Pred's motivations during this scenario?

[Marco]

This a scenario I have been thinking about lately, though it is born from a scene I have pictured for years, inspired a scene from a karaoke video I have had since I was a kid.

A pred and a prey are at least seemingly in a relationship with each other, and this has been going on long enough for at least the prey to feel like this is a passionate romantic relationship that will last forever, but not long enough that you wonder why the pred didn't do this before and the prey is still potentially expendable. The pred and prey are having loving moment (in my mind, based on the inspiration, they are kissing passionately, but if you want to imagine something else you can) and at the end of it, the pred eats the prey.

The prey is completely unwilling and by this time at least, never even expected to get eaten by the pred, and the eating is final, however you choose to view this (digestion, entrapment, whatever else there can be.) The pred does not feel bad about eating the prey at all, despite their (supposed?) relationship and clearly enjoyed the taste.

In this scenario, which of the following motivations for the pred do you like more, and do you have any others? I have essentially been imagining all of the originally listed ones.

[SinLion]

I like the idea of it being from the predator's instincts! Especially if it's like, a relationship between something along the lines of a tiger and a mouse, I could see how the pred ends up eating his partner in a moment of weakness, when his instincts are telling him that his boyfriend's nothing more than food. It's a really cute idea!

[indoorcues]

I can imagine a predator feeling like they won't always be around to protect their partner. That the predator in the relationship would inevitably come home one day to find their loved one just disappeared. Deciding instead to end it on their own terms and not the whims of a cruel stranger.

[NotTadpole]

I can only really see that pred as being a completely evil, soulless and amoral backstabber in that scenario, in my opinion. Especially given how they don't feel a shred of remorse for killing someone that legitimately loved them.

[Saeshan]

If the prey was feeling in a romantic relationship, then maybe they kept something platonic, like, no sex the five or six first dates, and the pred (guy, or girl) is so wonderful, that maybe tonight the prey (he or she) is ready to do it, only to discover that, well, the pred is like a mantis, and just can't help but eating because it was part of the ritual. The pred was playing a fool game, seducing his or her prey, and be the perfect prince charming all the time because it is the only way for him or her to fulfill his or her impulses... Perfect romance, bad conclusion...

[RiffRaff]

Being a more sentimental sort, I like the third and fifth reasons. The pred's a loving, protective sort who genuinely believes that eating their partner is the best route, either as protection against 'worse' fates, or just as a way of ensuring they'd be together forever.

[Vae]

this fits pretty well with how i tend to eat people, so i’ll just explain what happened as it would be from my perspective..

First of all, our feelings for eachother were real. This wasn’t a ruse to let their guard down... I could have done this at any point, after all. I never gave any indication that i would eat my partner because I assumed they understood my nature and it was an implied risk. You don’t date a pred and just assume you are off the menu.. and it was *not* some asinine ‘instinctual takeover’ ugh.. I am more than capable of controlling myself, i’m not a mindless animal.

No.. I ate my beloved this way because it was exactly how i wanted it to happen. There is nothing to be savored from eating a stranger, to me. No, I crave personal interest and personality. I want to taste this person and all they are, all they experienced and all we shared. i want to feel all of that come to a beautiful end inside me. That, I can savor. If our feelings weren’t real, it would be nothing.

I enjoyed them, and i would hope they’d understand, but honestly It doesn’t matter anymore. I got what O wanted.

[Birichino]

I can only really see that pred as being a completely evil, soulless and amoral backstabber in that scenario, in my opinion. Especially given how they don't feel a shred of remorse for killing someone that legitimately loved them.

Well, entrapment scenarios were also offered, in which it might be more yandere possessiveness or, depending on the pred, some kind of offering housing or symbiosis. HOW it's permanent matters, even though murdering people who love you is disagreeable behaviour.

[Ghrelin]

Well, entrapment scenarios were also offered, in which it might be more yandere possessiveness or, depending on the pred, some kind of offering housing or symbiosis. HOW it's permanent matters, even though murdering people who love you is disagreeable behaviour.

Trapping someone forever against their will is also cruel. Arguably just as much or more so than killing them.
either way, the scenario being both permanent and unwilling with the pred being completely remorseless doesn't read like any sort of romantic situation to me. So "tricking them all along" or "ending the relationship permanently" is what I'd probably go with of the options given. Seems like the pred in question was never as serious about the relationship as the prey; it'd have to be pretty one-sided to end up this way IMO.
edited to add: This is in regard to my personal preference, of course. Not saying others can't portray their preds with a different mindset. That's just how I would interpret/write a scenario like the one in the OP.

[NotTadpole]

Trapping someone forever against their will is also cruel. Arguably just as much or more so than killing them.
either way, the scenario being both permanent and unwilling with the pred being completely remorseless doesn't read like any sort of romantic situation to me. So "tricking them all along" or "ending the relationship permanently" is what I'd probably go with of the options given. Seems like the pred in question was never as serious about the relationship as the prey; it'd have to be pretty one-sided to end up this way IMO.
edited to add: This is in regard to my personal preference, of course. Not saying others can't portray their preds with a different mindset. That's just how I would interpret/write a scenario like the one in the OP.

These are exactly the thoughts I had.

[Saeshan]

Well, entrapment scenarios were also offered, in which it might be more yandere possessiveness or, depending on the pred, some kind of offering housing or symbiosis. HOW it's permanent matters, even though murdering people who love you is disagreeable behaviour.

Trapping someone forever against their will is also cruel.

Not if you raise a dilemma for the reader... The prey can be dying from an incurable disease. Does the prey know this? Or is this something only the pred know? Like, the pred is a doctor, they had that wonderful relationship, and the pred is just feeling too clumsy to announce that the prey will die, and there is a solution (in which the pred takes benefit) which is symbiosis, because pred has some stomach fluids that are compatible with permanently relieving the disease, but the prey remains entrapped forever (but for example, are still able to communicate with pred). Otherwise, no more fluids, and the disease comes back etc. etc.. The price for a respite... The prey is already considering the pred as a wonderful guy, will the prey accept this ultimate sacrifice?