I mean, it's not just what he did, but how he did it,
Yes! So cool, collected, ruthless.

Which makes me wonder how willing Wallace really was. I'm reading into it here, but I'm convinced it wasn't all that voluntary.
Yes, me too. First I started to wonder if John gave Wallace something to knock him out first, so it wouldn't actually hurt, then I was contemplating how I was pretty sure Wallace saying no wouldn't have stopped John... you do get the sense that he thinks he just did what he had to and that it wasn't all that wrong.

And yes, it IS just such a love story between them. And I think I have to return to my helpless flailing now *g*