History Main / RunningAwayToCry

* ''WesternAnimation/TheOwlHouse'': In "Echoes of the Past", as King has a FreakOut over the origins of his idiosyncrasies, he runs away wailing in despair.

** In the [[WesternAnimation/TheLittleMermaidIIIArielsBeginning third movie]], Ariel confronts her father on why music is banned in the kingdom, but Triton avoids the question. He shouts that he will not have music in his kingdom at her. Ariel, on the brink of tears, says to him that her mother wouldn't have wanted Triton to ban music just because of her death. She swims to her room and cries for a short period of time.

* ''Manga/{{Doraemon}}'': Occurs in [[Recap/Doraemon1979E1759SoapBubbles "Soap Bubbles"]]. Big G and Tammy both run away when they feel upset.

* ''Franchise/SailorMoon'': In ''Sailor Moon R'', Mamoru rejects Usagi's attempts to repair their strained relationship and breaks up with her in an attempt to [[BreakHisHeartToSaveHim prevent his nightmares from coming true]]. Usagi accepts his wishes with as much grace as she can muster and calmly walks out of his apartment, holding together until she's able to take shelter inside a phone booth, waiting until she's locked herself inside to break down crying.

* In ''VideoGame/FireEmblemFates'' following [[spoiler:the death of Ryoma]] in Conquest, the Avatar sneaks off to do exactly that.

[[folder:Visual Novels]]
* In ''VisualNovel/{{Clannad}}'', Ushio was specifically instructed by Sanae that she was only allowed to cry in the bathroom, an order that she follows relatively consistently. [[spoiler:That is until the other place that Sanae said it's okay to cry becomes available - in her father's arms]].
* Exaggerated in ''VisualNovel/DoubleHomework'' with Johanna, who does this for ''a whole day'' (apparently) after photos of the protagonist at a nightclub with Lauren surface online.

[[folder:Webcomics]]
* In ''Webcomic/ElGoonishShive'', Grace [[https://www.egscomics.com/comic/2008-01-18 runs]] away to cry in the bathroom after learning about World War II for the first time.
[[/folder]]

* ''WesternAnimation/ThePowerpuffGirls'':

* ''WesternAnimation/{{Recess}}''. Mikey runs off crying and shuts himself in the bathroom whenever he gets particularly upset, such as the time in "The Voice" where he develops a crush on his new music teacher but is crushed to learn she's engaged to be married. Another time was "The Copycat Kid," where he turns into a clone of Vince after saving his life, but when Vince turns the tables and copies Mikey, he takes to the stall; even Vince eventually caught up to him and asked, "Mikey, are you hiding in the stalls again?"

* In ''WesternAnimation/SpongeBobSquarePants'', the title character is the one of the Western Animation RULERS of this trope:

* ''ComicBook/ThePunisherMAX'': In the WhererAreTheyNowEpilogue to the Slavers arc, Viorica (whose baby was murdered by the titular HumanTraffickers) is seen having found a job as a waitress. But when she sees a couple with a baby, she has to run outside and start crying in the street.

An alternative to SandInMyEyes usually for when using that would fall into ImplausibleDeniability for the character. It's also a SisterTrope to TryingNotToCry, which will overlap if characters just plain don't want others to see them cry. In fact, oftentimes, this trope will serve as a last resort when they realize that TryingNotToCry isn't working. Can occur as a reaction after said character has StoppedDeadInTheirTracks.

* In ''WesternAnimation/TurningRed'', humiliated and ashamed by her mother deciding to [[HelicopterParents spy on her at school]], Mei, still in red panda form, runs home crying while doing her best to stay [[{{Roofhopping}} out of sight]] once the two's eyes meet.

* In ''Film/FiftyFirstDates'', when Lucy finds out about her condition for the first time, she runs out to the docks and breaks down in tears.
-->'''Lucy:''' ''(sobbing)'' WHY?!

* During a flashback in ''Manga/{{Ojojojo}}'', Haru went to a public bathroom to cry after alienating herself from her middle school classmates with her RichBitch attitude ''again''. [[spoiler: Akane heard her, but didn't reach out to her until they met again in high school (a fact that she deeply regrets).]]
* In ''Webcomic/OnePunchMan'', [[spoiler:King]] is revealed to do this as he knows he can't defeat the monster he's up against, so he goes to the bathroom to have his breakdown without revealing himself as a coward. Fortunately, Saitama shows up to take care of it.

* ''Manga/AsteroidInLove'': In the manga's NewYearHasCome chapter, it is implied Ao attempts to do this after Mira states her new year's wish being [[GoalInLife finding an asteroid with Ao]]--we don't get to see Ao's face, but she runs away from the shrine with a hand on the chest, being obviously upset from what sounds like an reiteration of their GoalInLife. It's at this point Mai finds the OOCIsSeriousBusiness too hard to ignore. In the anime, this trope is changed to a quiet sigh. [[spoiler:Because of [[ReallyMovesAround her father's job transfer]], she will be moving out of town in March.]]

[[folder:Fan Fic]]

* ''[[https://www.fanfiction.net/s/9495178/1/Return-of-the-Hero Return of the Hero]]'': [[Franchise/{{Pokemon}} Nate]] does this after he learns that [[spoiler: Kelly isn't really his mother]].

* ''FanFic/MegamiNoHanabira'': Nanami rushes off to be alone [[spoiler: after learning that the Flock, who she had been idolizing, was behind the demon outbreak the whole time.]] When Yuuna goes up to check on her, Nanami is sobbing into a pillow.
* ''Fanfic/FateStarryNight'': In a flashback to the events of Orleans, Ritsuka knows he has to put up a strong front for the sake of everyone counting on him. So he sneaks away from the campsite at night to pound a tree with his fist in frustration and cry TearsOfFear over his feelings of inadequacy and powerlessness as an OrdinaryHighSchoolStudent with the weight of the world on his shoulders.
* In ''Fanfic/MastermindStrategistForHire'', Tsukauchi runs out to cry in his bathroom after [[spoiler:watching All Might's coffin being lowered into his grave.]]
* ''FanFic/TheArchmagesLastBow'': As Nova Shine begins to lose his composure after learning that he's dying, he teleports out of Canterlot entirely and up to the top of Mount Canterhorn.

* Disney's ''WesternAnimation/TheSwordInTheStone'' has Merlin's magic change young Arthur into a squirrel as a lesson in survival mechanisms. An amorous female squirrel takes a strong liking to squirrel-Arthur and shadows him relentlessly. Once Merlin undoes his magic, Arthur is restored to human form, and the female squirrel is devastated. She scurries into a tree to mewl with grief despite Arthur's apologies.
* The titular character of ''WesternAnimation/{{Cinderella}}'' flees to the garden in tears, after her stepsisters tear off her dress.
* In ''WesternAnimation/SleepingBeauty'', when Aurora finds out that she is a princess and already betrothed, she runs to her room crying, unaware that the young man she met in the woods is the prince she's engaged to.

* Disney's ''Franchise/TheLittleMermaid'' has this a lot whenever Ariel argues with her father, or for that matter when [[GenerationXerox Ariel's daughter Melody argues with ''her.'']]

* In ''WesternAnimation/{{Encanto}}'' after Casita is destroyed and the magic candle goes out, Mirabel goes to the river to cry, coincidentally the same river where her grandfather Pedro was killed.

* ''Literature/HarryPotter''
** In ''Literature/HarryPotterAndThePhilosophersStone'', Hermione hides in a bathroom to cry after Ron makes rude comments about her. Unfortunately for her, a troll gets loose that day, and Ron and Harry try to trap it by locking it in a bathroom... the same one she's in. Luckily they quickly realize their mistake, and all three manage to bring down the troll together.
** ''Literature/HarryPotterAndTheChamberOfSecrets'': "Moaning Myrtle", a ghost that haunts the girl's bathroom, frequently bursts into tears at anything said to her good or bad. It later turns out she died in this same bathroom, having been crying after some bullies picked on her, [[spoiler:only to be killed by the basilisk lurking in Hogwarts.]]

* ''Literature/TheBelgariad'': Garion and Ce'Nedra have a fair bit of unacknowledged BelligerentSexualTension, so when he goes on a trip without her and returns with a new young lady in tow, she blandly wishes them happiness together and excuses herself to sob in the bedroom. Fortunately, this means she has some privacy when Polgara explains that the newcomer is actually Garion's cousin.

--> Katelyn turned bright red and, releasing her clutch from the tablecloth, ran off sobbing. The door on the ladies restroom slammed hard behind her.

* ''Series/StarTrekTheOriginalSeries''
** In the episode "The Naked Time", Spock locks himself away when the virus breaks down his emotional control.
** Downplayed in "The Ultimate Computer". Kirk is (rather cruelly, in context) referred to as "Captain Dunsel" - a dunsel being a useless piece of ship's equipment - and walks stiffly off the bridge.

* ''Series/SpaceCases'': In "It's My Birthday Too (Yeah!)", Radu runs off to cry after Bova chews him out for tricking the others into celebrating his birthday when [[spoiler: he even doesn't ''know'' his birthday, since members of his species are born in hatcheries]].

* PlayedForDrama in ''VideoGame/UntilDawn''. Hannah runs into the forest to cry after learning that she was the victim of a cruel and humiliating prank. Beth runs after her and trouble ensues, ending with [[spoiler: Beth's death and Hannah's transformation into a wendigo.]]
* In ''VideoGame/FireEmblemFates'' following [[spoiler: the death of Ryoma]] in Conquest, the Avatar sneaks off to do exactly that.
* In ''VideoGame/TheLegendOfZeldaSkywardSword'', Groose at one point is paralyzed with fear as he watches Link reseal the Imprisoned. He afterward concedes that Link is more of a hero than he is. If Link follows him outside afterward, he can be seen running to an isolated corner to cry over his cowardice and uselessness.

** [[https://youtu.be/xFJ6SfeLCaY "My Sister Robbed My Fiancee! However, the person who looted it was…"]] [sic]: [[spoiler:Burimi runs off crying after Alto calls out her DelusionsOfBeauty and proclaims her sister Kanade was prettier than her.]]

* In ''WesternAnimation/SpongeBobSquarePants'', the title character is the one of the Western Animation RULERS of this trope:
** In the episode "The Chaperone", when [=SpongeBob=] realizes he has ruined Pearl's prom he runs off crying and [[BathroomStallOfAngst locks himself in the bathroom]]. The ''girls'' bathroom.
** [=SpongeBob=] also does this in "Grandma's Kisses" after being humiliated and laughed at by Squidward and the Krusty Krab customers for being kissed by his grandma.
** He also does this in "No Weenies Allowed", "You Don't Know Sponge", and "Little Yellow Book".
** Patrick does this in "No Nose Knows" and "Grooming Gary".
** An electric eel does this in "Walking Small" after Plankton (through Spongebob) threatens him for ice cream.
* ''WesternAnimation/CowAndChicken''. Cow frequently did this in "Horn Envy," in which her failed attempts at [[ACupAngst enhancing her]] [[ItMakesSenseInContext horns]] to impress her crush sent her running to the bathroom bawling her eyes out. Her GirlPosse is able to cheer her up each time, though.

* In the ''WesternAnimation/MyLittlePonyFriendshipIsMagic'' episode "Hearthbreakers", Applejack goes off to the crystal mines by herself to cry when she thinks she's ruined everyone's holiday. She finds out Pinkie's come there for the same reason.
* In ''WesternAnimation/TheFairlyOddParents'', season 2 "Super Bike", when Mr. Turner sees Timmy on his new bike that he didn't build, he's crushed when he learns that Timmy has never ridden the bike he made for him and walks away to cry.
-->'''Mr. Turner''': I'll be right over here doing my pre-race, deep breathing exercises. Don't be alarmed if it looks like I'm sobbing. Oh, and if my eyes start to water, that's normal too.
* ''WesternAnimation/ThePowerpuffGirls''
** In "All Chalked Up", Buttercup breaks Bubbles' chalk and Bubbles, despite being sorely tempted to fight her, ends up flying into a nearby forest to cry.
** In WesternAnimation/ThePowerpuffGirlsMovie, the girls fly to the moon in self-exile when they realize the attempt to make the town a better place only made the town hate them even more.
* ''WesternAnimation/GravityFalls'': Near the end of "Dipper and Mabel vs. the Future", [[spoiler: Mabel feels betrayed about Dipper accepting Ford's offer to stay with him and be his apprentice, and she runs off into the woods and go to "sweater town", making her a perfect patsy for Bill.]]

* A common occurrence with [[ShrinkingViolet Cassie]] of ''WesternAnimation/DragonTales'', often proceeded by her [[ShamefulShrinking shrinking very small]].
* In ''WesternAnimation/TheLegendOfKorra'', Bolin does this upon seeing Korra making out with his brother Mako. Unlike most examples, however, it's InelegantBlubbering, so it's both sad and funny at the same time.
* ''WesternAnimation/TheAmazingWorldOfGumball'' [[LampshadeHanging Lampshaded]] by Gumball himself in the episode "The Words".
-->'''Gumball:''' Where do people go when they run away crying like that?
* Downplayed in ''WesternAnimation/BojackHorseman''. Bojack was harshly punished by his mother for crying in front of her, so he eventually trained himself not to cry in front of anyone. We see this in the second season after filming a scene that hits Bojack particularly hard for the Secretariat film, where he wraps, walks outside of the location to have a smoke, and then breaks down crying when he's sure he's alone.

* In ''WesternAnimation/Encanto'' after Casita is destroyed and the magic candle goes out, Mirabel goes to the river to cry, coincidentally the same river where her grandfather Pedro was killed.

* It happens so often and to nearly every character on ''Series/{{Glee}}'' that it'd be hard to list every example. Rachel most frequently runs to the [[BathroomStallOfAngst girls' restroom]] at McKinley High to cry. Most famously in the second season's prom episode, this is done by four people in the space of a minute: Quinn, Santana, Kurt, and Karofsky.

An alternative to SandInMyEyes usually for when using that would fall into ImplausibleDeniability for the character. It's also a SisterTrope to TryingNotToCry, which will overlap if characters just plain don't want others to see them cry. In fact, oftentimes, this trope will serve as a last resort when they realize that TryingNotToCry isn't working.

** [[https://youtu.be/jlIMLScXk68 "Ex girlfriend crashes the wedding ceremony, claiming she's carrying the groom's baby but"]] [sic]: [[spoiler:[[{{Yandere}} Yuka]] runs off crying after her attempt to sabotage Alto and Kanade's wedding went bust after the former's younger brother Shion reveals the ultrasound image she used to prove she was pregnant with Alto's child actually belonged to a horse and she found in the internet.]]

** [[https://youtu.be/jlIMLScXk68 "Ex girlfriend crashes the wedding ceremony, claiming she's carrying the groom's baby but"]] [sic]: [[{{Yandere}} Yuka]] runs off crying after a failed attempt to sabotage Alto and Kanade's wedding after the former's younger brother Shion busts her claims of being pregnant with Alto's child by using a horse ultrasound image she found in the internet.
** [[https://youtu.be/xFJ6SfeLCaY "My Sister Robbed My Fiancee! However, the person who looted it was…"]] [sic]: Burimi runs off crying after Alto calls out her DelusionsOfBeauty and proclaims her sister Kanade was prettier than her.

* In ''WesternAnimation/TurningRed'', humiliated and ashamed by her mother deciding to [[MeddlingParents spy on her at school]], Mei, still in red panda form, runs home crying while doing her best to stay [[{{Roofhopping}} out of sight]] once the two's eyes meet.

* ''Literature/TheBible'': In the Book of Genesis, Joseph hides his identity from his brothers when they come to Egypt twenty years after they sold him into slavery. But his facade nearly breaks when he sees Benjamin, the only other son of his mother (the others are their half-brothers). He hurries away and secretly goes to his bedchamber to weep, then washes his face before coming back.

* In the ''Series/StarTrekTheOriginalSeries'' episode "The Naked Time", Spock locks himself away when the virus breaks down his emotional control.

Getting emotional and crying can be an embarrassing thing. It leaves you emotionally vulnerable to others, and often times you [[InelegantBlubbering don't look terribly nice]] while doing it either, [[CryCute though a lot of media don't show that]]. Heck, according to the media, [[MenDontCry men just plain aren't supposed to cry at all]], so letting others see them crying is a no-no. Therefore, it's pretty common for characters when they get worked up to go somewhere no one else can see them do it. A pretty common one is [[BathroomStallOfAngst the bathroom]] since people have to leave you alone there. Usually, this will be followed up (or even revealed to the audience) by having one character find the other crying in whatever private area they found.

[[folder: Theatre]]

* It happens so often and to nearly every character on ''Series/{{Glee}}'' that it'd be hard to list every example -- the girls' restroom at [=McKinley=] High has become [[FanNickname known by fans]] as "Rachel's bathroom" because of the frequency with which she runs to it to cry. Most famously in the [[Recap/GleeS2E20PromQueen second season's prom episode]], this is done by four people in the space of a minute: Quinn, Santana, Kurt, and Karofsky.