Yep, you kind of stepped in it with that one. My very shy, sweet daughter stabbed a boy in 6th grade with a pencil for the very same thing. You have to think of it like someone who is overweight or perhaps has a physical disability. There is no sweet way to tease about it, but you would have no way of knowing that since we typically try not to stutter or talk about it. People who have received negative attention for being atypical associate humilation with that thing that makes them different. We (it is genetic) hear it throughout our lives, in the cruelest context, from people being intentionally mean. It's typically just a form of bullying and ridicule so common in school among children with low self-esteem who attempt to elevate themselves by humiliating someone else. Speaking only for myself, stutterers can be the low hanging fruit for the more intellectually challenged bullies. We simply find it hurtful in any context due to the negative attention it drew and draws from the worst people. Still, it wasn't intentional and and you may, like some, find there stutter endearing and had no idea they would be so sensitive about it.You have my respect for owning it, trying to understand, and for attempting to make it right. I'm sure they will completely forgive and forget with some gentle, positive, sincere encouragement. I suggest you do the same. If the relationship folds over something like this, it has far bigger problems than this single incident. Apologize, maybe spoil them a little, and put it behind you both. It's what I would want in their shoes. I'm fairly certain you only need to apologize/make amends, and consider it a character building, teachable moment. Forget all of that self-flagellating, overly sensitive, overly sensitizing, overly "woke" crap that assumes and encourages everyone to be an easily bruised, delicate flower with everyone else needing to placate and encourage those fragile sensibilities. It's largely intolerant to others for tiny bits of honest, understandable ignorance. It's OK to educate others and stand up for yourself, but the overly "woke" thing seems to generate an atmosphere of fear, unintended offense, and intolerance when it is received. I think we all need to cut each other a little slack. This may have been a tiny bit insensitive, but it was a playful and INNOCENT mistake and I extend you a pass on behalf of our "community". We all only know what we know and this constant fear of accidental offense is counter productive, intolerant, socially suffocating and we all have to stop encouraging such hypersensitivity in one another. People need to simply speak their minds when honest mistakes are made and accept sincere apologies when given, full stop. So just deal with it, carry the lesson, and you don't need to feel bad or ever speak of it again after you've allowed them to express their feelings and suitable amends have been made. After that, it would be best to keep the lesson and leave this accident in the rearview. You're human, you made a mistake, and you owned it. That's the process of emotional and intellectual growth and as good as it gets. It happens from time to time, so extend yourself a break. Expect to make more mistakes. We all do. Don't overthink or obsess about it and congratulations for gaining a little more insight and wisdom than you had yesterday. Maybe it will help you to be more patient when someone accidentally offends you in the future. Perhaps they're elderly and, based on the history of the English language, wrongly associate plurality with the pronouns they/them. Maybe give someone's parent, grandmother or grandfather a break over that and we'll call it even. Sound cool? We all need to exercise a little more tolerance towards one another instead of beating anyone over the head with a woke stick for simple, unintended offenses due to specific social ignorances. It's called taking one's self too seriously and expecting everyone else to do the same. This shit changes so fast and so often, it's hard to keep up with and young people's lives have been short and their life experiences so incredibly limited with sensibilities too easily offended. Sadly, the internet is no replacement for actual life experience and lends itself poorly to tolerance and empathy. Still, I see you trying and that's good. I hope you've gained some valuable insight and perspective AND walk away from this with an attitude of increased empathy, tolerance, and patience towards others who may accidentally offend you. That alone is worth the price of admission to the school of Learning from Our Mistakes young blood. Wisdom is a journey, not a destination.