Title: The Course of True Love and First Dates
Author: Cassandra Clare
Genre: Fantasy, Supernatural and LGBTQA+ Romance
Tropes: first love, age gap, supernatural romance, black cat/ golden retriever energy
Taylor Swift Song: labyrinth
Other Songs: Infinitely Falling – Fly by Midnight, Stand by You – Rachel Platten
Adaptation: Netflix series adapted Alec and Magnus’ love story based on the original six book series of shadow hunters.
Series/Standalone: A short story featured in companion book ‘The Bane Chronicles’
*Warning: Contains Spoilers*
If there’s one couple proving soulmates are real, it’s Alec and Magnus. The earth shaking fire starting connection they share has transcended demons, danger and denouncements from others in the shadow Hunter realm. They wrote the stars for themselves in a thousand sparkling lights. Cassandra Clare tells a slow burning yet soul touching love story, and she remains at the forefront as the ‘supernatural ally’ for positively diverse and realistic LGBTQA+ representation, that transcends fiction.
‘The Course of True Live and First Dates’ provides the reader with a glimpse into the early fledgling days and sparks of what would become one of the greatest love stories ever told. It shows Alec and Magnus’ relationship taking off as they go on their very first date.
Magnus is learning to open himself up to love again after heartbreak he’s never cared about someone in the same level as he does for Alec. At the same time, Alec starts to conquer his nerves and doubts, starting to accept and explore his sexuality, and giving himself permission to find happiness for himself. When you have a chance to find true love, that person who just gets you and loves all of you like these two, you see love overcomes all boundaries, love is love and it should always be celebrated.
This Rose red shimmering tale of love begins with Magnus preparing for his first date with Alec. Magnus is afraid of the fate going badly after his own bad experiences with love and wanting to do right by Alec, who’s taking a big step in asking the warlock out. Alec is nervous about impressing Magnus and allowing himself to accept there’s a guy out there who likes him for him, like Magnus, when he’s always been overlooked.
“And silver, though few people knew it, was a rarer metal than gold.”
Magnus thinking about he wishes Alec saw exactly how special and unique he was, when he’s always been overlooked for Jace or Izzy.
Magnus wants to prove his feelings for Alec whilst making sure he feels safe and comfortable. He wants Alec to feel like he’s seen by someone for once, and give Alex that confidence to realise someone likes him for just being himself, including what he hides, and that he’s beyond worthy of love.
“Maybe it was enough to be the first person to tell Alec that he was worthy of being seen ahead of anyone in a room, and of being looked at longest.”
Magnus about Alec after they meet at his apartment for the date, seeing the effort he’s made and his thumping heart rate.
It rings home how new or nerve-wrecking first dates or even just trying to find love can be when you struggle with how you see yourself or who you are like Alec, and Magnus too in different ways. For Alec this needn’t be a worry as Magnus notices the understated efforts he made like his shirt and the cologne he uses.
After a chaotic yet sweet date where Magnus and Alec take the NYC subway, go to a restaurant frequented by supernaturals, and taking an unplanned detour to help a young girls newly bitten werewolf girlfriend at a local bar, Alec nervously reveals to Magnus that he loved it because Magnus planned it. He starts to open up to Magnus and Magnus let’s himself just see what happens and no longer feels the night despite its obstacles, has not been a disaster but rather the start of something newer and scarier – true love.
Sometimes, though hard, you need to get of your own head and just go with the flow, and take things one step at a time. The subtle character development of Magnus to his hopeless romantic and glamorous ways (as Alec blushingly puts it) and Alec to being more decisive and giving himself permission to feel despite his nerves is heart warming and swoon worthy to see.
Alec’s confidence in love gets bolder as himself and Magnus make their way back to Magnus’ apartment. This is where Alex decides to take the plunge and initiates to Magnus that he wants to kiss him, which Magnus is all to ready to agree too.
“Alec’s mouth met Magnus’, soft and gentle. Getting his break back was an impossibility, and no longer a priority.”
Magnus and Alec when they get back to Magnus’ apartment and they simply cants hold back anyway, love and desire wins out.
“The kiss caught fire”
“He was beautiful and hopeful and hesitating, a heartbreaker who wore his heart on his sleeve.”
Magnus thinking about what he’s come to learn about Alec on their date, as they kiss in his apartment.
Alec and Magnus’ date has a very passionate conclusion, as they both give into their nervous love tensioned feelings and kiss deeply in the apartment. It’s both new and all consuming for them, but it feels to right. Like they say, when you know you know.
“Maybe this time was different, maybe this love was different.”
After Alec leaves, and accepting a second date, Magnus lets himself believe that Alec could be the one he was waiting for.
This marks Magnus’ chance in mind from the beginning of the date, as he waited for Alec to arrive at his apartment. He’s no longer as nervous or pessimistic but he’s starting to fall in love, and is hopeful that after all these years, he may have finally found the love of his life, his soulmate, in Alec.
For anyone who wants to know, Magnus and Alec do get their happy ending across the shadow hunter books. True Love is real, and Alec and Magnus are the definitive proof of that.
the girl and the city of books 
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