Banter works great between friends, but it falls flat when it’s forced between coworkers who don’t actually know each other that well.

One employee worked with a colleague who loved to trade insults in the name of friendship. But by all accounts, these two weren’t friends and they barely spoke except in passing.

As the days dragged on, this employee realized he didn’t enjoy this style of humor from someone he wasn’t close to.

So finally he lost his patience and stood up to the guy.

From that point on, his colleague did a complete 180 — and he worried he made things awkward for everyone.

Keep reading for the full story.

AITA for responding to a small-talky joke in anger?

So at work, there’s a guy who enjoys doing the “let’s insult each other as friends” thing, but I personally don’t enjoy this style of communication with people who I’m not actually friends with.

I find it grating when it comes from someone acting as if we are closer than we are.

One day, his coworker took things too far.

The other day, I came in, and he said, “Wow, you look like crap.”

I don’t work on the same shift as this guy, and we don’t talk much except between shifts.

I have been dealing with a lot in my personal life, and I’m aware I have an aura of tiredness around me, but I don’t have the energy to pretend otherwise.

So he was in no mood to give this coworker the benefit of the doubt.

Anyway, I just frowned and said, “Why would you say that to someone?”

He stopped smiling and started apologizing profusely. Someone else was nearby and just kind of looked at us, and I immediately felt awkward.

He knows what the internet is likely going to tell him, but he preemptively rejets it.

I’m aware that on Reddit, people will always tell you things like “Tell off that person, don’t take crap from others, put them in their place if they’re annoying you,” but honestly?

That’s not really the way to go in a lot of situations, I feel like. And now I’m wondering if I was overly aggressive or coming off as “too sensitive.”

Now things are totally different with this coworker.

The guy in question started treating me differently, almost more “carefully,” which makes me feel like I’m the one who might have done something wrong.

AITA?

Maybe treating him more carefully is just the way things should have been all along.

Redditors chime in with their thoughts.

This employee’s intervention ended up getting him exactly what he wanted.

Standing up to this coworker was fully within this employee’s rights.

Some people take joking in the workplace waaaaay too far.

If you enjoyed this story, check out this post about a customer service rep who hung up and called a customer back to get around a time limit, but ended up getting an award instead of a reprimand after the customer praised his service.

It’s actually a good thing his coworker is being more thoughtful now.

This coworker treated a near stranger like a buddy he’s known since childhood. In most workplaces, that just isn’t going to fly.

In this employee’s defense, he did let the guy down pretty easy. “Why would you say that to someone?” is basically a gentler way of saying, “cut that out — or else.”

A little discomfort now beats months of grating jokes.