[Stephen was certainly not the kind of person to judge her choice of poison to silence her inner demons. He certainly couldn't cast the first stone: throwing himself into the study of spells and the workings of the Infinity Stones was definitely better than musing on how the path he chose had cost him dearly, and on how it would be a lonely one.

That thought alone was enough for him to down his own shot of whiskey, grimacing at the awful taste of the liquor:]

Blah, I forgot how bad that whiskey was.

[He promptly washed away the after taste with some bourbon.]

No offense, Jessica [he said, chuckling lightly], but I have a hard time imagining you as harmless.

[He meant it in a good way. She could change her appearance all she wanted, there was something in the way she walked and moved that spoke of strength. And it was something he rather liked in a woman.

He arched an eyebrow, intrigued and pleased by her words:]

Oh? You mean my pretty blue eyes aren't enough for you?