For the next The In-Between chapter, I'm describing a place where MC goes out one night (the same place where Good Ale sees Evil Ale with Mirko), and I'm trying to capture the chaos of the local nightlife. Well... I honestly think I'm failing, lol
Here's a view of the real place on any given evening. There's no special event going on, it's like this every night 😭
In this post I wanted to talk about what asexuality might look like in IFs, and the various ways this might be encoded into one’s IFs!
This is NOT a comprehensive post, I am NOT an expert. This is more or less me using my platform to educate where I can.
At the end of this post, and this is very important to me, is a list of resources covering some available information about BIPOC and Asian experiences. I will be talking about a BIPOC character in this post, but my discussion of him will be about implementation and structuring within an IF context! This is not an analysis of BIPOC and Asian asexual experiences nor about how this character acts as representation of these experiences.
If you intend on writing about these experiences, please educate yourself with my references being a jumping off point. I want to highlight these sources because they explicitly are written by BIPOC and Asian authors, and therefore, deserve more of a platform and focus. If you just want to skip to that section, please do!
This following section will be talking about two specific characters in IFs that I have encountered so far in my own playthroughs. I will be tagging the creators as permitted! Just be aware that this is not a critique, this is not an in-depth analysis, this is just pointing to various ideas and concepts associated with the characters that I feel are important to point out!
Unfortunately, I will not be providing a comprehensive list of IF characters that are asexual. One of the following examples is actually not asexual at all, but is written in such a way where I'd like to discuss its relevancy to this post. If anyone has made a list, please reach out! I'd love to tack it on and give you credit.
Oswin - God Cursed
Oswin, created by @wings-of-ink (aka Lunan), is a confirmed Demisexual character who is also BIPOC. It is very rare that we have an explicitly BIPOC asexual in media, let alone a BIPOC asexual man, therefore Oswin is a very wonderful rare character that I am very grateful to see in the IF.
In the story of God Cursed, should you choose his romance, there are a few moments where you get to discuss your MC's experiences with relationships. Whether it be romantic experiences or sexual ones, Lunan provides us a few choices as to how to respond to Oswin's expression of his demisexuality as well as how the MC may express their own sexuality.
There are a good few choices to choose from, including expressing a similar lack of sexual desire as Oswin, to being completely allosexual. Either way, the MC is accepted by Oswin and for their identity. Additionally, Oswin does express in the IF how Oswin’s connection to the MC influences his desire, which I recommend reading the IF to see how that is expressed.
Furthermore there are elements of aromantic identity in their IF! This is quite rare, and honestly is lovely to see. Especially as most IFs assume you may want to have a romance, when hey you just might want to have some casual fun!
Robin - Viatica
Robin, created by @fir-fireweed (aka Fir), is NOT an asexual character. That is completely fine, and is not expressly why I bring up this character in this discussion. Why I bring this character up is due to their complex relationship with sexuality.
In Viatica, there are a lot of complicated feelings around sex expressed by the characters. Within the story sex has become a compulsory act dictated by an abusive higher authority, thus losing its capacity for expressing intimacy and affection. Many of the characters have complex experiences that culminate in a heavy discussion at one point in the IF that makes it worth a read alone (aside from the amazing story that is...); but let's turn the discussion back to Robin.
Robin is the most vocally uncomfortable around the conversation of sex due to their own traumatic experiences. In the IF there is even a scene where the MC may try to initiate intimacy, whether sexual or otherwise, and Robin expresses discomfort. The MC is automatically stopped due to recognition of this discomfort, and they have a good discussion as partners about Robin's stress about sex.
I could go at length about Robin's expression of their sexuality, their discomfort and subsequent trauma about it, but I feel it is more satisfactory to see it for yourself. The arc that Robin goes through, as written by Fir, is very fascinating and while it does culminate in Robin having sex, is a larger critique on how sexuality is perceived in the world of the IF as a whole.
IF Implementation
Now! Would I say the above IFs are perfect reps of asexuality? No, because no one is perfect and these IFs are offering different commentaries on sex and sexuality.
What might that mean for IF authors though?
When implementing asexual characters, you as an author must think about the layers of identity. In Lunan's work, the MC is able to express differing levels of romantic and sexual inclinations. Fir's work, which is admittedly old in comparison, does not have these layers but that isn’t a bad thing.
How most IFs express sexual variations (in a straight forward fashion):
You had no sexual experience and you don't want any.
You had no sexual experience and would like to see how it works.
You had sexual experience and you don't want any sex.
You had sexual experience and you do want to have sex.
Authors can add sub-variations to these expressions like:
You rarely feel sexual attraction to your sexual partners
You need to be close to your sexual partners to feel desire
You have pleasured yourself but have not experienced sexual attraction to another person
These sub-variations add a layer of complexity to the MCs identities, whilst also proposing some variables to keep in mind. Furthermore, this adds asexuality into the narrative and forms a format where intimacy can be expressed in a different manner!
Subtle ways to show asexuality in MC/Characters:
Lets say for example, a Character grabs MC on the waist and squeezes them (this prompt was suggested by a friend, love you friend!). The people talking in this hypothetical can be swapped in terms of who is MC and who is RO.
You feel discomfort rising within you and push their hand away. “What are you doing?”
“I’m testing how you feel. Is that not okay?”
“No, it’s not.”
“Because you need to ask first” (Just asking for general consent)
“Because I know where this might lead, and I’m not into it.” (You can clarify with a note as to what you mean by this, but this can be interpreted as ‘baseline’ asexuality)
“Because I need to know you, and I don’t.” (Potentially demisexual choice or greysexual)
OR
You feel warm at their touch, allowing them to keep their hand where it was.
“Where is this going?” You ask.
“Wherever you want it to go.” RO says.
You want to escalate it further, push their hand where it felt best (Potentially allosexual, but can be interpreted as a sex positive interaction for an asexual)
You didn’t want it to escalate further, the warmth of their hand felt so good in the moment (General consent)
“I don’t want this to be more than… a touch. I like feeling you, I like knowing you want me close, but nothing more.” (Asexual option)
The straight forward variables might look like:
Sex experiences: true/false
Sex want: true/false
Sub-variation variables might look like:
Sexual attraction: true/false
Close Sexual attraction: true/false
Sexual Desire/Personal intimacy: true/false
I hope readers right away might notice this added layer of complexity, and I would like to take it a step further and express that no reader should use this post as reason to judge IF authors for not implementing Ace identities into their works. There is so much complexity in identities, there is no true way to implement everything, and some people just aren't aware of Ace identities. That's okay! Everyone is learning as we go.
But IF authors, there are so few Ace characters out there! Please don't hesitate to add Asexual or Aromantic ROs! Add customization options for MCs! Go forth and increase the scope of your IF, but don't scope creep that's the devil talking.
Black queer organizations: https://www.marieclaire.com/politics/a32827051/black-lgbtq-organizations-groups/
Book on the topic: https://www.acornbookshop.com/products/refusing-compulsory-sexuality-a-black-asexual-lens-on-our-sex-obsessed-culture?variant=53980226453717
Asian Asexuality:
https://www.researchgate.net/publication/388886964_Asexuality_in_Asia_The_Intersection_of_Tradition_Identity_and_Sexual_Diversity (China, Japan, and India)
https://anoaqa.org/about-anoaqa-new/ (Organization focused on Asian asexuality!)
https://lup.lub.lu.se/luur/download?func=downloadFile&recordOId=9202348&fileOId=9202351 (Dissertation on Japanese asexuality!)
https://www.asexualityasia.org/ (This organization is run by southeast Asian individuals, but promises a broad spectrum of covering Asian experiences.)
Indigenous Asexuality:
Guides to general Indigenous sexuality: https://guides.library.ubc.ca/c.php?g=735133&p=5293056
Unfortunately there isn’t much beyond my preliminary research, but that’s okay. I just did a general search, there are loads of people online willing to educate, feel free to seek them out!!!
Book list: https://boatneck-group-cf6.notion.site/aro-ace-books-bcaaaf3d0556465fb9b9135a7fe2952b
Make good choices, and keep queering up spaces. Special thanks to Fir and Lunan for agreeing to be tagged in this post, I apologize for asking anonymously but anxiety is a bitch. Happy pride month!
{DEMO — including all text a small 8945K if you want to see some of the story. If u send me any bug asks in I will fix them} - will move progress updates to bottom.
MOTHER OF LIES — {IF WIP}
Ten years ago, you fled Larkspur carrying a secret no one could ever know.
Now a job offer has brought you home.
To the town that never forgot you.
To the first love you left behind.
To the family powerful enough to destroy everything you’ve built.
As a single parent and lifelong survivor, you’ll decide what matters more: protecting the life you’ve built, or uncovering the truth about the one you left behind.
✦ Single mother MC (can pick female/NB)
✦ currently two gender-selectable romances. one locked gender.
Content Warnings: Foster care trauma, emotional abuse, coercion, pregnancy and parenthood, death and grief, missing persons, murder, corruption, stalking, violence, weapons, home invasion, criminal activity, trauma responses, mature themes, and as always morally grey choices. (I want to clarify these will change — I’ve just wrote everything down right now the story could touch on. This is not 100 percent.)
🖤 SOREN MERCER — THE LOVE YOU NEVER GOT OVER
With tightly curled hair on top, neatly shaved sides, and a smile that can disarm almost anyone, Soren Mercer is the golden son of Larkspur’s most feared family.
Loyal, protective, and stubbornly good-hearted, he has spent years trying to prove that a Mercer doesn’t have to become a monster.
🤎 C. HAYES — THE BAKER ☕️
With messy light-brown curls, warm green-gold eyes, and flour usually dusting their clothes, C. Hayes is a familiar face in Larkspur. The owner of the town bakery, they’re known for remembering every customer’s order and always having something fresh waiting on the counter.
Kind, dependable, and quietly stubborn, Hayes has built a simple life for themself—one they’re willing to protect when old secrets begin resurfacing.
“Some people save lives with guns or badges. I just make bread.”
🩶 N. HART — THE MAYOR 👔
With blond hair, striking light eyes, and a smile that makes people believe change is possible, N. Hart is Larkspur’s rising political star.
Honest to a fault, compassionate, and determined to make the town better, they’re the rare kind of person who still believes doing the right thing matters.
Then they hire you.
Because some people are tempted by power.
And some people are tempted by the person willing to break every rule for the people they love.
[ progress ]
UPDATED 6th JUNE 2026 - 7K+ & bug fixes
UPDATED 7th JUNE 2026 - 8945K & small bug fixes including stat page should work & dialogue for the rest of your first half-day at Larkspur
UPDATED 9th June - no extra writing just an extra stat bug fix. Hoping that was the last one.
CURRENTLY JUNE 9th: bug to fix: dialogue: “You're afraid of me" — Prologue line 130 : Non-existent variable 'pc_last' (avoid this option right now & thank you Nonny for letting me know<333)
I’ve wrote all of MCs first day which introduces our lovely Mayor N Hart. I have more day1 to edit and add in more choices.
Just realized (and based on the analytics for the games) that I failed to be clear about where to access Chapter 7.
The IF is formatted into different books usually around 5 chapters long. They are continuations of one another, and do connect across the story. I had assumed people would know this but that's completely on me for making such an assumption.
Book 1: All Things Terrible and Beautiful contain chapters 1-5
Book 2: Flowers and Devotion will contain chapters 6-10. Chapters 6 & 7 are completed! The others are just in development.
Sorry again for the confusion, and make good choices!
Hello folks! I am in the sort of editing stage of Chapter 7. I don't know when I will publish it, likely in the coming week.
There will be some down time! Little time to explore the MCs home city. There will be hot cocoa too!
Chapter 8 is already in development, mostly have written the beginnings of relationships! You'll be able to see just how the ROs are with the MC taking initiative...
That being said I wanted to add that my intent for Dawn is to sort of make it a slowburn, friends to lovers sort of deal. Of course, lovers is open to interpretation into QPR.
