualsAsskicking Marine officers]] in an attempt to [[spoiler:[[RescueArc rescue Ace from his execution]]]]. Ace shouts for Luffy to go away, stating that they have their own crews and Luffy is under no obligation to rescue him. He even states that it would be "humiliating" to be saved by a "weakling" like Luffy, all the while silently begging for Luffy not to involve himself in Ace's mistake. [[IdiotHero Luffy]] of course just ignores this and shouts that he's Ace's little brother and promises to save Ace even if it killed him.
** Platonic example for Sanji in the Whole Cake Island arc; in Chapter 843, [[spoiler:he turns down Luffy's attempts to bring him back from Totto Land because his abusive family blackmailed him into marrying Pudding, and if he defied his purpose, his loved ones (especially [[ParentalSubstitute Zeff]]) will be killed. Luffy understandably doesn't take it well, to the point that he punches Sanji in the face to get him to come back to the crew]].
* ''Manga/DearBrother'': While Kaoru isn't a jerk to begin with, [[spoiler:she does this to Takehiko after she shows him her scars from her mastectomy as a result of [[IllGirl breast cancer]] because she [[DontYouDarePityMe doesn't want him to suffer for her illness]]. They make it up years later and they eventually got married (in the manga, she dies from her illness a few years later and in the anime, they had a child)]].
* A particularly weird example happens in a filler arc of ''Manga/ShadowStar''. A boy who's in a coma but can still use his Dragon uses it to impersonate a friend and tell his young aunt that neither of them ever really liked her. His reasoning is that it'll help her overcome her incestuous crush on him and find new friends as well as soften the blow when he fakes his death to go into the sea with his Dragon and become one of the Virgins.
* ''Franchise/SailorMoon'':
** In ''Anime/SailorMoon R'', when Mamoru starts to have horrifying images about the future where Usagi is in grave danger if they stay together, so he decides to break up with her to protect her. Usagi doesn't take it so well at first since Mamoru refuses to give her at least an explanation as to why they shouldn't stay together, and Mamoru can barely keep up the facade of not liking her since he can still assist her and the other Senshi in fights against Droids. Not shockingly considering the themes of this show, it doesn't stick when Usagi eventually figures it all out and Mamoru finally can't keep up the charade anymore. The real kicker? The visions were actually being sent by his future self, who set up the scenario to ensure the two had a love that was strong enough to withstand the trials ahead.
** A much lighter version is done in [[Manga/SailorMoon the manga]], when Mamoru gets sick. While he isn't cruel, he still rebuffs her attempts to comfort him and bring him food and medicine, repeatedly driving her away and causing her to feel hurt and lonely. The real reason he keeps doing it is because he knows that there's something unnatural about his disease, and he's afraid that she'll catch it if she goes near him. It turns out that he's right on both counts. The disease is basically caused by an evil power and Usagi does eventually catch it, but doesn't care because she'd rather stay close to him.
* In ''Manga/TheWorldGodOnlyKnows'', Keima was forced to resort to this [[spoiler: during his date with Chihiro, when he realizes that she does not contain one of the Jupiter Sisters. The fact that he was not used to [[TheGenericGuy generic character types]] like her, and that he needs to protect his previous "capture targets" from a looming threat, made him push through with this trope in the worst possible way.]]
* In ''Manga/MyHeroAcademia'', [[UnSorcerer Izuku]] asks All Might if it's possible to become a hero without a Quirk. All Might reluctantly informs him that it simply isn't practical for a Quirkless kid to be sent out into a world of a superpowered villains because of how dangerous it is. He instead recommends that Izuku look into becoming a police officer if he wants to help people. This tears Izuku's heart in two, but All Might did it to keep Izuku from being killed. Then it's subverted when Izuku's reckless attempt to save Bakugo when no one else would inspires All Might to name Izuku his successor and tell him that he ''can'' become a Hero.
* ''Manga/MusukoGaKawaikuteShikataganaiMazokuNoHahaoya'': After Chiharu nearly dies from catching demonitis, Lorem and Merii attempt to coldly dismiss her to protect her from the dangers of living around demons. Although it seems to succeed at first, Chiharu returns even more determined than ever to help, going so far as to move into the demon-human compound with them and join a highly-exclusive program to foster demon-human relations.
[[/folder]]

[[folder:Fan Works]]
* [[https://archiveofourown.org/works/15322299 One Bad Day After]]: After the events of ComicBook/TheKillingJoke, Barbara breaks off her friendship with Supergirl because she believes it's the only way to ensure that she won't be used to hurt her. She breaks not only Kara's heart but her own.
* In Volume IV of ''Fanfic/ThePrivateDiaryOfElizabethQuatermain'', Elizabeth is blackmailed into marrying the villain, [[VillainWithGoodPublicity Ben Everett]]. If she didn't go through with it and put on the happy bride act, he would have her surrogate brother Tom killed and have [[spoiler:Skinner, who loves her but CannotSpitItOut,]] framed for it. Unfortunately for the villain, the rest of Elizabeth's TrueCompanions figure out what's up.
* In ''Fanfic/FeverDreams'' Light ''attempts'' to do this with Misa (not because he cares for her, but because Rem is making him protect her) and then Misa says something incriminating and now Light has to [[WeNeedADistraction create a distraction]] for the investigators. HilarityEnsues:
-->'''Light:''' Misa, [[SlashFic I admit I've been having sex with Ryuzaki]], but it's only because he's so much better looking than you.
-->'''Misa:''' What!
-->'''Light:''' Well, to begin with you're too skinny. You should put on some weight. Also, you shouldn't dye your hair. And I hate the gothic lolita style. You should wear regular clothing, like Ryuzaki does. There's nothing wrong with a t-shirt and jeans.
-->'''Misa:''' But he's a guy! That's disgusting. And he looks horrible. I don't think he even brushes his hair... It can't be. Why would you do this? Light, how do I stop you from seeing him? Is he blackmailing you?
-->'''Light:''' Misa, I'm not breaking up with you. I can't resist Ryuzaki because I have very exact sexual requirements that he meets, but there is no need for us to stop dating because of this.
-->'''Misa:''' You'll leave him?
-->'''Light:''' No, Misa. I told you I can't resist him. The real reason I couldn't leave headquarters is because he always wants to have sex and I give in every time. We're almost constantly doing it. It started before I ever met you. We had sex while we were going to college together. That first night I met you, when you came to my home, and I kissed you, I was thinking about fucking him while we kissed.
-->'''Misa:''' Light! Light!
-->'''Light:''' But we don't need to break up, Misa. Let me talk to him. We've had threesomes before, so maybe he'd be willing to let you join in, if I phrased it just right. However, you definitely have to gain some weight first. You don't turn me on at all the way you are now.
-->'''Misa:''' Threesomes! Threesomes!
-->'''Rem:''' Light, you're tormenting her!
-->'''Light:''' Yes, Misa. Matsuda has joined us quite a number of times, and a few other people as well on rare occasions. In fact, I think this would work best if you seduced Matsuda, and then I introduced the idea to Ryuzaki. Yes, why don't you gain a little weight, and seduce Matsuda, and then after that I'm sure Ryuzaki won't object to you joining us. We'll all become a nice stable foursome. You want me to be happy, don't you, Misa? This will make me very happy, and you'll be able to have sex with me that way.
-->'''Rem:''' Light Yagami, you're giving Ryuk more time, aren't you? This is... necessary.
-->'''Light:''' Misa, don't worry. Soon everything will be good. Just seduce Matsuda for me, okay? And, one more thing I just thought of. I've never been in anything bigger than a foursome. I'd really like it if you could seduce one of the girls from your modeling agency and bring her along too. Any of them would work. They're all more attractive than you are.
* In ''Franchise/MassEffect'''s ''[[Fanfic/WeightlessMassEffect Weightless]]'', Shepard decided to push Garrus away because she thought if she let him love her, she would lose him to death. Her fear of ruining his life, combining with Nihlus and Kaidan's death beforehand also cemented this decision of hers.
* In the ''Franchise/TouhouProject'' Doujin ''[[http://danbooru.donmai.us/pool/show/405 Alice and Yuuka at Marisa's grave]]'' it's implied that the reason why Yuuka tells Alice that [[spoiler:she [[MurderTheHypotenuse killed Marisa out of jealousy]], and subsequently [[NearRapeExperience almost rapes her]]]] was that she wanted to [[spoiler:snap Alice out of her depression]], even at the cost of being hated and remembered as a monster by Alice for the rest of her life. Whether this is true or not (or even if she [[spoiler:actually killed Marisa out of jealousy and not by accident]]) is left ambiguous.
* ''FanFic/RWBYReckoning'' has a unique variant: [[BoisterousBruiser Yang]] is blackmailed into doing this to [[AuthorAvatar Darrel]] by [[TheBully Cardin]], otherwise, he goes after Ruby and Darrel. It's clear she doesn't want to do it, but she doesn't want Ruby and Darrel hurt either. Thankfully, Cardin gets his just desserts.
* In the ''Series/{{Smallville}}'' fic ''Fanfic/EnTempusVeritas'', Lana marries Lex with the goal of protecting Clark from Lionel, but this theme is downplayed on Clark's side as he actually made the decision to commit to his new relationship with Lois on the day of the wedding, with the result that Lana's actions are less emotionally painful than they might have been.
* Notably averted in the ''{{WesternAnimation/Beetlejuice}}'' story ''[[https://www.fanfiction.net/s/4811432/1/Worth-of-a-Soul Worth of a Soul]]'' when [[Main/PrinceCharming Prince Vince]] tells [[Main/JerkWithaHeartofGold Beetlejuice]] that he should break up with Lydia since he's always getting her into trouble, not to mention almost getting her killed as an indirect consequence of his actions during a recent altercation. To put it simply, she's just too good for him, and if he really loves her he should let her go and allow her to move on to [[Main/AscendtoaHigherPlaneofExistence bigger]] and [[Main/HappilyEverAfter better]] things. Beetlejuice responds that he ''knows'' she's too good for him, and that's why he'll never stop pursuing her.
-->"Look, I don't know the way you read it in those sappy romance books, kid... But someone's too good for you, and loves your ass anyway? You ''don't'' fucking let them go."
* In another ''WesternAnimation/{{Beetlejuice}}'' story, ''FanFic/{{Cinderjuice}}'', BJ tries this in order to get Lydia to go back home because [[spoiler:she has what the villains are after, and [[BroughtDownToNormal he can't protect her]].]]
* In ''Webcomic/{{Guardian}}'', a ''VideoGame/FinalFantasyX'' fancomic, Lulu joins Zuke's pilgrimage even though (in this story) summoners are not allowed to journey together, which means leaving Yuna behind. Lulu knows it will upset her, but she'd rather leave and possibly die than have Yuna die on a pilgrimage of her own.
* Cause of several of the disasters in ''But You Alone'', a [[Literature/HarryPotter Hermione/Snape story]], in which Severus repeatedly (and at one point, violently) tries to convince Hermione that he doesn't care about her, in order to protect her relationship with Harry (and her life). [[spoiler: They eventually reconcile, only to die together. The entire situation really was doomed from the start.]]
* ''VideoGame/ProfessorLayton'': Professor Layton attempts this in the fanfic ''[[https://www.fanfiction.net/s/5499153/1/Beautiful-Nightmare "Beautiful Nightmare"]]'', claiming to have never wanted to be Luke's mentor in hopes that Anton (here actually a vampire) will leave the boy alone if he thought Layton had no attachment to Luke but Anton quickly averts it by casually saying that this just means the Professor shouldn't care if he kills Luke and prepares to start feeding on Luke, which naturally prompts PapaWolf Layton to beg him to stop.
* In ''Fanfic/{{Juxtapose}}'', All Might breaks Izuku's heart by telling him that he can't become a hero with his [[WhatKindOfLamePowerIsHeartAnyway limited Quirk]]. While speaking with Izuku as Toshinori, Izuku says that he doesn't resent All Might for saying that because he knows that the hero only wanted the best for him. But that's when Toshinori tells Izuku that if he worked hard enough, he could apply to Yuuei's General Course and get the recognition necessary to enter the Hero Course by winning the Sports Festival.
* Shego does this to Kim at the end of ''[[Fanfic/TheTouchOfGreenFire The Healer's Touch]]''. Their lives are too different and she doesn't want to see a hero like Kim corrupted by her, so she forces Kim away and pretends that their budding relationship was a meaningless fling.
* ''Fanfic/RWBYScars'': In the past, Qrow attempted this with Summer. The two [[spoiler:were HighSchoolSweethearts raising a baby]], but Qrow feared his [[BornUnlucky semblance]] and [[spoiler:affiliation with Salem]] would harm Summer [[spoiler:and Ruby]]. He lied to Summer and told her that he [[spoiler:never loved her]], which led to Summer moving out [[spoiler:and ending up with Taiyang]]. This tactic didn't work in the long run as [[spoiler:Summer still got involved with Salem and was killed [[KillTheOnesYouLove by Qrow]].]]
* ''Fanfic/PrayForUsIcarus'': After Aziraphale's relationships with Crowley's human reincarnations [[StarCrossedLovers keep ending in tragedy]] no matter what he tries to do, he begins avoiding Crowley's future reincarnations as much as he can to prevent further heartbreak for the two of them even when it visibly bewilders and saddens Crowley who can [[WistfulAmnesia still sense]] that Aziraphale is someone precious to him. However, Aziraphale misses Crowley so desperately that he ultimately can't stick to his resolution to leave him alone.
* A variant in ''[[https://www.fanfiction.net/s/13211429/1/Cat-Ra Cat-Ra]]'', where Catra does this to Glimmer in front of their captors. Since the latter was mainly caught to act as bait for the former, Catra tries to convince Shadow Weaver to let Glimmer go, and insults and dismisses Glimmer as being a nuisance so she wouldn't argue or attempt rescuing her in turn. While it does work on Glimmer, Shadow Weaver notices that Catra seems to be hiding feelings of guilt when Glimmer starts crying and calls her bluff.
* A downplayed version sets up the premise of the ''Anime/{{Pokemon}}'' fic ''[[https://www.fanfiction.net/s/13189446/1/ More than Meets the Eye]]''. Ash rejects Misty's LoveConfession by telling her that they're BetterAsFriends, even though she can tell [[BlatantLies he's lying to himself]], and while she ultimately accepts his excuses, it leaves her heartbroken. Much later, the two once again talk things out, and Ash confesses that his reasons for rejecting her were a mix of [[InsecureLoveInterest thinking that he wasn't good enough for her]], and [[IDontWantToRuinOurFriendship fear of losing their friendship]], which he held very dear.
* In ''[[https://archiveofourown.org/works/32283637#bookmark-form spiraling]]'', [[VideoGame/Wizard101 Cyrus Drake]] explains to Ryan that he tried to drive them off on their first day because [[TimeTravel he met Ryan's future self in the past]] and knew they would experience many horrors.
-->''“At first, I wanted to warn you off.” Drake’s face is somber. “The flow of time cannot be undone so easily, but I had to give it a chance. I saw you on that day. The changes, the scars…and before my desk when you came to Ravenwood, a child. I had a glimpse of what you would become. To let a child endure whatever made you into the wizard I saw? It would be unconscionable.”''
* A flashback in ''[[https://www.fanfiction.net/s/11523693/1/Another-Fate Another Fate]]'' has [[VisualNovel/FateStayNight Sakura]] do this to her [[GenderFlip brother Rin]], saying that she is now a Matou and no longer sees him as family. She does this so that Zouken would not make an example of him or force him through the horrific training Sakura had went through.
[[/folder]]

[[folder:Video Games]]
* At the end of ''VideoGame/Persona5'', [[spoiler:Joker must [[NoGoodDeedGoesUnpunished turn himself into the police]] in order to make absolutely sure that Masayoshi Shido is convicted of his numerous crimes and can't come after the Thieves]]. That night, Joker and his LoveInterest (whoever that may be) spend the night together. Joker's girlfriend picks up that something's wrong (particularly if she's one of the female Thieves), but there's no option to tell her what's going on so she won't try and stop him.
* Viconia tries this in ''VideoGame/BaldursGateII'' several times, at least once citing her enemies as an excuse. The other times it seems to just be her {{Tsundere}} tendencies.
* A meek variation can happen in ''[[VideoGame/NeverwinterNights2 Neverwinter Nights 2: Mask of the Betrayer]]''. [[spoiler:If you romanced Gann, were unable to completely get rid of the curse and chose to remain in the City of Justice for all eternity as a vessel for the Spirit Eater, Gann chooses to stay with you. You can try to convince him not to by lying that you don't want him there, but when he realizes you're trying to deceive him for his own good he only becomes even more determined to stay with you]].
* Done rather well in the end of ''VideoGame/MetalGearSolid4''. [[spoiler:Rose told Raiden that their child had died before birth and pretended to have married Roy Campbell, so the Patriots could not use her and the child as leverage against him. Being somewhat unstable before, he didn't take it well at all, but he's very quick to forgive her when she explains her motives and he meets his son for the first time.]]
** Done again in [[spoiler:''Ground Zeroes'', where Paz acts cold and distant and then repeatedly insults Chico while he is being forced to torture her, so as to make Skull Face think that she hates Chico and he is therefore of no use in trying to make her talk. She only reveals the truth to Chico in a recording she left him while he slept, telling him that she meant none of it and was actually really happy that he had come to rescue her; that he has given her hope of survival and that she is grateful to him. One day before her death.]]
* Morrigan of ''VideoGame/DragonAgeOrigins'' tries to drive away a Warden who completes her romance path, partly out of fear of such [[LoveIsAWeakness unfamiliar feelings]] and partly because a real relationship complicates her own plans. At one point she flat out begs him to say he doesn't love her.
* In between ''VideoGame/DragonAgeII'' and ''VideoGame/DragonAgeInquisition'', [[spoiler:Hawke did this to his/her love interest, despite going on the run together. S/he knew that said love interest would give their life to protect him/her (noting Fenris in particular), something s/he wasn't going to give them the chance to do. If Hawke is in a relationship with Anders, there is the additional concern that the BigBad has already taken over Anders's mind once before, and they need to prevent that from happening again. If Hawke survives, the separation is temporary.]]
* In ''VideoGame/DragonAgeInquisition'', [[spoiler: Solas does this to a romanced female elf. Unable to reveal [[TricksterGod his true identity]], he breaks up with her instead. Then in Trespasser he returns, still very much in love with Lavellan, but refuses to let her join him and 'see what he becomes' if she asks to leave with him after he reveals his plans to remove the Veil, breaking her heart for a second time.]]
* You have the choice to do this to your personal ghoul, Heather, in ''VideoGame/VampireTheMasqueradeBloodlines''. She is [[SingleTargetSexuality head-over-heels for you]] after you use your blood to save her life, and anytime after she moves in with you, you have the opportunity to either keep her around for money and blood, or kick her out. She'll tearfully cry and beg to stay if you go for the latter option, but it's the only way to free her from a life of servitude. [[spoiler:If you keep her until the end, she is eventually killed by the Sabbat. Thankfully, the [[GameMods Unofficial Patch]] allows you to avoid this fate by ordering her to stay indoors as the streets become more dangerous.]]
* In ''[[VideoGame/SonicRushSeries Sonic Rush Adventure]]'' Blaze does this to Marine so that she won't get hurt by the pirates, even if she had to call her a nuisance, she is later shown regretting saying that to her, but Marine won't take no for an answer.
* In ''VideoGame/KingdomHeartsChainOfMemories'', Belle is held captive by Maleficent, who's hoping on stealing Belle's heart. Belle coldly pushes the Beast away and denies she needs rescuing in order to keep Maleficent from stealing her heart, but he refuses, giving a speech about how much she changed him and refusing to abandon her, even if she hates him. Maleficent then decides to steal his heart, and Belle pulls a HeroicSacrifice to save Beast. During the final confrontation, it's revealed that Maleficent was ''also'' after Beast's heart, and she tells the truth about Belle [[BatmanGambit in order to remove the Beast's doubts and take advantage of his love for Belle]]. After Maleficent is defeated and Belle is restored, Belle apologizes to Beast.
-->'''Belle''': Please forgive me. I had to be cruel to you. But no matter how I tried, I couldn't hide my true feelings...
* In ''VideoGame/{{Wadanohara}}'', [[spoiler:Samekichi]] is forced to do this for Wadnohara herself to [[spoiler:prevent her from regaining her memories from a curse which could break her mind, and to prevent the Dead Sea from manipulating her]].
* Deconstructed in ''VideoGame/{{Detention}}'' when Mr. Chang breaks up with Ray. [[spoiler: He's secretly helping out with an illegal book club, and his fellow leader Ms. Yin convinces him to break up with Ray so that her life isn't in danger if they get caught. However, Ray overhears the conversation and misunderstands it as Ms. Yin and Mr. Chang being in a relationship, and is so overcome with jealousy that she rats out the book club herself, planning on the government removing Ms. Yin from the equation. It backfires horribly; Ms. Yin has enough connections to flee the country with her life, but eventually dies in exile, while Mr. Chang is arrested and executed.]]

[[folder:Visual Novels]]
* In the second ''VisualNovel/FragmentsNote'', Kyoichi tries to call out Yukitsuki for snooping into his life after she asks about his diagnosis after a hospital visit, since he doesn't want to hurt her by telling her about his terminal illness. Yukitsuki is so shocked by his shouting that she doesn't notice that it's not sincere, despite the fact that she's [[HyperAwareness usually able to perceive peoples' emotions really fast]]. Afterwards, Kyoichi ends up seriously regretting it.
* In ''VisualNovel/IkemenSengoku'', this happens on several routes. Regardless of the situation or character, it never works for very long.
** Yukimura's route: Yukimura breaks up with the main character after learning that [[DatingCatwoman they're working for opposing sides]] because he doesn't want her to get caught up in a war by getting involved with him. His Dramatic route also has the main character trying to enact this trope on him after [[spoiler:she learns that he will die protecting her if she continues to stay in the past and decides she needs to return to her time to avoid this fate]].
** Ieyasu's route: His Dramatic route has him try to make the main character hate him enough to return to her time because [[spoiler:they're being besieged by their enemies and can't hold out much longer, and he fears that she'll die if she doesn't escape to her time]].
** Shingen's route: Shingen sends away the main character despite having fallen in love with her because [[spoiler:he's SecretlyDying of an illness and thinks she deserves a better life partner than a man who doesn't have long to live]].
* In ''VisualNovel/MysticMessenger,'' Seven does his absolute damnedest in his route to be cold and vicious towards you in order to make you stop loving him and leave, fearing that his job as a secret agent/hacker would only put you in danger, or he'd have to disappear one day and leave you abandoned. If you play your cards right, you can manage to convince him that he deserves to be loved, and that you'll stick with him through anything.
* In ''VisualNovel/{{Sunrider}}'', [[NumberTwo Ava Crescentia]] and [[TheCaptain Kayto Shields]] used to have a relationship back in high school, [[InappropriatelyCloseComrades which they cannot resume due to being officers aboard a military starship]]. As such, when the latest attack by the PACT dreadnought Legion leaves the Sunrider badly damaged, several of the crew dead, and Kayto both maudlin and desperate for what they once had, Ava is forced to do this—telling him that she doesn’t remember the promise they made to be together—in order to get Kayto’s head back in the game. Depending on the player’s subsequent choices, this may or may not work.
* In ''VisualNovel/War13thDay'', Ambrosia does a variation of this. Night blackmails her into giving herself to him everyday in exchange for keeping Arsenik out of jail. While Ambrosia doesn't have to split up with Arsenik, she feels like it's a form of cheating and tells him that they shouldn't see each other anymore.
* ''VisualNovel/PhoenixWrightAceAttorney'' has a non-romantic version in the bonus case. The defendant Lana purposefully acts like an aloof big sister to keep her sister from investigating the case [[spoiler:because Lana at the time thinks Ema is herself responsible for certain events of the case and she doesn't want her sister to find out]].
* In ''VisualNovel/PiofioreNoBansho'' -Episodio 1926- [[spoiler:Henri Lambert]] believes, with good reason, that people are getting killed because of his past associations and that the safest thing for the heroine is for her to leave him. Specifically, [[spoiler: Henri, despite realizing by the end of the first game that he romantically loves the heroine, pretends to only have familial feelings. After coming in contact with the main villain of the route, Henri realizes people close to him will be in danger. To keep the heroine safe, Henri makes a deal with his former enemy, the Falzones, to take the heroine under their custody in exchange for his life. He does ask them to give him time to find the kill the villain, which the mafia agree to. Because he plans to be killed by the Falzones after the incident is over, Henri repeatedly deflects the heroine's advances.]] However, he's unable to completely keep his feelings in check, and their romance continues to progress. As expected, their romance is [[EverybodyKnewAlready obvious to everyone else]]. They have a beautiful ending in the true route.
[[/folder]]

[[folder:Web Animation]]
* The end of the third volume of ''WebAnimation/{{RWBY}}'', it's pretty much implied that this is what [[spoiler:Blake did to Yang, when she left in order to protect her and the rest of their team from Adam. Yang is obviously heartbroken over being abandoned by Blake and continues to be upset throughout Volume 4.]]
[[/folder]]

[[folder:Western Animation]]
* ''WesternAnimation/TheIncredibleHulk1996'': In "Innocent Blood", Bruce was dying from poison and his only chance to survive was to become angry enough to hulk out. Because fighting with Doctor Samson and Ghost Rider wasn't enough, Rick and Betty, the two closest people in Hulk's life, were forced to yell at him that they hate him, that he destroyed their lives, and that he should have never been born. [[GoneHorriblyRight It worked.]] And hurt Hulk, hard. Ghost Rider even invokes the trope by name.
--> '''Ghost Rider:''' Break his heart in order to save him. I don't know if I would be able to do such a thing.
* In ''WesternAnimation/{{Gargoyles}}'', Macbeth does this to Gruoch, who has [[ArrangedMarriage been betrothed]] to somebody else:
-->'''Macbeth:''' Frankly, you're not worth the effort.
** They get married later anyway, after Macbeth finds [[YouKilledMyFather another and more justifiable reason]] to MurderTheHypotenuse.
* You could consider Robin's assault on the other Titans in ''WesternAnimation/TeenTitans'' this. Considering Slade had a way to kill them all with a push of a button, his only viable response was to do as Slade asked for their sake...including not holding back against them when he commits crimes for Slade.
* In ''WesternAnimation/DannyPhantom'', Sam does this to Danny after he is brainwashed by Ember into being so in love with her he can't think of doing anything else, including save them. She kisses [[JerkJock Dash]] (something she found disgusting) in front of Danny to finally snap him out of it. Luckily, he could then take out his rage on Ember, and in the end, Danny, having broken free of Ember's spell, understands why she did it and forgives her.
** Valerie also does this to Danny, thinking that he's in danger because of her ghost hunting job. In a way, he ''is'', but [[DatingCatwoman not how she expects]].
* Brock Samson does this to the titular ''[[WesternAnimation/TheVentureBrothers Venture Brothers]]'' to get them out of harms way [[spoiler:after he's been marked for death by the OSI:]]
--> '''Brock:''' I ''don't'' love you boys! It was a job! Nothing more! And now that it's over you'll only get in my way!
** [[spoiler:Subverted in that Hank promptly reveals to Brock that [[GenreSavvy he wasn't fooled in the slightest]], noting: "The ''Lassie'' trick? [[TheOldestTricksInTheBook Was I born yesterday?"]]]]
* ''WesternAnimation/StevenUniverse'':
** After the events of the season one finale in "Full Disclosure", [[KidHero Steven]] becomes convinced that his best friend/LoveInterest, [[BadassBookworm Connie]], and other human loved ones would be better off without him. He tries to break off their friendship through sending her a breakup by text message, but when she challenges him to say that he doesn't want to be friends to her face, he's completely unable to do so without breaking down into tears and they remain friends, with Connie offering to go on adventures with Steven and be a part of his "universe".
** At the end of season 4, this trope is played completely straight, [[spoiler:when Steven intentionally outs himself as his mother to two powerful Homeworld gems in exchange for Connie, the Crystal Gems, and a handful of other Beach City residents going free.]] [[spoiler:After he returns from Homeworld by the start of season 5, it takes five episodes for him to make up with Connie in particular, who was [[AngerBornOfWorry understandably upset]] [[WhatTheHellHero with this choice]] and tried the SilentTreatment approach, even when Steven was oblivious of Connie's feelings and went solo. In "Kevin Party", Steven and Connie reconcile and get back together as a team.]]
* As a Trollhunter, Kanjigar the Courageous from ''WesternAnimation/{{Trollhunters}}'' was deliberately distant with his son Draal as a means to keep him safe. Kanjigar is quick to berate Jim for instead keeping people close to him and putting them in danger, particularly his son Draal, who lost his arm protecting Jim. Over the course of the second half of the first Season, Kanjigar warms to the idea of a Trollhunter having companions to enough of a degree where he apologizes to Draal for pushing him away in the Season finale.
* In the GrandFinale of ''WesternAnimation/PennZeroPartTimeHero'', when [[spoiler:Rippen decides to save the multiverse by trapping himself in The Most Dangerous World Imaginable]], he gives a really scathing speech towards [[MinionWithAnFInEvil his minion]] Larry about how much he wants him to get out of his life...it doesn't work, as Larry ([[FriendshipDenial whether Rippen would ever admit it or not]]) is his OnlyFriend and immediately realizes what Rippen is trying to do. He's instead moved to tears by the veiled admission of friendship and resolves to stay by the villain's side no matter what.
* ''WesternAnimation/DarkwingDuck'': In "Steerminator", [[KnightOfCerebus Taurus Bulba]] [[Main/WeCanRebuildHim returns as a powerful cyborg]] and vows revenge of Darkwing Duck. Knowing that he'll come after Goslyn to get to him, Darkwing has no choice but to ground her under false pretenses so she can't go outside, leaving her angry and hurt.
-->'''Launchpad:''' Poor kid. She's sure taking it hard.
-->'''Darkwing:''' Well, I refuse to feel guilty. I don't want her out there where Bulba might find her. He nearly killed her once to get to me, and I won't risk that again.
* Lars does this to Leela in the ''WesternAnimation/{{Futurama}}'' movie, "Bender's Big Score", once he learns that duplicates created through time travel are doomed, and [[spoiler: him being a time duplicate of Fry, calls off their wedding to spare her from the heartache of losing him.]]
* ''WesternAnimation/MiraculousLadybug'': In the episode "Cat Blanc",[[spoiler: in the AlternateTimeline where Marinette is dating Adrien. Gabriel forces her [[BreakUpDemand to break up with his son]] or he will retires him from school. Cue to heartbroken Marinette having to pretend to Adrien that she don't love him anymore. They're devastated, and that's exactly what Gabriel intended.]]
* ''WesternAnimation/{{Duckman}}'' starts dating Angela, an emergency operator, after talking with her on the phone, only to discover that she's TheGrotesque - to the point that ''[[TastesLikeDiabetes Fluffy & Uranus]]'' are disgusted from looking at her. He continues dating her in dark environments, as he genuinely loves her company, but the conditions convince her to undergo plastic surgery - and she then becomes the total package. Because he feels like he's now beneath her, he stands her up and refuses to answer the phone, and even [[SitcomArchnemesis his sister-in-law]] comforts him over his decision.
** A couple seasons later, TheBusCameBack and Angela [[SurprisinglyRealisticOutcome tears into Duckman over the callous treatment]], as she'd spent ''weeks'' at the restaurant in the hopes that he'd come through the door.
--->'''Duckman''': [[ComicallyMissingThePoint They let you sit there for three weeks]]?\\
'''Angela''': [[StrangeMindsThinkAlike Well, I kept ordering iced tea]]. I'd still be there if one of my kidneys hadn't shut down. And after my surgery, I vowed never to need you or anyone else ever again! I have everything I need to get by, and it's better this way, Duckman! [[YouKeepTellingYourselfThat Can't you see I'm much better off on my own? I'm happier like this, a lot happier than I ever would've been with you]]! [''[[MadeMyselfSad she starts crying]]'']
[[/folder]]

* In the ''VideoGame/{{Touhou}}'' Doujin ''[[http://danbooru.donmai.us/pool/show/405 Alice and Yuuka at Marisa's grave]]'' it's implied that the reason why Yuuka tells Alice that [[spoiler:she [[MurderTheHypotenuse killed Marisa out of jealousy]], and subsequently [[NearRapeExperience almost rapes her]]]] was that she wanted to [[spoiler:snap Alice out of her depression]], even at the cost of being hated and remembered as a monster by Alice for the rest of her life. Whether this is true or not (or even if she [[spoiler:actually killed Marisa out of jealousy and not by accident]]) is left ambiguous.

* In one of the last chapters of ''Manga/{{Beastars}}'', [[spoiler:Louis coldly rebuffs Juno despite the growing mutual attraction between then, as he realizes that his inherited position in the Horns Conglomerate and plans for the future wouldn't fit her. Juno for her part accepts the rejection and parts with him on good terms, though she also remarks that he'll probably won't be satisfied with a fangless kiss ever again.]]

* In one of the last chapters of ''Manga/{{Beastars}}'', [[spoiler:Louis coldly rebuffs Juno despite the growing mutual attraction between then, as he realizes that his inherited position in the Horns Conglomerate and plans for the future wouldn't fit her. Juno for her part accepts the rejection and parts with him on good terms, though she also remarks that he'll probably won't be satisfied with a fangless kiss ever again.]]

* ''Film/TheSlipperAndTheRose'': When Lord Chamberlain convinces Cinderella to leave Prince Edward for the good of the country, she asks him to make Edward believe she was being cruel to him, to make him glad she left him. It doesn't work.

* Edward attempts this in ''[[Literature/{{Twilight}} New Moon]]'', because he feels that he's put Bella in too much danger. Bella responds by having a HeroicBSOD ''for four months''.
** Bella also does this to her father to some extent, shouting at him and basically [[TheReasonYouSuckSpeech calling him a loser in every way]]. She does it so she can justify her flight from the "evil" vampires and in order to protect him. To twist the knife further, she uses the same words her mother used when she left him.

* In the ''Literature/WildCards'' books, Tom Tudbury, The Great and Powerful Turtle's SecretIdentity, had a girlfriend that he loved a lot. But she had a dormant form of the wild card virus, meaning that any children they had would get ''at best'' a one-in-ten shot at survival (since he, unbeknownst to her, had the virus). He knew that she really wanted kids, so he manufactured a big fight that led to them breaking up but remaining friends so that she could find happiness with someone else (even though it was ''killing'' him to do so).

* ''Film/StellaDallas'': Stella decided that Laurel should live with Stephen and Helen, because they are fancy society folks--and because, for some reason, Stella is unable to do basic things like stop dressing like a hooker. But she knows that Laurel will never leave her mother. So she pretends that she doesn't care about Laurel and tells Laurel that she's tired of being a mother and is going to marry Ed and have good times. Stella breaks down crying after a distraught Laurel leaves for good.

* In ''WesternAnimation/TheLittleMermaid1989'', it's bad enough for [[OverprotectiveDad King Triton]] to discover his daughter Ariel has a secret grotto chock full of artifacts and trinkets belonging to humans, whom Triton perceives as [[FantasticRacism barbaric, soulless fish eaters]] (And given [[WesternAnimation/TheLittleMermaidIIIArielsBeginning the prequel]] reveals Triton's loving wife Athena lost her life being crushed by a pirate ship, it's not hard to see why the guy thinks HumansAreBastards). But when his daughter reveals she's fallen in love with a human, Triton flies into a rage and uses his trident to violently destroy Ariel's collection, [[KnightTemplarParent believing it is the only way to keep her safe from humans]]. The crushed look on his face after he finishes the deed shows he [[MyGodWhatHaveIDone isn't too happy with what he's done]], but nonetheless believes it is [[WellIntentionedExtremist for the best]], until Ariel swims away from home, much to Triton's utter despair.