Santiago Alverio is torn between family expectations and his own internalized fears from homophobic relatives. As he enters a casual fling with Diablo Delgado, he discovers that love, patience, and acceptance might be the blueprint to healing and embracing his true self. *** Santiago Alverio has always lived by the rules of his family, peers, and a silent world that tells him who he should be. As a civil engineering student, he hides behind toxic masculinity and the fear of being noticed because of expectations and a homophobic upbringing. Then comes Diablo Delgado--fearless, affectionate, and unapologetically himself. What begins as a no-strings "friends with benefits" arrangement slowly converts into something deeper. With every touch, every unguarded smile, Diablo breaks the walls Santi has built around his heart. But love is never simple. Santi is caught between family pressures, societal judgment, and his own insecurities. Will he ever realize that happiness was never about meeting expectations but about choosing the person who makes him feel whole? DISCLAIMER: This story is written in Taglish. COVER DESIGN: Rayne Mariano ILLUSTRATOR: Ri Ot

(Game Series # 9) Mauro Eugenio dela Rama's life revolved around school and work. At times, he felt like drowning pero hindi siya pwedeng magreklamo kasi pinili niya naman 'yon. For him, he'd rather be exhausted with his 9 to 5 and 5 to 9 kaysa humingi ng pambayad ng tuition sa tatay niya. He was doing fine kahit nahihirapan siya. Akala niya hindi niya kailangan ng tulong... Then he met Atty. Achilles V. Marroquin. Mauro thought that he was just being nice to him dahil abogado na 'to ay siya ay 'di hamak na struggling law student lamang. Kahit nahihiya siya, humingi siya ng tulong dito. Kakapalan niya na ang mukha niya kaysa bumagsak siya sa subjects niya. He thought he was just being regular nice to him... hanggang isang araw ay napapatanong na lang siya sa sarili niya kung normal pa ba 'to o nilalandi ba siya ng abogadong 'to?

Somersault Boys Series #1 Might not. Probably won't. Maybe never. Unlikely. Doubtful. Despite being everything he could have been, Elize constantly settled in the dark, lurking with the impossibles and uncertainties. He believed that he would grow up and take the path of life in a single route with one straight line; no turns, no shortcuts. Perhaps it was because his one and only flesh and blood prompted him to think that if he didn't act like how he was made and how he was supposed to be, he would never reach the light at the end of the tunnel, or never reach his dreams, never be accepted, never be treated seriously...never be loved. The word "Always" was never in Elize's vocabulary-an exception with always doubting, always trying, always...just dreaming. But never the good kind of "Always". Then he tasted it, the bittersweet sensation in his tongue when his mother left him to work abroad. Elize then started to thrive, meet new friends, socialize, be a human...fall in love. For the first time, Elize felt free, felt genuine, felt...guilty? Guilty...was it because he felt glad his mother left, or because he met someone that made him start to feel the Always' in his Nevers? Regardless, he dedicated his whole life in chasing that assurance in his world of doubts, and he simply could not back out now. But when good things come to an end, the choice is yours if you want to let it go, or fight for it. If you choose the latter, make sure to draw blood and fight until you're dead. Just like Elize did.

[ Iskwala Series #1 ]