A steady-state high-flux H or He plasma beam was balanced against the pressure of a Sn vapour cloud for the first time, resulting in a self-regulated heat flux intensity near the liquid surface. A temperature response of the liquid surface characterized by a decoupling from the received heating power and significant cooling of the plasma in the neutral Sn cloud were observed. The plasma heat flux impinging on the target was found to be mitigated as heat was partially dissipated by volumetric processes in the vapour cloud rather than wholly by surface effects. These results motivate further exploration of liquid metal solutions to the critical challenge of heatand particle flux handling in fusion power plants.