I had an inkling of an idea a while back. It's crystalized so now I can share it 
So, I envision a world pretty much the same as our own except for dragons. Now, nobody knows they're real because none are around. However, what nobody realizes is that gargoyles are merely dragons which have become stone. Dragons live for a very, very long time. They're generally benevolent and frequently sit on top of buildings watching for danger. In truth, more of the watching is detecting destress than actual watching. Discovering someone in destress, they'll fly off their post and help. After a long time of boredom, dragons will start to withdraw, turning into stone at the same time. Dragons are aware of this effect of ennui, but don't consider it a bad thing. Since they are pretty much immortal, eventually the world can start to get boring and thus withdrawal occurs. At first they're still paying some attention and will become flesh again and help, but eventually they mostly stop paying attention.
So, many of the gargoyles around are stone dragons (indestructable, magic stone), but many of the gargoyles are sculptures which merely imitate the dragons.
I envision them in modern times, none having woken up in several millenia. However, for some reason one of them wakes up upon seeing a damsel in distress and comes to rescues her. I can imagine many ways this can go from here, but all end with the two in love.
1) The damsel ends up saving herself before he can help. She might even be a cop.
2) The dragon saves her, then goes back to his post. She starts hanging around him trying to get him to wake back up.
3) The dragon takes human form before rescuing her.
4) The dragon scares the beejezus out of her in the process of saving her.
5) The dragon saves her in such a way that she doesn't see him.
6) Something else.
I'd love to see someone's take on this idea.
So, I envision a world pretty much the same as our own except for dragons. Now, nobody knows they're real because none are around. However, what nobody realizes is that gargoyles are merely dragons which have become stone. Dragons live for a very, very long time. They're generally benevolent and frequently sit on top of buildings watching for danger. In truth, more of the watching is detecting destress than actual watching. Discovering someone in destress, they'll fly off their post and help. After a long time of boredom, dragons will start to withdraw, turning into stone at the same time. Dragons are aware of this effect of ennui, but don't consider it a bad thing. Since they are pretty much immortal, eventually the world can start to get boring and thus withdrawal occurs. At first they're still paying some attention and will become flesh again and help, but eventually they mostly stop paying attention.
So, many of the gargoyles around are stone dragons (indestructable, magic stone), but many of the gargoyles are sculptures which merely imitate the dragons.
I envision them in modern times, none having woken up in several millenia. However, for some reason one of them wakes up upon seeing a damsel in distress and comes to rescues her. I can imagine many ways this can go from here, but all end with the two in love.
1) The damsel ends up saving herself before he can help. She might even be a cop.
2) The dragon saves her, then goes back to his post. She starts hanging around him trying to get him to wake back up.
3) The dragon takes human form before rescuing her.
4) The dragon scares the beejezus out of her in the process of saving her.
5) The dragon saves her in such a way that she doesn't see him.
6) Something else.
I'd love to see someone's take on this idea.
