This is a continuation of the Traditions prompt! I'd done so much research into traditions and the first fic got so long, I decided to come back to it for this prompt

Fandom: Bill (Gabrian)

Day 19 prompt: Holiday Baking

El Día de los Reyes Magos – the Day of the Three Kings. Back home in Spain, children would be waking up to their gifts and Gabriel gazed down at the new fan in her hands fondly, remembering her own childhood. She missed it dearly, but Ian and the children's efforts had certainly worked some kind of magic on her and reignited her excitement for the holiday. She carefully placed the fan down on her dressing table in her room and hurried back downstairs.

She knew Bill was busy with writing back upstairs. He'd been struck by inspiration and ran off shortly after breakfast, Anne had taken Susanna, Judith and Hamnet to visit their Aunt Jane, and Ian had volunteered to take care of clearing the table and cleaning up. Gabriel entered the kitchen and approached him. He lifted his head at the sound and smiled at her as he dusted off his hands, but when he reached out to pull her into an embrace, she held up a hand. She smiled at the way he furrowed his brow and wagged her finger at him.

"Don't get any ideas. I want to ask for your help."

"What with?"

"There is something I'd like to make for you all, as a way to thank you. A sort of cake we would have in Spain for Día de los Reyes Magos, called a roscón de reyes," she explained and Ian raised a curious eyebrow, "It does take quite some time to prepare, but we may be able to have it ready for after dinner."

"What do we need for it?"

He took no convincing – of course he'd help her. She followed him around, listing off ingredients as he went through the cupboard and picked them out one by one.

"Flour, sugar, yeast, salt, eggs..."

He fetched some milk and water, which were both needed lukewarm, and candied fruits leftover from the children's New Year's presents.

It had been a while since Gabriel had made a roscón de reyes, but once she got started, the memories came flooding back of holidays spent at home. The flour puffed up from the bowl as Ian was sifting it and he coughed, making her laugh, and he picked a little bit up to flick at her. An image crossed her mind of her mother and father teasing one another in much the same way as a young Gabriel watched from behind the door. She never thought she'd be able to find the same love that they had, but here she was.

Ian proved better at cracking the eggs than Gabriel, but she was better at rolling and shaping the dough into a ring.

"Well, I've never made anything this shape before," he muttered, "If I had the practice like you have, I'd do better."

Gabriel just smirked at him, but said nothing as she set the dough aside to rise. In the time it took, the two of them cleaned up, talked, and kissed. An hour had passed in the blink of an eye. Gabriel reluctantly tore herself away from Ian to begin decorating, only for him to follow close behind her, keeping one arm around her. He rested his chin against her head as he watched her place the jewel-like pieces of fruit around the cake. She looked up at him with a soft smile and popped a chunk of strawberry into his mouth.

Anne arrived home with the children soon after and sniffed the air, an intrigued expression on her face.

"Something smells good. What is that?"

"Roscón de reyes. A Spanish dessert we often had for Three Kings' Day."

That immediately got the kids' attention and they ran to the oven to try and peak inside.

"Oh, lovely. It's nice to come home and have the baking sorted for me," Anne smiled at Gabriel.

"I did have some help from Ian, of course."

"Even better."