Between finding himself here and all the formalities that came with it, McGillis could say, without hesitation, that he was definitely under the impression that this was a very different kind of place. While he hadn't assumed that the prior tension was the norm, he was kind of expecting a certain amount of... well, professionalism. Still, he supposes it's a bit quaint, even when an unidentifiable substance manages to connect and find its way onto his shirt. He can't say he's been involved in many food fights, after all, and this is very different from what he's used to.

Of course, quaint though it may be, it's still a mess he'd like little part of, so once things start picking up, McGillis takes his napkin and quietly stands to excuse himself. It's difficult to navigate with all the crossfire, and in carefully trying to avoid it, he's not paying enough attention to notice Gaelio, either before he's struck with the space pudding or after. And that is how McGillis becomes one of the hapless souls Gaelio bumps into, because such is his luck (or maybe it's karma).

It's just going to be that kind of day, he guesses.

"My apologies," he says, mostly to be polite. He barely spares Gaelio a glance before he starts to turn away and continue, but the glance is all it takes to give him pause. That's probably an understatement—he stops, mind and body. Very few things could catch McGillis off-guard, but this? This sure does it. In a rare moment, there are no smart comebacks or smooth words, nothing cool to deflect his true feelings for the situation, just... genuine surprise.

He's going to need a minute to process this one.