Show control strip without having "x" button appear on main view?

[qcn]

I'm trying to use MTMR to replace the stock function keys touchbar. I want to show F1 to F12 all the time, but stock touchbar doesn't allow me to add a space in that view, and I want a space between esc and F1 (because I keep hitting F1 when I try to hit esc). But I still want to show the control strip when I hold the Fn key, like with stock.

When I make my MTMR setting, I can show the F1-F12 with the gap, like I want. If I untick "Hide control strip" in MTMR, when I hold Fn, it shows the control strip, but in the main MTMR view it has an (x) button that exits the MTMR touchbar, which I don't want. If I tick "Hide control strip", it gets rid of the (x) button, but then the Fn key doesn't bring up the control strip. How can I have the "show control strip" behaviour, but without the (x) button?