As it says on the tin.
Some context: So I’m playing this game called Love and Deepspace and I’m feral for this character Caleb who was such a reliable, devoted golden boy that the MC hero-worshipped (without knowing how much pain/ trauma he was going through and how many responsibilities were weighing on him). And then really really bad stuff happen to him when this organisation fakes his death and puts a chip in his brain that eats his memories and spits him back at the main character ‘s feet all broken and desecrated and completely different.
It’s kinda a psychological horror because he keeps trying to be lighthearted as before and he keeps talking about their shared memories way too much, not saying out loud that this is him fighting the chip and trying to hold on to his memories about her (and also checking to see if his memories unaltered).
And the main character starts looking for ways to save him and it’s kinda this whole “Who. did. this. to. you?” Trope but with the female character.
So if there are fantasy books with dynamics like this, I’d love to hear about them!
Bonus points if the love interest actually has pre-chip Caleb vibes .
by Adept-Needleworker99