Vegeta's feet sank deeper and deeper into the cool soft sand with every wave that came rushing onto Master Roshi's beach house shore. It was as if the water was embarrassed of its own initial excitement as it retreated back home again and again, brushing the back of the Saiyan's legs. The usually black depths sparkled this night, it was one of those nights where one would swear they no longer resided in the sky but rather blissfully rode the ocean waves until sunrise. The only thing more beautiful than these midnight candles was the full spotlight moon and, even with his eyes closed, Vegeta felt it shining directly on him. He tensely crossed and uncrossed his arms over his bare perspiring chest, not sure what to do with them as his hands clenched and shook. A deep growl emanated from Vegeta's chest. If used as a conch shell one would hear an earthquake rather than an ocean under his tough skin.
The Woman had dragged him to Roshi's island under the pretense that it would be no more than a brief dinner with the fools she called her friends, but it had quickly escalated into an all-nighter. Vegeta didn't exactly feel compelled to chat it up with Chi Chi or play ridiculous games with Kakarot and his two boys so he had slipped outside to the dark and silent beach where he could remove the constricting button-up shirt Bulma had strongly requested he wear and go for a swim. If he had known beforehand that it was a full moon night he would have stayed in and endured Krillin's idiotic babbling, but he hadn't. Now drenched in the moon's blutswaves, his body put up such a physical resistance that he could no longer make the choice to retreat back in.
The stub on his lower back where his tail had once been felt as if it were on fire and he gnashed his teeth at invisible enemies. Ever since that regretful day when the fat moron had gotten the slip on him and claimed his tail Vegeta had never again been able to transform at the first sight of a full moon. But his physical disability had not hindered his animalistic tendencies and he now felt them getting the best of him.
His nose flared at the first coppery scent of blood, Vegeta looked down at his own hands only to realize that he had been clenching harder than he had thought. Blood leaked from the spots on his palms where his short nails had broken through skin. He fought the urge to hungrily lap it up and reminded himself that he had slated his blood thirst years ago. And yet… No! He fell to his knees and thrust his hands into the water in the hopes that the pain of salted wounds would snap him out of his trance. Tears of resistance stung his eyes and he panted heavily. The veins in his arms stood up on his muscles as they pumped with his heart. Just as he felt he was going to lose his battle, a cool hand calmly stroked the boiling skin on his back.
"You know, I've always wondered how it would feel to bathe in moonlight."
Vegeta glanced around towards the gentle voice but Bulma wasn't looking at him, she was gazing up at the sky. A light breeze pushed her soft ocean-blue hair back and she sighed. Vegeta returned his focus back to nothing and replied,
"Well now you know."
It came out almost as a quiet roar but Bulma had understood what he said. She glided forward next to Vegeta, the water was up to her knees and he could feel her bare thighs and cotton shorts brush his arm.
"I think maybe I'll stick to water." And with that she peeled off her white tank top and dove into the sparkling waves, splashing Vegeta right in the face.
"Agh! Woman! Have you completely lost your mind?" He spat, his usual angry tone sneaking through his animal growls. Bulma shook her wet hair out above the water and stood up just barely enough for Vegeta to see the top of her milky white chest. She pretended to look puzzled.
"I don't know, but since you clearly know oh so much about my mind you could swim out here and learn a thing or two about something else." She winked and sank back into the water until it touched her nose, and even with her mouth hidden Vegeta knew she was smiling.
The sweat had all but dried on his skin and his muscles had relaxed the moment she had laid a single hand on them.
"Oh well," he thought "I did come out here for a swim." He dove in after her and by the white light of the moon he saw everything clearly.