Yuki Sohma feeling sick after being trapped in a dark closet full of black paint that triggered bad memories for him

Fruits Basket 2x20

"I forgive you too, Akito. No, it's not a matter of forgiving you or not. I'm sick of blaming others. I have to become aware of the many faults and areas I can improve on. I'm forever the idiot."

Fruits Basket 2x04

I've been really into anime lately (which is super nice. I've missed being in my weeaboo phase. It's been a long time.) and I'm rewatching Fruits Basket (my all time favorite) and ahhh YUKI!!! His story will never not break my heart. This boy has been my favorite character since I was in middle school. And not just my favorite in Furuba but my favorite in any anime/manga and one of my all time favorite characters EVER. I adore him with my whole heart. He was one of my first true whumpees and I'm sitting here thinking about his childhood and trauma and how much he's able to heal and grow and I want to cry for him.

Yuki was born cursed. Literally. To turn into a rat when hugged by a member of the opposite sex or when he's weak. And he was a sickly child with asthma so as a child he was weak often. He was given to the head of the family by his mother to be a play thing, a "tool". Said family head then proceeded to mentally and physically abuse him for YEARS. His mother and older brother didn't care about him and rejected his cries for help. He was kept isolated from the rest of the family. Not allowed to speak to them or play with them or go to the same school. The one time he made friends at school their memories were erased and he was alone again. Every day Akito would fill his head with dark things, telling him he was useless and unloveable and disgusting and worthless. His mother hit him. Akito hit him. He was later kept locked inside a dark room for years, alone with only Akito and their abuse. He stopped talking for a long time. Just went mute because his words meant nothing so he locked them away. He hated himself. At one point his body just gave up and he nearly died due to his lung problems. He begged so many people to free him for so long and everyone brushed him off. Eventually his cousin saved him and brought him to his house to live but it was NOT out of the goodness of his own heart. And even then he was still cursed and his abuser would continue to show up in his life and continue the abuse from his childhood. Yuki has anxiety and triggers (locked dark rooms, dark paint splattered against a wall) and self esteem issues and breathing problems.

But he finds people who love him and accept him and help him. He finds purpose and hope and happiness. He finds unconditional love and support. And I love him so much. SO MUCH