Iosef hadn't stopped running his fingers through Phoenix's upper back, yet. He didn't know why, but it felt like a gesture that might convey some comfort to her, so unless she'd tell him to stop, he wouldn't. He wouldn't stop holding her the way he was now, either. It didn't mean anything 'serious', as far as he was concerned. To Iosef a hug was amongst the best things in the world when one was sad, and it didn't have to be anything other than a hug.
Remaining silent for a little while, Iosef thought about what Phoenix said. "Yeah, but I bet they're proud. They have to at least be happy that you're making use of what they fought so hard to give you, right?" One could hope, at least. If Phoenix's parents were as good people as she'd said they were, they'd care; unlike his own, who probably could care less if one of them won an Oscar - so long as the rest did not work 'dead-end jobs'.
"Go back, when we get home. Go see them. They'll be happy." And this looked like Iosef growing up all of a sudden. He didn't even know how it had happened, but it seemed that it had. "Oh, and no need to apologize, ever. Unless you do something really bad, but I doubt you will." He smiled down at her.