"Chloe hated New Year's Eve."

"Oh?" Lex looked up from the financial magazine he was perusing. In the overstuffed chair next to him, Clark sat up a little from his post-New-Years-stay-up-all-night slouch, legs thrown over one of the arms. "I'm sorry to hear that. Usually my host skills are a bit more optimal."

"I think your optimal hosting skills might have been exactly the problem." Lana crossed her arms and tapped her lacquered nails against her green uniform sleeve as she eyed the two boys. Clark was starting to squirm.

"Care to be a bit more specific with your criticism?" Lex inquired, not ruffled at all. "I do aim to please."

"It might have had something to do with her going to find her coat and actually finding you two."

"We were the hosts," Lex pointed out reasonably, smiling a little. "If she didn't want to see us, I'd have to conclude she went to the wrong party."

"Finding you two on top of her coat," Lana finished, a little too loud. "Naked."

The Talon was suddenly very quiet. Clark used his powers of super embarrassment to turn beet red and scrunch down as low as possible in the chair.