One of them was on the brink of tears, the other fired-up and clad in a burqa.
But the day after their remarkable exchange in parliament there was no sense of hostility between Attorney-General George Brandis and One Nation leader Pauline Hanson on Friday.
The pair sat across from each during a Senate committee hearing in Canberra.
It was a very different scene on Thursday, when Hanson drew a stinging rebuke from the nation's first law officer.
Lip trembling, he counselled her to consider the "appalling" stunt.
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His defence of law-abiding Muslim Australians, along with his refusal to heed calls for a ban on the burqa, earned Brandis a standing ovation from opposition and crossbench senators.
Almost 24 hours later, it was as if the events of Thursday had never happened.
Hanson politely quizzed the attorney-general about family law courts, telling him she was concerned about the lengthy timeline of some cases and the stress that was placing on families.
"Of course it does," Brandis agreed, conceding her point the courts were overloaded and telling her of his desire to have more judges.
Having some judges on sick leave for up to six months also put a strain on an already stretched system.
"Senator Hanson you are dead right in identifying this as part of the problem," Brandis said graciously, noting her great interest in the area.
"I thank you for your input into our thinking about these issues."
The reality of politics is that the Turnbull government still needs Hanson and the votes of her three One Nation colleagues.
And, having been spotted dining separately at the same pub near Parliament House on Thursday night, both combatants are apparently happy for life to go on too.
