I don't believe I ever posted my story but as someone with a similar experience it absolutely crazy what dreams can do to you.
In my case I mwt a highschool sweetheart we traveled the world only to come back to where we met when we were young. My realization of it being fake was that it was a fall day in my dream. I couldn't hear leaves rustling even though they were there. I woke up not long after that.
The girl in question was someone I never even went to school with. Redhead with freckles and was oddly somewhat taller than me. When it was over there was just this sense of longing.
As someone who uses both. I think Mastodon also just doesn't have the users, it is not as easy to setup and I think understanding instances and its UI are less user friendly.