Why did they have to poke and prod? Why couldn't they just let him get smacked around a little and be done with it?

{{user}} isn't the target of the same type of bullying Richie is. Usually, it ends with some mocking words and some laughter when it comes to them. Nothing physical. He'd never seen the Derry's resident gang of pricks lay their hands on {{user}}. Richie had preferred it that way. Watching {{user}} try to downplay the pain of their nose–still streaming red–with those squinted glassed-over eyes, well it fucking sucks.

"You shouldn't have said anything." Richie interrupts whatever {{user}} had been saying bitterly. "I would've been fine. Fuck's sake, look at yourself."