Summary: Ryoma has been keeping a secret from his team. He has been sick since he was a child and now after so long it's unexpectedly happened again. RyoTezu.

Disclaimer: I don't own the Prince of Tennis or it's characters. I am however using them for my own enjoyment.

Prince Of Tennis

Secrets

Ryoma was not one to tell others his secrets, not so easily. He had plenty of things he kept from his Senpais but only one of them was something big enough to really affect their performance as a team. His parents knew about this secret and they understood why he kept it.

He sat on the bench in the club room with his back to wall closest to the door. Light scars covered his back and it was something he didn't want to have to explain; grabbing his shirt he held onto it for a minute.

When he woke up this morning he had felt very odd, his body felt heavy and he knew he hadn't gotten proper sleep during the night. Standing up he slipped his arms through the short sleeves and was about to slip it over his head when he stopped.

His head was pounding and his vision was beginning to tilt on its axis and spin. Dropping the shirt to the ground he sat down on the bench and held his head; he knew what this meant. He could see Eiji kneeling in front of him trying to ask him something but he couldn't make out his words. He had to tell him, had to warn him what this meant.

"Eiji sempi, bag...front pocket. The front pocket of my bag senpi.' his voice sounded thick and muddled as his brain began to misfire 'Gomen!" Ryoma replied as he collapsed to the bench.

Tezuka seen the display and ran over "He's having a seizure, Oishi time him, Eiji go into that pocket he mentioned see what you find." he commanded and picked up the fallen shirt and turned it into a makeshift pillow for his head.

Tezuka lowered Ryoma to the floor to prevent a fall from the bench and moved him onto his side. Eiji came walking back with a booklet on a Vagus nerve stimulator implant.

"3 minutes so far Tezuka." Oishi advised.

"It's just a booklet on an implant Tezuka." Eiji replied and he knelt down beside him.

Seizure Info:

Most seizures are self-limiting and stop by themselves after various periods of time. However, a person having a seizure may be injured; breathe food, fluid, or vomit into the lungs; or not get enough oxygen. During a seizure, it is important to protect the person from injury. Turn the person on his or her side, so that any vomit is expelled. See seizure first aid.

After a convulsion, most people go into a deep sleep. Don't prevent the person from sleeping. He or she will probably be disoriented, or possibly agitated for awhile after awakening.

Stay with the person until recovery or until you have professional medical help. Meanwhile, monitor their pulse, rate of breathing, and blood pressure.

DO NOT restrain the person.
DO NOT place anything between the person's teeth during a seizure (including your fingers).
DO NOT move the person unless he or she is in danger or near something hazardous.
DO NOT try to make the person stop convulsing. He or she can't control the seizure and is not aware of what is happening at the time.
DO NOT give the person anything by mouth until the convulsions have stopped and the person is fully awake and alert.
Some patients with epilepsy may have a vagus nerve stimulator implanted in their chest. In these persons, a seizure can be halted by activating the device. Other patients may have been prescribed medication to administer rectally during a seizure. Never try to administer anything (even medications) by mouth.

While the patient is asleep (general anesthesia), the stimulator device - which is about the size of a silver dollar - is surgically placed under the skin in the upper part of the chest. A connecting wire is run under the skin from the stimulator to an electrode that is attached to the vagus nerve, which is accessible through a small incision (cut) in the neck.

After it is implanted, the stimulator is programmed using a computer to generate pulses of electricity at regular intervals, depending on the patient's tolerance. For example, the device may be programmed to stimulate the nerve for 30 seconds every five minutes. The settings on the device are adjustable, and the electrical current is gradually increased as the patient's tolerance increases. Re-programming the stimulator can be done in the doctor's office. The patient also is given a hand-held magnet, which when brought near the stimulator, can generate an immediate current of electricity to stop a seizure in progress or reduce the severity of the seizure.

Note above taken from multiple sources here is one of them.
epilepsy/guide/vagus-nerve-stimulation-vns

Fuji grabbed the booklet and began to read. Running back to his bag he grabbed the device and ran over to Ryoma's side. Placing the magnate over his shoulder.

Not long after his shaking stopped and he fell asleep. His even breathing relaxed Eiji and he collapsed to the floor. Who would have thought of this, Ochibi was so sick and no one knew. This is something he should have told them, if this had happened during a match who knows what would have happened it could have been worse.

"He should have told us about this." Oishi replied.

"If this happened during a match he could have hit is head on the cement. We may not even have been able to find the book."

Tezuka pulled Ryoma up into his arms and leaned back against the bench. It was best to let him sleep according to the book. The rest of the regulars continued to get dressed.

Fuji knelt down next to the two "Want me to call his family?"

"Please, I'd be grateful."

It hadn't been a long conversation, his cousin was on her way to pick them up and would be there momentarily depending on traffic. Before Nanako had even made it half way to school in her small car Ryoma had woken up.

"Gomen Bucho. This hasn't happened in a long while so I wasn't expecting it."

"You take medication as well neh?"

"Hai, the medication and the VNS have helped reduce how sever they are as well as how many."

"The reason for them, your seizures, does it have to do with the scars on your back? I couldn't help but notice them earlier."

Ryoma stiffened "Hai, I was in a bad accident as a kid, my back had been totally marred and my head was a disaster too. They repaired what they could in America but the damage had been done. My brain can't send signals to my body properly all the time. It's kinda like it forgets. I was very amnesiac when the accident first happened."

"If you don't mind me asking what happened?"

"I was in a train with my older brother and it derailed. The glass and metal scrapped my back and my head was caught between two bits of heavy steel. It's what I'm told I still don't recall anything from then or two months after it happened."

"Ryoma?" Nanako called sighing in relief when she saw him snuggled up to his Bucho.

"He just woke up. Do you need help Echizen?"

Ryoma shook his head and grabbed his shirt to put on. Climbing up slowly he nodded to his captain. Before exiting the door he looked over his shoulder.

"Please keep our conversation secret Bucho. I don't need the others to know the details."

Ryoma hadn't waited for a response, he knew Tezuka would keep it to himself. His trust in his Bucho just got that much stronger. He smiled to himself as he followed Nanako to the car.